DJLR Draft Profiles: 2nd and 3rd Round Selections

So, we’ve been kicking around the first round looking at every player that’s even within spitting distance of Seattle’s 8th overall pick, and I think we’ve picked this particular bird clean in discussing just about every player around that particular 1st rounder of note.

So that leaves us with an interesting question, mere six days ahead of the draft: What about the rest?

While I can’t really be a diviner of later round selections as it’s often a crapshoot even on the best of days; the Kraken’s options in the 2nd and 3rd round are still pretty intriguing if you’re willing to play the long game and wait for them. After all, it was 2nd round picks that got us guys like Ryker Evans, Jagger Firkus, Jani Nyman, and David Goyette!

So let’s browse the 2nd and 3rd round selections; guys who are still reasonably within the top 100 players in this draft…just not the top 32.

Why all clumped together? Because getting ready for the draft, researching a draft profile, while also juggling Coachella’s run to the Cup finals, The other site I do stuff suddenly gaining a reason to care about the first round, podcasting ~~and also the Elden Ring DLC I just beat Rellana and nearly broke my hand fistpumping about it~~ is a lot of work and these guys are probably going to be called within the same day. It’s nothing against them, it’s just how the NHL does their business.

So! Let’s meet this stalwart young men, and see if they pique your curiosity, and perhaps put a dream in your head of them wearing Deep Blue at some point.

Forwards

Matvei Gridin – The Playmaking Michigan Man

Position: Forward
Points for 2023-24: 83 points in 60 games (38 goals, 45 assists)
Height: 6’1
Weight: 185 pounds
Current Team: Muskegon Lumberjacks in the USHL; committed to the University of Michigan.

Gridin made the leap from Russia to Michigan back in 2022 and it’s largely paid off for him, doubling his rookie year point totals with Muskegon this year and is set to join the University of Michigan for this upcoming year. Obviously his points stand out as a major strength; especially with his goalscoring, but his playmaking is what’s put him on the map, 45 assist through 60 games is no mean feat, and his ability to create and see offense before it happens gives hope to any team who’s depth could stand to get a little faster and maybe a little more dangerous; particularly on the man-advantage.

Gridin’s work in the defensive end on the other hand is something that has him out of the top 32; as it’s clear Muskegon preferred him putting together a strong forecheck rather than helping out on the backcheck, and as such his defensive instincts and positioning are pretty lacking. It remains to be seen whether Michigan will continue that trend or try to give him some pointers on what to do in his own end, but given that the jump in talent from the USHL to the Big 10 is pretty pronounced, I would imagine they would try to give him more

Gridin is for patient teams who want to build the Power Play Center of tomorrow, and if the Kraken can get him, I think they’d be very happy with him.

Lucas Pettersson – The All-Rounder From Sweden

Position: Center
Points for 2023-24: 57 points in 44 games in J20 (27 goals, 30 assists), 0 points in SHL
Height: 5’11”
Weight: 172 pounds
Current Team: MODO Hockey/MODO Hockey J20 in Sweden

Lucas Pettersson is like a lot of Swedish forwards; both perfectly good in his own end, and skilled enough to be a real danger on the forecheck.

Pettersson’s biggest strength is his ability to slow the game down…and turn his strong shot or passing into a dangerous scoring chance. All of his decisionmaking skills are head and shoulders above his peers; able to get shots off quicker, able to make smart passes before the defense can adjust, and can do this all at speed, though he definitely prefers to be the guy shooting the puck if at all possible. His skating also makes for a slightly more problematic player to backcheck against because he’s already figuring out how to best turn his next possession into a dangerous shot; something he uses to deadly advantage by moving quickly in order to draw defenders to him.

Pettersson’s biggest concerns are that he’s slight, and as a result he can get dinged for not trying as hard, which may just be him not trying to get killed by a larger player. It’s notable that Pettersson’s time in the SHL was brief and unfruitful, likely because of that size discrepancy. Of course, it was only 5 games, but it’s clear he needs to put on some pounds before he ever gets any ideas of being an NHLer or even an AHLer; a kid around his size will get mulched unless they have truly transcendant skills or are made of concrete.

But! If you can cram some hamburgers and weights into him for a couple of seasons, Pettersson’s craftiness with the puck could be a major asset for you once he’s grown into himself a little bit more.

Adam Jecho – The Gigantic Goalscorer For a Patient Team

Position: Right Wing
Points for 2023-24: 47 points in 54 games (23 goals, 24 assists)
Height: 6’5″
Weight: 201 pounds
Current Team: Edmonton Oil Kings in WHL

Adam Jecho is large; 6’5 and 200+ pounds already. He can skate a lot better than a good number of his contemporaries, he’s got a half-decent shot, and he can see the offensive side of the game really well!

…So why has he struggled to get over the 50 point mark in the WHL?

Jecho’s biggest knocks are that, for a 6’5 player, he’s really not comfortable using it all that often, and has been called out for effort concerns more than once. He can be a dangerous goalscorer. Hell, he can be a great playmaker! But he’s struggled mightily in trying to find a good place within himself to do that consistently. Really, it’s a big reason why it’s dropped him so far; he just won’t find that next gear in which to truly dominate. Maybe he finds it next year, maybe he doesn’t. Maybe he never finds it as the “Want-To” of the men’s leagues begin to wear him down. His tools however, are hard to come by. That alone will make him a choice for somebody…but I don’t know if it should be Seattle.

Especially considering there’s another large forward who can do things in the WHL just as well, if not better. Someone like, say…

Julius Miettinen – The Local Big Finn with big playmaking acumen

Position: Center/Left Wing
Points for 2023-24: 67 points in 66 games (31 goals, 36 assists)
Height: 6’3
Weight: 201 pounds
Current Team: Everett Silvertips in the WHL

Miettinen is an import from Finland who plays for the Everett Silvertips, and in his first season with the ‘Tips he managed to be a pretty darn good goalscorer, netting 31 in 66 games. It helps that Miettinen is basically NHL-sized already; and unlike Jecho above, he is more than willing to go muck in the corners or throw a big hit in order to get the puck and establish order for the Silvertips.

While his goal-scoring is strong, it’s his playmaking that has people talking: having more assists in his draft year and most of the assists he’s gotten off…oh buddy.

This kid has got some really interesting playmaking. This dude can pass with the best of them, and made life for the rest of the WHL very difficult thanks to his well-timed delivery and silky smooth hands to find ways out of backchecks and create offense for his team. It’s also that strong hand-eye that makes him a frighteningly strong player out in front of the goaltender, finding separation from the defense not just with his body, but by moving around them and the netminder in tight.

Miettinen’s defense, like Gridin’s, is still a work in progress, but it seems like it’s the usual issues of consistency rather than anything specific; rookies all have some form of jitter, and he got better with time as he got comfortable with his team’s system. Really, the bigger concern you might have with him is that his shot isn’t exactly perfect. It’s worked well for him so far, but his prodigious frame means he’s often been tasked with net-front duty, which isn’t exactly going to build the hand-eye skills for him to fool goalies beyond cramming the puck in under their pads. As such, while he’s got the ability to get the puck off his stick quickly…he can get caught airmailing a shot to nowhere sometimes.

That said, if 31 goals in an otherwise pretty stingy league is the sign of a lesser shot than he’d have, then it’s something that he can work on for the future to potentially be a real nightmare to put up with; a high energy, big bodied Finn who can muck for the puck or make a defense look foolish. That’s what you’d be drafting him for.

John Mustard – The very best name in this draft

Position: Left Wing
Points for 2023-24: 56 points in 60 games (29 goals, 27 assists)
Height: 6’0
Weight: 185 pounds
Current Team: Waterloo in the USHL, committed to Providence College

There’s some good names in this draft. Michael Brandsegg-Nygard, Maxime Masse…all of them pale in comparison to JOHN MUSTARD. That’s a goddamn name right there. Think of the merchandising you could do with guy named JOHN MUSTARD. Kraft would be knocking your door down trying to get him into an add.

Mustard, thankfully, seems to be more than just a clever name; he’s a dude who can blaze past defenders with silky mitts and strong skating; preferring to do everything at a full burning stride in order to catch the opponent (and more importantly, the goaltender) off-guard. Dealing with him at speed is a handful, being one of the most devious players off the rush in the USHL.

Of course, if you can take away that speed, like Waterloo tried doing this year in order to try and encourage some playmaking, he struggled a bit in the adjustment; clearly preferring to be a shoot-first, ask questions later type of forward, with a bit of trouble translating that speed to consistent backchecking pressure. Moving to Providence College in the fall to play in a very competitive Hockey East will likely force him to be more than just a forechecking machine, and if they can unlock a second dimension to his game beyond speed and a shot, there’s a really interesting player you could have in four years or so.

Also, his name is JOHN MUSTARD, which is just so fun to say!

Defensemen

EJ Emery – The No Nonsense, Smart Defender…if he’s available.

Position: RHD
Points for 2023-24: 16 points in 61 games (all assists) with the NTDP, 6 points in 27 in the USHL (all assists)
Height: 6’3
Weight (at time of reporting): 185 pounds
Current Team: US National Development Program, Committed to University of North Dakota for 2024-25

Emery is from a sporting family (his dad played in the CFL), and is projected as a late 1st rounder or very early 2nd rounder that could make for a strong shutdown defenseman if given the right opportunity. In the time this took to get up however, he absolutely crushed the NHL combine, and so may have gone and shot himself straight out of the 2nd round.

His point totals aren’t gonna wow anybody, but Emery’s work is primarily in being a reassuring, exceptionally safe kind of player; he sees the defensive zone extremely well, can shutdown breakouts before they even happen, and is usually the guy who creates the poke check that gets the puck away from the opposing carrier and then can skate it away from danger using his impressive skating speed. Again, he’s a decent passer, great skater, and can identify offense as it’s happening, but he prefers to let more gifted players run the rush rather than himself.

He’s also blessed by being 6’3, so filling out at North Dakota will likely turn him into an extremely annoying player to try and forecheck against. Of course, the biggest issue that he faces is that his offense is effectively null. That isn’t what you’re asking for when you draft him, of course…but it’s a noticeable

That said, at a consolidated 36th overall according to EliteProspects, some people think he’ll be called on night one, and frankly given how proficient at the defensive side of the game he is, it’s entirely possible any fall he takes will be one that Seattle would benefit from.

Henry Mews – A power play QB or a 4th forward? You make the call!

Position: RHD
Points for 2023-24: 61 points in 65 games (15 goals, 46 assists)
Height: 6’0
Weight (at time of reporting): 185 pounds
Current Team: Ottawa 67’s (OHL, Canadian Junior)

Henry Mews rules. He is exactly the kind of dude that those who champion a good power play or postion-less hockey would love, and while I’m agnostic on the 2nd thing, I am very much a fan of the 1st, and boy, does Henry Mews make life better for a power play.

I am also 90% certain he will be called well ahead of the Kraken getting a chance in the 2nd round to draft him…but he could be there!

An Ottawa native playing for the local junior squad; Mews is an exceptional skater who found himself moved from forward to defenseman prior to joining the OHL, and has found himself becoming a major playmaker for the 67’s; finishing the year with 61 points in 65 games, and 5 points in 10 games in the playoffs. While that’s pretty good, it’s also worth noting that the 67’s generally don’t play a very offensively minded game, and he finished 2nd on the team in points, 6th in goals, and first in assists. Not too shabby for Year 2 in the OHL! Pair that with some smooth, strong skating and a solid acumen for shooting, and Mews is the kind of player you can build your entire man-advantage around.

Of course, when you’re this slanted towards playing offense, Mews’ biggest concerns are on defensive awareness and instinct; while he’s undersized, he can throw a hit here or there, but he can be a little squirrelly on where he’s actually supposed to be on the ice; being nearly the exact opposite of Emery in some respects. He’s committed himself to working on it, but it’s clear the 67’s use him as a 4th forward sometimes and they’re not shy about it. If you draft him, that defensive work is gonna be the big issue you need to overcome.

Luca Marrelli – A spicy, active defender

Position: Right Handed Defenseman
Points for 2023-24: 57 in 67 Games (6 goals, 51 assists)
Height: 6’2
Weight: 185 pounds
Current Team: Oshawa Generals in the OHL

Italian-Americans and Italian-Canadians rejoice. Finally, you could have representation on the Seattle Kraken!

…Again.

Marrelli’s distinguished himself in Oshawa by being in near constant motion; not just by way of his skating, but by tracking puck carriers in the defensive zone like a hound; taking out lanes with his agility and stick before they even open, and harrying the forechecker with a need to have the puck and dig it out from corners, the opponent’s stick, and from the boards if they have to make a pass to get rid of him. And if he’s gotta throw a hit to do so? Marrelli is all too happy to throw the body in order to do so, which has made him a delightful part of many games in Oshawa.

Bizarrely, for as noticeable as he tries to be…it feels like his offense is a work in progress, which feels wrong for a player of his skating caliber. He prefers the safe pass out of the zone or in the neutral zone in order to create offense, and while yes, it’s clearly working…his passes belie the fact that he actually has a pretty damn good shot, and it’s a little odd that he’s not being asked to use it more in search of goals. If you can unlock more of that, he could be more than just a fast playmaker, he could be a true 200-foot threat.

Adam Kleber – A Big guy unlocking some offense

Position: Right Handed Defenseman
Points for 2023-24: 26 in 56 Games (5 goals, 21 assists)
Height: 6’5
Weight: 214 pounds
Current Team: Lincoln Stars in the USHL, Committed to the University of Minnesota-Duluth for next season

What are they feeding kids in Lincoln this kid is basically NHL-sized already.

Kleber’s impressive size sort of buries the lead that he’s actually a much faster player than you’d expect; built well and able to skate with some of the better speedsters in the USHL…and of course, mash them into paste to separate the puck from a forechecker. Of course, when you’re 6’5 you can impose your will in ways that most kids can’t, but Kleber’s defensive skill is pretty advanced; shutting down lanes with his long stick and forcing plays to the outside by recognizing where the offense is trying to go and slamming the door on them, grab the puck, and then make a strong pass looking up-ice in order to get it out of danger. He’s more than just a big body; he’s a big, smart body, and in the defensive zone that can be a major advantage.

The big knock against him is offense; he’s got a helluva slapshot, and he can move the puck around pretty well…but that’s kind of it. He managed to find a way to become a more dangerous player late in the season, but it’s clear he is uncomfortable in that lane and would rather be blocking shots, getting the puck out of danger, and throwing hits. He is not exactly subtle with his puck skills, and he doesn’t need to be in the USHL. He’ll have to earn his keep a little more through his time at Minnesota-Duluth; the NCHC is rough; especially with Denver and North Dakota being perennial contenders for the national title. Those are the places that can get tough players who aren’t intimidated by giants; so he’ll have to keep working at his defensive skill away from hits.

That said, being able to do what he does at his size is always going to draw some eyes, so if the Bulldogs can conjure some extra offense out of him or continue to mature his play coming out of his own end, a team could really find a winner in him. Or at least, a middle pair rock to let a smaller, more offensively minded defender run wild.

And there you have it! That should tide you over for at least the first couple of rounds or so, and of course, get you ready for the NHL Draft which starts on Friday!