Hockey

Berkly Catton’s Rookie Year: Lessons, Growth, and the Road Ahead

A Seattle Kraken prospect reflects on his debut season and future ambitions

Berkly Catton, the 19‑year‑old forward drafted eighth overall in the 2024 NHL Draft, spent the entire 2025‑26 season with the Seattle Kraken, appearing in 66 games and contributing seven goals and ten assists.

The transition from the Western Hockey League, where he starred for the Spokane Chiefs, to the NHL proved to be a steep learning curve, as the speed, physicality and tactical demands of professional hockey demanded rapid adjustment.

Catton says the most valuable lessons have been the need to add strength and improve shot accuracy, objectives he plans to target during the upcoming offseason before reporting to training camp.

A Supportive Environment

Since January, he has been living with teammate Chandler Stephenson and Stephenson’s family, an arrangement that has provided a stable home base and eased his integration into life in Seattle.

Those close to him describe Catton as gregarious and easy‑going, traits that have helped him build quick rapport with teammates, coaches and the broader locker‑room community.

Looking Ahead

The Kraken view Catton as a natural center for the future and have outlined a development plan that aligns with his own excitement about embracing new challenges and opportunities at the highest level of the sport.

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