In the fifth round of the 2026 NHL Draft, the Seattle Kraken made history by selecting Luken “Hawke” Huff, the first Seattle prospect born in Washington state.

​The 20-year-old was born on January 1st, 2006, in Mazama, Washington, a small town of fewer than 200 people, three and a half hours outside Seattle.

The six-foot-three, 198-pound defender spent the last two seasons in the United States Hockey League (USHL). He played for the Sioux Falls Stampede and the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders.

In 61 games last season, Huff recorded three goals and 39 points.

According to NHL.com, Huff estimated he was three or four years old when he first skated in Wenatchee.

“We went down there for a birthday or something,” said Huff. “I got on the ice and fell in love with it.”

Huff moved to Winthrop, where he would spend time skating in an outdoor rink.

“I remember mostly just playing [dry land] hockey with friends and waiting for winter,” said Huff.

In the last two drafts, Huff was passed over. However, as the USHL Defenseman of the Year, he drew scouts' attention.

Amateur scout Thomas Plante shared his analysis of Huff with NHL.com.

 “He's been on a great trajectory,” said Plante. “He's a blue-collar, lunch-pail kid. He oozes positive character. When we pass him on to the player development staff, they're just gonna be excited about his character and more.”​

The defenseman announced that he will play at the University of St. Thomas next season, where he will continue developing his skills. ​

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