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overdoo · 11-21-2020, 08:12 PM

Hello again for the third season of my Carolina Kraken Prospect Reports, and after another great year we have another great batch of Kraken rookies to present to all of you, SHL GM's.

I've tried to keep the actual reports about their players, well, about their players. But, I think that does them a little bit of injustice. In the end, it isn't about player performance that gets you into the SHL, it is about the character and personality someone brings, and I'd gladly vouch for any of them. So, at the end of the article there is a little piece about/for each of them.

Now for a third time, without further ado, let's get into our Carolina Kraken Prospect Reports.

Freyja Hellström - @Calliope

Date of Birth - Oct. 23, 2006

Place of Birth - Södertälje, SWE

Nation - Sweden

Position - LW

Height - 5'9"

Weight - 165lbs.

Shoots - L

Drafted - S56, #10th overall by Carolina Kraken

Eligible for S57 SHL Entry Draft

Rankings
#12 by TheBigSandeenie - SHL DRAFT PROSPECT PREVIEW

Freyja Hellström is the epitome of a prototypical sniper, and had shown that quickly during her first season. In just two games, Hellström was able to grab her first SMJHL goal, and only six games later, her first SMJHL hat trick. She was 32nd in the league for goals, and decidedly in the lead for goals among rookies, with 13, and third in rookie points, with 21. She is exactly what you look for in a scorer, good speed, and physicality to create her own offense, along with a great shot, hands, and offensive instincts. You could say she has a comparable skillset to a former Carolina Kraken legend, Jimmy Wagner, which is high praise, but deserved praise. Being one of the top producers of the Kraken's iconic rookie third line this season, one would expect Hellström to become that top 6 scorer the Kraken drafted, and with her growth trajectory, you can expect her to do the same in the SHL when the time comes.

Strengths
Shooting
Puck Skills
Intelligence
Weaknesses
Hitting
Puck Seperation

S56 Season | Carolina Kraken [Image: kraken.png]

| 50GP | 13G | 8A | 21P | -5 +/- | 12PIM | 0PPP | 0SHP | 74S | 0.84 GF60/GA60 | 99 PDO

S56 Playoffs | Carolina Kraken [Image: kraken.png]

| 12GP | 2G | 1A | 3P | -3 +/- | 0PIM | 0PPP | 0SHP | 16S | 0.50 GF60/GA60 | 99 PDO

Kyle Murray - @Jimmysmo27

Date of Birth - Jan. 10, 2002
Place of Birth - Anchorage, USA
Nation - United States
Position - RW
Height - 6'5"
Weight - 215lbs.
Shoots - L
Drafted - S56, #59 overall by Carolina Kraken

Eligible for S57 SHL Entry Draft

Kyle Murray was one of the players the Kraken got past draft that I don't think anybody would expect to pan out. He has had his ups and downs this season, but is still dedicated to becoming better and his teammates can see that. I can see Murray being a great player through his years spent on the Kraken in the SMJHL, and if he decides to commit to himself, the SHL as well. While Murray's shot is not the best, he can score goals due to his outstanding understanding of the game of hockey. He consistently is able to put himself exactly where he needs to be, and was a great player to have on any line he was put on.

Strengths
Stamina
Agility
Intelligence
Weaknesses
Checking
Physicality

S56 Season | Carolina Kraken [Image: kraken.png]

| 50GP | 9G | 4A | 13P | -10 +/- | 16PIM | 1PPP | 0SHP | 82SOG | 0.76 GF60/GA60 | 99 PDO

S56 Playoffs | Carolina Kraken [Image: kraken.png]

| 12GP | 0G | 1A | 1P | -4 +/- | 0PIM | 0PPP | 0SHP | 14SOG | 0.50 GF60/GA60 | 99 PDO

Luukas Lilja - @retuperkele

Date of Birth - Feb. 27, 2002

Place of Birth - Nokia, FIN

Nation - Finland

Position - C

Height - 6'1"

Weight - 179lbs.

Shoots - R

Eligible for S56 SHL Entry Draft

Luukas Lilja was just a little bit late for the opening games, but boy oh boy did he arrive with a drive to make a difference. While he wasn't looked at as one of the fancy players on the Kraken this season, his incredible role on their third line with fellow rookies was continually underrated. While Freyja is the one in the spotlight with her flashy goals, it was Lilja setting her up, and the combination of both throughout the season gave the Kraken an extra scoring touch that was needed. He is a quiet presence, but a respected player in the league already, and SHL teams should watch for him in this upcoming draft.

Strengths
Agility
Intelligence
Offensive Skill
Weaknesses
None

S56 Season | Carolina Kraken [Image: kraken.png]

| 48GP | 2G | 17A | 19P | -5 +/- | 6PIM | 0PPP | 1SHP | 53SOG | 0.81 GF60/GA60 | 99 PDO

S56 Playoffs | Carolina Kraken [Image: kraken.png]

| 12GP | 0G | 0A | 0P | -2 +/- | 2PIM | 0PPP | 0SHP | 16SOG | 0.58 GF60/GA60 | 100 PDO

Kai Ichinose - @Gumbaman

Date of Birth - May 14, 2002

Place of Birth - Alberta, CAN

Nation - Canada

Position - D

Height - 6'4"

Weight - 200lbs.

Shoots - R

Eligible for S56 SHL Entry Draft

Ichinose was a late addition, but immediately came into the Kraken defensive core and made a huge impact. He brought a solid defensive game that helped out in the later half of the season, yet still found a way to make a difference in the opposition end. His shutdown skill is one to admire, and he was put in some tough situations early in his career during playoffs, and did well in them. His transitional game is good, but will be so much better when he works on his speed. He's a flexible player, and will work well on almost almost any type of pairing. He is a player to fear in the future, and will no doubt be a valuable asset to whichever team takes a chance on him.

Strengths
Defensive Skill
Stamina
Weaknesses
Shooting
Quickness

S56 Season | Carolina Kraken [Image: kraken.png]

| 14GP | 1G | 2A | 3P | -3 +/- | 0PIM | 0PPP | 0SHP | 13SOG | 0.71 GF60/GA60 | 98 PDO
S56 Playoffs | Carolina Kraken [Image: kraken.png]

| 12GP | 0G | 0A | 0P | -2 +/- | 2PIM | 0PPP | 0SHP | 16SOG | 0.58 GF60/GA60 | 100 PDO

As I said last year, it isn't the players that matter, it is the actual user. I think you can really see that in your interviews during this draft, but from what I have seen with most people, it is the locker room that is more important than their player's performance. I think within the Kraken, Fuzz and Trella did a great job to really build a group of people who really got along with each other, along with an alumni group that still care about the team. From there Sve7en and our management group have really tried to keep this going, and it continues to be a place I'm proud of every time I log on.

If you want an example of how great these users are this year, take this article. I went to each one, and asked them for a birthday of their player. Of course in my terrible wording, each one sent me near a paragraph about what their player does on their birthday, from a family dinner, to playing piano for their guests. No questions asked. They're a great group of rookies that adapted to the Kraken LR faster than I could imagine doing so myself, and they've all made it a better place to be. So to you guys; thanks. Continue being you.

@Calliope

I still stand by you being one of my people from the draft. I think you're a great fit for the LR, you seem very kind, and while mellow it's always a welcome site to see you in. I know what work is like for you right now, and I talked about everything with you within the last week, so I won't go on about it. We look forward to seeing you more once you find that time in your life, but just know we'll be very happy to see you around.

@Jimmysmo27

I'm not sure how much you want me to say about anything, but I miss you buddy, hope you're doing better than the last time we talked. I'm still so incredibly happy things worked out with you deciding to stay, and we're super lucky that we got you where we did in the draft. We're all behind you, and you bring a hell of a lot to the team. Keeping fighting kid, we all believe in you more than you know.

@retuperkele

You're a great guy to have in the LR man, for real. Timezones make it hard, but any time I talk to you you are as happy as can be and you're always a fun time to have around. You're an energetic dude and it is hella contagious, and although it'll sound repetitive, I am super glad we got you in our locker room.

@Gumbaman

I can't begin to say how impressed all of us are with you. Since pretty much the first day, you mentioned running a podcast, got 7 and I on it, and made a higher up in the league check rules to see if you could get first article bonus on a podcast. You're already getting into the management side of the site, and did incredible with Team Canada in the WJC. You have a real bright future in the league if you keep it up, proud of you.

I could go on about you guys so much more, but I just want you guys to know you're great people, and that is what matters most. You all have bright futures in the league as long as you're here and I can't wait to see how you guys pan out!