2025 Canucks vs. Kraken Prospect Showcase primer

And here is Seattle’s roster:

Players to Watch — Vancouver Canucks

Expect Vancouver’s defence to draw plenty of attention — and rightfully so. The group features four names, specifically, that bring an exciting mix of skill and snarl to the ice.

Tom Willander, Vancouver’s 2023 first-rounder, makes his debut appearance in a Canucks jersey and will be a heavy focal point throughout the weekend. Many expect him to push for a roster spot in the NHL, so standing out among this group of young skaters will be necessary.

In addition to Willander, the team is bringing a heavy blue line, complemented by Kirill Kudryavtsev, Sawyer Mynio, and Elias Pettersson. It’s one of the more potent top-four backends you’ll see in an environment such as this, and all should make it a tough weekend for the Kraken prospects.

Upfront, the organization’s newest first-rounder, Braeden Cootes, has been skating with their sharpshooting Swede, Jonathan Lekkerimäki, throughout the week. They have been placed alongside Vilmer Alriksson to round out what should be a very intriguing top line with a versatile mix of tenacity, two-way prowess, size and scoring ability.

They should be “must-watch” hockey this weekend.

Between the pipes, we will get our first look at recently drafted netminder Aleksei Medvedev. It’s shaping up to be a big year for the young netminder, who just recently turned 18, and this weekend will be a big step toward that goal.

Players to Watch — Seattle Kraken

There are also some intriguing names on the Kraken side, particularly among the forward group.

Highlighting the roster is Berkley Catton, a dynamic point producer and a former eighth overall draft pick. He’s been a monster at the WHL level, firing at a 1.44 point-per-game clip, with 116 goals and 284 points over just 197 games played for the Spokane Chiefs.

He’s also coming off a stellar playoff performance, where he led the league in assists (31) and points (42) and eventually earned the CHL Sportsman of the Year Award.

Still just 19, Catton finds himself in the awkward mushy middle, having to make the Kraken lineup to avoid being sent back to juniors — a league where he has already proved himself. It’s a scenario the Kraken know all too well in recent years.

Jani Nyman finished second among AHL rookies in 2024-25 with 28 goals, earning him a 12-game audition in Seattle, where he added three more to his ledger. His shot is lethal, and like Lekkerimäki, he should be a trigger man worth keeping tabs on. With a player like Catton giving him options, they could be a fun duo to watch.

Jake O’Brien, the club’s most recent eighth overall pick, is a name to keep tabs on, and one who we were particularly high on at CanucksArmy. A strong draft-eligible season kept him well out of reach for the Canucks, but he was a player on our radar for months leading up to it.

He was two points shy of 100 in just 66 games with the Brantford Bulldogs.

Projected Canucks Lineup

According to many, viewing the group’s final skate on Friday at the Abbotsford Centre, the Canucks’ lineups were as such:

Alriksson-Cootes-Lekkerimäki
Patterson-Chiarot- Bloom
Kunz-Berard-Dervin
Obobaifo/Oreskovic-Poisson-Walker

Pettersson-Willander
Mynio- Kudryavtsev
Arntsen-Alcos
Sandhu-Velliaris

Koskenvuo
Medvedev

We will have all of your coverage here at CanucksArmy throughout the weekend, so make sure you are tuned in!