Radim Simek – McKeen's Hockey

MCKEEN’S 2023-24 NHL YEARBOOK – SAN JOSE SHARKS – Team Preview – Player Profiles

Sun, 08 Oct 2023 18:05:11 +0000

Review: In the entirety of NHL history, a defenseman has reached the 100-point milestone just 15 times. Erik Karlsson accomplished that feat in 2022-23, but despite recording 25 goals and 76 assists with San Jose, the Sharks finished near the bottom of the league with a 22-44-16 record. How did a team featuring one of the all-time greatest individual performances out of a defenseman do that bad? For starters, despite having an elite offensive blueliner, the Sharks’ overall defense was terrible, finishing 25th in 5-on-5 expected goals against (191.27). Some teams can mask a poor defense with good goaltending, but not the 2022-23 Sharks. James Reimer and Kaapo Kahkonen were a truly horrendous netminding duo, combining for a 3.64 GAA and an .886 save percentage. San Jose also had just four forwards breach the 40-point milestone and none reach 70 points, so even with Karlsson’s offensive efforts, the Sharks ranked 25th in goals per game (2.84). Without any help, Karlsson’s efforts ultimately just served to lower the Sharks’ chances of getting elite prospect Connor Bedard in the lottery and keeping them out of the top-three in the 2023 NHL Draft.

What’s Changed? The Sharks clearly need to rebuild and to that end, they dealt Karlsson to Pittsburgh over the summer, receiving a package that primarily included draft picks, but also resulted in San Jose getting veteran forwards Mikael Granlund and Mike Hoffman as well as defenseman Jan Rutta. The Sharks also acquired goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood from New Jersey to replace Reimer, who left as a free agent, and they accepted Anthony Duclair from Florida, who the Panthers moved mostly for cap purposes, but should get a chance to re-establish himself as a top-six forward in San Jose.

What would success look like? Another terrible campaign is probably in their best interests. The Sharks have failed to make the playoffs for the past four years, but they’ve been slow to fully commit to a rebuild, which has arguably only served to extend their period of pain. Even the 2023-24 squad is likely to be in that awkward position of being both bad and full of veterans. At least if they struggle, that’d position them to get another high draft pick and keep their focus squarely on the future. The veterans may be moved for further picks at the trade deadline.

What could go wrong? Things can’t get much worse in San Jose. Arguably, the worst-case scenario would actually be if the veteran cast of Logan Couture, Tomas Hertl, Hoffman, Granlund and Duclair – the youngest of which is Duclair at 28 – do just enough to keep the Sharks out of the top-five in the next draft.

Top Breakout Candidate: Sharks fans looking for some reason to watch the 2023-24 campaign should pay attention to William Eklund. Taken with the seventh overall pick in the 2021 draft, Eklund has high-end potential and is coming off an encouraging campaign in which he recorded 41 points in 54 AHL contests along with two goals and three points in eight games with the Sharks. He has a chance to make the Sharks out of training camp and serve in a top-six capacity.

Forwards

Tomas Hertl

A power forward with soft hands, 29-year-old Hertl topped 60 points last season for the third time in his career. He is not especially fast but is excellent at using his size to protect the puck and extend plays in the offensive zone. Hertl is strong on faceoffs, winning more than 53.0% for his career and has been an effective play driver for the Sharks even if the supporting cast is suspect. Hertl could use some better goaltending behind him. He had a Corsi percentage of 52.5% and an expected goals percentage of 52.7% and yet the Sharks were outscored 68-53 with him on the ice in those situations. Hertl does not look for his own shot often enough. He had a nine-game stretch from March 4 through March 20 during which he recorded 35 shots on goal, putting four into the net, but that pace of shot generation was atypical and did not last. He followed up that stretch with 20 shots on goal in his next 11 games. Hertl started the season slowly, with four points (1 G, 3 A) in the first 10 games, but followed that up with 31 points (12 G, 19 A) over his next 25 games. Even with a shaky supporting cast, Hertl can be expected to contribute 25 goals and 65 points for the Sharks.

Logan Couture

The 34-year-old who has logged 927 regular-season games for the Sharks just put up 67 points (27 G, 40 A), tying the second highest single-season point total of his career. In November, he had an eight-game stretch during which he produced 11 points (7 G, 4 A). Couture can generate some offensive production, but he has a track record of mediocre possession numbers, and 2016-2017 was the last time that the Sharks outscored the opposition during 5-on-5 play with Couture on the ice. Oddly enough, he has become worse in the faceoff circle, which is unusual. Most players take some time to get accustomed to taking faceoffs in the league and get better as time goes on. In his first five seasons, Couture won 51.7% of his draws. Since then, he has won 46.6% and he took 1,349 faceoffs last season, easily the most of his career. Couture is at the age when age-related decline could start to have an impact, but 25 goals and 55-60 points should be within range for him because he is still going to play a major role in San Jose.

Anthony Duclair

An Achilles injury limited Duclair to just 20 games last season and he managed just two goals, but he contributed 11 points (4 G, 7 A) in 20 playoff games and scored a career high 31 goals and 58 points the year before, so there is reason to be hopeful for a rebound in his production in a full season in 2023-2024. When he is on his game, Duclair uses his speed to get out ahead of the play and will cut hard to the net, where he is very comfortable finishing with a deke. While Duclair’s offensive game continues to soar, his play away from the puck has suffered, so that is an area of focus for the 2023-2024 season. Duclair played just 20 games last season and somehow had a 17-game goal-scoring drought, scoring in his second and 20^th games of the season. The Sharks are Duclair’s seventh NHL team, but they also offer a quality opportunity for a bounce-back season and if he could contribute 45 points, that would be a relatively strong bounce-back performance.

Mike Hoffman

A six-time 20-goal scorer, the 33-year-old winger nevertheless scored just 14 goals for Montreal last season, his lowest total since 2013-2014. Hoffman’s shooting percentage dropped in his two seasons with the Canadiens, to 9.6%, after scoring on 12.0% of his shots before that, so there is a chance that he could get a boost in his finishing rate. Even in a modestly productive season, Hoffman had a 14-game stretch during which he tallied 13 points (2 G, 11 A) and that occurred while he scored on just 5.3% of his shots. One thing to watch with Hoffman is how much ice time he gets in San Jose. He is entering the final season of his contract, and if he scores, there might be teams interested in acquiring him before the trade deadline, so the Sharks will have some incentive to put Hoffman in a position to succeed. Of course, success is a relative term at this stage of Hoffman’s career. If he finishes the season with 15 goals and 35 points, that will have to be considered a success.

Mikael Granlund

Although he is a veteran with four 50-point seasons to his credit, Granlund is coming off a miserable season which he finished by scoring five points (1 G, 4 A) in 21 games with the Penguins after he was acquired from Nashville at the trade deadline. He started the season much better, contributing 10 points (1 G, 9 A) in 11 games for the Predators. The 31-year-old playmaker can play center and wing though with the Sharks’ influx of wingers this offseason, Granlund may be needed more in the middle of the ice. His shot generation, which was never his strong suit in the first place, has collapsed to less than 1.50 shots per game in the past three seasons and that really needs to change if he is going to have a positive impact. The move to San Jose will give Granlund a chance at a fresh start, albeit with a team that is likely to be fighting an uphill battle most nights. A 45-point season should still be well within his grasp, with the expectation that he can earn quality ice time on a team that lacks proven forwards.

Alexander Barabanov

The 29-year-old winger has played just three NHL seasons, and barely saw the ice when he played with Toronto in his first season, but Barabanov did record a career high 47 points (15 G, 32 A) in 68 games last season. He may have been the beneficiary of San Jose’s limited depth on the wings, as he ended up playing more than 18 minutes per game, but Barbaranov does not generate a lot of shots and his lofty percentages suggest that he does not have a lot of room to expect an increase in his production. He finished last season strong, tallying 19 points (9 G, 10 A) in his last 23 games, but that production came on just 38 shots on goal, which is not enough to expect those numbers to be sustainable. He should be able to go for 40 points again this season, but if newcomers eat into his ice time, his point totals could dip, too.

Kevin Labanc

Coming off an injury-shortened 2021-2022 season, Labanc contributed 33 points (15 G, 18 A) but he found himself on the doghouse, too, despite providing solid defensive play. From January 11 through March 11, a span of 16 games Labanc had one assist and averaged just 11:04 of ice time per game. His ice time and production picked up after that but with the Sharks acquiring a lot of new wingers in the offseason, Labanc is going to be facing a challenge for ice time in 2023-2024, which seems weird for the returning player who led Sharks regulars in Corsi percentage and expected goals percentage last season. At his best, Labanc is a strong passer with a heavy shot, one that he should try to utilize more frequently. Labanc accrued 56 points during the 2018-2019 campaign, but it feels like he is a long way from that now. A more reasonable expectation for this season is in the 35-point range but there is probably more upside for Labanc if he gets traded to a team that could use his skill in their top six.

Filip Zadina

The Red Wings had enough after Zadina managed just seven points (3 G, 4 A) in 30 games, but that frustration had been building for quite some time. He compiled 68 points in 190 games with the Red Wings, scoring 12 of his 28 goals on the power play, so the sixth pick in the 2018 Draft was given chances to produce and the numbers just weren’t there. Can he resurrect his career in San Jose? For Zadina, it’s worth a try and for the Sharks, they might as well buy low on him and see if he can recapture any of the form that made him such a highly touted prospect. Zadina’s most productive season in Detroit saw him produce a modest 24 points (10 G, 14 A) in 74 games in 2021-2022 and exceeding that might be the most reasonable target for his first season in San Jose. There is a world in which he secures a regular spot on a scoring line and possibly doubles that point total, but there is also a world in which the influx of wingers to San Jose leaves Zadina on the lineup bubble and then the point total could collapse.

Fabian Zetterlund

Acquired from the Devils as part of the Timo Meier trade, Zetterlund had a miserable start to his San Jose career, managing zero goals and three assists in 22 games for the Sharks, but doesn’t tell the whole story. Zetterlund had an expected goals percentage of 37.8% and San Jose was outscored 16-7 during 5-on-5 play with Zetterlund on the ice. At the start of the season, Zetterlund had an instant impact for New Jersey, scoring 13 points (5 G, 8 A) in his first 20 games for the Devils, but he could not keep that pace, following it up with zero goals and five assists in his next 20 games. Zetterlund is a sturdy winger who can battle down low to create scoring chances, but it remains to be seen if he has the ability to score enough to stay in the top half of the lineup. With so many players competing for spots on the wing in San Jose, Zetterlund has a wide range of outcomes, which could mean playing in the top six, or falling out of the lineup entirely. Given the uncertainty, expecting 25-30 points seems about right.

Nico Sturm

A reliable checking center, Sturm landed a bigger role in San Jose last season, playing a career high 14:44 per game and finishing the season with career highs of 14 goals and 26 points. Sturm has good size and won 55.8% of his faceoffs last season, so there is a role for him to fill. That role may not be appreciated as much on a team that is likely to be in a lottery position at season’s end. Even if he tends to play in more of a defensive role, Sturm is not shy about crashing the net to score greasy goals. He scored five goals during an eight-game stretch in October, which may have set unrealistic expectations, because he could obviously not continue that pace. With a secure spot in the Sharks lineup, Sturm could be expected to produce 25 to 30 points from his primarily defensive role.

Defense

Mario Ferraro

While he has never produced more than 17 points in an NHL season, Ferraro has played more than 21 minutes per game for each of the past three seasons and has put up more than 120 hits and 120 blocked shots in each of the past two. He is a strong skater whose defensive impact has declined, so he could use a rebound season to get back on track. While Ferraro’s peripheral stats are strong, he could be in the mix for more of an offensive role, mostly because someone has to take on the minutes that used to belong to Erik Karlsson. Although Ferraro’s career high is 17 points, he has been sharing a blueline with the likes of Karlsson and Brent Burns, both of whom are no longer in San Jose. Without any proven options ready to step into a bigger role on the Sharks blueline, Ferraro could take advantage of the opportunity and might have a chance to produce 25 to 30 points. It says something about the state of the Sharks defense that the blueliner who might have the greatest impact had a 24-game stretch last season during which he recorded a single assist.

Matt Benning

The 29-year-old blueliner played a career high 19:40 per game for the Sharks last season, finishing with a career best 24 points (1 G, 23 A). While those are not eye-popping numbers by any means, Benning is a proven commodity on the Sharks blueline and that will give him a chance to play a significant role in 2023-2024. Benning plays a heady game, thriving on smooth skating and good decision making with the puck, but has not been given a big role in his NHL career. Looking at the competition for playing time in San Jose, Benning is as good a bet as any to handle a more significant role. During a 10-game stretch in November and December last season, when he was playing nearly 21 minutes per game, Benning accumulated nine assists, so that small sample does suggest there could be some offensive potential if he gets consistent minutes. While that might be the case, expecting anything more than 25 points could be considered optimistic.

Kyle Burroughs

A 28-year-old who has played a total of 95 games, Burroughs showed enough potential in Vancouver last season to land a three-year contract with San Jose. He is not big, but plays an aggressive game, putting up 165 hits in 48 games for the Canucks. He is also not afraid to drop the gloves, when necessary. On San Jose’s rebuilding blueline, there will be a chance for Burroughs to earn a bigger role than he has ever had before in the NHL. He was effective enough in his limited role with Vancouver and if he continues to play with that edge to his game, that could give him him the inside track to a top-four role with the Sharks. Although Burroughs has just 11 points in 95 career games, he is poised to get what is, for him, an unprecedented opportunity on San Jose’s rebuilding blueline. It might not result in even 20 points, but Burroughs could also deliver 250 hits and 125 blocked shots over the course of a full season.

Goaltending

Mackenzie Blackwood

The San Jose Sharks just haven’t been able to figure out what to do in net lately. The Pacific Division team doggedly refused to move on from a floundering Martin Jones for almost too long, then went through a quick succession of short-term band-aids in James Reimer, Adin Hill, and Kaapo Kahkonen before trading for MacKenzie Blackwood this off-season. The hope, almost certainly, is that Blackwood will be able to reset his game and his mindset after struggling to produce in New Jersey amidst a rash of injuries.

There’s a potential for success there. Blackwood was far from what a playoff-bound New Jersey needed last year – he struggled with even more injuries, and prospect Akira Schmid proved he was more than ready to take over as an NHL regular to tandem with Vitek Vanecek. But his game style, which utilizes his bigger frame to take up space in the net and doesn’t require a lot of aggressive challenging or puck-handling, could be a better fit for San Jose than either Adin Hill or Kaapo Kahkonen’s more movement-reliant game play styles. And since Hill didn’t shine for San Jose (and Kahkonen will be back this season but didn’t do much to inspire confidence last year) it’s worth considering that moving in the other direction stylistically could work out in the team’s favor. Add in the fact that Blackwood performed much closer to his expected output last year than Kahkonen – he was near the middle of the pack across the league in terms of expected goals numbers, while Kahkonen was nearly at the bottom of the league altogether – and there’s reason to hope that this change in scenery will be exactly what Blackwood needs. Now, he just needs to prove he can stay healthy.

Projected starts: 40-45

MCKEEN’S 2022-23 NHL YEARBOOK – SAN JOSE SHARKS – NHL Player Profiles

Scott Cullen – Forwards and Defense, Catherine Silverman - Goaltending — Fri, 16 Sep 2022 21:24:48 +0000

SAN JOSE, CA - FEBRUARY 14: San Jose Sharks center Tomas Hertl (48) and San Jose Sharks right wing Timo Meier (28) talk during a timeout during the NHL game between the San Jose Sharks and the Edmonton Oilers on February 14, 2022 at SAP Center in San Jose, CA. (Photo by Matt Cohen/Icon Sportswire)

FORWARDS

Timo Meier

An elite shot generator who had everything come together in 2021-2022, Meier had career highs in goal (35) and points (76) while launching 4.23 shots on goal per game, the highest rate of his career and fifth highest rate in the league. There had been signs of this kind of performance before, but last season Meier was a consistent force throughout the season and it’s not easy to generate shots and points at that rate, especially for a team that is struggling. Now that sets a new level of expectations for what he might be able to accomplish in the future, but if the Sharks are going to become a more competitive franchise, they will likely need more of the same from Meier. Furthermore, if he puts up another season like he did last season, there ought to be greater league-wide recognition for his performance because he was outstanding last season. Tempering expectations, Meier should be a reasonable bet for 30 goals and 65 points this season, with the understanding that if he can maintain his elite shot rates that he could very well be a point-per-game player.

Tomas Hertl

After committing to stay in San Jose with a new contract, Hertl responded by scoring 30 goals for the second time in his career and his 64 points also represented the second highest total of his career. A powerful and skilled center, Hertl also recorded a career high 105 hits and played a career high 19:56 per game. It was a very productive campaign, and he did all of this despite starting more of his shifts in the defensive zone, which does not seem like an ideal use of his talents. Hertl is solid defensively, that’s not the point, but the 28-year-old’s offensive skills set him apart to a greater degree, so it might make more sense to focus his efforts there, when possible. Hertl should be able to produce 25 goals and 60 points, with room to elevate further depending on his durability and how well his supporting cast in San Jose performs.

Logan Couture

The 33-year-old center continues to deliver solid results, and he put up 23 goals and 56 points last season while driving play in a positive way, at least relative to his teammates. Couture’s shot rate of 2.58 shots per game last season was his highest since 2017-2018, the season when he scored a career-high 34 goals, but he has established a level of productivity in the league, surpassing 20 goals nine times and topping 30 goals three times. The main question for the Sharks will be for how much longer can he produce at a first line level? He is under contract for five more seasons, and it seems unlikely that he will avoid decline in that time, but he is coming off a strong season and should be in position to be a productive scoring center again, good for at least 50 points, maybe even more.

Alexander Barabanov

After starting his NHL career as a spare part with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Barabanov has found stability in San Jose, producing 46 points in 79 games since joining the Sharks. Some measure of that production may reflect opportunity more than his own individual improvement, because Barabanov’s most common Sharks linemates have been Tomas Hertl and Timo Meier, so that is about as favorable as it gets for a Sharks winger. Barabanov also happens to be a relatively reluctant shooter, so having him in a playmaking role with the team’s top two goal-scorers does offer a stylistic fit. It’s hard to pin down a forecast for Barabanov because he seems so heavily dependent on linemates that are better players, so if he was to get bumped from the top line, his value could drop dramatically. As such, the reasonable play would be to expect 30 points from Barabanov, with the understanding that he has potential upside that could take him higher.

Kevin Labanc

A skilled 26-year-old winger, Labanc had stumbled since busting out for a career high 56 points in 2018-2019 and he had managed just six points in 21 games before he had to undergo shoulder surgery and that ultimately left him sidelined for the rest of the season. In his last eight games before surgery, Labanc had zero points and was averaging just 10 minutes of ice time per game, so he was at a relative low point. He has the playmaking skill to play in a top six role but after some injuries and inconsistency he will have to earn his way back into a significant spot with this team. Labanc could do it, because he has the puck skills and the shot to be a point producer in the National Hockey League but, coming off shoulder surgery, it is not going to be easy to get back to his previous level of production. If Labanc produced 35-40 points and managed to stay healthy, that would be a positive outcome, but there is a path to even more points if he could get back to his early career form.

Oskar Lindblom

Although the Philadelphia Flyers stuck with Lindblom while he recovered from Ewing’s Sarcoma, he had not been able to recapture his previous form, so the Flyers bought out the final year of his contract. That presented an opportunity for the Sharks to buy low on a 26-year-old winger who had shown real promise early in his NHL career. It is a worthwhile risk to take because Lindblom’s defensive play is solid enough, which raises the floor on his level of contribution, but if the 26-year-old can get his scoring touch back then he might have a chance to score 15 goals and 30 points to provide a favorable return on investment.

Luke Kunin

Picked up in a trade with the Nashville Predators, Kunin is a feisty winger whose on-ice results aren’t great, but teams that want guys who will go to battle are interested in players like Kunin because he hits a lot and will drop the gloves, if need be. He does have some level of skill, scoring 38 goals in 183 games across the past three seasons, but the challenge for the Sharks is taking the parts of Kunin’s game that they like and figuring out how to improve his possession results because, among the 232 forwards that have played at least 2000 5v5 minutes in the past three seasons, Kunin ranks 231^st in relative Corsi. If he can overcome those underlying numbers, Kunin could produce 15 goals and 25-30 points, while potentially adding huge hit totals – he had 223 hits last season, the first time in his career that he had more than 90 hits in a season.

Nick Bonino

A reliable veteran who struggled quite a bit last season, Bonino went 18 games without a point to start the season, though he ended up scoring eight goals in his last 15 games to finish with more respectable numbers. Still, 26 points in 80 games was the 34-year-old’s lowest per-game production since his rookie season of 2010-2011. Bonino tends to have the deck stacked against him, starting most of his shifts in the defensive zone, and even with his sound defensive play, his possession numbers have been terrible the past two seasons. Given his age, it’s fair to wonder if he will be able to turn that around. Setting an expectation for 15 goals and 30 points is reasonable enough, provided Bonino can maintain a top nine role.

Noah Gregor

A 24-year-old winger, Gregor has started to make his mark in the NHL by generating shots at a high rate but has not been able to finish his chances, scoring on just 6.4% of his shots on goal in his career. If he can’t finish at a higher rate, then Gregor will have to provide energy and physical play in a depth role. It is still relatively early in Gregor’s NHL career, so he will face a challenge from others just to secure a spot in the lineup, but if Gregor can play on a consistent basis, 25 points could be in his sights, and his scoring numbers could spike if he ever learns how to finish. He had scored 14 goals and 40 points in 43 AHL games, so it’s not like he is unfamiliar with the objective when he gets into the offensive zone. It has just proven to be difficult for him to finish his opportunities in the NHL.

DEFENSE

Erik Karlsson

Following a down season in 2020-2021, Karlsson bounced back in a big way last season. While he wasn’t peak Karlsson, he still put up 35 points in 50 games. Of course, injuries have played a bigger part in Karlsson’s career in recent seasons, as he has not played 70 games in a season since 2017-2018. Since 2013-2014, Karlsson has scored 497 points which ranks fourth among defensemen. His 0.82 points per game ranks second among defensemen (behind Cale Makar). With Brent Burns getting traded to Carolina, Karlsson should have a bigger role quarterbacking the Sharks power play, so if Karlsson could manage to stay healthy, he might have his best offensive production in several seasons. Try 45 points with potential for more if Karlsson manages to stay healthy. That health risk is not something to be ignored, either, since Karlsson has missed more than 10 games in four of the past five seasons.

Ryan Merkley

The 2018 first-round pick reached the National Hockey League last season and played 39 games for the Sharks. While he has potential, with the ability to generate offensive chances, he is also a work in progress when it comes to his play without the puck. That could leave him in a battle for a regular spot in the lineup, but the 22-year-old also offers offensive potential and that might hold some value for the Sharks. Merkley has 30 points, though just two goals, in 63 AHL games, so he has a little bit of an offensive track record that should offer more hope than the six points in 39 games that he scored for the Sharks last season.

Mario Ferraro

A bundle of energy who plays hard, which is exactly what the Sharks are trying to establish as their team identity. The 23-year-old was one of 11 defensemen to record at least 140 hits and 140 blocked shots last season, even though he was limited to 63 games after suffering a broken fibula. There is still room for improvement, with regard to how he can generate offense and how he defends the blueline. If Ferraro could produce more than 20 points that would count as progress, but that also might be enough, along with his hit and blocked shot totals, to give him fringe fantasy value in deep leagues.

Marc-Edouard Vlasic

There was a time when Vlasic was a premier shutdown defender but that is in the rearview mirror now and the 35-year-old’s role has been reduced significantly in recent seasons. He played a career-low 15:13 per game last season and is now an expensive depth defenseman. San Jose has been outscored 141-91 with Vlasic on the ice during 5-on-5 play in the past three seasons, so it’s understandable that his role is getting reduced and that reduced role limits what kind of scoring might come from Vlasic. Anything more than 15 points would be relatively surprising.

GOALTENDING

James Reimer

The San Jose Sharks quickly cleared up any lingering questions that fans might have had regarding their goaltending tandem positions a few weeks before training camp was set to open, dealing Adin Hill to the Vegas Golden Knights and leaving James Reimer with only backup Kaapo Kähkönen as his second-in-command.

The Sharks remain a hard team to figure out from a goaltending perspective, because they just can’t seem to put it all together – although Reimer, who will be 35-years-old before the season wraps up, has been their most successful option over the last handful of years. His .911 save percentage in all situations was peppered with consistently good games and very few poor ones, similar to the games that Antti Raanta posted for Carolina in Reimer’s old spot on the east coast; like Raanta, Reimer played a season that didn’t challenge for any Vezina nods but gave his team a known and consistent entity to play behind each night. Reimer’s game still has a few of the rough edges that have lingered as a tribute to the unorthodox development path he took – he didn’t receive formal goaltending coaching until later in his adolescence, giving him a style that relies more on his instincts than monotonous style and predictable footwork. But while he lacks some of the finesse of goaltenders who had earlier formal training, his affable personality shines through in how seamlessly he integrates himself into a team’s defensive system; he seems to rarely find himself fighting against those playing in front of him, and his lack of inconsistency over the last five or six seasons make it easy to trust that he’ll get the job done in the back while his teammates can focus their games more on offense. His biggest risk area remains his health; while he hasn’t missed extensive time recently, his laundry list of injuries over his career keep him firmly encamped among the goaltenders who will always need a reliable number two just in case the team is left without their services for a stretch.

Projected starts: 50-55

San Jose Sharks Prospect System Overview

Tom Dorsa — Fri, 14 Sep 2018 15:28:27 +0000

Much like the rivals they share a state with, the San Jose Sharks are perennial Stanley Cup contenders. Just two seasons removed from running all the way to the Cup final, the Sharks have most of the same core group of players still making an impact on the active roster and look ready to make another charge for the hardware.

That group, however, is collectively entering the last parts of their prime years. Captain Joe Pavelski is 34, Joe Thornton is 39, Brent Burns is 33, Marc Edouard-Vlasic is 31, and Logan Couture (still elite, still pretty young) is already a sneakily old 29-years-old. Despite their accumulated years, Peter DeBoer's team has no plans of slowing down just yet, coming off another 100-point season, their eighth in the Thornton era.

They made an astute signing in locking Evander Kane down, and got some value from a Mike Hoffman acquisition and re-trade. Their current focus is to prolong an already relatively lengthy competitive window by providing auxiliary support to their aging stars, and that approach has flowed down to the replenishment of the Sharks' prospect pool.

Since they have had just one lottery pick since 2007, they must be savvy in finding late-round value and signing undrafted free agents. With some burgeoning stars in prospects from late rounds, like Sasha Chmelevski, Noah Gregor, and Rudolfs Balcers, they have one area covered, but in terms of top 20 rankings, San Jose is about as proficient in signing skilled undrafted free agents.

With six of their top 20 prospects being free agent signings, the Sharks boast a great deal of talent in finding cheap, experienced, and no-risk prospects that, given their age, could all make immediate NHL impacts. They have also done a stellar job at keeping an abundance of centers in their prospect pools to eventually develop into potential Thornton replacements, starting with top prospect Josh Norris.

The competitive window is still, for now, wide open, and these youngsters are more than capable of providing supplemental value to the veterans of the teal and black in an effort to recapture a spot in the Stanley Cup Final.

1 Josh Norris, C (19th overall, 2017. Last year: 2nd) Having a skilled, two-way center in Logan Couture on the squad has given Sharks fans a taste at what Josh Norris, San Jose's 2017 first-rounder, can be. A special playmaker and a fabulous defensively-inclined centerman like Norris can be of value anywhere in the lineup, but exudes top-six potential with his patience, smarts, and puck-possession game. His physical game is refined for an average-sized center, as he uses his body to retrieve pucks in the defensive zone well. The 19-year-old can stay in college and work on his shot and offensive output with Michigan next season and beyond, which he could definitely stand to do.

Images from the 2018 NHL Draft in Dallas, Texas on Friday June 22, 2018. Photo by Aaron Bell/CHL Images

2 Ryan Merkley, D (21st overall, 2018. Last year: IE) Ryan Merkley's draft stock fell throughout the season leading up to the NHL Draft, as rumors of selfishness and a lack of coachability dropped him to 21st overall. It appears in hindsight that San Jose got a steal, and with just raw talent in mind, Merkley is a top-ten player in the draft class. With explosive speed and angelic passing skills, the Guelph Storm blueliner's mental creativity has the tools to succeed. He is very imaginative with the puck and creates plays from scratch the way few other defensemen in this draft class can. Merkley creates offense like a fourth forward most times but can defend like one too; he'll need to put out more backchecking and defensive effort to improve as a complete defenseman in the future.

3 Dylan Gambrell, C (60th overall, 2016. Last year: 4th) A late second-round pick after San Jose's Western Conference championship campaign in 2016, Dylan Gambrell has already made his presence known in Northern California. The playmaking center appeared in three games with the Sharks after signing his ELC in March, arriving straight from his stomping grounds at the University of Denver, where he won an NCAA championship in 2017. Reliable and responsible in his own end, Gambrell really opens up his game to new realms when he has the puck, when he employs his tantalizing puck protection skills to find teammates with passes. He has sensational top speed and can drive past defenders with his plus edgework. San Jose has a need at fourth-line center and Gambrell could compete for that role in 2018-19.

4 Noah Gregor, C (111th overall, 2016. Last year: 13th) Noah Gregor has had some problems staying healthy over his junior career, but when he's at 100%, the center is an offensive sparkplug. Posting numbers better than a point-per-game in the WHL, the versatile forward has added a finisher's goal-scoring touch to his already fine offensive game, combining scoring capabilities with playmaking excellence. Gregor is also a refined defensive forward, always working his way around the defensive zone to make a difference collapsing on the puck. He has plus wheels and a heads-up visionary gameplay style. The 20-year-old signed his ELC with the Sharks last spring and will make a splash with the AHL club next year.

Sasha Chmelevski

5 Sasha Chmelevski, C (185th overall, 2017. Last year: 10th) Alexander "Sasha" Chmelevski's unpredictable gameplay style can be a double-edged sword, but when he's on, his creativity, high-end skill, and unparalleled hockey sense can make or break a team. The California native is insanely elusive on his skates, has been a lethal power-play triggerman at the OHL level, and has a heavy wrist shot. The other end of that aforementioned sword accounts for his soft style that struggles against more physical defensemen and his play away from the puck, which can cause an abundance of issues in the pro ranks. Chmelevski made his professional debut with the Barracuda last season after inking his ELC, tallying four goals in ten games over the regular season and playoffs.

6 Mario Ferraro, D (49th overall, 2017. Last year: 19th) A relatively unknown offensive defenseman before his 2017 draft year, Ferraro showed potential with the puck in the USHL, got drafted early by the Sharks, and has continued to develop those skills at UMass-Amherst alongside first-rounder Cale Makar. He has great poise, agility, and vision, which allow him to create offensive chances without sacrificing his defensive stature, something that could really pay off in the pros. He scored 23 points in his freshman year in the NCAA despite tough Hockey East competition all around him. Though he plays a pretty large, physical game, Ferraro is severely undersized for a defenseman; thankfully the 19-year-old has a reputation for his incredible work ethic and will do all he can to work around a lack of height.

7 Jeremy Roy, D (31st overall, 2015. Last year: 5th) When his health permits, Jeremy Roy's game is reminiscent of Duncan Keith with his smarts and puck skills, but that health has long been a wild card for the talented blueliner. He suffered a disastrous knee injury that effectively ended his QMJHL career in 2016-17 and played just 20 games with the AHL's Barracuda last season. When he's healthy, he's a difference maker in all three zones, with a particularly impressive offensive sharpness which is fueled by his decision-making intelligence, superb vision, and patience. He isn't a very strong skater – which may have been exacerbated by the injuries - but has plus size that helps him keep opposing forwards in front of him. As the 21-year-old continues to transition to pro hockey, nothing is more important to the development of his game than his health.

8 Radim Simek, D (UDFA: May 23, 2017. Last year: 7th) With a pro pedigree as a free agent signing from Europe, nobody questioned Simek's maturity or his ability to fit into a pro system when he moved into the Sharks program. The only concern was how the four-year Czech Extraliga pro would perform offensively after twice leading all blueliners in goals in the Czech ranks. After a full AHL season, it appears Simek brought his offensive refinement stateside with him. His 27 points was second amongst d-men on the Barracuda despite less ice time than his peers, as his plus-plus skating ability and passing talents earned him power play time down the stretch. He has an electric shot and plays bigger than his 5-11" frame would suggest. At 25 years old, Simek is a contender for a roster spot on a stacked Sharks blueline as soon as this fall.

Ivan Chekhovich

9 Ivan Chekhovich, LW (212th overall, 2017. Last year: 18th) Maybe it was his size (5-10", 176 lbs), maybe it was the infamous Russian factor, maybe it was something else, but in hindsight, Ivan Chekhovich should have been picked well before his spot at 212th overall in 2017. After relative obscurity in the Russian minor leagues, the 19-year-old became a near point-per-game player in the QMJHL and even better through his short stint in the AHL (nine points in six games). He is a dazzling playmaker who is comfortable working at center and on the wings, using his ability to slow the game down and take things over with his intelligence to create offensive chances. As for goal-scoring, he can be an impact player in that regard, as his upper-body strength relative to his size is tremendous and his hands are even better. How the Sharks will evaluate the young left-hander after a full AHL year in 2018-19 remains to be seen, but there's a lot to like about Chekhovich.

10 Maxim Letunov, C (Trade: Jun. 20, 2016 -- Arizona. Last year: 6th) Versatility is the name of Maxim Letunov's game. The UConn forward comfortably plays all three forward positions and both sides of special teams, while retaining the tools that set his game apart from an offensive perspective; those being his crazy fast hands, his plus all-around mobility, and a heavy, accurate wrist shot with a very swift release. With an odd and slight physique (6-4", 185 lbs), Letunov brings a unique physical presence to an already distinctive game. He is great at shoving defenders off in the gritty areas to gain separation as well as driving to the net with his upper-body strength. He has all the tools to succeed in the pro ranks, except for perhaps his offensive reads and patience, which will have to improve fast as his onset into the AHL begins.

11 Antti Suomela, C (UDFA: Jun. 6, 2018. Last year: IE) Over the later parts of the season, reports from Finland indicated interest from a bounty of NHL teams in center Antti Suomela, an undrafted 24-year-old who led the SM-Liiga in points. The Sharks landed the coveted pivot and inked him to an ELC in June, essentially in the same fashion they netted depth-scoring machine Joonas Donskoi, to whom Suomela's game is similar in many ways. He projects to be a middle-six forward with his combination of speed and skill that was unmatched in the Finnish leagues, capable of compiling an abundance of points without sacrificing defensive responsibility. Suomela is mature and experienced enough to immediately crack the Sharks' NHL roster, where he could be a power play setup man. There should be no concerns as to how his game will translate to North America after dominating the top Finnish men's league for years.

12 Jayden Halbgewachs, LW (UDFA: Dec. 28, 2017. Last year: IE) Jayden Halbgewachs' initial draft year was 2015, where he was coming off an unimpressive eight-point in 59-game season with Moose Jaw. Of course, the undersized left-hander blossomed into one of the most prolific pure scorers in the recent CHL history, tallying 70 goals in 72 games while earning an NHL contract with San Jose in the process. He doesn't have great speed, but his agility and sneakiness on his skates play his skating ability up; the real prize is his puck skill, as his hands are as fast as they are elusive, and he can get to anywhere on the ice with the puck still on his stick. Obviously, he has a goal-scoring touch, one powered by his elite positioning skills and a heavy shot for a 5-8" winger. He could be an impact depth scorer in the NHL, or nothing more than a really good junior player with a game that fails to translate to the pros; either way, it's a no-risk, potentially high-reward signing for an intriguing prospect with a high ceiling.

13 Vincent Praplan, LW (UDFA: Mar. 2, 2018. Last year: IE) A major contributor to a championship winning club in the Swiss leagues, Vincent Praplan was one of many shrewd free agent prospect acquisitions made by the Sharks over the past year. A former OHLer who returned to Switzerland after being passed up in his first draft eligible year, the highly-skilled forward maintains a good balance between stout playmaker and potent goal-scorer. He has good vision, crazy quick hands, and incorporates a variety of effective passes to be a solid playmaker and has a fast shot and great positioning away from the puck to score rather routinely. Praplan is a flashy and very well-rounded offensive player, but an undersized forward with a noticeably soft game; he needs to be better at taking hits and moving on, especially as he readjusts to smaller North American ice.

14 Rudolfs Balcers, LW (142nd overall, 2015. Last year: Unranked) The gamble the Sharks took with Rudolfs Balcers in the 2015 draft season has so far been a major success. A fifth-rounder, Balcers had some skill and swiftness, but he was never expected to pan out away from the big European ice. The Latvian paced the Barracuda in goals (23), points (48), and playoff points (four in four games) in 2017-18 after a 77-point campaign with the WHL's Kamloops Blazers, indicating that he has no issue transitioning to North American ice. He is a plus skater with great acceleration and edges, using that to play up his crazy quick hands and great instincts. He is a playmaker at heart, incorporating his high hockey IQ with his creativity with the puck to generate scoring chances at will, but has a solid shot and a goal-scorer's positioning away from the puck. His main issue is size/strength, as 5-11", 173 lbs is very small for a bottom-six depth guy.

Scott Reedy

15 Scott Reedy, C (102nd overall, 2017. Last year: 9th) A hard-nosed, hard-working player with the U.S. National Team Development program, Scott Reedy has continued to boast that effective gameplay style in the NCAA ranks with Minnesota. In a depth role with the Golden Gophers, Reedy posted 15 points in his freshman campaign. He follows in the footsteps of many USNTDP graduates in that he has exceptional hockey IQ and plays best in a depth support role, but his versatility and work ethic could propel him to levels higher than just a depth guy. He hustles to every loose puck with his set of strong wheels, is very solid in retrieving and repurposing pucks along the boards, and has some untapped offensive potential driven by his rapid hands, strong and sturdy power forward moves, and fearlessness in going to the dirty areas on the ice. What Reedy needs is a better first two-step acceleration and a more consistent ability to assert himself into tight games.

16 Karlis Cukste, D (130th overall, 2015. Last year: 12th) Drafted in 2015 as a pure no-risk, high-reward project, early results on Karlis Cukste suggest a reward is in the cards for the Sharks. An impressively calm presence on the blueline for Quinnipiac, the Latvian made the move to North American ice look easy, as his very physical and defense-first playing style followed him smoothly overseas. He has ideal size and superb vision for getting the puck out of his defensive zone, but most importantly, he always remains cool under heavy forechecking duress. With improving mobility, Cukste is fine handling the puck and skating through the neutral zone with it, but mostly sticks to safe, easy plays. The 21-year-old isn't the most talented defenseman at his competition level or on his team, but he has defensive qualities that NHL teams drool over.

17 Nick DeSimone, D (UDFA: Mar. 30, 2017. Last year: Unranked) A big and lofty defenseman at first sight, Nick DeSimone transforms into a powerful forward-esque blueliner at game time. With the puck, the Union College product is never afraid to get involved in things from an offensive perspective, using his concrete upper-body to get position on opposing defenders and drive right to the net in a way similar to Brent Burns stylisically. He impressed in his first full pro season with the Barracuda, flashing that offensive brilliance at times with six goals and 14 assists in what was often a top-pair role. He is a good skater with brawny strides, a plus shooter with a nasty release, and a stupendous power play weapon. His defensive game is not quite complete, but his gaps are solid and his focus in the D-zone is improving. He projects to be a depth puck-mover at the NHL level, but for an undrafted free agent signing, that's a win for San Jose.

18 Linus Karlsson, C (87th overall, 2018. Last year: IE) Linus Karlsson paced the Swedish SuperElit league -- the highest league of junior competition in Sweden -- in points with 52 in 42 games this past season, so it's clear he has some game. The Sharks traded up to pick Karlsson in round three of the 2018 draft, as his offensive game has shown a lot of promise overseas. His game is centered around his nice wrist shot, which he uses at nearly every opportunity, but his play-reading ability is a plus as well. He plays a pretty physical game for a relatively light center, which will only get better as the 18-year-old grows into his body a little. Karlsson will be competing in the Allsvenskan, Sweden's second-tier league, and how the centerman will adjust to a higher level of competition is the biggest question going into 2018-19.

19 Kyle Wood, D (Trade: Jun. 14, 2018 -- Arizona. Last year: 6th -- Arizona) Formerly one of the top prospects in both the Colorado and Arizona systems, Kyle Wood is a new addition to the San Jose pool as somewhat of a recollection project. He has had an All-Star season in the AHL before, tallying 43 points in 2016-17, which included a Tucson-leading 11 power play goals. He's a massive 6-5" blueliner with an offensive mindest, surprisingly swift skating fueled by plus acceleration, and a mean slapshot that has power play catalyst written all over it. However, that skating remains a work in a progress and hasn't considerably improved in his pro career, which is the most likely reason as to why the Coyotes gave up on the right-hander. This season, if he can reignite the AHL All-Star version of himself, and not remain the bottom-of-the-depth-chart afterthought he was for the Roadrunners last year, he can shoot his way back up the prospect list.

20 Jacob Middleton, D (UFA: Sep. 7, 2017. Last year: IE) Jacob Middleton and Nick DeSimone are in basically the same spot as prospects, both being relatively older defensemen with similar games, and it just so happens to be that they played alongside one another on the Barracuda top defense pair. Middleton, a free agent who signed with the Sharks after the Kings -- his draft team -- never inked the big defenseman, led all Barracuda defensemen in points and assists in 2017-18. He is large and lofty, but has serviceable movement to assist his formidable stretch pass and offensive vision. He has a screaming slap shot with a long-winding release and a talent for getting it on net from way outside. At 22, he is mature and experienced, and has the smarts to get it done.

San Jose – System Overview

Ryan Wagman — Fri, 15 Sep 2017 20:53:59 +0000

For teams that are consistently competitive and find themselves perennially entering trade deadline period as buyers, there are a few methods available to help ensure that they have a constant stock of talented younger and cheaper players ready. Some will be needed to supplement the regular roster in depth roles and some will be needed as trade bait when the parent club is trying to fortify the NHL roster for the stretch run.

Some teams focus their scouting on very specific regions, such as how the Washington Capitals dig deep into the WHL and Switzerland. Some teams simply trade draft picks hand over fist, often years into the future, as the Rangers did for years. There are other methods available as well that can be employed by smart teams looking for maximize their assets.

The so-called “moneypuck” approach suggests that teams try to find underappreciated types of assets that will gain in appreciation over time. There are a few avenues available to all teams but utilized by only a few and which still contain value. The Sharks seem to have attacked a few of them.

One avenue is to focus on players who have already been passed over and have shown later development. Looking at the prospects who entered the system as free agents – some drafted and never signed but most who were never drafted – as well as players drafted in their second or third years of draft eligibility, shows that the Sharks have been open to this approach. The top 20 list includes four prospects who were signed by the Sharks as free agents. Amateur free agent acquisitions rarely make big marks in the NHL, but some do and some merely make it as depth players. Considering the number of actually drafted players who never make it at all, gaining depth for free is still a victory and we intend to applaud it.

Second year eligible also feature prominently in this list, as Dylan Gambrell was not drafted until his third time around, just like Adam Helewka. Joakim Ryan was drafted in his second year of eligibility.

Another avenue to drafting undervalued players is to target certain paths to the pros. While San Jose does not shun the CHL by any stretch, they have lately made a habit of finding undervalued players whose path will run through the NCAA ranks. Including players drafted this June, the Sharks have 10 prospects who spent last in the CHL. Looking at players currently in college or in a league that leads to the NCAA, the Sharks have 15. That includes both high picks (including their first three picks this year and their top selection last year) as well as players lower down the organizational pecking order such as four of the final five players they drafted in 2015.

Of course, for any strategy that cuts against traditional approaches, the proof is in the results. The Sharks have maintained their competitive edge at the NHL level, but there has not been a huge influx of prospect talent to supplement the veterans. With Patrick Marleau leaving for Toronto, perhaps one young winger will get the chance this year.

San Jose Sharks right wing Timo Meier (28). (Photo by Patrick Gorski/Icon Sportswire)

1 Timo Meier – The Sharks highest pick since drafting Logan Couture in 2007, Meier split his first pro season pretty evenly between the AHL and NHL and came one NHL game short of losing prospect eligibility. Of average height, he is very broad and can be physically dominant when on his game. He has great puck control, combining speed and strength. His acceleration helps his skating play up. Owns a great shot, but was prone to looking for passes too much. May be ready for top six NHL duties.

Josh Norris

2 Josh Norris – A player without a clear weakness to his game, Norris is also a physical specimen. He has special playmaking skills, hiding his intentions and continuously able to surprise opponents with his passes, weighted just so to hit a teammate in stride. He is also a plus-plus defensive player, skilled at regaining possession and pushing the puck in the right direction. While he scored plenty for the USNTDP, his shot is his least impressive attribute. Has top six potential.

3 Danny O'Regan – A great example of a value pick, O’Regan was a fifth rounder playing mostly New England high school hockey in his draft year. He was a top end offensive producer at BU for four years and continued that work with a stellar rookie showing in the AHL, winning the league’s Rookie of the Year award. A solid skater, he has great offensive vision and hands. Will make a lot of highlight reel passes. Also able to finish thanks to a strong wrist shot. Defensively reliable as well.

4 Dylan Gambrell – Aa late bloomer, Gambrell’s game really only took off once he got to Denver and was placed on a great first line with Danton Heinan and Trevor Moore. With both linemates turned pro, Gambrell fit in smoothly with other high end players as a sophomore, and was instrumental in getting the Pioneers a title. Reliable in his own end, Gambrell shines when playing the puck. Has fantastic puck protection skills, plus top speed and shows great snap on his shot from middle range and in.

5 Jeremy Roy – His last two QMJHL seasons were decimated by injuries especially this last season, when he was limited to 10 games for Blainville-Boisbriand. If his knee is recovered the Sharks will have a smooth-skating two-way blueliner with their AHL team. When healthy, can do a little of everything, as helpful to the penalty kill as to the power play. More agile than fast, he is a good passer and flashes high end puck work. His odds have decreased, but it is not yet time to write Roy off.

6 Maxim Letunov – It is uncommon for many players to be traded before they sign ELCs. It is even more rare for a prospect to be dealt twice. Such is the case for Letunov, who was drafted by St. Louis, traded to Arizona and then moved again, to San Jose. An average skater with a well above average offensive skill set, Letunov needs only some internal chemistry (i.e. better offensive reads and reactions) to become a leading NCAA scorer, instead of just a good one.

7 Radim Simek – Signed as a free agent following an impressive performance for the Czech Republic at this year’s World Championships, Simek is a strong, steady skater with above-average awareness in his own zone and an aggressive stick. He profiles as a decent #4/5 defender who can move the puck and plays with a little bit befitting his shorter, yet stocky frame. A top goal scorer from the blueline in the Czech leagues, it is an open question as to how his offensive game will translate in the AHL.

8 Marcus Sorensen – A 2010 draft pick of Ottawa’s, Sorensen did not come to terms with the Senators and stayed in Sweden, slowly and steadily improving offensively until the Sharks brought him over last year. He was a bit overmatched in an NHL cameo, but was a strong AHL producer from the get-go. Although undersized, he is active on the forecheck. Can show some flash and has plus offensive tools in general. Is in line to win a bottom six winger job with San Jose this year.

Scott Reedy of the USNTDP. Photo by Rena Laverty

9 Scott Reedy – Had Reedy performed with the US U18 squad like he did at the U17 level, he would have been drafted significantly higher than the mid-fourth round slot he eventually settled into. Like many USNTDP grads, he has plus hockey IQ, and excels in a supportive role, capable of producing offensively at a middle six level and doing his part to keep the opposition off the boards. As he has matured physically, his once blazing speed has been subdued, but he is still very fast at top speed.

10 Sasha Chmelevski – A somewhat divisive player from the 2017 draft class, Chmelevski is a beguiling puck handler with a strong wrist shot, both of which give him exciting offensive potential. Where the division comes in is in some of the traits that are more indirect in terms of production. His skating lacks that extra step needed to gain clearance from opponents, although it is partially mitigated by strong edges. Secondly, he plays soft. Can be a liability off the puck and struggles against physical defenders.

11 Noah Rod – A preternaturaly mature player who has been playing grown-ups in Switzerland since he was 18, Rod has lately developed into a player who could also be counted on to produce offensively. An agitator at heart, his aggressiveness has contributed to a checkered injury history. A trusted backchecker and forechecker, he is always pressuring his opponent, no matter which side of the puck he is on. His ceiling is as a good skating energy line player. Will play in the AHL this year.

12 Karlis Cukste – Drafted out of Latvia, Cukste has made the transition to the game in North America pretty smoothly, first with a strong season with Chicago in the USHL and followed by a promising freshman campaign with Quinnipiac. He was also Latvia’s most consistent threat on an otherwise overmatched WJC team. A very physical defender, he is strongest in his own end with good gap control and positional play, but is also more than competent with the puck.

13 Noah Gregor – Although injuries ultimately held him back, Gregor was showing promising development in his first post-draft season. A versatile forward with a good engine, he plays with his head up allowing his plus offensive vision to be realized. More a playmaker than a shooter when he was drafted, he has become more skilled at finishing this year as well. Has average size and could stand to be a bit more physical.

14 Filip Sandberg – Although not a big point producer in the SHL, Sandberg was highly touted as a two-way, extremely versatile forward with Swedish champions HV71. Undersized, but strong and aggressive, he skates hard and shows a good shot along with useful puck skills. Quick to loose pucks he was a trusted penalty killer and will have a chance to play right away in a bottom six role for the Sharks.

15 Adam Helewka – A late-bloomer, Helewka exploded offensively in his age 20 season for Spokane, convincing the Sharks to use a fourth round pick on him in the process. Although his first pro year started off slowly, by year’s end, he was showing ability to drive possession thanks to solid vision and patience. He also showed some of his skating chops and it looked like a moderate amount of goal scoring ability as well. He has bottom six potential.

16 Rourke Chartier – A good two-way center, Chartier had a positive first pro season. He was able to demonstrate that his hockey IQ was still an above average trait and his pace of play was up to snuff. Like many high scoring CHL forwards, he used his first AHL foray to grow accustomed to playing further down the depth chart. Given that first step, he will have a chance to play in a more offensively-driven role this year, to see where his ceiling lies.

17 Julius Bergman – Although he has received positive accolades for smooth play for years, Bergman may be the most overrated player in the San Jose system. He is a nice passer and has certainly improved his off the puck play since his OHL days, but this is ultimately a player with few truly above average tools. His skating and shot are both OK, and he holds his own physically, but none of those traits can be considered dangerous. He has yet to prove that he deserves a longer look.

18 Ivan Chekhovich – The Sharks were very lucky to draft Chekhovich as one of the final picks of the draft. By all accounts, he should have gone off the board three or four rounds earlier after following up a strong first season in North America with a dominant performance for Russia at the WU18. Although not physical, he plays bigger than his size and works well near the net. His offensive tools all grade out well with his hands working especially well to set him up for scoring chances.

19 Mario Ferraro – An exciting offensive blueliner with some dynamic qualities, Ferraro emerged last year from relative obscurity to finish second among all USHL defensemen in scoring. Quick with strong puckhandling skills, he plays much bigger than his listed height and weight would suggest. So even though he looks very good rushing the puck up the ice, and works hard on D, he will have to prove himself anew next year playing for UMass-Amherst.

20 Joakim Ryan – A mobile blueliner from Cornell, Ryan has proven that he can contribute offensively from the blueline since finally signing. Last year, he also proved that he could score from the blueline with a solid point shot. What keeps him from ranking higher on this list is a lack of vision. He can handle the puck, but tends to wildness when pressed to pass it off. Also, he struggles transitioning back to defensive work. Finally, at 24, he has limited room left to develop.

Although the Sharks’ system is not the most exciting in the game, it is among the deepest. Drafting heavily from the college-bound ranks, also has typically meant needing patience as their prospects developed, at times slowly. This allows the team to focus on the big picture, letting them be more deliberate with their choices when it is time to promote from within.