Kraken's Young Forwards Had Growing Pains, But the Development Story Matters More Than You Think

The Kraken's homegrown forwards didn't put up the offensive numbers Seattle fans were hoping for this season. That's the reality. But as the team heads into the offseason, coach Lane Lambert is telling a different story about what actually happened with Matty Beniers, Shane Wright, and Berkly Catton, and honestly, it's worth paying attention to.

Berkly Catton's Rookie Year: Low Scoring, High Ceiling

Eighteen-year-old Berkly Catton walked into training camp in a unique spot. He was too young for the AHL, and too talented to ignore. So he stayed with the Kraken and found himself navigating the best league in the world as a teenager.

The numbers tell one story: seven goals and 10 assists in 66 games. That's rough when you remember he put up 116 and 109 points in his last two WHL seasons with the Spokane Chiefs. Catton didn't score until Jan. 6, nearly a month into his professional career. Then he exploded: four goals in four games. It felt like he'd turned the corner. Nope. He scored roughly once a month the rest of the way, and his chances didn't dry up either. He found himself in prime scoring spots seemingly every other game but couldn't finish.

Two separate injuries didn't help. Catton knows what needs to change. "I know what I have to do, and it's gonna be a big offseason for me," he said during exit interviews Friday. But here's what Lambert sees: a 19-year-old rookie who never lost confidence, never got dejected, and showed he belongs in the NHL from a development standpoint. "This coming September, when training camp opens up, he's going to be in a lot better position than he would have been had he gone back to juniors, in my opinion," Lambert said, comparing Catton's trajectory to Noah Dobson of the Islanders. "The future is great for Berkly Catton."

Shane Wright's Dip in Points Hides a Bigger Picture

Shane Wright's sophomore year looked worse on paper. He dropped from 19 goals and 44 points as a rookie to 12 goals and 15 assists through 74 games, mostly playing third line. That's a step back offensively.

Lambert, though, doesn't buy the narrative that Wright regressed. "Ask Shane if he felt like he's better, if he feels like he's a better player now than he was at the beginning of the year, and the answer would be yes, he does," the coach said. "Sometimes the points can fool you a little bit. I thought Shane got stronger defensively. I thought he got stronger on faceoffs."

Catton and Wright even played together for stretches but couldn't spark each other offensively. The Kraken need scoring, that's clear. But Lambert's message is consistent: development matters, and these young forwards are moving in the right direction even when the scoreboard doesn't show it.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.