A trio of Kraken prospects, headlined by No. 8 overall draft pick Berkly Catton, have been tabbed to join Team Canada’s junior hockey selection camp next week in Ottawa.
Spokane Chiefs centerman Catton, 18, selected by the Kraken in last June’s NHL Entry Draft, will join defenseman Caden Price and forward Carson Rehkopf at the selection camp, from which the gold medal favorite Canadian team will be chosen ahead of the upcoming IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship in Ottawa from Dec. 26-Jan. 5. Last year’s tournament, won by the U.S., was a rare one in which Canada – which leads all nations with 20 gold medals at the premiere Under-20 event – failed to finish in the top-3, something the host squad will be out to avenge this time.
Rehkopf, 19, selected by the Kraken in the second round (50th overall) in 2023, played for that Canadian squad a year ago – notching four points in five games. Other Kraken prospects who played on last year’s Canadian team included forward Jagger Firkus and defenseman Ty Nelson, now both playing in the American Hockey League with Coachella Valley.
Catton has 13 goals and 30 assists for the Chiefs in 25 games this season, coming off a 54-goal season a year ago with the Western Hockey League squad.
Rehkopf has 18 goals and 23 assists in 24 games with the Brampton Steelheads of the Ontario Hockey League, having popped 52 goals with his former Kitchener Rangers team last season.
Price, 19, a third-round (84th overall) pick in 2023, has six goals and 25 assists in 23 games with his longtime Kelowna Rockets team in the WHL. The blue liner remains on-pace to set career highs for goals and points in a season.
