Seattle Kraken: Top-5 players for the second overall pick
Other names to know
Jesper Wallstedt is the best goalie in this class. Last season at Lulea, he proved himself against full-grown men in the Swedish Elite League. It would be a bit of a reach to take him second. Then again, he has the potential to be Seattle’s version of Andrei Vasilevski.
NHL central scouting has defenseman Brandt Clark as the draft’s second-best North American skater. He’s a very heady player who makes smart decisions. Brandt needs to improve his skating especially getting back on D after going into the offensive zone.
Analysis
It’s really hard to nail this down because there is no consensus number two pick. As evidenced by the various ratings, opinions vary, sometimes by a wide margin. There is so much to consider before the Seattle Kraken step up to the podium to make their pick.
Matthew Beniers is not only the most consistent player in this group but also has the highest floor. He’s the type of all-around player and leader who could be in Seattle for 10 years, eventually wearing the captain’s “C” on his sweater. He would be my choice and is likely Seattle’s as well.
If the Kraken is looking for a more immediate bang, then William Ekland is their man. In the current NHL, lack of size is not as much of a disadvantage as it was 20 years ago. He’ll put pucks in the net but will need to overcome the league’s bigger, stronger players.
The chance that any of the other players aside from Beniers and Eklund goes second overall is doubtful, but the possibility is there. Also, if Buffalo passes on Owen Power at number one, it’s a no-brainer. This draft will say a great deal about how the Seattle Kraken scout and evaluate talent.
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Who do you think the Seattle Kraken will draft with the second overall pick? Let us know in the comments section below or on social media.