LOS ANGELES — Seattle Kraken added a new name to the roster Friday night with the eighth overall pick of the 2025 NHL Draft.
The Kraken selected forward Jake O'Brien, 18, from the Brantford Bulldogs, a team part of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL). O'Brien, who hails from Toronto, was named the OHL Rookie of the Year following his 2023-2024 season.
During his second season with the Bulldogs, he set multiple career-highs including scoring 98 points in 66 regular-season games. As a first-time alternate captain, he finished third in goals and points, and second in assists with Brantford.
O'Brien represented Team Canada in 2023 at the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge and was part of the gold-winning U18 team at the 2024 Hlinka Gretzky Cup.
“It’s just surreal,” he said on Friday night. “I’m really excited to come to Seattle.”
O’Brien described himself as a smart player who is skilled at finding his teammates on the ice. He grew up in Toronto in a hockey family, he said. His mother played for Team Canada for ice and roller hockey and his father played during school at Clarkson and in an East Coast league.
O’Brien is set to attend the Kraken’s fifth annual development camp at the Kraken Community Iceplex from June 30 to July 4.
The draft is taking place at the Peacock Theater in downtown Los Angeles. Round one was held June 27 and the remaining Rounds 2-7 take place Saturday, June 28.
Seattle has four remaining draft picks: Round 2, picks 6 and 25; Round 5, pick 6; and Round 7, pick 6.