Prospects Perspective: Ville Ottavainen

As a Kraken 2021 fourth-round draft choice, 19-year-old defenseman Ville Ottavainen has been playing top minutes in his home country's top professional hockey league. Typical opponents are five to 10 years older.
"Ville is a big, strong kid," said Troy Bodie, director of hockey and business operations for the Kraken's Coachella Valley (CA) American Hockey League affiliate that starts play in 2022-23 and who doubles as a development staffer for Seattle's current pool of prospects and developing pros. "He is a fully developed man who doesn't get pushed around. He does the pushing."

The 6-foot-5, 210-pound Ottavainen will get to push later this month as a member of Finland's 20-Under team at the upcoming World Junior Championship in Edmonton, which begins Dec. 26. Finnish officials announced its roster for the wildly popular tournament among Canadians and Europeans that is finding traction with American hockey fans too.
"It's a big opportunity for Ville and we are very excited for him," said Bodie during a phone interview as he was driving to check on arena construction in Coachella Valley. "He is working hard and playing well. He plays on the second [defensive] pair and sometimes top pair, plus he is getting power play minutes."
Bodie said Ottavainen is a "strong skater with a hard shot who can power the puck up the ice," no doubt one of the factors for him making a Finnish roster that is expected to compete for a medal.
The World Junior tournament-Canada's version of March Madness-is a test for Ottavainen that Kraken fans should make note to watch. All games will be televised on NHL Network and the Kraken app and website will be reporting on Ottavainen and potentially first-round draft choice Matty Beniers, who was invited to training camp for Team USA.
"[World Junior] is very high level of competition," said Bodie, who appeared in 159 NHL game with Anaheim, Carolina and Toronto. "It's the best of the best for the U20 age group. You have top NHL draft choices and future NHL draft choices [including a good number eligible for the 2022 draft]. It means a lot for players to medal."
The 99th overall pick in the 2021 draft, Ottavainen played a season of major juniors in the Ontario Hockey League with the Kitchener Rangers during 2019-20 season. He returned to Finland to play last season when the Ontario league cancelled its schedule.
Here's a sound bite from Mike Farwell, color analyst for the Kitchener team and a popular local radio host: "One of the first things you'll notice about Ville is his skating. He's got a smooth and easy stride and it makes him a solid puck-mover. Ville's decision-making is also above average, quick and confident, seeing him make the right - even safe - play more often than not."

Prospects Roundup

The aforementioned Matty Beniers and his University of Michigan teammates split a pair of games with Big Ten rival Minnesota. Beniers played well and notched an assist in the victory. Michigan plays Ohio State twice on the road this weekend, then Beniers will potentially join Team USA for the upcoming World Junior Tournament. Team USA and Team Finland are in separate preliminary play groups.
Second-rounder and defenseman Ryker Evans continues to lead his Western Hockey League Regina Pats team in scoring with four goals and 10 assists. The Pats hope to break a four-game losing streak Wednesday night in a home game against Medicine Hat. Regina is next-to-last in the conference standings, yet Evans has a plus/minus rating of +10 (goals for minus goals against).
Jacob Melanson, a fifth-round draft choice in the 2021 NHL Draft, scored two goals and added an assist in Sunday's win at Cape Breton. Melanson's team in the Quebec Major Junior League has earned five of six possible standings points since a coaching change. Melanson has 14 goals in 24 games.

Developing Pros

With goalie Joey Daccord recalled to the Kraken roster, Seattle developing pro Antoine Bibeau was recalled from the ECHL to play his fourth game for AHL affiliate Charlotte. He made 25 saves in a weekend and now stands with a 2-0-1 record, 2.05 goals-against average and .905 save percentage for the Checkers.
Alexander True continues to top the Checkers in scoring with seven goals and 10 assists in 21 games. Defenseman Connor Carrick assisted on goals in Charlotte's two wins this past weekend. He now has two goals and nine assists.
The Kraken's first player signed to a professional contract, Luke Henman, has appeared in 10 games for Charlotte this season, scoring his first pro hockey goal. He was reassigned this week to the ECHL Allen (TX) Americans to get more regular playing time. Allen is a Seattle developmental affiliate.

MINOR LEAGUE

2021-22 Kraken AHL Report - SKATERS

Through Dec. 6, 2021
| HENMAN, Luke | C | 6-0 / 168 | 04/29/00 | Charlotte Checkers | 10 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | | LIND, Kole | RW | 6-1 / 179 | 10/16/98 | Charlotte Checkers | 17 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 42 | | MCCORMICK, Max | LW | 5-11 / 187 | 05/01/92 | Charlotte Checkers | 13 | 6 | 3 | 9 | 18 | | SHEAHAN, Riley | C | 6-2 / 215 | 12/07/91 | Charlotte Checkers | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 22 | | TRUE, Alexander | C | 6-5 / 201 | 07/17/97 | Charlotte Checkers | 21 | 7 | 10 | 17 | 18 | | TWARYNSKI,

Carsen | LW | 6-2 / 198 | 11/24/97 | Charlotte Checkers | 19 | 1 | 7 | 8 | 6 | | CARRICK,

Connor | RD | 5-11 / 194 | 04/13/94 | Charlotte Checkers | 21 | 2 | 9 | 11 | 39 | | FLEURY,

Cale | RD | 6-1 / 212 | 11/19/98 | Charlotte Checkers | 21 | 2 | 6 | 8 | 14 | | OLOFSSON,

Gustav | LD | 6-3 / 201 | 12/01/94 | Charlotte Checkers | 21 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 22 | | Player | Pos. | Ht/Wt | DOB | 2021-22 Team | GP | G | A | Pts. | PIM | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |

2021-22 Kraken AHL Report - GOALIES

Through Dec. 6, 2021
| BIBEAU, Antoine | G | 6-3 / 214 | 05/01/94 | Charlotte Checkers | 4 | 2-0-1 | .905 | 2.05 | | DACCORD, Joey | G | 6-2 / 196 | 08/19/96 | Charlotte Checkers | 8 | 3-4-1 | .915 | 2.35 | | Player | Pos. | Ht/Wt | DOB | 2021-22 Team | GP | W-L | SV% | GAA | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |

AMATEUR

2021-22 Kraken Prospect Report - MAJOR JUNIOR

Through Dec. 6, 2021
| EVANS, Ryker | LD | 5-11 / 181 | 12/13/01 | Regina (WHL) | 23 | 4 | 18 | 22 | 32 | | MELANSON, Jacob | W | 5-11 / 201 | 04/22/03 | Acadia-Bathurst (QMJHL) | 24 | 14 | 7 | 21 | 38 | | WINTERTON, Ryan | C | 6-2 / 190 | 09/04/03 | Hamilton (OHL) | - | - | - | - | - | | Player | Pos. | Ht/Wt | DOB | 2021-22 Team | GP | G | A | Pts. | PIM | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |

2021-22 Kraken Prospect Report - COLLEGE

Through Dec. 6, 2021
| BENIERS, Matty | C | 6-1 / 175 | 11/05/02 | Michigan (Big 10) | 18 | 11 | 9 | 20 | 10 | | JANICKE, Justin | W | 6-0 / 181 | 06/30/03 | Notre Dame (Big 10) | 10 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 26 | | Player | Pos. | Ht/Wt | DOB | 2021-22 Team | GP | G | A | Pts. | PIM | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |

2021-22 Kraken Prospect Report - EUROPE

Through Dec. 6, 2021
| OTTAVAINEN, Ville | RD | 6-4 / 201 | 08/12/02 | JYP (Liiga) | 27 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 26 | | Player | Pos. | Ht/Wt | DOB | 2021-22 Team | GP | G | A | Pts. | PIM | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |

2021-22 Kraken Prospect Report - GOALIES

Through Dec. 6, 2021
| VYAZOVOI, Semyon | G | 6-2 / 170 | 02/26/03 | Tolpar Ufa (MHL) | 20 | 14-5-1 | .942 | 1.69 | | Player | Pos. | Ht/Wt | DOB | 2021-22 Team | GP | W-L | SV% | GAA | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |