Seattle Kraken prospect Julius Miettinen is making it hard to look away this season-and that's exactly what the organization wants to see.
The 2024 second-round pick is off to a scorching start with the Everett Silvertips, putting up 14 goals and 21 assists through just 22 games. That 35-point total has him sitting comfortably in the top 10 of the WHL scoring race. But while the numbers jump off the stat sheet, it’s the complete package that has the Kraken’s player development staff buzzing.
“He’s playing really good hockey right now,” said Katelyn Parker, a development consultant with the Kraken who makes regular trips to Everett to check in on the 6-foot-2, 207-pound center. “You notice him every time he’s on the ice.
Last year, he was finding his way and still managed to produce. Now, he’s a leader on that team.
Every night I watch him, I think, ‘Man, I’m really glad he’s one of ours.’”
That’s not hyperbole. Miettinen isn’t just padding stats on a good junior team-he’s driving play, showing leadership, and taking pride in the kind of habits that translate to the pro level. His most recent goal, a game-winner against the Vancouver Giants, was another example of his knack for delivering in big moments.
But it’s not just about the offense. What’s really turning heads in the Kraken front office is Miettinen’s commitment to being a true 200-foot player. That means playing responsibly in all three zones, winning battles along the boards, and taking faceoffs seriously-something that stands out to Frans Nielsen, Seattle’s Europe-based development consultant and a former NHL center who knows a thing or two about defensive detail.
“We like his 200-foot game,” Nielsen said. “The way he works at it, his willingness in the defensive zone.
His focus on faceoffs is big to him. He wants to be that guy in key situations.”
That kind of buy-in is exactly what NHL teams hope to see from their prospects, especially when they’re playing on a dominant junior team like Everett. The Silvertips are rolling this season, sitting atop the WHL’s Western Conference with a 20-3-3 record and 43 points-nine more than the next closest team.
But blowout wins can sometimes be a double-edged sword for player development. When the score gets lopsided, it’s easy for young players to take their foot off the gas.
Miettinen isn’t one of those players.
He’s in regular contact with both Parker and Nielsen, soaking up feedback, diving into film sessions, and staying sharp even when the scoreboard says the game is already in hand. That kind of consistency is what the Kraken are preaching at every level of their organization-from Seattle to their AHL affiliate in Coachella Valley-and Miettinen is embracing it.
“I feel really good about what Frans and Katelyn are telling me to do,” Miettinen said. “I want to make sure even if we’re ahead comfortably in a game that I am still doing those little details and keeping good habits in the defensive zone.”
That mindset matters. Miettinen turns 20 in January, which means he’ll be eligible to make the jump to the AHL next season. If his current trajectory holds, that next step could come sooner rather than later.
For now, the Kraken are more than happy with what they’re seeing. A high-ceiling forward with size, skill, and a commitment to playing the right way?
That’s the kind of prospect every NHL team wants in the pipeline. And Seattle’s got one in Everett who’s making all the right moves.