MONTREAL, Quebec — A series of unexpected events has landed the Kraken a centerman widely expected to go No. 1 overall in the NHL entry draft most of the past two years.
Instead, after three teams passed on center Shane Wright of the Ontario Hockey League’s Kingston Frontenacs, the Kraken swooped in and nabbed him at No. 4 overall in Thursday’s opening draft round. That now gives the Kraken two high-end prospects up the middle, with the team having taken Matty Beniers at No. 2 overall last season and planning to have him break training camp with the big club this October.
The stunning events of Thursday’s opening round began with the Montreal Canadiens defying pundits by taking Slovakian winger Juraj Slafkovsky at No. 1 overall instead of the favored Wright. The New Jersey Devils, already stacked up the middle, then opted to pass on centerman Wright as well and picked Slovakian defenseman Simon Nemec at No. 2, who had been widely considered the Kraken’s most likely option.
It was the first time two Slovakian players had even been picked in the Top 10 the same year, let alone at 1-2.
Finally, the Arizona Coyotes selected center Logan Cooley of the U.S. National Team Development Program, leaving Wright to fall to the Kraken at No. 4.
