Kraken draft center Jake O'Brien in first round of NHL draft

Kate Shefte, The Seattle Times on Jun 27, 2025

Published in Hockey

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SEATTLE — The Kraken used the No. 8 pick in the NHL entry draft to select another center, Jake O’Brien, on Friday night. O’Brien is an alternate captain for the Brantford Bulldogs of the Ontario Hockey League.

The Kraken have only taken forwards with their previous four first-round picks. Center Matty Beniers was the Kraken’s first-ever pick at No. 2 in 2021, followed by Shane Wright (4th) Eduard Sale (20th) and Berkly Catton (8th).

It was the second straight year the Kraken had the eighth overall pick. During a lottery of the 16 non-playoff teams on May 5, Seattle fell two spots from its sixth-best odds at the top overall pick.

The New York Islanders won the first overall pick and as expected, selected defenseman Matthew Schaefer.

The next four players taken were centers. Michael Misa went second to the San Jose Sharks, the Chicago Blackhawks picked Anton Frondell and the Nashville Predators went with Brady Martin. The Flyers broke ranks and selected right winger Porter Martone, then it was back to centers with Boston College’s James Hagens. He stayed nearby after the Bruins made him the seventh overall pick.