Seattle Fans Witness the Greatest Game in NHL History

Just as the Florida Panthers triumphed over the Edmonton Oilers in a thrilling Game 7 to clinch the Stanley Cup, the Seattle Kraken are setting themselves up for a bright future through strategic drafting.

Since their inaugural draft in 2021, the Kraken have made impressive selections in the second and third rounds, including Ryker Evans, Ryan Winterton, Jagger Firkus, Jani Nyman, Niklas Kokko, David Goyette, Ty Nelson, Ben MacDonald, Carson Rehkopf, Oscar Fisker Molgaard, Lukas Dragicevic, and Caden Price.

Two of these players, Evans and Winterton, have already made their NHL debuts. Others, such as Firkus, Goyette, and Nelson, dominated in their final years in the CHL and are poised to become key figures for the Coachella Valley Firebirds next year, alongside Nyman. Rehkopf, Dragicevic, and Price also had standout seasons in the CHL and are likely to join the Firebirds next season with Fisker Molgaard. Meanwhile, Kokko has demonstrated his potential as a future NHL goalie with another strong season in Liiga.

The Toronto Maple Leafs have employed a similar strategy, turning their second and third-round picks into NHL-caliber players like Sean Durzi, Nick Robertson, Matthew Knies, and Fraser Minten. Despite their limited playoff success, this approach has made them one of the most consistent regular-season teams.

The Dallas Stars also exemplify the benefits of patient drafting, successfully developing prospects to replace aging veterans each year. Most of their impactful draft picks have come from the first round, with notable exceptions like Jason Robertson and Logan Stankoven.

If the Kraken continue to build around their talented draftees and complement their skills with the right pieces, their future success is inevitable.