With the 40th pick of the 2024 NHL Entry Draft, the Seattle Kraken have selected Julius Miettinen from the Everett Silvertips of the Western Hockey League (WHL)
About Julius Miettinen
Julius Miettinen’s biggest strengths are his size and skating. With those two skills in his arsenal, he dominates in front of the net and on the forecheck, making it difficult for defenders to contain him. Like most Finnish forwards, hard work is also part of his DNA, as he creates chaos along the boards and in the crease on a regular basis.
Related: 2024 NHL Draft Live Tracker
Miettinen adjusted to the North American ice quite quickly this season with the Everett Silvertips. Coming over from the U20 SM-sarja, he scored 31 goals and 67 points as a rookie, finishing third in goals and fourth in points. He was one of the Silvertips’ top offensive talents and could end up being a very solid middle-six winger in the NHL someday.
THW Prospect Profile Excerpt
“Julius Miettinen is a Finnish forward who played for the Everett Silvertips in the Western Hockey League (WHL), totaling 31 goals and 67 points in 66 games this past season. He played in two games for Finland’s national team at the U18 level but totaled no points.
“The first thing that stands out about Miettinen is size. At 6-foot-3, 207 pounds, he’s an imposing figure on the ice, and he already uses his size well. He’s strong on the forecheck and does well to win one-on-one battles when his team decides to play dump-and-chase.
“As expected with someone his size, Miettinen is a strong net-front presence. The Silvertips used him as their net-front presence on their power play, where he used his big frame to provide screens and take away opposing goaltenders’ line of sight. He’s not afraid to do the same at five-on-five, too.
“Another standout of Miettinen’s game is his skating. For someone who’s already 6-foot-3, 207 pounds, his skating is quite good for his size. He has a smooth stride and uses his skating ability effectively in transition, which is notable since he primarily played center for the Silvertips. If he sticks at center in the NHL, which seems like a decent possibility given his size, he will need to be able to transition the puck effectively through the neutral zone.
“Though Miettinen could improve some defensively, he is already a pretty polished player for someone who turned 18 in January. His positioning is sound in the defensive and neutral zones, he applies pressure to oncoming attackers on the rush, and he uses his long reach effectively to knock the puck off opponents’ sticks. This applies to all three zones, but Miettinen uses his frame effectively in faceoffs. That could prove valuable at the next level, especially if his NHL team finds a role for him on special teams.”
Full player profile can be found here.
How This Affects Kraken’s Plans
The Kraken already added Berkly Catton in the first round, and now they have Miettinen, who is also a very skilled forward. The Kraken have a strong prospect pool for a new franchise and he just adds to it.