In the 2025 NHL Entry Draft, top Edmonton Oil Kings prospect Blake Fiddler went into the draft with high expectations of his draft value. In the second round of the draft, early on day 2, the Seattle Kraken decided that they had seen value in him as well and selected him with the 36th overall pick. He now approaches the 2025-26 hockey season alongside his defensive partner, 2024 Vancouver Canucks 6th round pick, Parker Alcos as the 2 drafted defenseman in the Oil Kings system.
Alcos is entering his second year of training camp with Vancouver, and Fiddler will surely be attending his first full camp in Seattle this year. This pair of defenders were both among the top defensemen with the Oil Kings last year so it’s no surprise that many fans are wondering if the team is at risk of losing one or both of them.
Alcos (19) and Fiddler (18) both just had their birthdays in July, and since they are North American players under CHL Contract neither player is eligible for assignment to their NHL franchise’s AHL Affiliate. This means that they will either find a place on the NHL roster, or they will be re-assigned back to juniors in Edmonton. Below, I will look at each player’s place on their team’s prospect pool, what the depth chart looks like ahead of them on their respective rosters, and what a potential path to the NHL could look like for both players. I’ll finish with my verdicts of where I believe they will go whether they will be “Ascending the Throne” to go play pro, “Defending the Throne” to stay in Edmonton, or “On The Drawbridge” if it’s too close to call. Let’s get into it.
Alcos Racing Toward His Next Chance
When Parker Alcos was selected by Vancouver in the 6th round of the 2024 draft, number 189 overall, he was probably an afterthought to many draft spectators. As late round picks usually are, it was surely a nice moment for the Alcos family but an understanding that the real work was just beginning. He attended his first NHL Development Camp and Training Camp last summer.
The Vancouver Canucks have hopes that Alcos can develop into a reliable depth piece for their defense in the future, but they are pretty loaded on the back end for the coming year and have a solid amount of depth in their prospect pool to fill their ranks. With NHL Stars like Quinn Hughes, Filip Hronek, and Tyler Myers headlining the NHL Roster there isn’t much opportunity for Alcos to crack that roster out of camp. Taking into consideration that they also have 2023 first-round pick Tom Willander, and 2018 second-round pick Jett Woo, among many other quality draft picks that have already signed entry-level contracts, and it’s easy to see where the path lies for Parker.
In July of this year he attended his second development camp in Vancouver, and in an interview after camp with the Oil Kings reporter Mat Barrett he spoke about his time through the summer working on his endurance and training in preparation for the new season. This brief conversation featured on the Oil Kings official site and did much of my work for me as Barrett and Alcos discussed openly the start of the WHL season and Parker returning to the Oil Kings for camp. I would expect he will attend Vancouver’s training camp and return to Edmonton once he is cut.
Parker will look to build on his development as a top pair defender in Edmonton this year. While his path to the NHL doesn’t project as a top pair D, those minutes in Junior hockey are valuable for any player to understand what it takes to play against high-level competition. His biggest upside this year will come from the addition of Jason Smith as head coach. Coach Gator will be able to help Alcos develop some of that grit and edge into his game, which may be just what the 19 year old needs to set his game apart from the rest of the prospects eyeing a spot in Vancouver’s system in the coming years.
Look for him to improve on his 15 and 13 points from the last 2 years in Edmonton, but more importantly, look for him to be put in positions of defensive responsibility against top players in shutdown minutes. Alcos will likely play much of this year alongside Blake Fiddler, and Smith will surely see that pair as a top pairing on this team.
Verdict: Defending the Throne (Returning to Edmonton)
Fiddler’s Edge in the Kraken System
Blake Fiddler went into the 2025 NHL Draft as a projected First round pick, he was the 24th ranked North American Skater in the draft. Scouts questioned his consistency with the Oil Kings last season, and his stock ended up dipping out of the first round. The Seattle Kraken, however, still saw the value in a 6’5” 220lbs 18 year old son of a longtime NHL Veteran, Vernon Fiddler. They traded up in the second round to grab him before he fell any further, and he instantly became one of the top defensive prospects in their entire development system.
Fiddler flew direct from the NHL draft in Los Angeles to Kraken development camp in Seattle, and had the opportunity to see the facilities, the city, and his future teammates in that time. It was a wild summer for him, going from playoffs in April through the entire draft and scouting process leading up to the Draft and Camp, so he didn’t get much time to relax before he gets to jump back into camp.
Behind former Florida Panther Brandon Montour and former Edmonton Oiler Adam Larsson, there is a vacancy in the Kraken system for a right shot defender to establish themselves as the future of the Seattle defense alongside 2021 2nd round pick Ryker Evans who is now entering his 3rd season with the team. While most of the Kraken’s prospect depth on defense is right handed, Fiddler’s ability to back check, skate, and intercept opponents make him a valuable asset. With the right development, he can round out the entire package and find a way to the NHL roster.
The calendar is now in August and Blake has not received any kind of entry-level offer, which typically would suggest that the plan is for Blake to spend his 18 year old season back in Edmonton. While it is not a sure thing, and anything can happen in training camp, the Kraken signed Josh Mahura to a contract extension in May and then proceeded to offer a long term deal to free agent Ryan Lindgren before locking up Evans. This has left Seattle with 7 defense on NHL contracts and no space available for Fiddler to grab.
So instead, this year will likely be a learning experience with some exposure to the NHL system and then a return trip from the Pacific Coast to Edmonton for another winter. Fiddler’s 33 points last season were the best among the defende on the Oil Kings, and expectations should be high for Nashville-born prospect to build on those numbers this year. As I suggested with Alcos, Fiddler can also learn and grow from Jason Smith’s leadership this year. He already has all the defensive tools, the edge, the positioning, and the strength in his game. What Fiddler can learn most from Smith is going to be protecting that puck when it’s on his stick. Oil Kings fans often got frustrated last year with poor puck choices leading to turnovers, and if Blake wants to take his game to the pro level that will be an important piece for him to work on.
Across 2 seasons with the Oil Kings so far, Blake Fiddler more than doubled his goals, assists and points totals year over year, and improved his plus-minus from a -31 to a +6. He provided 4 points in 9 games for Team USA in teh 2024 Hlinka-Gretzky tournament, and provided a reliable 1D on the Oil Kings return trip to the playoffs. Expectations for this season should stay relatively steady for his 3rd season, looking around 10-15 goals and 40 points as Fiddler continues to develop as the most NHL-ready prospect expected to return to Edmonton this season.
Verdict: Defending the Throne (Returning to Edmonton)
Final Thoughts
The 2026 offseason could be a much different discussion on behalf of these 2 respected Oil Kings defensemen. Fiddler’s path to Seattle could be fast-tracked with a strong WHL season and visible improvement to the areas that caused his draft stock to fall. Alcos offensive development will be key to what his future will hold when he reaches his 20th birthday next summer. One thing that is certain this summer, is that the Oil Kings top pairing appears to be set and I could not be happier to see both of these players coming back to The Kingdom for another Chase at the WHL Crown. Both men should be excited to have a true leader at Head Coach, and one who can absolutely relate to their positions and aspirations of reaching the NHL.