Seattle Kraken, Tucker Robertson

Seattle Kraken Of The Future: Tucker Robertson

The other day we talked about the possibility of the Seattle Kraken adding another right-handed center to the line-up, the concept of acquiring veteran Nick Bjugstad from the Arizona Coyotes. Of course, that would be more of a short term boost and playoff depth move.

Longer term, the Seattle Kraken would love to see the continued development of righty pivot Tucker Robertson, presently playing for the Peterborough Petes of the Ontario Hockey League.

Dobber Prospects described the Kraken’s 2022 4th-round NHL Draft pick this way:

Robertson is a hardworking forward who plays a straight-ahead style of hockey. He is a fine skater but his motor is unrelenting as he pressures opponents and hounds pucks on the forecheck. He has the ability to create turnovers and make opponents pay by quickly turning play up ice to create a chance for himself or a teammate.

Gee, pressuring opponents and hounding pucks. Where have we seen that before?

It sounds as though the 19-year-old could fit right in with Seattle eventually, if he keeps working on that skating and some other finer points offensively. Bottom line; he’s not afraid.

Highlights

Like the Seattle Kraken’s top prospect Shane Wright of the OHL Windsor Spitfires, Robertson missed an entire year of development when the league cancelled the 2020-’21 major junior season due to the Covid pandemic.

He’s tried to make up for lost time. This season he’s tallied 28 goals and 38 assists in 47 games thus far. His 66 points leads the team.

The Petes aren’t OHL favorites, but they are hanging around the championship conversation, presently in second place in the East Division with 53 points.

Robertson helps offer up a nice little one-two punch up front with Vancouver Canucks 2021 6th-round draft pick Connor Lockhart, who has 55 points. New Jersey Devils 2021 1st-rounder Chase Stillman has chipped in 35.

Pros and Cons

With consistent ice time and development, Robertson has stepped it up. He finished with a total of just 48 points in 64 games last season as an 18-year-old, coming off the lost season.

The element scouts truly enjoy watching is his two-way game. Robertson possesses strong ice sense and solid anticipation skills that fit right in with the Kraken’s transition-and-attack mentality.

He’s not afraid to go the front of the net and other difficult areas and he’s adept at deflecting pucks.

Improvement with certain offensive skills should come with continued repetition. He’s not considered a high-end raw offensive talent. His tenaciousness carries the day. That, his position as a right-handed center, and his present potential of being a bottom six forward in the NHL, would all be attributes desirable to the Seattle Kraken and to scouts from other clubs looking for depth with an upside.

Previous Seattle Kraken Futures:

— Kole Lind

— Jani Nyman

— Jagger Firkus

Rob Simpson

Rob Simpson has covered the NHL in five different decades. He’s authored 4 books on hockey and is a veteran TV and radio play-by-play man and reporter.