BERKLY CATTON

Center
5’11/163
Left
Spokane Chiefs/WHL

Related: Artyom Levshunov

Berkly Catton was the top 2024 prospect to watch at this event, as he was centering the top line for Canada at this year’s Hlinka Gretzky Cup. Catton, who plays for the Spokane Chiefs in the WHL, is a high IQ playmaking center who can play the game with pace and skill, able to generate off the rush with his ability to change gears and accelerate quickly and dart into open ice with his agility. He is more of a natural playmaker than a scorer, but he does have a reliable finisher’s touch with an accurate wrist shot and is someone I would anticipate being toward the top of the tournament’s scoring table. Catton was the player who led the charge for Canada at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup, as he was the captain of the team, and stepped up whenever the team needed to and lead them through adversity. He led the tournament in scoring and scored at least one goal in every game Canada played. There may not have been a player at the Hlinka who made a bigger impact on their team than Catton. Canada’s number one center and the best player at the Hlinka did nothing but help his draft stock heading into the biggest year of his career to this point.

Size/Strength Average
Skating Excellent
Shot/Scoring Great
Puckhandling Great
Physical Play Great
Offensive Play Good
Defensive Play Great
Hockey Sense Excellent
Competitiveness Great

Strengths

1. Excellent skater, displaying high-end edge work and quickness combined with very good hand, vision and pass-first mentality.
2. An elusive, offensive talent who’s difficult to defend in tight quarters. When he gets a step in transition, he’s a massive threat to create and score.
3. Extremely smart, playing a responsible two-way game and being a factor in all situations.

Areas of Improvement

1. Some scouts consider him undersized because of his diminutive frame.

Scouting Report

Berkly Catton is a heady playmaker who uses spacing to his advantage and sees the ice at an advanced level, regularly executing quick plays through coverage or delaying into a pre-planned play. He’s got multi-dimensional skill, with an ability to play both with speed on the rush and more slowly inside the offensive zone, when the pace ramps down and he has to spin away from pressure. Catton is an elusive, offensive talent who’s difficult to defend in tight quarters; when he gets a step in transition, he’s a massive threat to create and score. He’s an excellent skater, displaying high-end edge work and quickness for the pro level. He combines that with very good hands and vision and a pass-first mentality. The only real knock on his game is his diminutive frame. The Spokane Chiefs star has great offensive instincts and vision knowing where to be at all times. He has great hands and skill to play in tight spaces and plays a responsible two-way game and is a factor in all situations. Catton was one of the best players in the U18 Hlinka Gretzky Cup, helping Canada win Gold this summer, putting up 8 goals and 10 points in 5 games. A highly-skilled player who put up 55 points as a 16-year-old in the WHL this year, Catton has a lot to like about his game. His ability to read plays and get pucks through traffic allowed him to excel immediately as a former No. 1 WHL pick. So far this season,
Berkly Catton scored 7 goals, 11 assists, and 18 points for the Spokane Chiefs, and is expected to be one of the top players in the WHL this year. While this NHL comparable is far-fetched, his playstyle reminds me a lot of Jack Hughes when he entered the NHL, and he has a similar skillset to Jack Hughes. Berkly Catton is looking like a Center, who can be a playdriving center and can impact the game as both a scorer and playmaker. Catton is projected to be a top 5 pick in the 2024 Draft and should be a Franchise caliber player for whoever drafts him.

Skill: shifty and elusive playmaking, with great offensive instincts, vision

NHL Comparable: Jack Hughes

NHL Potential: First-Line Playmaking Center

Season	Team	League	GP	G	PTS
2022-23	Spokane Chiefs	WHL	63	23	55
	Canada U18	WJC-18	7	1	4
2023-24	Canada U18	Hlinka Gretzky Cup	5	8	10
	Spokane Chiefs	WHL	12	7	18

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