SEATTLE -- Berkly Catton is knocking on the door of the NHL and could find himself in a Seattle Kraken jersey this season.
Selected with the No. 8 pick in the 2024 NHL Draft, the 19-year-old center is coming off two stellar seasons with Spokane of the Western Hockey League, where he had 225 points (92 goals, 133 assists) in 125 games. As captain last season, he was third in the WHL with 109 points (38 goals, 71 assists) in 57 games and led Spokane to the best-of-7 WHL Championship Series, where it lost to Medicine Hat in five games.
Catton will enter Kraken training camp next month with his sights set on making the jump from junior hockey to the NHL.
“Ultimately, it's just about building my game and getting better," Catton said during Kraken development camp in July, "and come [training] camp time, being the best version of myself, where I have a good chance to make the team."
Because of his age and the transfer agreement between the NHL and the Canadian Hockey League, Catton cannot play in the American Hockey League next season. That leaves two options: Make the Seattle roster out of training camp or return to the WHL. With that in mind, he has worked over the past year to prepare for the rigors of the NHL.
“I think I’ve just been getting stronger, which helps out a whole bunch, and it kind of goes into the skating aspect of it,” Catton said. “Going back to junior to try to work on that was a big thing. And I think that improved a lot. Then, obviously, just the pro aspect, like I kind of talked to last year, just playing more of a pro game. I think that got a lot better, and having a pro coach in [Spokane coach] Brad Lauer was awesome, so I learned a lot this year and got a little bit stronger.”
Catton got a taste of NHL hockey during Kraken training camp last season, playing one preseason game, a 6-1 loss to the Calgary Flames on Sept. 22. He was minus-2 with one shot on goal.
“I think getting to play the preseason game last year and seeing how fast it is and how important that first step is, it meant a lot," he said. "When you make a mistake, you’re going to pay for it.”
With the progress he has made, it is expected Catton will get more than a single preseason game this season. General manager Jason Botterill has been clear he expects Catton to compete for a full-time roster spot.
Botterill was promoted from assistant general manager to general manager on April 22, replacing Ron Francis, who moved into a newly created president of hockey operations role. At his introductory press conference, Botterill spoke about the center position as an area of strength for Seattle and included Catton in his plans.
“We talked about centermen before,” Botterill said. “We have a center situation here right now of [Chandler] Stephenson, [Shane] Wright, [Matty] Beniers down the middle, with Berkly Catton another one that we ... have signed that we have high hopes for in the future too. We have a pipeline of young players coming who are pushing for spots on the NHL roster.”
Catton knows expectations are high, but he’s trying to stay focused on the present.
“I think it’s a privilege that the fans and also the management see me that highly, that I have a good chance to make the team,” he said. “I don’t look too far into it. Honestly, I think it’s just, once you get on the ice, just do your thing.”
