By Jayd Serdy, edited by Charles Hamaker

Northgate, WA - The Seattle Kraken announced that Berkly Catton, the eighth overall pick in the 2024 entry draft, had signed an entry-level contract. The contract is a three-year, two-way Entry-level contract at $975K average annual value. The announcement came on the final day of the Kraken’s development camp, straight from the mouth of general manager Ron Francis at center ice ahead of the scrimmage session, where Catton signed his contract on-ice in front of fans, and yes, he yeeted a fish afterwards in true Kraken fashion.

Catton is an 18-year-old center that previously played for the Spokane Chiefs where he acquired 116 points over 68 games during the 2023-24 season. He is a puck-rushing forward with incredible stick-handling skills. Catton has been described as a player that can break up a formation like a hot knife through butter. After watching him in action at development camp this week, that statement is very accurate. His ability to make space where it is needed and force himself into that space is truly mesmerizing. Catton was able to impressive in front of the fans at Kraken development camp over the course of the past week, showing off his offensive skillset and giving a glimpse into the potential that Seattle envisioned when they selected him with that eighth overall pick this year in the NHL Draft at the Sphere in Las Vegas. Catton was somewhat quite in this years version of the “Stucky Cup,” a scrimmage between Kraken prospects that takes place on the final day of the teams development camp, but did record an assist in the contest.

A previous concern regarding Catton was if his skill would translate well into the NHL, but if he continues to build muscle, that should not be as much of an issue for Catton as his game grows and the Kraken organization gives him different things to work on ahead of the time that he’ll make his debut with the team at the NHL level. It will be interesting to see the sort of path that Catton takes to the NHL level, as it is appearing that he will return to the Spokane Chiefs in the WHL before likely joining the Coachella Valley Firebirds, Seattle’s AHL affiliate, at the end of his junior teams season. While Catton has displayed a lot of offensive talent, as he mentioned himself there are a few areas of his game that he’ll need to improve upon (defensively and building out his frame), but there is plenty to be excited about with the Kraken 2024 1st round pick.

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