The Seattle Kraken will be without rookie forward Berkly Catton for their final three games before the Olympic break, as the 20-year-old recovers from an upper-body injury suffered in Thursday's matchup against the Toronto Maple Leafs.
The play that sidelined Catton came late in the Kraken’s last home game, when veteran defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson delivered a heavy hit that sent the young forward hard to the ice. Catton was slow to get up but managed to skate off under his own power, heading straight down the tunnel. He didn’t return to the game, and now the team has confirmed he’ll be out through the break.
This is a tough blow for Seattle, especially considering how Catton has quietly carved out a role in the Kraken’s bottom six. Since making his NHL debut on October 20 against the Flyers-where he notched his first assist-Catton has appeared in 40 games, tallying five goals and six assists. He found the back of the net for the first time on January 6 and quickly added another, showing the kind of scoring touch that suggests there’s more to come.
But Catton’s contributions go beyond the scoresheet. He’s been part of a promising line alongside fellow young guns Ryan Winterton and Jacob Melanson, giving the Kraken a youthful energy and tenacity that’s helped stabilize their depth. That line has been a bright spot in Seattle’s campaign, and Catton’s absence will be felt-especially in the grind-it-out minutes where his motor and hockey IQ shine.
In the short term, Tye Kartye is the most likely candidate to step into Catton’s spot. Kartye has been a healthy scratch recently, but he’s no stranger to NHL action, with 37 games under his belt this season and seven points to show for it. This could be a key opportunity for him to reassert himself in the lineup and provide some of the grit and offensive upside that Catton brought.
The Kraken will re-evaluate Catton after the two-week Olympic break, and the hope is that the time off will be enough for him to heal up and return to action. For a young player still finding his footing in the league, avoiding a long-term setback is crucial.
Seattle, meanwhile, shifts its focus to Saturday night's matchup against the Vegas Golden Knights. Puck drops at 7 PM PT, and with playoff positioning still very much in play, every game counts-especially with a young core trying to prove it belongs on the big stage.