Pair of Silvertips selected on Day 2 of NHL draft

Kaden Hammell and Austin Roest are officially part of NHL organizations.

The Everett Silvertips players had their names called Thursday during the second and final day of the NHL draft, which took place in Nashville, Tennessee. Rounds two through seven were Thursday.

Hammell, a defenseman, is staying in the Pacific Northwest after he was selected in the fifth round (148th overall) by the Seattle Kraken. Roest, a center, is headed to the draft hosts after being picked in the sixth round (175th overall) by the Nashville Predators.

Hammell, a native of Langley, B.C., arrived in Everett in January as the main player coming to the Tips in the blockbuster trade that sent defenseman Olen Zellweger and center Ryan Hofer to the Kamloops Blazers. The 6-foot-2, 185-pound right-shot defenseman was a first-round pick by the Blazers in the 2020 WHL prospects draft. Last season as a 17-year-old Hammell finished with eight goals and 18 assists in 67 games, including three goals and 13 assists in 31 games with the Tips. He was ranked 95th among North American skaters in NHL Central Scouting’s final draft rankings.

Roest, who hails from Coldstream, B.C., was a third-round pick by Everett in the 2019 WHL prospects draft. The 5-foot-10, 175-pounder was passed over in last year’s NHL draft, when he was first eligible. However, he had a breakout campaign last season as an 18-year-old when he registered 32 goals and 46 assists in 60 games as he moved from a third-line winger role into Everett’s No. 1 center position. His 78 points were more than double the 32 he had in 59 games in 2021-22. Roest was ranked 113th among North American skaters in NHL Central Scouting’s final rankings.

The Kraken and Predators can retain Hammell’s and Roest’s rights for two years without signing them, and since they were drafted out of the WHL they are ineligible to play professionally in the minors until they are in their 20-year-old seasons. Both are expected to return to Everett for the 2023-24 campaign and be major contributors to the Tips.