Seattle Kraken prospects at the 2024 World Junior Summer Showcase: a check-in

The World Junior Summer Showcase is an exhibition tournament for top under-20 players, hosted by the United States National Team in Plymouth, Michigan. Teams from various countries compete in a round-robin format, which begins in late July.

While there's no championship on the line, the showcase is essential for national teams to evaluate their talent before players return to their clubs in the fall. These evaluations are crucial as teams prepare to finalize rosters for the World Junior Championship in December.

Beyond its importance for the World Juniors, the showcase is also a key event for draft enthusiasts. Featuring several standout 17-year-old prospects, it offers a preview of the talent we'll see in the spring draft. For those following the Seattle Kraken, this year's showcase was especially exciting, as several Kraken prospects took on significant roles.

Four teams participated in the 2024 World Junior Summer Showcase. Canada made a return after a multi-year hiatus, joining the United States, Sweden, and Finland. Both Canada and the United States started with split-squad rosters, which were narrowed down to a single team for the final games. Canada spent most of the last two weeks at its camp in Windsor, Ontario, before competing in Plymouth on August 2 and 3.

This year's showcase featured 112 drafted players, with the Seattle Kraken having six prospects in action-second only to the Philadelphia Flyers, who had seven. Overall, 31 NHL teams were represented, with the Edmonton Oilers being the only team without a player at the event.

Each country's roster also included draft-eligible players, such as Team USA's James Hagens, Logan Hensler, and L.J. Mooney, who could be selected in the 2025 NHL Draft.

Finland's roster featured three Kraken players: goalie Visa Vedenpää, goalie Kim Saarinen, and forward Julius Miettinen. Sweden was represented by forward Zeb Forsfjäll, while Canada included defenseman Caden Price and forward Berkly Catton. Although Carson Rehkopf attended Canada's camp, he didn't participate in the Plymouth games.

Berkly Catton, Seattle's 2024 first-round pick, continued his impressive performance from Kraken Development Camp into the showcase. Although he only played in one game-Canada's key matchup against the United States-his speed, decision-making, and passing ability stood out against elite competition. While there are areas of his skating that could be refined, his hockey IQ and skill level are exceptional. Catton was a constant threat, particularly on the power play and in 3-on-3 overtime.

In my view, Catton was Canada's best skater at the showcase, a sentiment echoed by analysts like Corey Pronman and Scott Wheeler.

Summer verdict: Catton is highly regarded in Canada. He captained Team Canada's U18 team at last year's Hlinka Gretzky Cup. Initially, I was uncertain about Catton's chances at the World Juniors due to his smaller size and youth as an «underager» (he's eligible for both the 2025 and 2026 World Junior Championships). Now, I'm confident he'll make Canada's roster and play a top-six scoring role, especially with Macklin Celebrini likely absent.

Canada brought 11 defensemen to the showcase, with Caden Price, Seattle's 2023 third-round pick, landing in the middle of the pack. Price shows flashes of offensive potential, but his consistency isn't quite there yet, and he sometimes gets caught out of position in the defensive zone.

Summer verdict: Price has potential and looks more physical than last year, but unless he has a breakout season this fall, I don't think he's shown enough to secure a spot on Canada's World Juniors roster.

Carson Rehkopf, a 2023 second-round pick, brought his scoring touch from the OHL to Canada's training camp, netting three goals in two games in Windsor, Ontario-including one off a slick assist from Catton.

Rehkopf continues to be a deadly off-puck shooter, much like a corner shooter in the NBA. With solid puck-handling skills and offensive zone presence, he's set for another big season, likely with the Brampton Steelheads after his recent trade from Kitchener.

Although Rehkopf didn't join Team Canada in Plymouth, this suggests he's a virtual lock for the main roster in December.

Summer verdict: He's on Team Canada and likely in a top-six role. Canada has experimented with pairing him with Catton in camp, a combination Kraken fans would love to see come December.

Visa Vedenpää, Seattle's 2023 sixth-round pick, played in last year's showcase alongside another Kraken goalie prospect, Niklas Kokko. Kokko emerged as the starter at the 2023 showcase and carried that momentum into the 2024 World Juniors.

Vedenpää started three of Finland's five games at this year's showcase, winning one of three decisions and stopping 83 of 96 shots. He nearly stole a win from Team USA, where Finland was outshot 42-26, but he was pulled after allowing seven goals against Canada in his last start. The numbers don't look great, but Finland's defensive struggles were a major factor.

While Vedenpää has a solid chance at making Finland's roster for the 2025 World Juniors, his performance this fall will be crucial in determining whether he can challenge for the starting role. He may get some Liiga ice time with Kärpät.

Summer verdict: Vedenpää should make Finland's World Juniors roster. I predict Eemil Vinni will start for Finland, but Vedenpää could take over if Vinni falters. Either way, Vedenpää is likely to start at least one pool play game.

Kim Saarinen, who recently signed an entry-level contract with the Kraken, started Finland's last showcase game against the United States, saving 17 of 20 shots in a winning effort. He also stopped all seven shots he faced in relief in another game.

Like Vedenpää, Saarinen aims to earn playing time in Liiga this season. But at just 14 months younger than Vedenpää, Saarinen is likely a stronger candidate for the 2026 World Juniors. However, a dominant fall could accelerate his timeline.

Summer verdict: Saarinen is unlikely to be an active goaltender for Finland at the 2025 World Juniors. He might make the team as a third goalie, but it's more likely that his time will come in 2026.

Julius Miettinen, another age-eligible prospect for the next two World Junior Championships, started the showcase as a healthy scratch but played in two games later on. He didn't stand out, but he didn't look out of place either.

This quiet performance wasn't unexpected. At this stage, Miettinen excels in a complementary role, contributing on the forecheck and creating space for his linemates. To take the next step, he needs to become more confident with the puck, especially on controlled exits and entries, and in driving play offensively. This is what I'll be watching for in his play with Everett this fall.

Summer verdict: Like Saarinen, Miettinen is a strong candidate for Finland's 2026 squad but likely won't make the team this year.

Zeb Forsfjäll has been a regular on Sweden's international teams for years, played in the 2024 World Junior Championship, and has 75 SHL games under his belt. However, Seattle's 2023 sixth-round pick is more of a defensive specialist than a top-end talent. He can handle tough defensive assignments, win face-offs, and kill penalties. At this year's showcase, he also earned time on Sweden's top power-play unit.

Forsfjäll is a key figure for Sweden, even if his offensive contributions are limited. He captained Sweden in their showcase finale against Finland and wore the «A» in other games.

Summer verdict: Forsfjäll will be on Sweden's World Juniors team, likely in a leadership role. Just don't expect a lot of points from him.