Prospecting: Winning and Scoring Ways

Some of the Kraken front office and amateur scouting staff attended the 2022 U18 Five Nations tournament in Plymouth, MI, last week, evaluating potential draft choices next summer. It's a chance to evaluate top players from five countries - USA, Czechia, Sweden, Finland and Switzerland, compete against some of the best prospects from each country.
During the same weekend, the U20 Three Nations tournament featured Sweden, Finland and host nation Czechia providing a similar comparison. In this case, it included any number of NHL draft picks along with top prospects for the 2023 draft. One of them was Kraken 2022 second-rounder Jani Nyman, who scored four goals (a pair of two-goal games) and added an assist in three victories for Finland to sweep the tourney. Nyman, who just turned 18 in July, is playing regular minutes with Ilves in Liiga, Finland's top professional league. The 6-foot-3, 216-pound winger has scored six goals in 16 games, adding three assists playing against opponents up to 15-some years older than him. He projects to score 21 goals for Ilves over the full season.

Marching with North Bay Battalion

Two 2022 draft selections, early third-rounder, Ty Nelson, and seventh-round choice, Kyle Jackson, are teammates with the elite juniors Ontario Hockey League's North Bay Battalion. The team is off to a splendid start, thanks in no small part to Nelson's vocal leadership, strong defensive play and significant contributions to the scoring ledger. He has six goals and 10 assists in 17 games and is the fourth leading scorer on a North Bay squad currently first in the Central Division with a 12-5 record (which ranks fourth overall among 20 teams in the OHL) and are 6-1 in their last seven games.
Playing winning hockey is always a plus for prospects. In Nelson, the Kraken front office sees one potential leader of the 2022 class as they subsequently play in the American Hockey League and NHL. Jeff Tambellini, the former NHLer who is now director of player development, noted Nelson's comfort and comportment as a leader for the start of Kraken development and training camps this summer and fall.
"In my first viewing, he stepped on the ice for warmups and handled himself like a captain," said Tambellini earlier this season. "He stepped off the ice and did the same. Some kids just have a real presence. He's one of those guys. He's a confident kid. He has great interaction with teammates and it stood out right away. I see exciting things ahead for that young man."
Adam Dennis, North Bay general manager said on the
"OHL This Week" podcast
that Nelson "got faster over the summer" even given Nelson's fitness routine "has always been elite." Dennis added Nelson is playing more of pro-style game (no doubt per Kraken player development) to open up more scoring chances.
Like Tambellini, the Battalion GM admires the 18-year-old defenseman's leadership qualities: "We asked him to take on a bigger role as leader [with the whole team this season]. Last year, he was a natural leader with the young guys."
One example, said Dennis, is Nelson embraced extra reps in the weight room and extra workouts, always ready for one more. Fellow younger teammates (17-year-old) noticed and "starting put their shoes on, too, to get in another workout."
Nelson's North Bay teammate, center Kyle Jackson, has tallied seven goals and added 12 assists in 17 games. He is the second leading scorer for Battalion and turned 20 in October. He scored 30 goals last season. On draft day this past summer, he said he and family made a decision to not to attend the event in person because "we didn't know what was going to happen."
What happened is Jackson was picked, enjoying "an awesome day with my family" before hurriedly packing his suitcase and hockey gear to join the Kraken staff and fellow draft choices on the team charter back to Seattle for development camp the next morning. Jackson looked strong and poised during the week-long camp, both in practices and scrimmages. His 6-3, 201-pound frame is a solid starting point for the Kraken strength and conditioning staff.
Jackson attended Kraken training camp and looked like he fit in what he called "the big dogs" or NHL players during a pre-camp interview. He arrived a few days early to participate in the informal captain skates to get a comfort level with the speed and skills that pros possess and to which all juniors players need to make an adjustment when advancing to the ECHL, AHL and NHL. One personal focus: Win as many so-called 50-50 or equal-chance puck battles as he can in an effort to show he can use his size in tough areas along with an offensive skill set that features a formidable range of shots.
During the season, Jackson said he reviews his shifts from each game, most especially games in which he knows there is room for improvement. He will watch those games away from the rink and then again with a coach.
"If I made a couple of mistakes, I like to take a look at that and see what I can do better."

AHL Firebirds on Hot Streak

Kraken VP and assistant GM Ricky Olczyk referred to American Hockey League affiliate Coachella Valley Firebirds Monday as "en fuego" and that declaration is not for debate. Coach Dan Bylsma's squad is now practicing and training in their new facility in Coachella Valley, but the November and early December schedule is filled with all road games as the team's state-of-the-art arena is completed in time for a Dec. 18 home opener.
The Firebirds swept the Tucson Roadrunners last weekend in a two-game road series and now stand at 7-3-0 in their first 10 games. That represents the highest win percentage in the Pacific Division and fifth highest in the 32-team AHL. Tuscon was 6-1-1 until the Firebirds showed up.
All pretty impressive numbers for #CVFirebirds. It gets more head-turning when you consider Coachella Valley has played four "home" games in the Seattle area, six more on the road and are scheduled to play 16 straight road games from early November through mid-December.
The Kraken are led by a forward crew that ranks among top in goals, assists and overall points despite playing two or three fewer games than other league leaders. Andrew Poturalski, who led the AHL in scoring last season and a major reason why the AHL Chicago Wolves won the league's Calder Cup championship last year. Poturalski, an alternate captain, has notched five goals and 13 assists for a scoring average of nearly two points per game. That ranks him second in the AHL.
Kole Lind, who earned time with the Kraken last season, is turning in another productive season to date for Coachella Valley. He has six goals and eight assists, which is top-10 league-wide stat, while forward Jesper Froden leads the Firebird with seven goals and figures in as top 15 in the AHL. Captain Max McCormick has racked up 13 points himself with three goals and 10 assists.
Poturalski scored the game-winning goal Saturday to finish the sweep in Tucson. He scored 26 seconds into overtime (the first-ever franchise OT win) on the power play with a Roadrunners defenseman taking a penalty with one second remaining in regulation. Froden had tied the game earlier in the third period to send the game into extra time. Kraken 2021 second-rounder Ryker Evans, holding his own at the AHL level, notched two assists in the game, including an opening-period primary assist on John Hayden's fourth goal of the year. Joey Daccord, just back with the Firebirds after his first Kraken victory during a stint with the big club, saved 36 shots to move his AHL record to 3-1 this season.