SEATTLE — The Seattle Kraken enter their first offseason in need of a rebuilding plan to push the team into the upper tier of the National Hockey League (NHL).
Now, the Kraken will have the fourth overall pick to add to its young core after the NHL's annual draft lottery Tuesday.
The top selection gives the team an opportunity to complement 2021 No. 2 overall pick Matty Beniers, who joined the Kraken late in the season and recorded nine points in 10 games.
Seattle entered the lottery with a 11.5% chance of earning the No. 1 overall pick, the third best odds in the league. The newest NHL franchise was guaranteed a top five pick in the draft due to the team's 27-49-6 record.
The Montreal Canadiens, the team with the league's worst record, secured the top pick in this year's draft.
Shane Wright is widely regarded as the best prospect. The 18-year-old center tallied 32 goals and 62 assists in 63 games for the Kingston Frontenacs in the Ontario Hockey League.
The 2022 NHL Draft is July 7-8 in Montreal.
NHL Draft order
- Montreal Canadiens
- New Jersey Devils
- Arizona Coyotes
- Seattle Kraken
- Philadelphia Flyers
- Columbus Blue Jackets (via Chicago Blackhawks)
- Ottawa Senators
- Detroit Red Wings
- Buffalo Sabres
- Anaheim Ducks
- San Jose Sharks
- Columbus Blue Jackets
- New York Islanders
- Winnipeg Jets
- Vancouver Canucks
- Buffalo Sabres (via Vegas Golden Knights)
Top NHL Draft prospects, according to NHL.com
- Shane Wright, Center
- Juraj Slafkovsky, Forward
- Logan Cooley, Center
- Matthew Savoie, Center
- Simon Nemec, Defender
