“Down on the Farm” is your weekly Seattle Kraken prospects update. This week we’ll highlight Caden Price’s solid AHL debut in Coachella Valley, breaking down his many strengths, and identifying areas for further development as he gets acquainted with the professional game. This week’s update will be a little shorter than usual due to some travel involving this Sound Of Hockey intern, but we’ll still pass along video and data from around the Kraken system, as always.

If you have a Kraken prospect-related question you’d like to see featured in a future column, drop us a note below or on X or BlueSky @deepseahockey or @sound_hockey. Let’s dive in.

Analyzing Caden Price’s pro debut

Caden Price has played in just nine professional games, all this season, with the Coachella Valley Firebirds. But he has already shown a broad base of skills that could be the foundation of a successful NHL career.

He’s an excellent athlete, who excelled in fitness training at Kraken rookie camp. This translates into his skating, which is equal parts agile and powerful. There are always gains that can be made, but his smooth skating is a solid building block for him. Defensively, he can win races to break a forecheck and cut off attack angles. With the puck on his stick, he’s an asset transporting through center ice and into the offensive zone, particularly in reduced manpower scenarios.

Similarly, while he can continue to get stronger, he doesn’t look outmatched physically so far. He can make plays with his body and strength when needed.

Price also flashes very good two-way stick skills. Defensively, he’s active trying to disrupt rushers at the blue line. Offensively, he’s able to carry the puck into the deep into the offensive zone with forward-like feel. On his first shift in the video below, he roves deep into the offensive zone, wins a puck battle with physicality behind the net, and then holds just long enough to find an open teammate net front for a one-timer goal. It’s a very good sequence for Price.

On the negative side, he needs to bring down the frequency of his mistakes. His breakouts can be skillful one moment and then hesitant or confounding the next. He doesn’t always make the best reads off the puck or make the right decisions with it, which raises some questions about his instincts and ice vision.

I do think he can make strides with more repetitions, though. The discrete skills are there to succeed. He just needs to coalesce them all. By the end of this season and early next, we may see a much steadier player. If so, we’ll be looking at a likely NHLer.

Notes on four more Kraken prospects

Ollie Josephson | F | Freshman | Univ. of North Dakota (NCAA)

Ollie Josephson scored two goals and added two assists in two games for the University of North Dakota last week. Josephson has not been known for his offensive counting stats, even in junior hockey, so it is good to see some offensive finish showing up against this older, stronger level of competition. The performance makes Josephson our Sound Of Hockey Player of the Week.

Nikke Kokko | G | Coachella Valley Firebirds (AHL)

Kokko returned to the lineup on Wednesday, Nov. 5, and earned the win over the Colorado Eagles. He had missed 11 days with a lower-body injury suffered during the Firebirds’ Oct. 24 game against the Calgary Wranglers. Though the raw numbers weren’t very strong for Kokko in his return (he allowed 5 goals on 24 shots on goal), he should be helpful for a Firebirds team that is looking to improve its early-season defensive production. Through nine games, the Firebirds have given up almost 3.9 goals per game, which tied for second most in the AHL.

Ty Nelson | D | Coachella Valley Firebirds (AHL)

Nelson also returned from multi-week injury on Wednesday, Nov. 5, against the Eagles. Nelson has been a stalwart, steadying presence on the blue line for the Firebirds since early last season. He’s another piece, along with Kokko, that will be crucial to righting the ship defensively.

J.R. Avon | F | Coachella Valley Firebirds (AHL)

Speaking of the Nov. 5 game, J.R. Avon scored the game-winning shootout goal for the Firebirds that night. His success reminded me of my conversation with him back in camp. When I asked him to highlight areas where he feels he can make a difference on the ice, he noted his speed and also his shootout skills. Check and check, so far, for Avon.

In better news, the Coachella Valley Firebirds win 6-5 in a shootout, with a goal from J.R. Avon the decisive shootout score. pic.twitter.com/nDmnedeABD

— Sound Of Hockey (@sound_hockey) November 6, 2025

Kraken prospects data update

Julius Miettinen had two goals and added an assist in Everett’s only game over the last seven days. The Silvertips will be more active over the next seven, with four games scheduled before our next update.

Jake O’Brien leads the OHL in total points and points per game (among those with at least five games played). His 25 assists are also tops in that league.

Semyon Vyazovoi, 22, remains scalding hot. He has won his last six starts in a row and is now just .03 points off the KHL save percentage lead. He leads all under-25 KHL goalies in save percentage by a wide margin.

With Kokko back, Jack LaFontaine has returned to the Kansas City Mavericks. Victor Ostman started every game while Kokko was out.

Sound Of Hockey Prospect of the Week tracker

2: Kim Saarinen, Julius Miettinen

1: Jake O’Brien, Semyon Vyazovoi, Nathan Villeneuve, Ollie Josephson

Previewing the week ahead

The Deep Sea Hockey Games of the Week pit Kraken prospects Clarke Caswell and Zaccharya Wisdom against each other on both Friday and Saturday.

Tracking 2026 NHL Draft prospects: Mathis Preston

Spokane Chief Mathis Preston is the highest-regarded U.S. Division WHL player eligible for the 2026 NHL Draft. Most public draft analysts project him as a top-10 pick. He has six goals and eight assists through Spokane’s first 15 games this year.

Recent prospect updates

October 31, 2025: College hockey seasons under way for Kraken prospects

October 25, 2005: Mølgaard is an all-situations contributor as an AHL rookie

October 17, 2025: Tyson Jugnauth earns important role with the Firebirds

October 10, 2025: Firebirds drop the puck on the 2025-26 season

October 3, 2025: Catton makes his case for the NHL Roster

September 26, 2025: Junior seasons begin, J.R. Avon settles in

Curtis Isacke

Curtis is a Sound Of Hockey contributor and member of the Kraken press corps. Curtis is an attorney by day, and he has read the NHL collective bargaining agreement and bylaws so you don’t have to. He can be found analyzing the Kraken, NHL Draft, and other hockey topics on Twitter and Bluesky @deepseahockey.