Justin Schultz is about to have plenty to work with.
The former Kraken defenseman, now a player development consultant in Seattle, came into his new role expecting to mentor a strong group of young blueliners. Then the Kraken went out and drafted five more defensemen over the weekend, headlined by No. 7 overall pick Chase Reid, the first opening-round D-man in franchise history.
That gives Schultz and the Kraken a deep defense pool heading into the 2026 Kraken Development Camp, presented by Starbucks, which begins Monday. The sessions are open to the public, and the first three days will be dominated by drills before Thursday’s traditional 3-on-3 “Stucky Cup,” named for assistant equipment manager James Stucky, who spent 18 seasons with the Everett Silvertips before joining the Kraken.
“I've always wanted help players try to get to the next level,” said Schultz. 'I’m really excited to help these players.
They're all obviously great players. They've been drafted or signed [as free agents].
I am just trying to help in whatever way I can. I've played a lot of games and won some Stanley Cups.
Hopefully, I can relay some positive things to them.”
General manager Jason Botterill said Schultz is exactly the kind of voice the organization wants around its young defensemen, including the prospects at Coachella Valley who won’t be in camp this week.
“We traded for Justin [at the NHL trade deadline in 2106 when Botterill was with the Pittsburgh Penguins]. He was a solid third-pair defenseman as we won the Stanley Cup.
The next postseason, when Kris Letang [a likely Hall of Fame defenseman] was injured, Justin filled the role on the power play and top defensive pairing. He’s exactly who we want working with our young defensemen.”
The defensive group at camp includes several familiar names from earlier draft classes. From 2024, Alexis Bernier and Jacob Fibrgr are in the mix. Bernier’s team won the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League title this past season and advanced to the Memorial Cup, while Fibrgr stood out for Team Czechia at the IIHF World Junior Championship for the second straight year.
The 2025 draft added another wave of defensemen: second-rounder Blake Fiddler, third-rounder Will Reynolds, fifth-rounder Maxim Agafonov and seventh-rounder Karl Annborn. Fiddler and 2025 second-round pick Casey Mutryn were roommates with Team USA at the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship, and Mutryn said Saturday at the NHL Draft that Fiddler “couldn’t stop talking about how great the Kraken organization is.”
Seattle then added five more defense prospects to the development camp mix: Reid, Finn Kearns, Hawke Huff, Ola Palme and Rylan Singh.
The forwards bring their own intrigue. The Kraken used three of their picks on forwards who drew strong reviews, with Michigan-born Casey Mutryn going at No. 38 overall.
The draft room erupted when that selection was made. The reaction was just as loud when Russian-born Viktor Federov came off the board in Round 3 and when USHL Sioux City center Will Tomko was taken in the seventh and final round.
That leaves the forward group at a dozen players for camp, essentially four lines’ worth. Along with the three newcomers, the group includes 2025 first-rounder Jake O’Brien, Ben MacDonald, Zacchraya Wisdom, Zeb Forsfjall, Clarke Caswell, Ollie Josephson, Nathan Villeneuve and Luke Krantz.
The camp roster is completed by three goaltenders. Finland natives Visa Vedenpaa and Kim Saarinen are back in the fold, and Lawton Zacher, who starred for NCAA Northeastern University, is also set to attend.
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Still, the bigger picture around the wing has shifted, and it is not hard to see why Tolvanens role feels less certain now. Seattle has a crowded group of players competing for spots, with more help likely on the way, and the front office appears to be hunting for more productive options on the outside. For a player who once seemed like a neat fit in the middle six, the question now is whether there is enough room left for him in the Krakens next version. [Read more 🡒]
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Avons path has included a trade into the Seattle system last September, and his most recent year with Coachella Valley looked like a real step forward. Roed, who joined the Firebirds late in the 2023-24 season, has been more of a steady secondary presence and has continued to produce in a supporting role. The moves fit a pattern the Kraken know well, rewarding players who have earned trust in the AHL while leaving open the bigger question of whether either can turn that consistency into something more. [Read more 🡒]