Casey Mutryn interviewed with 30 NHL teams ahead of the 2026 Draft in June, including the Seattle Kraken. So how could it be that none, especially those drafting late in the 1st round in Buffalo, called his name on day one?<\/p>\n
The Norwell, Mass., native was angry. \u201cI still am, to be honest with you,\u201d Mutryn told<\/a> New England Hockey Journal. \u201cIt\u2019s been a goal of mine to be a first-round pick. No one dreams of being a second-round pick.\u201d He found little comfort in encouragement from family and friends gathered inside KeyBank Center.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s an emotional rollercoaster,\u201d the 6-foot-3, 206 pound winger said. \u201cWhen they come up to announce the pick, your heart starts racing, and you get the butterflies in your stomach. When it\u2019s not you, you take a deep breath, regroup, and wait for it to happen again.\u201d<\/p>\n Kraken Turned Mutryn\u2019s Frown Upside Down<\/p>\n It happened to Casey on the 6th pick of the 2nd round. Mutryn<\/a> was a Kraken, dissolving any residual annoyance. \u201cYou can\u2019t really feel your legs when you\u2019re walking up to the stage, getting a lot of butterflies and excitement and things like that.\u201d<\/p>\n The draftee and his 20+ person traveling party celebrated with Buffalo wings (or course) at a local restaurant. Too soon, Mutryn was saying his goodbyes; the Kraken had booked him a cross-country flight to Seattle for July\u2019s development camp.<\/p>\n He left camp calling Seattle a \u201cgreat situation.\u201d That\u2019s music to the ears of Kraken director of player development Cory Murphy. \u201cOne of my favorite parts is when those new guys walk into the locker room and they see their nameplate in an NHL locker room, that moment for them is really special.<\/p>\n \u201cWe want to give them something to take away on the ice, they can take into their training. Also off the ice in the gym, strength and conditioning. Another part is introducing them to what Seattle has to offer.\u201d<\/p>\n The messages all got through to the 2nd round pick. \u201cThe staff and the resources we have here, it\u2019s second to none. They\u2019re invested in us. It\u2019s up to us to take what they give us and develop and become the best players that we can.\u201d<\/p>\n Mutryn will begin applying those takeaways this fall at Boston College. He\u2019ll carry a mindset far improved from the sour day one of the draft. \u201cThe way they spoke very highly of me and were so pumped to get me. That\u2019s great to hear, and them wanting the best for me and knowing that I\u2019m going to get there someday.\u201d<\/p>\n Earlier Kraken:<\/p>\n