Shortly after the 2025 NHL Draft concludes on June 28th, the Kraken and most other NHL clubs will almost immediately begin hosting development camps.
Not only will it mean a first look at the latest draft picks, it’ll mean a refresher for those chosen in the past.
At the top of the interest list: Seattle’s 1st-rounder, 8th-overall from last year, Berkly Catton from the Spokane Chiefs.
“He’s an exceptionally skilled player, lots of speed,” his agent Pat Brisson told Seattle Hockey Insider last month. “He had a really solid season, helped make the final there in the Western Hockey League. I was able to take in one of those games against Medicine Hat. He was excellent.”
Catton led all WHL playoff scorers with 42 points. His Chiefs fell short against the Medicine Hat Tigers in five games, but the Spokane captain remained dominant.
“Berkly is gonna have a big summer, he’s gonna put on some strength, and I believe he’ll have a legitimate opportunity to crack the line-up in Seattle,” Brisson added.
That’s every 1st-rounder’s goal; crack the NHL line-up as soon as possible. Catton went back to major juniors last fall; this time around he’ll look to make a much bigger impression.
“A skilled player like him will find his way,” Brisson added. “He’s a separator, the stuff that he has, you can’t teach. He’s progressing very well and we’re excited for him.”
His first chance to separate himself will start June 30th on the first day of Kraken Development Camp. It runs through July 3rd** at the Kraken Community Iceplex.
Although development camps won’t make or break a player, they can lead to a big step in the right direction and build confidence heading into the rest of the off-season work-outs.
Every NHL player and prospect will have September marked on their calendars. That’s when the big boy camps open up and the competition for NHL roster spots begins in earnest.
Pending a trade or free agent acquisition in the coming days or weeks, the Kraken will continue to look for strength at the top of the line-up at the center position. Catton adds another element. Although he’s not projected to be a top-liner, things can change, maturity accelerates, and players turn into pleasant surprises.
Regardless, at this point for Seattle up the middle; the more the merrier.
“Berkly will go to camp, he’s very driven, he’ll do his best and he’ll control what he can,” Brisson said. “We’ll cross that bridge once we get there, but we’re very optimistic that this time around he’ll show that he’s progressed. Let’s not forget, he’s still young, and we don’t want to put any unnecessary pressure on him. He knows what he’s capable of, but we’ll go in one step at a time.”
Catton turned age-19 in January.
((** The scrimmage on that last day, July 3rd, is open to the public))
