Two Experts Have Already Picked Our Kraken's #7 Star, But There's Still A Catch

Alright, Emerald City, listen up! Draft week is officially here! The NHL Draft is kicking off this Friday evening with the first round, and then Saturday brings the rest. We've got our #7 pick, and the experts are already throwing names out there for our Kraken. You gotta know who they're eyeing for our squad, because these picks shape our future at Climate Pledge Arena!

Our Kraken's Future Defender? Two Experts Say YES

So, who's the buzz around the Kraken's #7 spot? We dove into the latest mock drafts, and two out of three top experts point to a specific defenseman: Keaton Verhoeff from North Dakota, NCAA. Scott Wheeler at The Athletic has us grabbing Verhoeff, a D-man, at seventh overall. Corey Pronman, also from The Athletic, agrees, putting Verhoeff in the Kraken's jersey. That's a pretty strong consensus, right? It feels like we could be adding a serious piece to our blue line. However, Hannah Stuart from Bleacher Report throws a curveball, predicting we'll snag Viggo Björck, a center from Djugarden in the SHL. A split opinion means we're still on the edge, but it's hard to ignore the Verhoeff trend.

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The Domino Effect: San Jose's Mystery & A Rising Star

While our pick is huge, a lot of early-round drama is at the top. Everyone expects Gavin McKenna from Penn State to go #1 overall to Toronto, but after that, things get murky. The San Jose Sharks hold #2, and their decision creates a massive ripple effect for every team, including ours. All three experts paired the Sharks with Swedish star Ivar Stenberg, but it's far from a done deal. Hannah Stuart even had San Jose eyeing defenseman Chase Reid, writing, "Take a moment and imagine it: Reid on the ice with Macklin Celebrini and Will Smith and whatever other members of the Sharks' stable of talented young prospects happen to be around. It's a nice vision, right?" Corey Pronman confirms the uncertainty, saying, "I think the Sharks like both Chase Reid and Ivar Stenberg a lot, and they have interest in some other defensemen. I don't know which way they are going to go." Their choice at #2 will shift everything, pushing players down right into our range! Beyond that, one name skyrocketing is winger Wyatt Cullen. Steven Ellis from Daily Faceoff pointed him out, saying Cullen was a late-round guy until he grew from 5-foot-8 to 6-foot-1 and became a point-per-game player with the USNTDP. This kid is on a serious ascent! Stuart's latest mock shows him rising a full twelve spots, now projected to go to the Nashville Predators at #10. Talk about a late-season surge! "Cullen was a riser across the season after a slow start caused by injury. It's a tale as old as time," Stuart wrote. This kind of movement shows the entire first round will be packed with drama and potential steals.

So, get ready, Seattle! The future of our Kraken starts this Friday. Will it be Keaton Verhoeff solidifying our defense? Or will Viggo Björck bring some scoring punch? No matter what, our new draft class is coming to Climate Pledge Arena, and we'll be watching every single move. Let's go Kraken!

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