Jun 28, 2024; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Berkly Catton is selected by the Seattle Kraken with the 8th overall pick in the first round of the 2024 NHL Draft at The Sphere. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

Kraken’s Top Prospect Eyeing Roster Spot

Originally posted on Breakaway on SI | By Jacob Punturi | Last updated Aug 6, 2025 1:00 PM ET

The Seattle Kraken missed the postseason for the second straight year and the third time in four seasons since the organization debuted. Playing in a difficult Pacific Division, the same division that’s determined the Western Conference champion for three straight years, the Kraken face a difficult test trying to ascend.

What the Kraken need the most is to match the high-powered offenses within the division. Powerhouses like the Edmonton Oilers and Vegas Golden Knights rule the Pacific, and the only way for Seattle to get to their level is to match that firepower. That’s where their top prospect, Berkly Catton, enters the picture.

The Kraken selected Catton with the eighth overall pick of the 2024 NHL Draft. Since drafting him, he’s been one of the best players in the Western Hockey League. Over the last 125 games, he’s recorded 225 points, including 109 points im 57 games this past campaign. With all of this momentum, Catton is eyeing a spot on the Kraken’s NHL roster this year and the organization believes he can get there as well. He recently spoke with NHL.com about the possibility of playing in the NHL this year.

“I think it’s a privilege that the fans and also the management see me that highly, that I have a good chance to make the team,” he said. “I don’t look too far into it. Honestly, I think it’s just, once you get on the ice, just do your thing.”

If he can do his thing, Catton should elevate the center position in Seattle immediately. The team has solid, but not overly impressive, center depth. Matty Beniers and Chandler Stephenson anchor the top two lines while former fourth-overall pick Shane Wright is set to center the third line. Catton’s arrival could push Wright or Stephenson for a middle-six center role. That ultimately falls on Catton’s performance and his ability to display that high-level of skill once training camp and the preseason opens.

“Ultimately, it's just about building my game and getting better," he said earlier at Kraken development camp. “And come [training] camp time, being the best version of myself, where I have a good chance to make the team.”

When the Kraken begins their training camp, expect Catton to receive plenty of opportunity. Signing his entry-level contract earlier this year, Seattle will give him plenty of rope to try to earn a roster spot. That’s the goal for the young center man, who hopes to be a vital piece of the Kraken’s next step in the NHL.

This article first appeared on Breakaway on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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