The Americans defenceman continues to develop into a strong two-way force.

Lukas Dragicevic is one of the most exciting defencemen in the WHL. From his pinpoint passes to a shot that constantly handcuffs goaltenders, he is dangerous whenever the puck is on his stick. A leader for the Tri-City Americans, he has become a better player this season, which is bad news for the rest of the league. 

This past June, Dragicevic was drafted by the Seattle Kraken in the second round of the draft. Selected 57th overall, he joined the NHL's newest franchise, which has already established one of the best prospect pools in the league. As he explains, hearing his name at the NHL Draft was a dream come true. 

"It was awesome," said Dragicevic. "It was a dream come true. It's something I've worked for my whole life. Then, finally, to have it happen is obviously a dream come true. I'm very thankful for what happened."

Being drafted by the Kraken has a few benefits for Dragicevic. Not only are they close to where he plays in Tri-City, but also they are just down the road from where he grew up in Richmond, BC. This means that not only will his family be close by during his WHL career, but his NHL career as well. 

"I couldn't have asked for a closer spot. Really close to where I play, really close to home, which is Richmond. I got really lucky with that."

Overall, this draft class was filled with not just WHL talent but also players that Dragicevic grew up playing with and against in BC. In fact, Kaden Hammell, one player who grew up not too far away from him, was also drafted by Seattle this past summer. Being part of this elite group of B.C.-born talent is something he is proud of and admits has helped him become the player he is today. 

"Yeah, it was special. It's something that probably has never happened before and is never gonna happen again. BC had a really good group this year, and it was super special. We're all really happy for each other, but at the end of the day, we're all competing against each other." 

Before the season, Dragicevic had the chance to attend Seattle's development and training camp. This meant working with established NHL players and some of the best skill coaches in the hockey world. While he was only with the Kraken for a few weeks, he tried to absorb as much as possible before returning to the WHL. 

"We did get to skate with the older guys, and it was awesome. Just to have their experience and be able to skate with them is something that I didn't take for granted. I tried to learn something new every day."

Now back with the Americans, Dragicevic is taking those lessons and applying them to his game. While he may not be putting up the points he did last season, he has become a better player at both ends of the ice, which should help his development in the long run. If he can continue to develop the way he has over the past few months, it shouldn't be long before he makes an impact at the pro level. 

"To develop every single day. Just to kind of get better at every aspect of the game and to be ready for pro when I turn to the next level. They (Seattle Kraken) keep in touch, and I keep doing video with them."

When watching Dragicevic play, it is easy to see why the Kraken jumped on the opportunity to draft him. He is a special talent with skills few other defencemen in his age group have. He is a player with a ton of potential; fans around the WHL should take the opportunity to see him in person before he makes the jump to the NHL.