Kraken draft pick Berkly Catton reassigned to Spokane Chiefs

This year’s No. 8 pick in the NHL entry draft, Berkly Catton, seemed destined to return to juniors rather than make the Kraken. It’s rare for a player to make the jump at 18, and at 5-foot-11 and 167 pounds, Catton is on the smaller side. He dazzled in development camp and showed flashes of real promise at training camp, but he needs more time to marinate.

It did sound like he’d get more than one preseason game appearance, but he wasn’t in the lineup in Tuesday’s road loss to the Canucks and was reassigned on Wednesday. He played in just the opener, a 6-1 loss to the Calgary Flames in which he came close to scoring during the third period. The Kraken won’t have to look far to see what he’s up to — he’s headed across the state to rejoin the Spokane Chiefs, whose Western Hockey League season is already underway.

Coach Dan Bylsma said his early impressions of Catton were “awesome.”

“I thought he showed great with his training camp,” Bylsma added. “High degree of skill and compete, with great hockey sense. Great offensive mind for the game.”

Nathan Villeneuve, who did score in that 6-1 loss, was reassigned to the Ontario Hockey League’s Sudbury Wolves. Carson Rehkopf will join the OHL’s Brampton Steelheads, who traded for him in August.

There are 41 skaters and six goalies left in camp with 12 days left before the regular-season opener. Per NHL rules, the opening-day playing roster can’t have more than 23 names on it.