Prospect Info: Sharks Prospect Info & Discussion Megathread XXI: "New, improved, and wayyyy too much info" Edition

The Nemesis · Jul 30, 2024

Welcome to the brand new 2024-25 Sharks Prospect Thread. After years of promising to do something fancy and interesting with the thread I’m finally delivering on it thanks to the motivation of having the most interesting prospect pool we’ve had in a while and finally having the team on a firm path to being focused on those prospects over the next few years.

The next few posts will go over all the prospects in the system. Inclusion in the list is based on the same criteria as the prospect ranking polls done by @Lebanezer – Players who start the 2024-25 NHL season (or at least make it to September-ish) younger than 25 years of age and who have played fewer than 40 NHL games coming into the 2024-25 season (basically a slightly more restrictive version of the Calder Trophy eligibility).

Yes, this probably means that some people you don't consider prospects are on the list. And that young NHLers you may wish to include with the prospects will not be featured. But if you have a problem with that then you can go make your own prospect thread :sarcasm:

To keep things organized and avoid issues with image limits or anything else, the content will be broken up across multiple posts as follows:

#1 (this post) - All the front-end/admin stuff. Introduction and info about the thread, responses to questions or things I presume someone's going to ask, etc.

#2 - An overview of the prospect pool in general, including some facts and figures about the players as a whole or in broad categories (forwards, d-men, and goalies)

#3 - The prospects, part 1: Centers. We kick off the meat of the thread by looking specifically at the centers as a group and individually.

#4 - The prospect, part 2: Wingers. Left and right wing players will be highlighted and grouped with their positions.

#5 - The prospects, part 3: Defensemen. You can tell how this works by now. The blueline will be split between left and right shooting members and examined accordingly.

#6 - The prospects, part 4: Goaltenders. See above, except it's goalies. Obviously.

#7 - This is being held for a specific project that I want to do but as it will require some more intensive photoshop work than anything else in the thread it's going to have to wait for me to get a new computer because this one struggled to handle the workload of just this thread.

#8 - One more held-in-reserve post for something else I may add. I have ideas but nothing has even been started so I won't go into any detail yet.

Now before we get into the meat of things, a few bits of info to ward off pedantry and nitpicking, spoiler tagged to keep the post size manageable:

#1) Inclusion in the thread.

As said above, a prospect being in this thread is based on the prospect poll criteria of <25 years old and <40 NHL games played prior to the beginning of the 24-25 season. It's a hard line with no waffling about exceptions or exclusions just to make things easier on me.

For the sake of making things easy to maintain and not causing too much chaos I will only be removing players from this thread if they leave the organization via trade, release, or relinquishing of their rights. So even if a player passes the age or GP threshold during the season they will stay here until the end of the year. If Celebrini and Smith are on track to hit 40GP by mid season it doesn't matter. When Georgi Romanov turns 25 4 and a half months after this thread launches I'm not going to drop him. Players will only be taken out if they are no longer Sharks (first likely example: Alex Young must be signed by August 15th, 2024. So we'll see what happens with him in about 2 weeks.) and players will be added if the team acquires someone who fits the criteria at the time of acquisition.

#2) Information sources & biographical info

Player info such as position, height, weight, age, hometown, contract status, etc. has been sourced from a combination of EliteProspects, HockeyDB, Hockey-Reference, PuckPedia, CapWages, and the team websites for the Sharks, Barracuda, or whatever team the player may be currently playing for.

I've done my best to be consistent in terms of getting all of the same type of data from the same place whenever possible, but I recognize that some things like hometown/place of birth or heights and weights may not match up everywhere you can find them. Hometowns in particular have been weird as I swear that some sites like EliteProspects changed their listings in the middle of me gathering that info (though I did double-check my listings against other stuff out there. For instance in spite of now being billed from Labrador City, Newfoundland, my original data scrape cited his home as Upper Tantallon, Nova Scotia. If you go to google you will find that there are numerous news articles and features from Nova Scotia papers and networks or from sites like TSN or the CHL's own website that still cite his hometown as Upper Tantallon. So I kept it as that for his info.

I reserve the right to decide when and if it is worth my time to make adjustements to the data presented. Obviously if you can find verifiable proof that I've made a significant screw-up I'll look into fixing it, but if it's just something like a listed height or weight being an inch or a couple of pounds off or presented with conflicting info from different sources I may decide it's not worth the time and effort to tweak.

#3) Player positions

This is often a particularly contentious bit of info because it can so easily be wrong. Guys can be listed as centers but play on the wing, or called a RW even though they line up on the left side a lot. The listings here are current based mostly on EliteProspects and are not meant to be expectations for the future. If you have an issue with a position listed you can either find me corroborated evidence to show the mistake or just choose to think about everyone here as simply forwards, d-men, or goalies with no breakdown within.

d-men are rarely listed as LD or RD on most websites so I made the distinction based entirely on handedness.

#4) Team listings

Before we get to the season the listings for what teams players are on for the upcoming season are best guesses unless there is evidence about their plans. For hte most part it's wherever they played last year unless there's known evidence that they're changing teams or it can be expected that they will be somewhere. I will try to fix these as we get into the season adn know more things for certain.

#5) Scouting Reports

The listed scouting reports for each player are cobbled together based on material I could find around the internet and synthesized into a (relatively) shot and snappy portrait of the positives and negatives of the player's skill and performance plus a sort of "realistically optimistic" view of their potential. For some guys that potential represents what the player should be. others is more of a most likely positive outcome (usually with players that have low or longshot ceilings).

If you have an issue with the content of these reports, provide some counterpoint info in defense of your objection. Otherwise just roll with the fact that this is what some scouts out there said at some time (I can't always guarantee these reports are up-to-date. Some are from draft years and there simply hasn't been much coverage of them in the years since then.

If you have any other questions or concerns you can ask them in the thread. If you find any errors and I think it's warranted I may update the info in this post to reflect that as well.

(For the curious, "S" is the Roman Numeral notation for 1/2. This isn't a "full" section like everything that follows, so it doesn't get a whole number. Yes, it probably should've been IS for 1-1/2 but shut up, it's too late for me to want to fix it now because I have to do the more important stuff first)

In this segment we will keep track of the major changes that occur in this thread:

2024
July 29 - Version 1.0 - The thread is posted for the first time. There may have been some small edits for correction, I don't even remember at this point.

August 2 - Version 1.05 - Igor Chernyshov signs a contract with the Sharks and it is announced he will report to Saginaw of the OHL for the 2024-25 season.

August 24 - Version 1.2 - The culmination of a couple of weeks of changes sees the following alterations:

Alex Young is removed after he is not offered a contract by August 15
Ty Emberson is removed after being dealt to Edmonton in trade for Cody Ceci
David Edstrom and Magnus Chrona are removed after being dealt to Nashville in trade for...
Yaroslav Askarov and Nolan Burke are added after being acquired from Nashville in the aforementioned trade.
Brandon Coe has his contract information updated to reflect that he has signed for the 2024-25 season (this leaves Egor Afanasyev as the only unsigned player with an expired contract (thus discounting unsigned draft picks))
Leo Sahlin Wallenius is being loaned by the Vaxjo Lakers of the SHL to the Nybro Vikings of the Allsvenskan for the 2024-25 season
All applicable charts and graphs are updated to reflect the various departures and arrivals listed above
Added this version history tracker

The Nemesis · Jul 30, 2024

Here's a look at the prospect pool as a whole and some census data about them collectively or grouped as forwards, D, and goalies.

First, the following is the complete list of prospects featured in this thread right now. Apologies for the crappy table, Xenforo's tables are ass compared to the old vBulletin system. I can't even reliably center the tables or the content within the tables. So however this looks once I hit "post" is how it looks. I'm not fussing over it.

LW	C	RW
Egor Afanasyev	Thomas Bordeleau	Ethan Cardwell
Igor Chernyshov	Nolan Burke	Brandon Coe
Quentin Musty	Filip Bystedt	Collin Graf
	Macklin Celebrini	Daniil Gushchin
	Theo Jacobsson	Kasper Halttunen
	David Klee	Joey Muldowney
	Will Smith	Yegor Rimashevsky
	Yegor Spiridonov	Tristen Robins
	Brandon Svoboda	Mitchell Russell
		Timofei Spitserov
		Carson Wetsch

LD	RD
Sam Dickinson	Eli Barnett
Luca Cagnoni	Michael Fisher
Jake Furlong	Mattias Havelid
Artem Guryev	Axel Landen
Yevgeni Kashnikov	Gannon Laroque
Shakir Mukhamadullin	Nate Misskey
Valtteri Pulli	Eric Pohlkamp
Leo Sahlin Wallenius	Colton Roberts
	Jack Thompson

G
Yaroslav Askarov
Christian Kirsch
Yaroslav Korostelyov
Georgi Romanov

I may eventually add something here, or replace the above list with something different, but it's a larger project that we'll come back to later on.

Census Data

Before we get into position-specific material in subsequent posts' let's look at how the pool as a whole stacks up. I'm going to put these in spoiler tags because it's a lot of graphs and some of them are a bit big.

The Pool at a Glance

First up, this is how the pool breaks down positionally:

As of right now when this thread is being posted the Sharks' prospect pool stands at 46 players with just over half being forwards. On a position-by-position basis and ordered from largest quantity of prospects to smallest the tally is:

1) Centers (11)
2) Right Wings (11)
3) Right-shot D (9)
4) Left-shot D (8)
5) Goalies (4)
6) Left Wings (3)

Obviously things can change as some of those centers shift to the wing and maybe some of those wingers or D switch sides. But for now this is how everyone is grouped and how you will see them in the following threads.

Now let's get into the meat of things.

How they were acquired

So where did this prospect pool come from? First, here's the timeline for how many of those prospects were acquired during the last 6 years (the earliest any prospect in the pool was acquired was 2019, so that's the cut-off):

Note that the line is not the total # of prospects in the system, but the # that were drafted/signed/traded for/claimed in each year. So we start with 1 lone prospect who entered the pool in 2019 Can you guess who? I bet not.

It's Yegor Spiridonov, drafted that year. Be honest, did you get the name in less than 10 guesses?

From there things ramp up as from 2020 to 2023 more and more prospects were acquired as the team began hanging onto their draft picks and the teardown really started in earnest in 2022 and 2023. 2024 is a small dip down but that's largely because we're only halfway through the year at this point.

And where did these guys come from?

Unsurprisingly, most came from the draft. A full 80% of the pool was taken in the entry draft. Who would've guessed that 7+ picks a year would be the driving force for assembling this group of talent? After that 5 guys came in trade, and 4 as undrafted free agents. Formerly there was one waiver claim, but you can blame Cody Ceci for that grand loss.

So since the draft counts for the largest contingent of players in the pool, let's see how that process broke down in terms of when in the draft everyone was taken:

Before we dive into it, a note about this graph: it includes the 37 above-noted prospects that the Sharks picks, but also the 5 guys who came in via trade. Those names are in orange instead of gray. And their spot represents where the team that originally drafted them took them.

Left to right on the graph are the last 7 drafts from earliest to latest. Vertically is pick #, from #1 at the very top all the way down to 225 (the last pick in most drafts outside of forfeits or compensatory picks). Every listed pick on the axis and corresponding horizontal line is roughly where the round-to-round divisions are in a 32-team league (so they are the actual round divisions now, but not for 2018-2020 prior to the introduction of the Kraken)

The different icon shapes, colors, and patterns correspond to different positions:

Teal Circles are forwards. the angle of stripes differentiate the 3 positions (rising stripes, from bottom left to top right, are LW, falling stripes, from top left to bottom right, are RW, and vertical stripes are Cs)

Gray diamonds are defensemen, with rising stripes being LD and falling stripes RD

Orange squares are goaltenders.

This is probably cluttered to draw any real conclusions from, I just thought it looked interesting and was the basis of being able to do this same thing position-by-position later on.

We've seen where they came from, so now let's look at the makeup of the pool

Prospect Specs & Status

Our starting point is age which runs from 18 (the minimum that the prospects can be when the season starts) and 24 (the last year before they age out of prospect status as defined by the criteria @Lebanezer put out):

For this and most graphs below that will break down positionally you'll find forwards marked with teal, d-men in gray, and goalies in orange.

The bulk of the system is 20 and under, which bodes well for a from-scratch rebuild. Individually more goalies are 18 than any other age (not a big surprise since there were 2 goalies selected in the last draft out of the 4 total in the pool), more forwards are 19 (tied with 22 now that Edstrom has departed), and more d-men are 20. There's also a small surge of 22-23 year olds and then Georgi Romanov who is the elder statesman at 24 (and who will turn 25 before the calendar flips to 2025)

now we move to heights and weights for everyone in the system:

Using the same formatting as the draft scatter plot, you can definitely see a correlation between height and weight as well as a preference for larger d-men and goalies overall. No names on this one because it would be too cluttered.

If you want to visualize things another way, grouping players by heights or 5-pound "buckets" of weights:

22 of our 46 prospects are 6'2 to 6'4 , showing some the value the org places on guys of decent size. Only 3 blueliners check in at below 6 feet tall (though interestingly the two guys at the bottom of the scale at 5'9 are both defenders) and the blueline anchors the high end of the scale with 3 guys at 6'5 or 6'6. Meanwhile every goalie in the system is at least 6'2 and three quarters of them are 6'4 or taller.

Weight-wise things are somewhat similar. It's a fairly normal looking distribution clustered around the 200 pound mark and with d-men tending towards the high side of things and some of the tall goalies anchoring that range as well. And then there's Joey Muldowney at the bottom end ofthe scale, also breaking my 5-pound bucket increments because he weighs 154 lbs and I wasn't about to add 2 chunks to this graph just to accommodate him.

What about handedness?

It's close to 50/50 with a slight preference for right-handedness. Positionally skaters are majority right handed while the acquisition of Yaroslav Askarov makes our 4-goalie pool balanced at 2 right-catching and 2 left-catching tenders.

As for where in the world everyone came from?

Canadians make up the single largest nationality in the pool as they are 15/46 or exactly a third of all prospects. Not surprising when they are still the most frequently drafted nationality and while they don't represent a total majority of the league anymore they are the most represented country.

After this, the shakeup from the recent trades has shuffled the second and third place nations as adding Askarov while losing Emberson has flip-flopped the fates of the USA and Russia with Russians now sitting as the second most represented group* Although some of that is because the lack of transfer agreement means that Russians who don't sign have their rights retained by the Sharks in perpetuity which means they hang around the pool long after their peer group from other countries would have been relinquished. Sweden took the biggest hit in numbers thanks to recent trades as it lost both Edstrom and Chrona in the Askarov deal, but it still has a strong hold on 4th with its 5 players and then the tail end is brought up by Finland and Switzerland with 2 and 1 guys respectively.

Interestingly this might be the first time in a long time that I've looked at the prospect pool where there are no Germans, Czechs, or Slovaks. Czech hockey seems to be in a bit of a swoon and this isn't the same management group that went for unorthodox picks so maybe that's to be expected but given that German and Slovak hockey has been on the upswing and it would be interesting to see if they put some resources into finding undiscovered gems from those countries like they used to.

*It's worth noting that 1 player in the system was not born in Russia but has represented Russia internationally. As a result in any of these statistical/categorical breakdowns he will be counted as Russian. You'll see who when we get there.

When we switch to look at how things are broken down by position group:

forward ranks by nationality are 1) American, 2) Canadian, 3) Russian, 4) Swedish, 5) Finnish

defensemen run 1) Canadian, t2) Russian and Swedish, 4) American, 5) Finnish

and goalies: 1) Russian and then 2) Swiss

The Eurocentricity of the goaltending is an interesting quirk, though only 1 of them is going to be developing in Europe next season (We'll get there in the goalie section)

So where are the prospects right now? Well....

I like to break prospect locations down into 5 development "tracks"

1) In the NHL now (or heading there next season)
2) In minor pro hockey in North America (AHL or ECHL mostly. If anyone's lower than that all hope is probably lost)
3) In one of the three CHL leagues (WHL, OHL, or QMJHL)
4) In the "collegiate" track, for which I combine players already in an NCAA program or those in a Jr A/B college feeder league (USHL, BCHL, AJHL, etc)
5) In Europe in one of the men's pro leagues (KHL, SHL, Allsvenskan, Liiga, etc) or one of their developmental junior leauges (MHL in Russia, J20 Nationall in Sweden, etc)

The breakdown of prospects, from most to least:
1) Minor Pro
2) Collegiate
t3) Europ
t3) CHL
5) NHL

The NHL at the bottom is unsurprising since it has to be guys who are entering the league and/or haven't yet eclipsed the GP threshold to lose prospect status. And Minor pro at the top too because there's always a large group of guys who have graduated college or the CHL but weren't heralded prospects and thus have to bide their time with the Barracuda, proving themselves until they can possibly earn a shot. That group tends to churn more quickly as good prospects earn call-ups and bad ones aren't retained while freshly graduating Jr and NCAA guys move in to take their place.

But considering the team still boasts a large number of Canadians, the small number of CHL guys is a bit surprising (especially when more than one of those CHL guys aren't even Canadian)

Meanwhile, positionally:

It's about what you'd expect. Though there does seem to be a concerted effort to pluck d-men from the CHL especially thanks to the 2024 draft adding Dickinson, Roberts, and Misskey to the pool

Finally in this pool overview we have to turn to the future and see how long the Sharks hold the rights to the guys who represent the future:

When exactly prospect rights expire depends on their current status/position:

Players under contract see their deals run out on June 30th of the final year of the contract.
CHL and most European players have their rights held by the drafting team until June 1st two years after their draft. They must be signed by this date otherwise they can re-enter the draft.
Players who are drafted in or heading to an NCAA school have until August 15th of the year their class graduates college (generally 4 years after they have their freshman NCAA season) to be signed or they become free agents.
Due to the lack of a transfer agreement between the NHL and the Russian Hockey Federation the rights to Russian players who do not sign a contract after being drafted are held indefinitely unless the team trades or relenquishes them.
For players that choose not to sign a new contract after becoming a restricted free agent and instead head to play elsewhere in the world (this only applies to Egor Afanasyev in this pool) their rights are retained until the first July 1 after they turn 27 years old, at which point they become unrestricted free agents.

Note that some players have contracts that can "slide". During a player's age 18 or 19 seasons if they do not play pro hockey (likely instead playing in the CHL) that year does not burn a year off their contract. So a player that signs a 3 year ELC at 18 and then plays a year or 2 in a CHL league will still have 3 more years on their contract after that. For the purposes of these graphs I have not accounted for sliding contracts and they are assumed to run out at the earliest opportunity. I will note slide-eligible players later on when exploring individual players.

So let's get down to business:

Right now we've got 46 guys in the pool. The "Now" timeframe is no longer represented in the above version of this graph as Alex Young was not tendered a contract and departed the prospect pool on August 15th.

From there it's a fairly steady thinning of the group over the next 3 years based on draft rights expiry and recently signed 3-year ELCs . By the time we get to 2027 and 2028 there could be a ton of turnover as highly talented prospects are signed to new deals after potentially establishing themselves in the pro ranks in their early to mid 20s. By this late stage of things most of who's left are the Russian players whose rights won't ever expire if they don't make it. Call it the Emil Galimov special, who remains on the Sharks' rights list in spite of being in his 30s and not a threat to make the NHL anymore just becuase he was a Sharks draft pick (11 years ago!)

to look at things another way, here's the number of players whose rights will expire each year (unlike above, which tracks the players retained from year-to-year, this one will see the bars grow as more and more prospects have their rights or contract run out)

As I said, the potential turnover could start next year as a number of minor-pro guys, long-term college picks, or unsigned 2023 picks reach the end of their rope. From there the largest glut of expiries come from the 2024 CHL or Euro picks at their earliest expiry window and also recently signed expiring ELCs. Then we see the end of the line for recent college picks and finally the Russian contingent of forever-prospects.

Chances are this graph will mean little within a year as trades, new deals, and lapses radically change the landscape, but it's still good to know.

And that's what the pool looks like on the whole. From the next post onward we get into the details of each position.

The Nemesis · Jul 30, 2024

We kick off the meat of the thread by looking at the centers, the single most populated position group in the system.

First, some of the census data, but center-specific:

Almost all the centers in the system arrived via the draft. The lone holdout is David Edstrom from the Hertl trade. And of the 12 centers 75% of them (8/12) were picked up in the last 3 years, making this one of the younger groups the sharks have.

But what of those players from the draft?

Unsurprising given its importance to building a strong team, but half of the centers in the pool came from the first two rounds of the draft including 4 first rounders (Celebrini, Smith, and Bystedt as Sharks picks plus Edstrom as a Vegas pick). Then there's a deep reach in the the lottery ticket bin with 4 late-round selections and then Svoboda and potential forever-prospect Spiridonov somewhere in the middle.

As I've said, Alex Young probably comes off the list in a few weeks so the numbers are bound to shift a little, but that doesn't change that the Sharks have built a strong core of centers to anchor their rebuild

And from a specs and status standpoint (Say that 3 times fast):

8 of the 12 in the system are 20 or under, making this a young core set to grow for quite some time. And none of the centers have even hit 24 yet so nobody should age out in the near future.

It doesn't mean much, but the 50/50 split between handedness is kinda fun

This is an American-heavy group as half of all centers in the system hail from the US. There are only two Canadians (and that will likely fall to 1 when Young is gone) but when that group is headlined by Macklin Celebrini you don't need many to make an impact. Edstrom and Bystedt head up the Swedish contingent and then there's forever-prospect Spiridonov as the token Russian C in the group.

With Celebrini and Smith having signed their NHL contracts and expected to make the Sharks right away this is the strongest NHL-ready part of the pool. After that you have the two top shelf Swedes in the AHL and SHL respectively and then it's a lot of depth and lottery tickets spread out across the other tracks. Interestingly there are no CHL centers at this point.

The top 4 guys all have ELCs that take them until 2027, meaning the most important part of the group is locked in for the next 3 years. A trio of collegiate prospects also help to extend the window on the C group for 2-4 years as well. The only imminent departures (non-trade division) are Young this summer, Theo Jacobsson as a draft rights expiry next June 1, and Bordeleau on his 1-year contract.

So now let's get to what you're all here for: the prospects themselves:

*PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS LIST IS ALPHABETICAL BY LAST NAME. IT IS NOT IN TERMS OF IMPORTANCE OR LEVEL OF PLAY OR ANYTHING ELSE*
Also the text that repeats some of the info in the graphics is mostly there so that if the graphics go poof this thread is still functional.

Bordeleau, Thomas
C | 5’10, 175 lbs | Born: Jan 3, 2002 (22 years old) | Shoots: Left | Hometown: Houston, Texas

Drafted: 2020, Round 2, 38th overall.

2023-24 Stats

Team	GP	G	A	P
San Jose Barracuda (AHL)	35	11	14	25
San Jose Sharks (NHL)	27	6	5	11

Rights Status: Signed through the 2024-25 season at a cap hit of $875,000

Notes:

Pick used to draft him was acquired from Buffalo along with a 2020 4th round pick (which the Sharks later traded in order to acquire the pick used to select Daniil Gushchin) in exchange for the Sharks’ own 2020 2nd round pick (Buffalo selected J.J. Peterka)
Son of former NHLer Sebastien Bordeleau
Played collegiately for the University of Michigan
Won the 2020-21 Collegiate Rookie of the Year award
Was a Big 10 Conference Champion with the University of Michigan in 2021-2022
Represented the USA at the 2022 World Juniors
Was selected to the 2022-2023 AHL All-Star Game with the San Jose Barracuda

"His dad played in Switzerland, so Thomas played his youth hockey with SC Bern!"

Scouting Report at a glance

Assets:	Capable passer, improving his play away from the puck, good reflexes
Flaws:	A bit undersized. Perhaps a bit of a tweener who's not enough of a grinder for the bottom 6 but not skilled enough for the top 6. Offensively most suited to be a center but lacks the defensive acumen and commitment to play the position without possessing higher end offensive skills.
Potential:	Middle 6 secondary scorer and PP contributor

Burke, Nolan
C | 6’1, 185 lbs | Born: Dec 9, 2002 (21 years old) | Shoots: L | Hometown: Peterborough, Ontario

Acquired in Trade from Nashville on August 23, 2024

2023-24 stats:

Team	GP	G	A	P
Atlanta Gladiators (ECHL)	47	5	10	15
Milwaukee Admirals (AHL)	1	0	0	0

Rights Status: Signed through 2024-25 season at a cap hit of $861,667 (ELC)

Notes:

Acquired in the trade that brought Yaroslav Askarov and a 3rd round pick in 2025 to the Sharks in exchange for C David Edstrom, G Magnus Chrona, and a conditional 1st round pick in 2025 which originally belonged to Vegas and was obtained in the Tomas Hertl trade (the conditions are that if the pick ends up in the top 10, the Sharks have the option of sending their own 2025 1st to Nashvill instead of Vegas'. There is no deferral option and no choice if the pick is outside of the top 10.)
Played 4 years (plus a bit as a 16 year old) with the Sarnia Sting
Was signed by Nashville out of Sarnia after the 2022-23 season as an Undrafted Free Agent after recording 50 goals and 82 points in 56 games during his final season in the OHL, plus 16 points in 15 playoff games.

Scouting Report at a glance

Assets:	Has acceptable size to be an NHL forward. Shows usable offensive ability and a willingnes to score in a variety of ways, from slick skill moves to hard-work in the dirty areas.
Flaws:	Mediocre skater. Not the best at protecting the puck. Slow reactor who can get beat while paralyzed with indecision. Not defensively committed. His skill is not sufficient to overcome all of his flaws without lowering his ceiling
Potential:	Organizational depth/AHL scorer who might earn call-ups to prove he can grow and belong.

Bystedt, Filip
C | 6’4, 198 lbs | Born: Feb 4, 2004 (20 years old) | Shoots: L | Hometown: Norrköping, Sweden

Drafted 2022, Round 1, 27th overall.

2023-24 stats:

Team	GP	G	A	P
Linkopings HC (SHL)	47	8	9	17
San Jose Barracuda (AHL)	8	4	3	7

Rights Status: Signed through 2026-27 season at a cap hit of $918,333 (ELC)

Notes:

Pick used to draft him was acquired from the Arizona Coyotes along with a pair of 2022 second round draft picks (34th and 45th overall, used to select Cameron Lund and Mattias Havelid respectively) in exchange for a 2022 first round pick, 11th overall (used by the Coyotes to select Conor Geekie)
Was the MVP of the 2019-20 TV-Pucken U-15 tournament in Sweden and captured a silver medal.
Won a U-18 Gold Medal with Sweden in 2021-22
Was the SHL Rookie of the Year for 2022-23
Won a Silver Medal with Sweden at the 2024 World Juniors

Scouting Report at a glance

Assets:	Size, decent skater when he gets up to speed, capable of protecting the puck
Flaws:	Not the most nimble skater, inconsistent. Questions remain around whether his offense will take the next step and he'll be a strong two-way player or if his evolution will be into a more purely shutdown/defensive role.
Potential:	Two-way #3C with possible untapped offense.

Celebrini, Macklin
C |6’0, 197 lbs | Born: Jun 13, 2006 (18 years old) | Shoots: L | Hometown: Vancouver, British Columbia

Drafted 2024, Round 1, 1st overall

2023-24 stats

Team	GP	G	A	P
Boston University (NCAA)	38	32	32	64

Rights Status: Signed through 2026-27 season at a cap hit of $975,000 (plus performance bonuses). (ELC). Contract is slidable.

Notes:

First ever 1st overall pick in Sharks history
Played for the San Jose Jr. Sharks 14U program in 2019-20
Father, Rick, is the Golden State Warriors’ director of sports medicine and performance as well as the head physiotherapist and head of sports medicine for Vancouver Whitecaps FC of MLS.
Brother, Aiden, was a 2023 sixth round draft pick of the Vancouver Canucks
Played for the Chicago Steel of the USHL in 2022-23, being named the league’s rookie and overall player of the year while leading the league in goals and points
Was the Hockey East rookie and player of the year, scoring champion, NCAA overall rookie of the year, and Hobey Baker Award winner as the NCAA player of the year in his freshman (and only) year with Boston University. He is the youngest Hobey Baker winner in the award’s history.

Scouting Report at a glance

Assets:	Elite offensive skill in all areas and able to single-handedly drive play. Poweful skater who can hold his own pyhysically against opponents. Works hard and makes plays defensively before transitioning seamlessly to offense.
Flaws:	While he won't be pushed around, he's not big enough nor physical enough to impose himself on defenders. There's only one of him.
Potential:	Top shelf franchise #1 center and organizational cornerstone.

"This is a special young man with puck poise, an active stick, and oozing with hockey sense. Welcome to the Celebrini show, San Jose. You should be getting excited about this guy. "

Jacobsson, Theo
C | 5’10, 175 lbs | Born: Apr 6, 2003 (21 years old) | Shoots: L | Hometown: Örnsköldsvik, Sweden

Drafted: 2021, Round 6, 177 overall

2023-24 stats:

Team	GP	G	A	P
MoDo Hockey (SHL)	11	2	2	4
Västerviks IK (Allsvenskan) Loan	23	8	16	24

Rights Status: Unsigned. Sharks must sign by June 1, 2025 to retain rights beyond that date.

Notes:

Pick used to select him was acquired on draft day from St. Louis along with a third round pick in the same draft (the Sharks used it to select Benjamin Gaudreau) in exchange for the Sharks’ own third round pick also in 2021 (the Blues drafted Simon Robertsson)
Won HockeyAllsvenskan championship in 2022-23 with MoDo, earning the team a promotion back to the SHL.

Scouting Report at a glance

Assets:	Shows good hands, good skating, and good IQ. No standout skills, but passable all-around. Plays a team-oriented game
Flaws:	Without a skill to hang your hat on and playing for a popular hometown program it's possible he's just not quite good enough to intrigue the Sharks and more than happy to be a regular for MoDo. Has put on weight but is still undersized
Potential:	Project forward with longshot middle six potential.

Klee, David

C | 6’2, 182 lbs | Born: May 10, 2005 (19 years old) | Shoots: L | Hometown: Level Green, Pennsylvania

Drafted: 2023, Round 7, 196th overall

2023-24 stats:

Team	GP	G	A	P
Muskegon Lumberjacks (USHL)	62	15	25	40

Rights Status: Unsigned. Sharks must sign by August 15, 2028 to retain rights beyond that date

Notes:

Son of NHL defenseman Ken Klee
Committed to the University of North Dakota beginning with the 2025-26 season

Scouting Report at a glance

Assets:	A 7th rounder from the Waterloo Blackhawks. Now where have we seen that before? Has nifty hands and some passing ability. Showed significant progress offensively in his D+1 season, going from 13 points to 40 in the USHL. Has NHL bloodlines from father Ken.
Flaws:	Slow of foot and not a good skater. Likely doesn't have big offensive upside even if he does take some steps forward in terms of scoring.
Potential:	Lottery ticket bottom 6 crash-and-bang forward who has an extreme outside shot at a higher role if his scoring surges.

Laubach, Reese
C | 6’0, 170 lbs | Born: Nov 20, 2003 (20 years old) | Shoots: R | Hometown: San Jose, California

Drafted: 2022, Round 7, 217th overall

2023-24 stats:

Team	GP	G	A	P
Penn St. University (NCAA)	35	10	12	22

Rights Status: Unsigned. Sharks must sign by August 15, 2027 to retain his rights beyond that date

Notes:

Pick used to select him was acquired from the Minnesota Wild in 2020 along with Devan Dubnyk in exchange for a 2022 fifth round pick (the Sharks would later reacquire that pick and use it to select D Jake Furlong. Read more about this trade in Furlong’s notes)
Played for the San Jose Jr Sharks program between 2016 and 2020

Scouting Report at a glance

Assets:	Considered a raw, toolsy player when selected out of the Minnesota high school ranks. Considered a decent skater with some finishing touch and an OK work ethic. Has a neat story as a former Jr Shark who was inspired to get into hockey by attending games in San Jose.
Flaws:	Has not demonstrated that his skills can take the next step from dominating the USHS circuit as his USHL and NCAA stops have been more "not abjectly terrible" than "encouraging and good." Doesn't possess standout tools.
Potential:	long-term lottery ticket forward and intriguing local story, but a potential non-tender/lapse when his rights come up.

Lund, Cameron
C | 6’2, 192 lbs | Born: Jun 7, 2004 (20 years old) | Shoots: R | Hometown: Bridgewater, Massachusetts

Drafted: 2022, Round 2, 34th Overall

2023-24 stats:

Team	GP	G	A	P
Northeastern University (NCAA)	35	11	19	30

Rights Status: Unsigned. Sharks must sign by August 15, 2026 to retain his rights beyond that date.

Notes:

Pick used to select him was acquired from Arizona along with a 2022 first round pick (used to select Filip Bystedt) and another 2022 second round pick (used to select Mattias Havelid) for the Sharks’ 2022 first round pick (Arizona selected Conor Geekie)
Represented the US at 2021-22 Hlinka Gretzky U-18 Cup
Was a nominee for the 2023-24 Hobey Baker Award (won by fellow Shark prospect Macklin Celebrini)

Scouting Report at a glance

Assets:	Has all the physical tools and a solid shot. Shows flashes of skill and creativity
Flaws:	not a high IQ player and has a cap on his overall skill level. Effort and focus can wane and is not always engaged away from the puck. Has yet to take the next step.
Potential:	3rd line winger with some offensive upside, but needs to find consistency in his game and output.

Smith, Will
C | 6’0, 181 lbs | Born: Mar 17, 2005 (19 years old)| Shoots: R | Hometown: Boston, Massachusetts

Drafted: 2023, Round 1, 4th Overall

2023-24 stats:

Team	GP	G	A	P
Boston College (NCAA)	41	25	46	71

Rights Status: Signed through the 2026-27 season at a cap hit of $950,000 plus performance bonuses (ELC). His contract is slide-eligible.

Notes:

Won a silver medal with Team USA at the 2021-22 U-18 World Juniors
Won a gold medal with Team USA at the 2022-23 U-18 World Juniors
Led the 2022-23 U-18 World Juniors in goals and points while being named tournament MVP and best forward
Won 2024 World Junior (U20) gold medal with Team USA
Won the 2023-24 Hockey East Championship with Boston College, and was named tournament MVP
Was a finalist for the 2023-24 Hobey Baker Award (losing to Macklin Celebrini)
Led NCAA in assists and points for the 2023-24 season

Scouting Report at a glance

Assets:	Slick, shifty playmaker with a deep bag of tricks to break down defenses and sky-high offensive IQ. Equally adept as a shooter or playmaker.
Flaws:	Not always the most committed defender and backchecker. Needs to get stronger.
Potential:	Elite top 6 center and high-end point producer.

"This is a monster offensive player who always has fun out there and is Johnny on the Spot when the game's on the line. He's the Kane to Celebrini's Toews! The Parise to whoever Parise played with!"

Spiridonov, Yegor
C | 6’2, 201 lbs | Born: Jan 22, 2001 (23 years old) | Shoots: R | Hometown: Magnitogorsk, Russia

Drafted: 2019, Round 4, 108th overall

2023-24 stats:

Team	GP	G	P
Sibir Novosibirsk (KHL)	23	1	1
Metallurg Novokuznetsk (VHL)	3	0	0
HK Sochi (KHL)	9	0	0

Rights Status: Unsigned. Due to the lack of a transfer agreement with Russia and the fact that he has not signed an ELC, the Sharks will hold his rights indefinitely for as long as he remains unsigned and the team chooses not to trade or release him.

Notes:

Pick used to select him was acquired on draft night from Montreal in exchange for the Sharks’ 2020 fourth round pick (This selection would be used by the Flames to pick G Daniil Chechelev after changing hands from Montreal to Buffalo to Calgary.
Won a bronze medal with Russia at the 2018-19 Hlinka Gretzky Cup
Won a 2018-19 U-18 World Juniors silver medal with Russia
Member of the 2020-21 Russian World Junior team

Scouting Report at a glance

Assets:	Intrigued briefly when he was selected to represent Russia at the WJCs. Plays a responsible defensive center role.
Flaws:	Offense never developed at all. Seems unlikely to ever leave Russia and players of his skill and ceiling are a dime a dozen.
Potential:	prospect non-factor, but with the most extremely remote chance of being a developmental 4C.

Svoboda, Brandon
C | 6’3, 208 lbs | Born: Feb 4, 2005 (19 years old) | Shoots: R | Hometown: Level Green, Pennsylvania

Drafted: 2023, Round 3, 71st overall

2023-24 stats:

Team	GP	G	A	P
Youngstown Phantoms (USHL)	25	7	4	11
Fargo Force (USHL)	15	5	4	9

Rights Status: Unsigned. Sharks must sign him by August 15, 2028 to retain his rights beyond that date.

Notes:

Pick used to select him was acquired on draft day from Carolina (who had previously acquired the selection in a trade that sent Tony DeAngelo to Philadelphia) in exchange for a 2023 third round pick (previously acquired from Carolina in the Brent Burns trade) and fourth round pick. The Hurricanes used the picks to select Jayden Perron and Alexander Rykov respectively.
Committed to Boston University for the 2024-25 NCAA season.
Won the 2022-23 USHL championship with Youngstown
Won the 2023-24 USHL championship with Fargo

Scouting Report at a glance

Assets:	Prototypical bottom six grinder with size and a defensively responsible game. While not a burner or a powerhouse, he's acceptably physical and a competent enough skater for what will be asked of him
Flaws:	Is not considered to have much, if any, offensive upside. Appears to be somewhat of "what you see is what you get" type who has a low ceiling, but a moderate role-specific floor.
Potential:	4th line grinder and defensive forward.

For anyone who's curious, I chose not to get rid of the material from players no longer in the system. Partially for vanity's sake, and partially for the interest of anyone else who may want to know. You can find the following players in the collapsed spoiler tag below:

David Edstrom (traded to Nashville)
Alex Young (not offered a contract upon expiry of his draft rights)

Edstrom, David
C |6’3, 190 lbs | Born: Feb 18, 2005 (19 years old) | Shoots: L | Hometown: Gothenburg, Sweden

Acquired in trade from Vegas on March 8, 2024

2023-24 stats:

Team	GP	G	A	P
Frolunda HC (SHL)	44	7	12	19

Rights Status: Signed through the 2026-27 season at a cap hit of $918,333. Contract is slidable

Notes:

Was acquired by the Sharks as part of the Tomas Hertl trade with Vegas.
Drafted by Vegas with the 32nd and final pick of the first round in 2023
Won a U-18 WJC silver medal and Hlinka-Gretzky Cup silver medal in 2022-23
Won a silver medal with Sweden at the 2024 World Juniors
Was dealt to Nashville in the trade for Yaroslav Askarov

Scouting Report at a glance

Assets:	Strong defensive forward with jam and a responsible game. Good but not great skater. Has a good shot.
Flaws:	Doesn't particularly stand out in any physical or skill area besides his defensive ability. Offence has dried up since a PPG pace in his draft year in the Swedish Jr division and he is not expected to be a scoring threat in the pros. Is somewhat slight for his 6'2 frame and will need to add strength to compete physically in the NHL.
Potential:	prototypical defense-first 3C. He's somewhat like Bystedt without the potentially projectable offense.

Young, Alex
C | 5’11, 185 lbs | Born: Mar 22, 2001 (23 years old) | Shoots: R | Hometown: Calgary, Alberta

Drafted: 2020, Round 7, 196th overall

2023-24 stats

Team	GP	G	A	P
Arizona State University (NCAA)	37	6	3	9
Adirondack Thunder (ECHL)	7	2	4	6

Rights Status: Was not signed by the Sharks prior to the deadline of August 15, 2024. He is now a free agent.

Notes:

Pick used to select him was acquired from the New York rangers along with another 2020 seventh round pick (the Sharks used this pick to draft Linus Oberg) in exchange for a 2020 fifth round pick (which the Rangers used on Evan Vierling)
Won the ECAC championship in 2022-23 with Colgate University
Transferred from Colgate to Arizona State University for the 2023-24 season
Left Arizona State at the conclusion of his senior year (23-24) and signed an amateur tryout with the Adirondack Thunder of the ECHL. This move does not impact his status with the Sharks (though it is probably a strong indicator that he is unlikely to be signed by the organization).
Yes, the presence of the Adirondack Thunder and the Wichita Thunder in the ECHL means that the league has two teams with the same nickname. At least when the CFL did it the teams spelled their nigh-identical names differently (Saskatchewan's Roughriders is one word. The Ottawa Rough Riders used two)

Scouting Report at a glance

Assets:	High energy, character forward who plays an uptempo style and competes hard. Has an OK shot.
Flaws:	Brings little to the table offensively. While energy and motivation go a long way, they can't entirely paper over a lack of underlying skill. Regressed hard in his final NCAA season after transfering to Arizona State. The fact that we're less than a month away from his signing deadline with no news suggests it's not in the cards for him.
Potential:	depth energy forward at best, but looking highly likely to exit the pool on August 15.

"You know who else played for the Adirondack Thunder? Current Shark goalie Mackenzie Blackwood and former Sharks goalie prospect J.P. Anderson!"

The Nemesis · Jul 30, 2024

Next up is the wingers. Again we've got some positional data to get through. First up is the LW group. All 3 of them :laugh:

There's only 3 of them, and they all came in the last 2 years to quickly stock the left side of the forward group. 1 by trade this year (Afanasyev), 1 by draft this year (Chernyshov) and 1 by draft last year (Musty). It's a small group that doesn't have a ton of variation thanks to a small sample size.

Though Afanasyev was drafted by the Predators and not the Sharks, all 3 LWs were picks in the late 1st or early 2nd round as it seems like they've only gone for dedicated LW when they are high upside guys worth an early look.

And the specs and status:

Big boys appears to be the theme here as not one of the trio weighs less than 200 pounds nor stands shorter than 6'2. The small sample does tend towards extreme swings, but it also means that this is the biggest and heaviest group among the forwards.

And mostly young ones too except for Afanasyev, which is to be expected when they're from the last two drafts. There's just not much else to say about a group this small with this little variation.

Handedness isn't as specific for wing assignments as it is for d-men, so we have 1 right-handed LW to go with 2 lefties.

Like everything else in this set it's 2/3rds and 1/3rd as the pair of Russians offset lone American Musty.

With Chernyshov freshly signed to a contract and reporting to Saginaw of the OHL for the upcoming season, 2/3rds of the team's LW prospects will be playing in the CHL for this season (unless they do something like, I dunno, make the Sharks). Meanwhile Afanasyev returned to Russia after spending time in North America with the Predators. Will he come back? Time will tell. One would think that the Sharks wouldn't have taken him in trade if they weren't convinced there was at least an opportunity to do something with him, but they might have to wait a couple of years for his KHL contract to expire if they want to make that move.

Pros24-PosGr-RExpLW2(ChernyshovSigns).png

The fresh signing of Chernyshov in late July/Early August puts him on track to have his ELC run out in the summer of 2027 at the earliest (though he is slide eligible so if he plays a year or two in the OHL that date moves back) Musty's 3 year ELC begins burning in earnest this year as he is too old for slides, so he'll be up for renewal in 2027. Meanwhile RFA Afanasyev isn't subject to indefinite rights like the unsigned Chernyshov. instead the team has until he turns 27 in 2028 to strike a new deal or see him become an unrestricted free agent.

Now the actual players:

Afanasyev, Egor
LW | 6’4, 211 lbs | Born: Jan 23, 2001 (23 years old) | Shoots: L | Hometown: Tver, Russia

Acquired via Trade: June 23, 2024 from Nashville

2023-24 stats

Team	GP	G	A	P
Milwaukee Admirals (AHL)	56	27	27	54
Nashville Predators (NHL)	2	0	0	0

Rights Status: Restricted Free Agent. As an unsigned RFA, the Sharks retain his rights until the first July 1 after he turns 27, which would be 2028. Since he had already signed and completed his ELC the team does not retain his rights indefinitely as they do with other unsigned Russian prospects like Spiridonov.

Notes:

Acquired from the Predators in exchange for prospect F Ozzy Wiesblatt.
Was drafted in the second round, 45th overall, in 2019 by Nashville
Participated in the 2021 World Juniors with Russia
Came up through the North American developmental track, playing for the Little Ceasars 16U program in Michigan, the Muskegon Lumberjacks of the USHL (from which he was drafted), and the Windsor Spitfires of the OHL.
Signed a 2-year contract this off-season with CSKA Moscow of the KHL, running through the 2025-26 season.

Scouting Report at a glance

Assets:	Surprisingly good skater for his size and possesses a powerful frame that lets him fend off opponents and control the puck. Shows flashes of 1-on-1 ability and the kind of offensive acumen that doesn't usually come from bigger, burlier players.
Flaws:	Some of his offensive shine has come off since the draft as he's settled into a good-but-not-great tier of scorer in the AHL who put up a PPG pace last season after 2 yeras of being just under 0.5ppg. Not a strong defensive player or contributor away from the puck. The fact that he left for the KHL instead of sticking around to try his hand with relatively thin Sharks roster suggests that the NHL isn't a primary goal for him and he may be tough to lure back from a comfortable lifestyle as a possible star player at home.
Potential:	Interesting lottery ticket prospect. If in a couple years he decides to come back he could be a good middle 6 winger. But it's entirely possible that opportunity never comes and his rights simply lapse when he turns 27.

Chernyshov, Igor
LW |6’3, 204 lbs | Born: Nov 30, 2005 (18 years old) | Shoots: R | Hometown: Penza, Russia

Drafted: 2024, Round 2, 33rd overall

2023-24 stats:

Team	GP	G	A	P
MHK Dynamo Moscow (MHL)	22	13	15	28
Dynamo Moscow (KHL)	34	3	1	4

Rights Status: Signed through at least the 2026-27 season at a cap hit of $975,000 (including some bonuses) (ELC). This contract is slide-eligible.

Notes:

Won a bronze medal with Team Russia at the 2021-22 U18 World Juniors
Will report to the Saginaw Spirit of the OHL for the 2024-25 season

Scouting Report at a glance

Assets:	Strong skater. Good stick-handling and evasiveness lets him slip past defenders. Shows IQ and creativity in how he baits and exploits defenses on the rush to get by them. Has the size to tease potential as a power forward. Plays with energy and competitiveness that is not always common in high skill players that aren't top-tier prospects and translates into effort off the puck and in the defensive zone. Has a chip on his shoulder and shows a desire to come to North America and prove teams wrong for passing on him.
Flaws:	Has strong attacking ability but less remarkable finish. Skill is "good" but not necessarily tantalizingly elite. Will he develop into a power forward? or "just" a skill forward who's big?
Potential:	strong top 6 power scoring winger ceiling or at least a big skill wing who compliments a scoring line well.

Musty, Quentin
LW |6’2, 200 lbs | Born: Jul 6, 2005 (19 years old) | Shoots: L | Hometown: Hamburg, New York

Drafted: 2023, Round 1, 26th overall

2023-24 stats:

Team	GP	G	A	P
Sudbury Wolves (OHL)	53	43	59	102

Rights Status: Signed to a contract through at least the conclusion of the 2026-27 season at a cap hit of $918,333. His contract will slide an additional year if he plays the season in the OHL.

Notes:

Pick used to select him was acquired from New Jersey in the trade that sent Timo Meier to the Devils.
Played for Team USA at the 2022-23 Hlinka Gretzky Cup.

Scouting Report at a glance

Assets:	Big, powerful frame with solid puck control and a lethal shot. Better passer than you think. Shows flashes of dominance.
Flaws:	Has been dogged by questions about competitiveness and drive. Is still somewhat raw. Middling skater.
Potential:	Strong second line scoring power winger.

"What a monster! The Shark scouts did a great job finding this guy!"

Now onto the much larger group of right wings.

One of the older groups in the system was mostly assembled through the draft but also had a pair undrafted free agents. You can see the large spike of acquisitions in 2020, comprising more acquired RWs than any other year, before things bottom out ot a single add in 21 and 22 and then things climb again mostly through the draft as the two UDFA pickups were on board in 2022 and 2024 respectively.

The two undrafted guys (Collin Graf and Mitchell Russell) don't show up above, but of the rest of the gang the Sharks picked more than half came from the back half of the draft board.

Way up at the top of the chart there's Halttunen, the biggest and beefiest guy in the group. There's a couple of other tall guys but most of the RWs sit below 6'2 and on the lighter side of 200 pounds. Unlike LW or the blueline where size and power seem to be significant motivators, this RW group appears to be where the Sharks are unafraid to take shots on smaller guys.

And then there's Joey Muldowney. No, that's not a typo. He's apparently legitimately under 155 pounds. Yeah.

This might be the oldest group in the system. There are as many 22 year olds as there are guys 20 and under (4 each), plus an additional 23 year old and a pair of 21 year olds. This could be a lower ceiling group, but one that stands more ready to make the Sharks and contribute there.

most RWs are right handed. Shocking. (seriously, I'm starting to run out of stuff to say, plus it's like hour 12 of putting this thread together (after the hours of production on the graphics, graphs, and content). When I first started writing this section I wanted to get it done before I went to bed. That was Monday night. Now I'm doing additional writing on Tuesday night to see if I can beat the clock this time.

Another pretty diverse group with a surprising number of Russians. Canada reigns at almost half the pool but they're not all the group has to offer. The only Finnish forward in the pool checks in here, as do a couple of Americans, one knocking on the NHL door and one not even in the same area code.

As you might expect from an older crew the bulk of its members are in the minor pro ranks already as more than half have tasted some level of north american pro hockey. Interestingly with 3 Russians and a Fin there's only one player in Europe right now, the unsigned Yegor Rimashevsky. Of the other 3, one claims a CHL spot, another an NCAA one, and the third is in the AHL trying to force his way on to the Sharks roster.

3 Russians in the system only yield one who has yet to sign and would have his rights held indefinitely, but this could be one of the quickest groups to turn over as almost half of its current members could be gone by this time next year and by 2027 only 2 guys would still be here under their current rights or contract.

Cardwell, Ethan
RW |5’11, 196 lbs | Born: Aug 30, 2002 (21 years old) | Shoots: R | Hometown: Courtice, Ontario

Drafted: 2021, Round 4, 141st overall

2023-24 stats:

Team	GP	G	A	P
San Jose Barracuda (AHL)	71	23	20	43

Rights Status: Signed through the 2025-26 season with a cap hit of $867,500

Notes:

The draft pick used to select him was acquired from the Toronto Maple Leafs as part of a 3-team trade also involving the Columbus Blue Jackets. The sharks received the pick in exchange for Stefan Noesen and for retaining a portion of the cap hit of Nick Foligno (who went from Columbus to Toronto)

Scouting Report at a glance

Assets:	Surprisingly crafty offensive skill as a playmaker. Shows a willingness to go into dirty areas and compete for pucks. Does what is asked of him and works hard to improve his game.
Flaws:	Average size without high end physical tools likely limits his offensive ceiling. Whether his scoring growth stabilizes or falls off will determine his future path (4th line type energy guy or 3rd line sparkplug who can pop a few goals in)
Potential:	Bottom 6 energy and offensive support player

Coe, Brandon
RW |6’4, 190 lbs | Born: Dec 1, 2001 (22 years old) | Shoots: R | Hometown: Ajax, Ontario

Drafted: 2020, Round 4, 98th overall

2023-24 stats

Team	GP	G	A	P
San Jose Barracuda (AHL)	57	12	5	17

Rights Status: Signed through the 2024-25 season at a cap hit of $775,000

Notes:

The pick used to select him was acquired from Montreal in exchange for a 2021 third round selection (the Habs selected Dmitri Kostenko with that pick.
Was named the OHL’s Overage Player of the Year for the 2021-22 season with the North Bay Battalion. He led his team in scoring that year with 101 points (34g, 67a) in 62 games

Scouting Report at a glance

Assets:	Tall, physically gifted forward with the tools to be an effective pro. A history of offensive performance in juniors. Good skater for someone his size and a capable playmaker in the right situations.
Flaws:	Has not taken the next step as a pro and does not use his physicality to its full effect. Offensive potential has not translated to the pros. Has been guilty of floating, coasting, and playing away from the puck or on the perimeter rather than asserting himself in traffic or along the boards.
Potential:	Tantalizing longshot lottery ticket as a 3rd line scoring wing, but more likely a low-end depth forward.

Graf, Collin
RW | 6’1, 194 lbs | Born: Sept 21, 2002 (21 years old) | Shoots: R | Hometown: Lincoln, Massachusetts

Signed as an Undrafted Free Agent on April 4, 2024

2023-24 stats:

Team	GP	G	A	P
Quinnipiac University (NCAA)	34	22	27	49
San Jose Sharks (NHL)	7	0	2	2

Rights Status: Signed through the 2025-26 season with a cap hit of $941,667

Notes:

Won the NCAA champion with Quinnipiac in the 2022-23 season.
Finalist for the 2022-23 Hobey Baker award
Named ECAC conference Player of the Year with Quinnipiac In 2023-24
Finalist for the 2023-24 Hobey Baker award

Scouting Report at a glance

Assets:	Has outgrown his draft-year criticisms of being too small. Evolved into a strong point producer in his two years at Quinnipiac after an OK freshman year at Union College. Has legitimate offensive upside that is rare for NCAA free agents. Shows offensive capability in all situations
Flaws:	Does not have a lengthy history of asserting himself in high-traffic areas, will he stick with this? Is probably more of a wing than a center at the pro level. Scored well in college but is not projected to be a surefire scoring forward who gets buy purely on offence. So he'll need to contribute elsewhere too.
Potential:	Capable middle-6 scoring forward.

Gushchin, Danil
RW | 5’10, 181 lbs | Born: Feb 6, 2002 (22 years old) | Shoots: L | Hometown: Yekaterinburg, Russia

Drafted: 2020, Round 3, 76th overall

2023-24 stats:

Team	GP	G	A	P
San Jose Barracuda (AHL)	56	20	34	54
San Jose Sharks (NHL	4	1	1	2

Rights Status: Signed through the 2024-25 season with a cap hit of $828,334

Notes:

Pick used to select him was acquired from the Edmonton Oilers in exchange for fourth and fifth round picks in the 2020 draft (the Oilers used those picks to select Carter Savoie and Tyler Tullio respectively)
Won a silver medal with Russia at the 2018-19 U18 World Juniors
Won a gold medal with Russia at the 2019-20 Hlinka Gretzky Cup
Represented the Barracuda at the 2023-24 AHL all-star game

Scouting Report at a glance

Assets:	Strong offensive producer who plays a high-energy game with the puck and is agressive when attacking.
Flaws:	Undersized for the NHL and not at all physical. Questions about whether he can overcome his size given that he posseses good, but not great, skill.
Potential:	middle six complimentary scorer and PP2 guy.

Halttunen, Kasper
RW | 6’3, 215 lbs | Born: Jun 7, 2005 (19 years old) | Shoots: R | Hometown: Helsinki, Finland

Drafted: 2023, Round 2, 36th overall

2023-24 stats

Team	GP	G	A	P
London Knights (OHL)	57	32	29	61

Rights Status: Signed through at least the 2026-27 season at a cap hit of $908,333 (Contract can slide)

Notes:

Won the 2023-24 OHL championship with the London Knights.
Led the 2024 OHL playoffs in goals (17)
Won a bronze medal with Finland at the 2021-22 U18 World Juniors
Won a bronze medal with Finland at the 2022-23 Hlinka Gretzky Cup
Represented Finland at the 2024 World Juniors

Scouting Report at a glance

Assets:	Elite, NHL caliber shot. Particularly a one-timer that can handcuff defenses and goalies. Good size for a pro winger and has shown a willingness to phsyically bully players in junior.
Flaws:	Not the most deft stick-handler. May struggle to beat defenders on his own. Is a pure shooter who doesn't readily look to make plays for others. Feels quite one-dimensional at the moment.
Potential:	PP specialist and triggerman to ride shotgun with a capable playmaker.

"What a big body presence!"

Muldowney, Joey
RW | 5’11, 154 lbs | Born: Jun 5, 2004 (20 years old) | Shoots: R | Hometown: Lake View, New York

Drafted: 2022, Round 6, 162nd overall

2023-24 stats

Team	GP	G	A	P
University of Connecticut (NCAA)	35	5	9	14

Rights Status: Unsigned. Sharks must sign him by August 15, 2027 to retain his rights past that date.

Notes:

I’ve got nothing.
He's tiny? That 154 pounds weight listing is not a typo according to eliteprospects.

Scouting Report at a glance

Assets:	Another high-scoring high schooler. Solid skater with a diverse offensive toolkit.
Flaws:	Lacks dynamic skill or standout traits. Is extremely slight and undersized for the pro game. Has yet to show any meaningful steps forward in his post-draft development, with sub 0.5ppg outputs in the USHL and NCAA
Potential:	Probable non-tender/rights lapse candidate, but he's got 3 more years to maybe be a lottery ticket.

*Excessive giggling*

Rimashevsky, Yegor
RW | 6’3, 185 lbs | Born: Feb 1, 2005 (19 years old) | Shoots: L | Hometown: Zhlobin, Belarus

Drafted: 2023, Round 7, 203rd overall

2023-24 stats

Team	GP	G	A	P
Dynamo Moscow (KHL)	45	5	9	14
MHK Dynamo Moscow (MHL)	12	4	9	13

Rights Status: Unsigned. Due to the lack of a transfer agreement between Russia and the NHL the Sharks will retain his rights indefinitely if he does not sign

Notes:

Teammate of Igor Chernyshov in the Dynamo Moscow system
Is listed as having dual Russia/Belarus eligibility for international play, having not yet participated in any high level tournaments that would lock his commitment to a single country.

Scouting Report at a glance

Assets:	Has good skill to go with his size and demonstrates interesting offensive potential on the rush or in the o-zone.
Flaws:	Is an extreme floater who often doesn't engage at all when he doesn't have the puck. Doesn't play defense. Mediocre skater for someone who tries to play the way he does
Potential:	longshot skill winger who needs to take several big strides in his development if he has any sort of NHL system future (if he even leaves Russia at all)

Robins, Tristen
RW | 5’11, 185 lbs | Born: Nov 15, 2001 (22 years old) | Shoots: R | Hometown: Clear Lake, Manitoba

Drafted: 2020, Round 2, 56th overall

2023-24 stats:

Team	GP	G	A	P
San Jose Barracuda (AHL)	42	7	11	18

Rights Status: Signed through the 2024-25 season with a cap hit of $797,500

Notes:

Pick used to select him was acquired from the Washington capitals along with a conditional third round pick in exchange for Brenden Dillon. That third rounder was later dealt to Montreal in exchange for the pick that became Brandon Coe
Was born in London, England before moving to Manitoba as a child.

Scouting Report at a glance

Assets:	Well-rounded player who can do a litle bit of everything. Quality athlete and is willing to do dirty work and play a hard checking role
Flaws:	His offensive output has stalled and fallen off since a pair of PPG+ junior seasons. Show willingness, but not finish. Lacks a particular standout skill to hang his hat on.
Potential:	Energy 4th liner with occasional bursts of skill or fringe guy who teases but never puts it together.

Russell, Mitchell
RW | 6’0, 194 lbs | Born: Mar 6, 2001 (23 years old) | Shoots: R | Hometown: Peterborough, Ontario

Signed as Undrafted Free Agent on May 19, 2022

2023-24 stats:

Team	GP	G	A	P
Wichita Thunder (ECHL)	35	9	13	22
San Jose Barracuda (AHL)	2	1	0	1

Rights Status: Signed through the 2024-25 season with a cap hit of $836,667

Notes:

Admit it, you had no idea he was in the system.
Because maybe he isn't in the system? Maybe I just made him up to be a trap entry in case someone swipes all this work?
He probably trained under Cam MacIntyre. You can't prove he didn't.
Won a silver medal with Canada at the 2017-18 U17 World Juniors
Junior teammates with Brandon Coe on the North Bay Battalion.

Scouting Report at a glance

Assets:	Dependable, hard-working player who can play in any situation. High-character guy who is popular with teammates and shows leadership traits. Following a somewhat similar path to once-and-current Shark Barclay Goodrow.
Flaws:	Was not a scorer in the OHL until his over-age season. Only played 2 ECHL games in 22-23 and spent most of this past season back in the ECHL. Is going to live or die as a gritty energy forward for a bottom 6 line.
Potential:	cheap depth forward who could surprise or might never be heard from again.

Spitserov, Timofey
RW | 6’0, 176 lbs | Born: Mar 26, 2002 (22 years old) | Shoots: L | Hometown: St. Petersburg, Russia

Drafted: 2020, Round 7, 210th overall

2023-24 stats:

Team	GP	G	A	P
University of Vermont	35	7	7	14

Rights Status: Unsigned. Must be signed by August 15, 2025 for the Sharks to retain his rights past that date.

Notes:

Pick used to select him was acquired from Washington along with a 2019 seventh round pick in exchange for a 2019 fifth round pick. The 2019 seventh was subsequently traded for a 2020 seventh rounder (which the Sharks used to select Adam Raska) while the Capitals used the fifth rounder they picked up to draft Martin Has.

Scouting Report at a glance

Assets:	Flashes skill in non-game situations, albeit not a ton of it.
Flaws:	Can't stay in the lineup for Vermont even when they struggle. Hasn't demonstrated anything meaningful in games.
Potential:	probable non-tender/rights lapse candidate.

Wetsch, Carson
RW | 6’2, 203 lbs | Born: May 4, 2006 (18 years old) | Shoots: R | Hometown: Vancouver, British Columbia

Drafted: 2024, Round 3, 82nd overall

2023-24 stats:

Team	GP	G	A	P
Calgary Hitmen (WHL)	67	25	25	50

Rights Status: Unsigned. Sharks must sign him by June 1, 2026 to retain his rights beyond that date.

Notes:

Pick used to select him was acquired from New Jersey for a 2024 third round pick and a 2025 sixth round pick. The third rounder traded to the Devils had previously been acquired from Tampa Bay with Jack Thompson in exchange for Anthony Duclair. The Devils used the selection to draft Kasper Pikkarainen.
Won a silver medal with Canada at the 2022-23 U17 World Juniors
Won a gold medal with Canada at the 2023-24 Hlinka Gretzky Cup
Won a gold medal with Canada at the 2023-24 U18 World Juniors
Participated in the 2024 CHL Top Prospects Game

Scouting Report at a glance

Assets:	High energy buzzsaw forward who plays an uncomplicated north-south game, hits anything that moves, and plays with relentless jam and tenacity
Flaws:	His offensive prowess may top out against junior opponents and not follow him to the pros.
Potential:	scrappy, intense, wrecking ball checking forward and fan favorite.

"He could go out there and double Dion guys, just like Phenuf, who played WHL hockey in Alberta. For a Sutter brother!"

The Nemesis · Jul 30, 2024

Lots of places tend not to break down the LD/RD divide, but I thought it was useful so to that end all the left-handed and right-handed d-men have been clumped together. First up we start on the left side.

Unsurprisingly for a group built heavily through the draft, it's only been in the last 4 years that all of the current LD prospects have entered the system. In fact for 2021, 2022, and 2024 every prospect added was a draft pick. That one UDFA (Pulli) and one Trade acquisition (Mukhamadullin) were both picked up in 2023 to supplement the single LD drafted that year.

The one and only undrafted player on the LD side doesn't make the above chart, but for everyone else, including trade pickup Mukhamadullin, we get a distinct pattern of the team either spending resources on highly rated prospects from the first couple rounds of the draft (The aformentioned Mukhamadullin (I'm going to be an ace at spelling his name before this thread is finished), Dickinson, and Sahlin Wallenius) or else waiting for the back half of the draft and picking up riskier ventures in the 4th round and beyond. Though it does seem like perhaps the team's dismal fate lately and greater number of higher picks has spurred them to invest a little sooner than normal as the last two years see selections from the 1st, 2nd, and 4th rounds while the 3 LDs from 2021 and 2022 all come from the 5th and 7th rounds

Big boys on the blueline. And also Cagnoni and Sahlin Wallenius. Aside from those two, who both sit on the slight side of 185 (and Cagnoni at a prospect low-water mark of 5'9), every other LD in the system either stands at least 6'4 or tips the scales at no less than 200 lbs, or both. Is this a concerted effort to build a bigger, stronger defensive corps while also refusing to pass up high skill options when they present themselves? Sure seems like it.

Having mostly gathered up this group over the last 4 years, it's unsurprising to see that they fairly evenly spread the age range from 18 to 23. The 18 and 21 age brackets are the product of draft years where 2 LD were selected and every other bucket in the range has at least one blueliner accounted for.

What's this you say? All the LD are left-handed? Shocking!

A fairly robust and diverse group with a trio of Canadians, a trio of Russians (one of whom was partially Canadian-raised) and a pair of Scandanavians to close things out. The oddity in this group is that I think it's the only skater position to not feature a single American prospect (There aren't any US goalies either, but I said "skater position")

For a pool that has largely strayed away from the NHL-standard path of picking CHL players, the LD group is the only one for which the CHL represents the largest chunk of the developmental pie (in a tie with minor pro guys). It's also one of the few that has nobody at or bound for the NCAA, though the lack of US-born prospects certainly primes things for the possibility.

with a good mix of mino pro guys, CHL and non-Russian Europeans, and no college-bound guys at all, the LD pool doesn't have any long-term prospects in its midst to draw out their eligibility aside from Kashnikov in the KHL. So this pool will start seeing its numbers drop as soon as next off-season, followed by a steady exodus as draft rights expire and signed contracts for guys on the Barracua begin to come due.

And the players:

Cagnoni, Luca
LD |5’9, 183 lbs | Born: Dec 21, 2004 (19 years old) | Shoots: L | Hometown: Burnaby, British Columbia

Drafted: 2023, Round 4, 123rd overall

2023-24 stats

Team	GP	G	A	P
Portland Winterhawks (WHL)	65	18	72	90

Rights Status: Signed through the 2026-27 season at a cap hit of $895,000

Notes:

Pick used to select him was acquired from the Seattle Kraken in exchange for Jaycob Megna (the Kraken had previously acquired the pick from Colorado in exchange for Kurtis MacDermid)
Led all WHL defensemen in assists and points in 2023-24

Scouting Report at a glance

Assets:	Excellent hockey IQ and incredibly deft at running an offense with little panic or pressing. Can lead breakouts and navigate the offensive zone with ease, making smart decisions the whole way. Plays with ice in his veins and rarely seems flustered.
Flaws:	Small, awkward skater who moves well, but not well enough to separate himself. Not the strongest defensive player. Is not physical at all, owing to his stature.
Potential:	PP specialist QB and 3rd pairing d-man

Dickinson, Sam
LD | 6’3, 203 lbs | Born: Jun 7, 2006 (18 years old) | Shoots: L | Hometown: Toronto, Ontario

Drafted: 2024, Round 1, 11th overall

2023-24 stats:

Team	GP	G	A	P
London Knights (OHL)	68	18	52	70

Rights Status: Signed through at least the 2026-27 season at a cap hit of $975,000 (contract can slide)

Notes:

Pick used to select him was acquired from the Buffalo Sabres in exchange for 2024 first and second round picks. The first sent to Buffalo was previously acquired from Pittsburgh in the Erik Karlsson trade and was used by the Sabres to select Konsta Helenius. The second round pick was previously acquired from New Jersey in the Timo Meier trade and was used by the Sabres to select Adam Kleber.
Won the 2023-24 OHL championship with the London Knights.
Won a gold medal with Canada at the 2023-24 Hlinka Gretzky Cup
Participated in the 2024 CHL Top Prospects Game.

Scouting Report at a glance

Assets:	Fantastic skater with size and power who possesses a swiss-army-knife toolkit that can adapt to any role or situation. Emerging but tantalizing offensive skill that is capable of quarterbacking powerplays, leading rushes, and bearing down in the offensive zone. Shows strong leadership qualities.
Flaws:	Has faced questions about his overall hockey IQ and is still working on polishing the rough edges of his game. Unrefined product at this point that still has work to do on becoming a finished product
Potential:	Solid top-pairing all-situations minute-munching D and team leader.

"A big-body presence who does a little bit of everything out there. Like if Jonathan Toews was a defenseman. So it's fitting he plays for the alma mater of Toews' running mate, Patrick Kane!"

Furlong, Jake

LD | 6’1, 200 lbs | Born: Mar 4, 2004 (20 years old) | Shoots: L | Hometown: Upper Tantallon, Nova Scotia

Drafted: 2022, Round 5, 140th overall

2023-24 stats

Team	GP	G	A	P
Halifax Mooseheads (QMJHL)	56	3	27	30

Rights Status: Signed through the 2026-27 season with a cap hit of $841,667

Notes:

Pick used to select him was acquired in trade with Minnesota along with Kappo Kahkonen in exchange for Jake Middleton. The pick actually originally belonged to the Sharks and was (as previously noted) dealt to the Wild in 2020 as part of the deal for Devan Dubnyk and a 2022 seventh rounder that became Reese Laubach.
Played for Canada at the 2024 World Juniors.

Scouting Report at a glance

Assets:	Capable all-situations, two-way guy. Can make a first pass to exit the zone. Plays an efficient, no-frills style of game that makes use of smarts and panic-free decision making
Flaws:	Is not a scorer even in junior (often a harbinger of a limited ceiling). May be a jack-of-all-trades, master-of-none type. Has shown some holes in his offensive ability that may limit his growth and future roles.
Potential:	Low-maintenance depth/3rd pairing defender that doesn't stand out, but in a good way.

"A proud Nova Scotian just like Sidney Crosby! He had front seats to the Crosby Show growing up!"

Guryev, Artem
LD |6’4, 220 lbs | Born: May 17, 2003 (21 years old) | Shoots: L | Hometown: Moscow, Russia

Drafted: 2021, Round 5, 135th overall

2023-24 stats

Team	GP	G	A	P
San Jose Barracuda (AHL)	31	2	2	4
Wichita Thunder (ECHL)	9	0	2	2

Rights Status: Signed through the 2025-26 season with a cap hit of $860,000

Notes:

Moved to Canada when he was 12 years old, settling in Toronto and eventually playing in the OHL

Scouting Report at a glance

Assets:	Grinding, physical defender who skates well for his size and loves playing a punishing style.
Flaws:	Sometimes guilty of taking himself out of the play to go for a hit or passing up smarter reads in order to be physical. Is not a high IQ defender even when he does play within the situation. Has little to no offense to speak of
Potential:	situational low-end depth d-man who plays when the team needs more bite.

"Whammo! El Kabong!"

Kashnikov, Yevgeni
LD |6’5, 201 lbs | Born: Dec 25, 2002 (21 years old) | Shoots: L | Hometown: Kursk, Russia

Drafted: 2021, Round 7, 199th overall

2023-24 stats

Team	GP	G	A	P
Nizhnekamsk Neftekhimik (KHL)	65	2	4	6

Rights Status: Unsigned. Due to the lack of a transfer agreement with Russia the Sharks will retain his rights indefinitely.

Notes:

Signed to play for Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg of the KHL for the 2024-25 season
Played 3 seasons in the QMJHL for the Gatineau Olympiques

Scouting Report at a glance

Assets:	Has size and shooting ability from the back end. Has sparingly played some forward at times.
Flaws:	Left North America after his QMJHL run and shows no signs of returning to grind out opportunities in the Sharks system.
Potential:	Depth D lottery ticket who the team will retain the rights on forever thanks to the non-existent transfer agreement.

Mukhamadullin, Shakir
LD |6’4, 190 lbs | Born: Jan 10, 2002 (22 years old) | Shoots: L | Hometown: Ufa, Russia

Acquired in Trade with New Jersey, Feb 26, 2003

2023-24 stats

Team	GP	G	A	P
San Jose Barracuda (AHL)	55	7	27	34
San Jose Sharks (NHL)	3	0	1	1

Rights Status: Signed through the 2024-25 season with a cap hit of $894,167

Notes:

Was acquired from the Devils in the trade that sent Timo Meier to New Jersey
Represented the Barracuda at the 2023-24 AHL All-Star Game
Won a silver medal with Russia at the 2018-19 U18 world juniors
Won a gold medal with Russia at the 2018-19 U17 world juniors
Won a gold medal with Russia at the 2019-20 Hlinka Gretzky Cup
Represented Russia at the 2021 World Juniors

Scouting Report at a glance

Assets:	big, interesting frame, solid enough skater, good shot, offensive drive. Has all the tools to be a stalwart blueliner on an up-and-coming team.
Flaws:	raw, and at times awkward as his play on both sides of the puck remains a work in progress
Potential:	Strong two-way top 4 defenseman

Pulli, Valtteri
LD |6’6, 209 lbs | Born: Mar 13, 2001 (23 years old) | Shoots: L | Hometown: Turku, Finland

Signed as an Undrafted Free Agent on May 3, 2023

2023-24 stats

Team	GP	G	A	P
San Jose Barracuda (AHL)	59	3	7	10

Rights Status: Signed through the 2024-25 season with a cap hit of $950,000

Notes:

Look at the size of him

Scouting Report at a glance

Assets:	Good skater for his size and has shown mild offensive ability while in Finland (the fact that there are pictures of him with a gold helmet during games means that at one point he was TPS' leading scorer during the 22-23 season. Though probably not for long since he finished with just 17 points.)
Flaws:	Was barely an offensive contributor during his first North American season. Already 23 and not having a long and successful track record means that there's not as much runway for him to be more than a depth call-up guy.
Potential:	depth d-man who could get a cup of coffee just to see what he's made of. Could be a "flight risk" who prefers returning to Finland to be an important player over riding the NHL/AHL shuttle

Sahlin Wallenius, Leo
LD | 6’0, 183 lbs | Born: Apr 10, 2006 (18 years old) | Shoots: L | Hometown: Skövde, Sweden

Drafted: 2024, Round 2, 53rd overall

2023-24 stats

Team	GP	G	A	P
Vaxjo Lakers HC J20 (Swe Jr)	43	11	31	42

Rights Status: Unsigned. Sharks must sign by June 1, 2028 to retain his rights beyond that date.

Notes:

Pick used to select him was acquired from Detroit along with Jake Walman for future considerations
Won a bronze medal with Sweden at the 2023-24 U18 world juniors
Named the top defenseman in the Swedish J20 Nationell league for 2023-24.
Led the J20 Nationell league in assists by a defenseman in 2023-24.
Vaxjo has loaned him to the Nybro Vikings of the HockeyAllsvenskan for the 2023-24 season

Scouting Report at a glance

Assets:	Great skater. Has pro caliber hands and vision and good all-around skill. Is considered a high floor guy.
Flaws:	Has not rocketed up the Swedish development tree and doesn't have significant SHL time yet. Offensive tools are there, but are not considered sufficient to carry him at the pro level.
Potential:	project defender with top-4 upside but a ways to go before he gets there.

Now we shift to the other side of the ice, examining the right-shot D

Much like the left side, the right-handed D have mostly come in the last couple of years, as 9 of the 10 RD the team has were acquired between 2022 and now and mostly through the draft. 80% of RHD were selected by the Sharks in the last 4 entry drafts. The only exceptions are the one guy acquired in trade (Jack Thompson) and the man, the myth, the legend, and the waiver claim: Ty Emberson. But unlike the LD there are no undrafted players in the group and every single one of them was selected at some point in a draft.

Unlike the LD side, there are few high picks in the RD pipeline. There are no first round picks and only Mattias Havelid was selected in round 2. In fact it's the 5th round that is responsible for more of the positional influx than anywhere else in the draft as 4 guys have been selected in the 5th round over the last 2 drafts (2 each in 2024 and 2023.

Like with the LD side this is a fairly stout group plus one outlier. As Luca Cagnoni was on the left side, Mattias Havelid is on the right, standing at 5'9 (meaning the only two 5'9 players in the system are both blueliners) and weighing just 165 pounds. Eric Pohlkamp is the only other guy under 6 feet, but he's a fire hydrant on skates. Everyone else stands at least 6'1 and all are at or above 185 pounds.

There to drag the average up is the probably-no-future monster Eli Barnett at 6'6 and like 217 pounds, but even if we set him aside as a likely non-tender candidate in a few years this is a group marked by its size and in many cases its skating as the team tries to build a big, rangey, mobile defensive corps.

This is a young group with 8 of the 10 guys coming in at 20 or younger. A couple of minor pro veterans bolster things and could make an impact with the Sharks sooner rather than later, but it's that up-and-coming group of youngsters that could shape the future of the back end for San Jose.

Oh wow. Every right-handed d-man is right-handed! What a twist!

This might be the least Eurocentric group in the system with just 2 Swedes in amongst 8 North Americans. Canada represents heavily at half the 10-man pool with a trio of Americans taking that silver medal.

The two Swedish blueliners are the Euro-trained slice of the pie, and everyone else spreads out to cover all the other options with 3 in the college or Jr A/B ranks, a pair of CHLers, a pair of AHLers, and Noted Prospect™ Ty Emberson likely to return to the Sharks roster this season.

Without any Russians there are no indefinite-rights guys in the group, and thanks to the trio of college guys this set sees a pretty steady progression to rights expiring over the next 4 years where the pool bottoms out in 2028 (though not really because there are certainly additions along the way.)

Now on to the players:

Barnett, Eli
RD | 6’6, 218 lbs | Born: Sept 16, 2003 (20 years old) | Shoots: R | Hometown: Riverview, New Brunswick

Drafted: 2022, Round 7, 195th overall

2023-24 stats

Team	GP	G	A	P
University of Vermont (NCAA)	24	0	5	5

Rights Status: Unsigned. Must be signed by August 15, 2027 for the Sharks to retain his rights beyond that date.

Notes:

Pick used to select him was acquired from the Arizona Coyotes along with Adin Hill in exchange for Josef Korenar and a second round pick in the 2022 draft (which Arizona used to select Julian Lutz)
Look at the size of him
You just know this was a Tim Burke pick.

Scouting Report at a glance

Assets:	Massive size and borderline acceptable skating ability
Flaws:	Less than zero offensive skill. Has not appeared to develop in any meaningful way since being drafted. Is essentially a player out of time, being the sort of hulking tree trunk of blueliner you would've expected teams to spend 2nd and 3rd round picks on in the early 2000s.
Potential:	forgettable minor-pro physical defender at best. Non-tender candidate at worst.

Fisher, Michael
RD | 6’2, 194 lbs | Born: May 2, 2004 (20 years old) | Shoots: R | Hometown: Westborough, Massachusetts

Drafted: 2022, Round 3, 76th overall

2023-24 stats

Northeastern University

29

1

2

Rights Status: Unsigned. The sharks presumably should have until August 15, 2028 to sign him in order to retain his rights. But see below for more about that. Maybe.

Notes:

For reasons I can’t explain or find more information on, as of early June 2024, Fisher has signed to play the 2024-25 season with the Penticton Vees of the BCHL. Yes, he has stepped back from NCAA hockey in order to play in a league that is normally meant for players whose future goals are to play in the NCAA. Is he intending to return to another university in 25-26? Was he just so bad that they basically told him someone better was taking his spot? Who knows!

Scouting Report at a glance

Assets:	A long-term US high school project with size, skating, and potential skill. Has a strong shot that can beat goalies clean.
Flaws:	A knee injury cost him most of his D+1 season. Lacks overall standout skill and shows slow IQ/processing to make use of his skating and offensive opportunities. Is leaving college to join the BCHL for 24-25, which is a baffling move from a developmental standpoint.
Potential:	long-term developmental lottery ticket, but needs to start showing positive development soon or risk being left behind.

Hävelid, Mattias
RD | 5’10, 176 lbs | Born: Jan 1, 2004 (20 years old) | Shoots: R | Hometown: Täby, Sweden

Drafted: 2022, Round 2, 45th overall

2023-24 stats:

Team	GP	G	A	P
Linköping HC (SHL)	43	2	10	12
Linköping HC J20 (Swe Jr)	2	1	1	2

Rights Status: Unsigned. Sharks have until June 1, 2026 to sign him to retain his rights beyond this date.

Notes:

Pick used to acquire him was acquired from the Arizona Coyotes along with a 2022 first round pick and 2022 second round pick (which were used to select Filip Bystedt and Cam Lund) in exchange for a different 2022 first round pick (The Coyotes used it to pick Conor Geekie)
Son of former NHL defenseman Niclas Havelid

Scouting Report at a glance

Assets:	Capable all-around player who can play on both sides of the pick and thinks the game well. Strong wrister that can score or set up offensive chances for others.
Flaws:	Small defender who lacks a single standout skill and thus is somewhat limited in his ceiling.
Potential:	3rd pairing defender who leans slightly to the offensive/PP specialist side of the scale, or AAAA type guy who gets call-ups but doesn't stick.

"His dad Nicolas played for AIK in Sweden, so he faced teams like Leksands! And Luelea! And Sodertalje. Everyone but Skelleftea!"

Landén, Axel
RD |6’1, 194 lbs | Born: Mar 29, 2005 (19 years old) | Shoots: R | Hometown: Jönköping, Sweden

Drafted: 2023, Round 5, 130th overall

2023-24 stats

Team	GP	G	A	P
HV71 (SHL)	35	0	0	0
HV71 J20 (J20 Nationell)	20	1	11	12

Rights Status: Unsigned. Sharks have until Jun 1, 2027 to sign him in order to retain his rights beyond that date.

Notes:

Pick used to select him was acquired from the Columbus Blue Jackets for a different 2022 fifth round pick (the Blue Jackets used it to select Sergei Ivanov)
Captained the HV71 J20 team for 23-24.
Won a bronze medal at the 2020-21 TV-Pucken tournament
Won a silver medal with Sweden at the 2022-23 Hlinka Gretzky Cup
Won a silver medal with Sweden at the 2022-23 U18 world juniors

Scouting Report at a glance

Assets:	Shows capable transition skills, getting the puck out of his zone. Plays an effective risk/reward swashbuckling defensive style to disrupt and tie up offensive players. Has some physical edge to him.
Flaws:	His style of play can lead to him getting beaten by sufficiently skilled opponents. Is an acceptable skater but not a particularly great one. not much of a shooter and will likely not be a focal point offensively.
Potential:	workable depth d-man

Laroque, Gannon
RD |6’2, 201 lbs | Born: Aug 20, 2003 (20 years old) | Shoots: R | Hometown: Edmonton, Alberta

Drafted: 2021, Round 4, 103rd overall

2023-24 stats

Team	GP	G	A	P
San Jose Barracuda (AHL)	9	1	1	2
Wichita Thunder (ECHL)	9	0	2	2

Rights Status: Signed through the 2025-26 season at a cap hit of $836,667

Notes:

It’s dangerous to go alone, take this.
Captained the Victoria Royals in 2022-23
Was a teammate of new fellow sharks Prospect Nate Misskey on the Victoria Royals from 2021 to 2023

Scouting Report at a glance

Assets:	Plays a smart game and works within his skill set, not doing too much or putting him in trouble. Strong passer.
Flaws:	Has seen his development derailed by injuries and an inability to find consistency. Was never fleet of foot to begin with, so multiple lower body injuries have depleted his already underwhelming mobility
Potential:	Lottery ticket depth defender with zone breakout ability but a big mountain to climb in order to get back on track.

Misskey, Nate
RD | 6’4, 209 lbs | Born: Jan 12, 2005 (19 years old) | Shoots: R | Hometown: Melfort, Saskatchewan

Drafted: 2024, Round 5, 143rd overall

2023-24 stats

Team	GP	G	A	P
Victoria Royals (WHL)	44	7	27	34

Rights Status: Unsigned. Sharks have until June 1, 2026 to sign him in order to retain his rights beyond that date.

Notes:

Pick used to select him was acquired from the Pittsburgh Penguins for D Tony Sund (yes, really. This was not part of a bigger deal. It was just Sund for a 5th and Sund still has never left Europe)
Was teammates with fellow Sharks prospect Gannon Laroque from 2021 to 2023.

Scouting Report at a glance

Assets:	Physical, punishing defender who isn't afraid to step up to attacking forwards and separate them from the puck. Has good size for the position and uses his reach to defend well. Doesn't panic even with the puck on his stick
Flaws:	His lack of panic can become a lack of urgency. Offensive skill is present but is not a big part of his pro upside.
Potential:	Low-maintenance bottom pairing defensive defender who at least doesn't handle the puck like a grenade.

Pohlkamp, Eric
RD |5’11, 205 lbs | Born: Mar 23, 2004 (20 years old) | Shoots: R | Hometown: Baxter, Minnesota

Drafted: 2023, Round 5, 132nd overall

2023-24 stats

Team	GP	G	A	P
Bemidji State University (NCAA)	32	11	13	24

Rights Status: Unsigned. Sharks have until August 15, 2027 to sign him to retain his rights beyond this date.

Notes:

Is transferring to the University of Denver for the 2024-25 season.
Participated in the 2024 World Juniors with Team USA

Scouting Report at a glance

Assets:	Possesses a booming shot. Has some physical bite to him and can lay a good hit.
Flaws:	Slightly undersized for someone who wants to play a physical game. Mobile enough, but not particularly nimble.
Potential:	Tantalizing depth defenseman option with potential upward trajectory of he can improve his mobility.

Roberts, Colton
RD |6’4, 205 lbs | Born: Jun 8, 2006 (18 years old) | Shoots: R | Hometown: Maple Ridge, British Columbia

Drafted: 2024, Round 5, 131st overall

2023-24 stats

Team	GP	G	A	P
Vancouver Giants (WHL)	62	7	20	27

Rights Status: Unsigned. Sharks have until Jun 1, 2026 to sign him in order to retain his rights beyond this date.

Notes:

Pick used to select him was acquired from Calgary in exchange for D Nikita Okhotiuk.
Played in the 2024 CHL Top Prospects Game, recording 2 assists
Was the second leading scorer among defensemen on the Vancouver Giants (trailing only undrafted 18 year old Mazden Leslie)
Nem is quite happy to have a local prospect to watch again. Hope he turns out better than Tyson Sexsmith.

Scouting Report at a glance

Assets:	Tall, rangey, mobile defender who can close gaps and stick with attacking forwards. Has good physical tools and tested well at the combine. Flashes skill with outlet passes and activating in the offensive zone.
Flaws:	His reads on both side of the puck are a work in progress. Questions remain as to whether or not his offense will progress to the point of pro viability. If he were to be a defense-first blueliner he would need to tighten up his coverage and skillset.
Potential:	#4-6 defender with solid skill but inconsistent results.

Thompson, Jack
RD |6’1, 185 lbs | Born: Mar 19, 2002 (22 years old) | Shoots: R | Hometown: Courtice, Ontario

Acquired in trade: March 7, 2024 from Tampa Bay

2023-24 stats

Team	GP	G	A	P
Syracuse Crunch (AHL)	46	5	27	32
San Jose Barracuda (AHL)	16	1	8	9
San Jose Sharks (NHL)	2	0	0	0
Tampa Bay Lightning (NHL)	1	0	0	0

Rights Status: Signed through July 1, 2025 with a cap hit of $828,333

Notes:

Sharks acquired him along with a third round pick in the 2024 draft (later traded to New Jersey in the deal for the third round pick used to select Carson Wetsch) from the Tampa Bay Lightning in exchange for Anthony Duclair and a sixth round pick in 2025
Tampa Bay originally drafted him in round three, 93rd overall, in the 2020 draft.
Participated in the 2019-20 CHL Top Prospects Game
Won a gold medal with Canada at the 2022 World Juniors.
Led the OHL in goals by a defenseman for the 2021-22 season.

Scouting Report at a glance

Assets:	Possesses a good shot and offensive acumen from the blueline and has traditionally been a solid scoring D with PP ability in junior and the AHL. But is also developing some defensive responsibility and PK potential
Flaws:	There is inconsistent reaction to his skating ability, ranging from having good speed and mobility to it not being his strong suit. There are also questions about his hockey IQ and decision making that might hold him back
Potential:	second pairing defenseman and PP QB who doesn't need to be sheltered too much.

Below in the spoiler tag is the holdover info for departed d-man prospects, which at this point is just Emberson:

Emberson, Ty

RD | 6’1, 193 lbs | Born: May 23, 2000 (24 years old) | Shoots: R | Hometown: Eau Claire, Wisconsin

Claimed off Waivers from the New York Rangers on September 30, 2023

2023-24 stats

Team	GP	G	A	P
San Jose Sharks (NHL)	30	1	9	10

Rights Status: Signed through the 2024-25 season with a cap hit of $950,000. NOTE – Emberson must appear in at least 50 games during the 24-25 season otherwise he will be a Group VI Unrestricted Free Agent at the conclusion of his current contract.

Notes:

I don’t care if he shouldn’t count as a prospect. He’s under 25 and has played less than 40 games in the NHL. He meets the criteria, so he goes here. If you don’t like it then you can make your own lengthy prospect thread full of graphics and additional information. So there.
Oh and he also won a silver medal with Team USA at the 2017-18 U18 world juniors.
And he was drafted by the Arizona Coyotes in the third round, 73rd overall, in the 2018 draft.

Scouting Report at a glance

Assets:	Has already shown himself to be NHL-capable in his pre-injury play last season. Plays a controlled game that is effective if not flashy. Is under 25 and has played less than 40 games SO HE COUNTS TOWARDS THIS LIST.
Flaws:	Is old by prospect pool standards. Tops out as a capable but not flashy blueliner who is best when you don't notice him so his upside is not as high as other (younger) guys on this list.
Potential:	NHL ready 4/5 defender.

The Nemesis · Jul 30, 2024

With just 4 goalies in the pipeline it was a pretty quick and straightforward to fill those ranks, especially when two of them are fresh from the most recent entry draft. Romanov, the oldest of the group (and any prospect) was signed during 2023 as a free agent from Russia, and the longest-tenured member of the quartet, Chrona, was a trade deadline pickup to help the Lightning shore up their defensive depth.

Goalies are voodoo and the high risk in their development probably shows up in the fact that of the 3 goaltenders in the system who were drafted, all were picked in the back half of their respective drafts (and Romanov wasn't picked at all). It's been a while since the team has had a marquee goalie prospect, but they've also historically shied away from the top names in the goalie prospect realm (the Sharks have never drafted a netminder earlier than the 3rd round.

Well they may not like hyped early goalies, but they certainly like big goalies. All 4 tenders check in at no less than 6'2, and only the very young and slight Korostelyov tips the scales at less than 190 lbs. Time will tell if it's a winning formula or not, but it appears that size does matter between the pipes for the Sharks.

This is what you get when you have two freshly drafted goalies and two guys who were acquired much later in their development cycle. Kirsch and Korostelyov are at the youngest end of the spectrum while Chrona is set to turn 24 in August of this year (we'll see if I update the graph then) and Romanov is about 6 months from aging out of prospect status on his 25th birthday.

Unlike stick handedness, goalie catching handedness seems like it tends to go hand-in-hand (heh) with a person's actaul dominant hand. Just like with baseball glove it seems that most kids catch with their off hand and hold the stick in their dominant hand. So right-catching goalies (who would be more likely to be naturally left-hand dominant) tend to be somewhat of a unicorn in the pro ranks. That makes Romanov a fun little quirk of the system as the only goalie in the Shark ranks to use the mirrored setup.

With Romanov on the Barracuda and Korostelyov fresh off the draft board, Russians dominate the goaltending ranks here, forming half of the total goalie pool. Meanwhile this is the only position on the team that is entirely European wiith the Swiss-born Kirsch and Swedish Chrona rounding things out now that the team has relinquished the rights to 2022 goalie draft pick (and Canadian) Mason Beaupit. The sharks have always been known more for European goalies, but they often supplemented their draft finds with undrafted FA goalies like Thomas Heemskerk and JP Anderson, so I'd be hard pressed to remember the last time the prospect pool in the crease featured no Americans or Canadians.

Two Cuda goalies and two fresh draft picks are pretty easy to sort out when it comes to development track. But what's that college path doing there when this is a fully Euro pool? Christian Kirsch is headed from the Zug junior system in Switzerland to the USHL for 24-25 before suiting up for UMass in 25-26, so his quirky track as a European born, collegiate-trained goalie throws a bit of a curveball into the pool.

All 4 goalies are set for the coming season, but then things start to fall off. Both pro goalies are only under contract for this coming season, so barring one of Chrona or Romanov re-signing they are going to need to re-stock the Barracuda heading into 25-26. Meanwhile Kirsch's college route buys him some time compared to the normal runway for drafted Euro goalies and Korostelyov is in the system forever unless the team signs him or cuts him loose.

Askarov, Yaroslav
G | 6’4, 179 lbs | Born: Jun 16, 2002 (22 years old) | Catches: R | Hometown: Omsk, Russia

Acquired via Trade: August 23, 2024 from Nashville

2023-24 stats:

Team	GP	Record	GAA	Sv%
Milwaukee Admirals (AHL)	44	30-13-1	2.39	0.911
Nashville Predators (NHL)	1	1-0-0	1.47	0.943

Rights Status: Signed through the 2024-25 season with a cap hit of $925,000. Then he begins an extension signed with San Jose that runs through the 2026-27 season with a cap hit of $2,000,000

Notes:

Acquired from the Predators along with Nolan Burke and a 2025 3rd round pick in the trade that sent out Magnus Chrona, David Edstrom, and a conditional 2025 1st round pick formerly belonging to Vegas (see Nolan Burke's notes for more info)
Originally drafted by Nashville in the first round, 11th overall in the 2020 draft
Was the highest drafted goalie in the NHL draft since 2010 when Jack Campbell was also picked 11th overall. A goalie hasn't been selected higher than 11th overall since Carey Price was chosen 5th overall in 2005.
Developed in the SKA St. Petersburg organization in the VHL, MHL, and KHL.
Won a bronze with Russia at the 2018-19 Hlinka Gretzky Cup and a silver medal in the same year's U18 WJCs
Won a Gold at the 2019-20 Hlinka Gretzky Cup and a World Junior (U20) silver medal.
Was an AHL All-Star in 2022-23 and 2023-24
Is a right-catching goalie, making him a rarity like Georgi Romanov

Scouting Report at a glance

Assets:	Has fantastic size for the position and outstanding athleticism and explosiveness, especially for that size. Is capable of using his athleticism and instincts to bail himself out of tough positions or make second-chance saves. Is excellent at reaction saves and desparation situations. Capable of stealing away goals and games from the opposition. Can look unbeatable when he gets on a hot streak
Flaws:	Has had issues with his glove hand and being beaten high over it. His athleticism can make him jittery or scrambly at times. Has been dogged by issues and criticisms about his temper and self-control, including on-ice altercations and showboating and off-ice friction with the Predators. Is a bit streaky.
Potential:	Has all the tools to be a franchise caliber, elite goalie if he can smooth out the rough edges. Is probably still a capable NHLer in some capacity even if he's held back by his flaws.

Krisch, Christian
G |6’4, 192 lbs | Born: Jun 18, 2006 (18 years old) | Catches: L | Hometown: Therwil, Switzerland

Drafted: 2024, Round 4, 116th overall

2023-24 stats

Team	GP	Record	GAA	Sv%
Zug U20 (Swi Jr)	30	22-5-1	2.23	???

Rights Status: Unsigned. Must be signed by June 1, 2028 for the Sharks to retain his rights beyond that date.

Notes:

Pick used to select him was acquired from Vegas in exchange for Adin Hill
Will play for the Green Bay Gamblers in the 2024-25 season.
Expected to join the University of Massachusetts for the 2025-26 season.

Scouting Report at a glance

Assets:	Has pro size and excellent athleticism and competitiveness. Will likely get lots of high end international exposure as part of Team Switzerland. Considered to have solid fundamentals, especially in the butterfly.
Flaws:	Is a little lean for a 6'4 frame and will need to bulk up. Isn't always as sharp as needed in the crease, but that could be him still needing to grow into his body. Inconsistent performances on big stages has led to losses and bad goals against, which will need to be ironed out as he develops.
Potential:	Interesting long-term developmental project with starter upside.

"He's going to play for a quality program at UMass just like NHL goalie Matt Murray. No. Not that one. The other one."

Korostelyov, Yaroslav
G | 6’2, 168 lbs | Born: Aug 7, 2005 (18 years old) | Catches: L | Hometown: St. Petersburg, Russia

Drafted: 2024, Round 7, 194th overall

2023-24 stats:

Team	GP	Record	GAA	Sv%
SKA-Yunior Krasnogorsk (MHL)	16	8-8-0	3.07	0.931
SKA-1946 St. Petersburg (MHL)	6	4-0-2	2.16	0.936

Rights Status: Unsigned. Due to the lack of transfer agreement between Russia and the NHL the Sharks will hold his rights indefinitely until he signs a contract

Notes:

Not much to speak of. He's something of an unknown quantity, though the Sharks insist he was one of the top 2 or 3 goalies on their draft board.

Scouting Report at a glance

Assets:	Had a solid MHL campaign. At 6'2 he has adequate size for the position.
Flaws:	Has previously dealt with injuries that cost him development time. Is a bit of an enigma at this point.
Potential:	Who knows. Without significant exposure and the voodoo nature of goalie prospects, it's hard to say what he is at this point. He could be anything from a future reliable starter to a total non-factor.

Romanov, Georgi
G |6’5, 207 lbs | Born: Dec 15, 1999 (24 years old) | Catches: R | Hometown: Yekaterinburg, Russia

Signed as Undrafted Free Agent on May 3, 2023

2023-24 stats

Team	GP	Record	GAA	Sv%
San Jose Barracuda (AHL)	29	9-9-8	3.14	0.904
Wichita Thunder (ECHL)	7	3-3-1	4.00	0.870
San Jose Sharks (NHL)	2	0-0-0	1.01	0.967

Rights Status: Signed through 2024-25 season with a cap hit of $910,000

Notes:

Not sure what to note about him, he was a total unknown when he was signed.

Scouting Report at a glance

Assets:	Didn't look too awful in his brief NHL call-up. Is a right-catching goalie which makes him a fun oddity (even if it doesn't give him any sort of advantage)
Flaws:	Doesn't have the strongest track record, having spent most of his time in Russia over the last 5 years in the VHL (essentially Russia's AHL to the KHL's NHL) doesn't really scream confidence in his potential. He is by far the oldest goalie in the pool and is the oldest prospect overall as well, and will age out of consideration by our criteria in December.
Potential:	stopgap goalie until the next wave of prospects arrive, with an outside chance to be something interesting.

Here's the repository for departed goalie prospects. which is just Magnus Chrona at the moment

Chrona, Magnus
G | 6’6, 216 lbs | Born: Aug 28, 2000 (23 years old) | Catches: L | Hometown: Skellefteå, Sweden

Acquired via Trade: April 12, 2021 from Tampa Bay

2023-24 stats:

Team	GP	Record	GAA	Sv%
San Jose Barracuda (AHL)	31	6-17-6	3.49	0.894
San Jose Sharks (NHL)	9	1-6-1	4.71	0.859
Wichita Thunder (ECHL)	6	0-1-1	2.94	0.940

Rights Status: Signed through the 2024-25 season with a cap hit of $867,500

Notes:

Acquired in Trade from the Lightning for Fredrik Claesson
Originally drafted by Tampa Bay in the fifth round, 152nd overall in the 2018 draft
Played 4 years at the University of Denver
Won the 2021-22 NCAA championship and was named to the all-tournament team
Was the 2022-23 NCHC conference goaltender of the year

Scouting Report at a glance

Assets:	Has size and positional awareness
Flaws:	Is not super athletic. His similarity to Martin Jones may trigger PTSD for Sharks fans.
Potential:	Unexciting starter or platoon NHL goalie or very good backup.

"Skellefteå!!!!"

The Nemesis · Jul 30, 2024

Reserved for another project that I may do soon. we'll see.

The Nemesis · Jul 31, 2024

Me on draft day: "I'll bet I can knock out a fun new prospect thread in a couple of weeks."

Me, a month later: "What was I thinking?!?!?!?!" *curls up in the fetal position and sobs uncontrollably.*

There are probably errors in here, but after a month of making most of the graphics at least 3x apiece and staring at all the written content for hours on end until words stop looking like words, I can't see it. Point out anything wrong that you find and I'll promise that if I have a meltdown it won't be directed at you.

Shark Finn · Jul 31, 2024

sampler · Jul 31, 2024

Wow, this is great! Thanks!

Also: I predict Eric pohkcap will be a top pairing nhl Dman shortly. I know all the talk is on dickinskon and mukh, for good reason, but pohlcamp is going to be a star.

If given the chance, i expect hell explode in denver. hes 5'11'" but built like a tank at 205. he roigh and tumble, pretty damn fast, has a great shot. he was arguably the beat D in USHL.he has no brand name but he Uber competitive. I honestly could see him be an NHL all star in 3-4 years. I am very excited to see how he does in Denver and i have him penciled into the 2024-25 lineup.

The Nemesis · Jul 31, 2024

Shark Finn said:
View attachment 898255

This is very much definition 1c: Nonrecurring. :sarcasm:

I'll try my best to keep things updated for as long as I can, but I don't know if I'll ever be able to do something like this again unless I have like 4 months of runway to do it.

tiburon12 · Jul 31, 2024

Summer, you get an A-plus and 50 gold stars.

The School of Rock (2003) clip with quote Summer, you get an A-plus and 50 gold stars. Yarn is the best search for video clips by quote. Find the exact moment in a TV show, movie, or music video you want to share. Easily move forward or backward to get to the perfect clip.

getyarn.io

RussianShark · Jul 31, 2024

first time hearing about Mitchell Russell, indeed

Tw1ster · Jul 31, 2024

Great job putting this together. Looks like it took a crazy amount of work. Also kudos to Wendy’s for the sponsorship

matt trick · Jul 31, 2024

Wow, amazing! Can you summarise it one post for the lazy? Kidding!

The placement of "dogging" and "raw" on the Quentin Musty section caught my eye. Man, Nem went deep on this, but it seems it was my eyes that weren't working!

Phenomenal stuff Nem!

Barrie22 · Jul 31, 2024

6 long posts of long analysis, who has that kind of time to read. Needs a summary post for the lazy lol

one2gamble · Jul 31, 2024

this is amazing and clearly a ton of work.

LadyStanley · Jul 31, 2024

https://x.com/i/web/status/1818655863886037007

Used As A Shield · Jul 31, 2024

Wow, incredible presentation.

Patty Ice · Jul 31, 2024

Well done!

That must have been time consuming so I'm not going to hold it against you if it's not constantly updated

The Nemesis · Jul 31, 2024

Barrie22 said:
6 long posts of long analysis, who has that kind of time to read. Needs a summary post for the lazy lol

Nobody said You have to read it all at once.

LadyStanley said:
https://x.com/i/web/status/1818655863886037007

Fantastic. Didn't even make it 12 hours before it became outdated. :laugh:

I'll start making the adjustments but will wait to post them until there's an official confirmation about him joining Saginaw (from the chl/spirit of a news source. Something more than just reports that he plans to join the team.

Hodge · Jul 31, 2024

This is Emil Galimov erasure.

Alaskanice · Jul 31, 2024

I’m pleased we don’t have to worry so much about his desire to come here.

The Nemesis · Jul 31, 2024

One thing I forgot to put into the pool and positional overview material (yes, I actually forgot material, there was more stuff than what I posted :laugh:

)

The minimums, maximums, and averages for the basic bio info in the pool.

All Prospects

	Min	Max	Avg
Height	5'9 (Cagnoni & Havelid)	6'6 (Pulli & Chrona)	about 6'1 3/4
Weight	154 lbs (Muldowney)	220 lbs (Guryev)	193.4 lbs
Age	18.13 yrs (Kirsch)	24.6 yrs (Romanov)	20.9 yrs

Centers

	Min	Max	Avg
Height	5'10 (Bordeleau & Jacobsson)	6'4 (Bystedt)	Just under 6'1
Weight	170 lbs (Laubach)	208 lbs (Svoboda)	187.9 lbs
Age	18.15 yrs (Celebrini)	23.5 yrs (Spiridonov)	20.7 yrs

Left Wings

	Min	Max	Avg
Height	6'2 (Musty)	6'4 (Afanasyev)	6'3
Weight	200 (Musty)	211 (Afanasyev)	205
Age	18.7 (Chernyshov)	23.5 (Afanasyev)	20.43

Right Wings

	Min	Max	Avg
Height	5'10 (Gushchin)	6'4 (Coe)	6'0 3/4
Weight	154 lbs (Muldowney)	215 lbs (Halttunen)	188.5 lbs
Age	18.3 yrs (Wetsch)	23.4 yrs (Russell)	21.33 yrs

Left D

	Min	Max	Avg
Height	5'9 (Cagnoni)	6'6 (Pulli)	6'2 1/2
Weight	183 lbs (Cagnoni)	220 lbs (Guryev)	198.6 lbs
Age	18.2 yrs (Dickinson)	23.4 yrs (Pulli)	20.7 yrs

Right D

	Min	Max	Avg
Height	5'9 (Havelid)	6'6 (Barnett)	about 6'1 3/4
Weight	165 (Havelid)	218 (Barnett)	196.9
Age	18.2 (Roberts)	24.2 (Emberson)	20.7

Goalies

	Min	Max	Avg
Height	6'2 (Korostelyov)	6'6 (Chrona)	6'4
Weight	168 lbs (Korostelyov)	216 lbs (Chrona)	195.7 lbs
Age	18.13 (Kirsch)	24.6 (Romanov)	21.4

Ranking each stat by their respective averages, the positions stack up as:

Height (Tallest to shortest): G -> LW -> LD -> RW -> RD -> C
Weight (Heaviest to lightest): LW -> LD -> RD -> G -> RW -> C
Age (Oldest to Youngest): G -> RW -> RD -> LD -> C -> LW

slocal · Jul 31, 2024

This is absolutely stupendous! I'm going to be poring over this thread for quite some time. Thank you so much, Nem!

Prospect Info: Sharks Prospect Info & Discussion Megathread XXI: "New, improved, and wayyyy too much info" Edition

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