Kraken Draft Casey Mutryn 38th Overall

With the 38th pick in the 2026 NHL Entry Draft, the Seattle Kraken have selected Casey Mutryn from the United States National Team Development Program (USNTDP) of the USHL.

About Casey Mutryn

Casey, the brother of Teddy Mutryn, who was selected by the San Jose Sharks in the third round of the 2025 NHL Entry Draft, and the son of Scott, a former Boston College quarterback, is a very interesting prospect, standing at 6-foot-3 and weighing 203 pounds.

In 62 games with the National U18 team, he finished with 46 points (18 goals, 28 assists). Offensively, teams will be looking at his shot as his most useful weapon, evidenced by his team-leading 10 power-play goals.

However, most will be intrigued by how well-rounded his game is. He attempts to drive pucks hard to the net, causes havoc once he gets there, engages and wins battles along the boards and is active in the defensive zone.

There are aspects of his game that need refinement, and he is viewed as a higher-floor, lower-ceiling type of prospect. But he has all the intangibles scouts look for. High energy, great work ethic, an unselfish player and a great leader, shown by the national team’s willingness to name him captain for the U18 World Junior Championship, where he had five points (two goals, three assists) in five games.

Next season, Mutryn will follow in his father’s footsteps and head to Boston College to play in the NCAA with the Eagles.

THW Prospect Profile Excerpt

He [Mutryn] has great speed and acceleration, which, combined with his size, makes him an ideal bowling ball down the middle. He’s constantly making major hits in the defensive zone, and his physicality makes him captain material.

He also shows great ability to carry the puck into key scoring areas. He’s a guy who looks to drive play rather than finish it, and unfortunately, he was let down by the inept NTDP offense this past season.

That’s partially why his production wasn’t super impressive, with just 16 points in 27 games. He also needs to polish his stick handling when attacking the net. It resulted in rough offensive-zone turnovers last season.

However, he has a great ability to feed a pass in the slot, which is pretty rare for this draft class. If he can refine his stick-handling, he has a great shot to be a much more valuable offensive player.

Still, Mutryn is already an NHL-ready defensive center. That gives him a really high floor, and his motor and never-quit attitude are exactly what you would want to set the tone in the locker room. There’s a higher ceiling he can reach, and a good coach can help him reach it.

Continue reading our full player profile here.

How This Affects the Kraken’s Plans

After selecting Keaton Verhoeff in the first round, the Kraken have pivoted to adding more offensive firepower to their prospect pool, which already has the likes of Berkley Catton and Jake O’Brien. It’s typical Seattle fashion; they are getting another player with middle-six upside, depending on how he rounds out his game. But Mutryn’s skating, shot and work ethic could make him a productive player depending on how the Kraken want to use him a few seasons from now.