Here’s who the Seattle Kraken picked in Rounds 2-7 of the 2021 NHL Entry Draft
The Seattle Kraken selected University of Michigan center Matthew Beniers in Round 1 of the NHL entry draft on Friday. On Saturday, Seattle made its choices in Rounds 2-7.
Here’s a rundown of the Kraken’s selections:
- Round 1, No. 2 overall: Matthew Beniers, C (Michigan)
- Round 2, No. 35 overall: Ryker Evans, D (WHL)
- Round 3, No. 67 overall: Ryan Winterton, C (OHL)
- Round 4, No. 99 overall: Ville Ottavainen, D (JYP)
- Round 5, No. 131 overall: Jacob Melanson, RW (QMJHL)
- Round 6, No. 163 overall: Semyon Vyazovoy, G (QHL)
- Round 7, No. 195 overall: Justin Janicke, LW, (UNTDP, Notre Dame)
Round 2
The pick: With the No. 35 overall pick, the Kraken selected 5-foot-11, 189-pound defenseman Ryker Evans from the Regina Pats of the WHL. Evans, 19, had three goals and 28 points in 24 games last season. He had at least one point in 12 straight games, the longest streak for a WHL defender. He was ranked No. 192 out of all North American Skaters by Central Scouting.
Scouting report: “A self-described “give-and-go player,” Evans is truly one of the draft’s best zone exit technicians. With improving shooting mechanics, he’s become far more confident hunting for twine himself, too. He even flashes delays to reset and find the trailer. A tight gap off-puck gaps eliminates his man entirely, while a suffocating on-puck gap kills entry-after-entry in the neutral zone.” —Elite Prospects
What he said: “There’s definitely a lot of uncertainties as to where you’re going to go, especially in the later rounds. I was blessed to be picked by the Seattle Kraken and that’s kind of all I’m thinking about right now.”
Round 3
The pick: With the No. 67 overall pick, the Kraken selected Ryan Winterton (6-2, 175) from the Hamilton Bulldogs of the OHL. The OHL season was canceled due to the pandemic, but Winterton played with Team Canada at the IIHF Under-18 World Championship. He had two goals and two assists in seven games. Ranked No. 33 among North American skaters by Central Scouting, Winterton’s draft stock likely dropped due to the lack of a season.
Scouting report: “Winterton naturally reads and adapts to the circumstances on the ice, positioning himself in a beneficial area and finding gaps and opportunities for odd-man rushes with regularity. He is dangerous off the rush, utilizing his ability to fire an accurate wrist shot on net or to slip a tape-to-tape pass to a teammate. Winterton is a strong skater with good puck protection ability and above-average agility and top speed, as well as impressive poise with the puck.” —Prospect Pipeline
What he said: “I think strength’s a big one (to improve) for me. Being 6-2 and 175, I have lots of room to get stronger and put muscle on and kind of grow as a player. As that evolves, I think everything in my game kind of gets elevated to the next level.”
Round 4
The pick: The Kraken went defense again in Round 4, selecting Villen Ottavainen (6-5, 201) from JYP in Finland. Ranked No. 20 among European skaters by Central Scouting, the 18-year-old Ottavainen spent the 2019-20 season playing in the OHL with the Kitchener Rangers. During the pandemic last season, he played for JYP on its junior and pro teams. He had 15 points in 15 games for the U20 team before he was called up.
Scouting report: “Ottavainen’s strengths are primarily on the offensive side of things. He likes to join the rush, either by rushing down the wing or dropping down and becoming an option as a trailer. Ottavainenre’s puck skills a pretty solid for his size and he makes well-timed activations from the point to. make himself available in the OZ.” —Elite Prospects
Round 5
The pick: With the No. 131 overall pick, the Kraken selected right winger Jacob Melanson (5-11, 201), who spent last season with the Acadie-Bathurst Titan of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League and had 19 points (8 goals, 11 assists) in 18 games. Melanson, 18, is ranked No. 115 among North American skaters by Central Scouting.
Scouting report: “Plays with energy and skates really well for a kid listed at 5’11, 200 pounds. Plays on the power play, kills penalties, and is opportunistic around the net but also good passing skills. Was a high QMJHL pick.” —Steve Kournianos (@TheDraftAnalyst)
What he said: “I’m a two-way forward, but my physical presence is probably the biggest part of my game and my scoring touch. I’m a fast guy, but I also have to work on my skating if I want to make it in the NHL.”
Round 6
The pick: The Kraken selected goalie Semyon Vyazovoy with the No. 163 overall pick. Vyazovoy, 18, played for Tolpar Ufa in the MHL (Russian Junior League). He went 14-9-1 with a 2.06 GAA and a .939 save percentage. He’s ranked No. 8 among European goaltenders by Central Scouting.
Scouting report: “He possesses good size, and looks comfortable playing the puck, but what stands out most of all is his aggression. Vyazovoy plays farther out from his net than most goalies would feel comfortable with. While this leaves him vulnerable to one-timers, it makes it hard for opposing teams to score on their initial shots. And when Vyazovoy is on his game, he does a good job with rebound control, which only serves to complicate things for the opposition even more.” —The Draft Analyst
Round 7
The pick: With the No. 195 overall pick — and their final pick of the draft — the Kraken selected left wing Justin Janicke (6-0, 181) from the United States National Team Development Program. Janicke, 18, is set to play at Notre Dame next season. He is ranked No. 128 among North American skaters by Central Scouting. Janicke has played 43 games with the U.S. National U18 team, recording 12 goals and 16 assists for 18 points.
Scouting report: “You know what you’re getting out of Janicke, every night, every shift. He’s going to forecheck with a great mental map of the ice and an advanced knowledge of where to funnel opposition defenders. He’s physical. He’ll play on the inside. He’ll contribute defensively. -Elite Prospects
This story was originally published July 24, 2021 at 7:58 AM.
