Seattle Kraken have cut three more players from their official NHL roster
The Seattle Kraken have a big chance of rebounding from a poor 2023/24 season, and with some big roster decisions to make, they've now cut three young names.
After making the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time in their history, the Seattle Kraken took a major step back a season ago, and after some massive additions this summer, they're looking for more success in 2024/25. Those additions include Brandon Montour and Chandler Stephenson, but it's one of their prospects that provide the most intrigue, with the team adding Berkly Catton of the Spokane Chiefs in the first-round of the 2024 NHL Draft.
Now, after some impressive showings in training camp and the pre-season, the first-round pick is one of three players that have been cut from the roster, officially being re-assigned to their junior teams ahead of the 2024/25 season.
Last season, Catton tallied an incredible 54 goals and 116 points in 67 games played, and with a great combination of size, strength and skill, he projects to be a future star at the NHL level. That NHL debut will now have to wait, and alongside Catton, it is Carson Rehkopf and Nathan Villeneuve that will also head back to their junior squads, with the Kraken looking to figure out their final roster as the 2024/25 regular season approaches.
Carson Rehkopf is a 2023 second-round pick of the Kraken, who plays on the left wing and took a major step forward in the OHL a season ago, tallying a career high of 52 goals, 43 assists and 95 points in just 60 games, and standing at 6-foot-2, he is a potential middle-six winger of the future at the NHL level. As for Nathan Villeneuve, he was the team's second-round pick in the 2024 NHL Draft, with some improving needed from the 6-foot-0 centre, who excelled in his own right with Sudbury this last season, netting 23 goals and 50 points of his own as he looks to continue his development towards being a future contributor at the NHL level.
With so much talent in their lineup, plus the inclusion of former top pick Shane Wright, optimism is high in Seattle this season, and if they can stay healthy, the belief is that they are ready to make another push at the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Given that Catton, and many others are waiting in the wings, this is an organization that's set up for success for a long time, so now, we will wait and see if they can take the first step to success in 2024/25 and build a playoff contender around Matty Beniers and this core.
| POLL | ||
Will Berkly Catton make his NHL debut at some point this season? | ||
| Yes | 26 | 50 % |
| No | 26 | 50 % |
| List of polls | ||
