Blake Fiddler ‘Pumped’ to Be Joined by Chase Reid in Kraken Organization
By Charles Hamaker
Northgate, WA - Heading into his second season in the Seattle Kraken organization, defenseman Blake Fiddler will have a familiar face joining him when the team’s development camp begins on Tuesday, June 30th. The Kraken’s first-round pick this year was blueliner Chase Reid, somebody that Fiddler has spent a lot of time with over the years when the two represent the United States on the international stage.
Seattle Kraken defenseman prospect Blake Fiddler seen during the teams September 21st, 2025, preseason game against the Vancouver Canucks at Climate Pledge Arena. (Photos by Eric Hiller for Circling Seattle Sports)
It’s a fun moment for Fiddler, who will be joined by his Team USA teammate for the Kraken’s development camp and training camp before he heads off to play college hockey at the University of Denver this upcoming year. The two have shared several stops early into their hockey careers, and it was a thrill for Fiddler to see Reid’s name called by the Kraken at seventh overall.
“When I heard his name called, I was just so pumped. We played on the same team in the Five Nations tournament with Team USA, and then at the World Junior Camp; we were roommates. All the US national camps throughout the years, we got to know each other really well and had a lot of good laughs. I was pumped when I heard his name called; now we get to chop it up at Dev Camp and continue to build that relationship. It’s pretty cool.”
The two most notably crossed paths with Team USA at the 2023 Under-17 Five Nations Tournament in Chomutov, Czechia, where they placed second. As Fiddler mentioned, they also were around each other during Select 17, Select 16, and Select 15 sessions for the USA Hockey Player Development Camps. It’s safe to say that two of the budding blueline stars for the Kraken in their prospect pool have a strong connection at that they very well could be patroling the defensive zone for Seattle in a few years time.
“We were roommates at World Junior camp; he would talk about [Seattle] all the time when we were there. He just said he loved the colors, being in the city, and the fans behind him were all super cool.”
Reid is unfamiliar with his new home, born in Chesterfield, Michigan and his stop in Waterloo, Iowa being the furthest West that he’s consistently been. On draft night, Reid remarked that he doesn’t know much about Seattle or even the Kraken organization, but that Fiddler only had “great things to say” about the area and franchise. The two have continued to chat since the news of Reid joining Seattle, further building their relationship that already had a strong foundation from their time shared in the Team USA circuit.
“We knew each other so well from before, and just picked up where we left off.”
While Blake isn’t necessarily a seasoned veteran compared to his other defenseman at development camp this year, he was an alternate captain this past season with the WHL’s Edmonton Oil Kings and is sure to show Chase the ropes when the Kraken prospects hit the ice Tuesday morning. Fiddler will be able to answer any questions his friend has, pointing Reid in the right direction so that his time in the Seattle organization allows him to hit the ground running.
Blake will be joined at development camp by a gaggle of new defenseman in Seattle’s system, as the Kraken selected five blueliners in the entry draft just a few days ago, the most they’ve ever picked in a single draft during their brief NHL existence. He’s on the younger side of the group at 18 years old, but he’s easily the biggest frame Seattle has at dev camp, clocking in at 6’5” and 212 pounds.
With a year under his belt in the Kraken organization, Fiddler is happy with the improvement he’s made in all areas of his game this past season, while seeking continued growth in learning “pro habits” so that he’s ready for when his moment arrives. His 2025-26 season saw him improve his point total for the third consecutive year with the Oil Kings while taking on a leadership role, as previously mentioned by his alternate captain letter.
“I think it was a great year for my development and working on those pro habits. All the coaches told me, leaving training camp, just to watch all those guys, all the NHLers at training camp, and learn all those little habits from them. I think those are the biggest things to get you to the pro level: your stick, just all those habits. So it’s cool to be back here and continue to learn.”
He received high praise for his rush defense, the way his tools as a defenseman flashed throughout the year, and was even lauded for his ability to correct in-game mistakes. A strong defender with that aforementioned great frame, his already impressive two-way game has gotten better even though he isn’t posting video-game-like numbers. The skating he possesses at his size is considered “rare” by scouts and is something that should be able to set him apart from other blueline prospects that have comparable frames.
Improving his offensive potential and consistency are things he’ll want to continue working on as his career progresses, something that learning “pro habits” can help him with. Fiddler looked to Swedish defenseman Adam Larsson as someone he looks to learn from, praising his skating ability and the way he uses his stick to defend. Going back to his offensive game, Blake also brought up Vince Dunn and Brandon Montour for their offensive talent, looking to incorporate what they bring to the ice into his own game.
As evidenced in talking about professional habits and learning from specific NHLers, it’s clear that Fiddler has a knack for being a sponge at training camp. He’ll look to do exactly that in the coming months at the Kraken Community Iceplex, alongside growing his own game even more. He’ll do that all while sharing the ice once again with his friend and now organizational teammate, Chase Reid.
“Just being a sponge, soaking it all in, there are so many great coaches and the development staff; they’re so great. I’m just trying to soak it all in, learn as much as I can, and continue building those relationships with everyone here.”
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