Mike Grier’s drafting propelling Sharks to certain future

The San Jose Sharks have ranked last in the NHL for two straight seasons. They’ve allowed the most goals-against (1,495) and scored the second-fewest goals-for (1,051) of the 2020s. And yet, it’s hard to imagine the Sharks’ headed towards anything other than an exciting, and profitable, future. 

With the help of the draft lottery, San Jose has built out a prospect pool that not only sits atop the league, but truly stands apart as well-crafted, high-performing, and set for cohesion at the NHL level.

That’s a fairly easy feat to pull off for a team that’s landed talent as prolific as William Eklund, Macklin Celebrini and Will Smith. The trio have already emerged as prolific NHL scorers. Eklund reached the dazzling 40-assist mark as a 21-year-old this season. He was helped mightily along by Celebrini, who led the team in scoring with 25 goals and 63 points despite missing 12 games. That mark stands as the second-most from a Sharks rookie this century, behind Logan Couture’s 65-point rookie year. Smith ranks third on that list with 18 goals and 45 points this season.

Those three will serve as the cornerstones of San Jose’s offense moving forward. Given how great the Sharks' starts have been, it’s hard to imagine the talent set to join them. San Jose landed OHL exception-status star Michael Misa with the No. 2 pick this season, following a season where he led the OHL in scoring with 62 goals and 134 points in 65 games. It was a finish in the realm of former OHL greats like Patrick Kane, John Tavares and Steven Stamkos. 

Misa has long been considered a superstar in his age group, and seems to have well outgrown the junior flight with his performance this season. With a hefty frame, pro-level skating and a clear scoring knack — it seems well possible that he could push into the NHL as soon as next season.

San Jose had plenty of time to watch Misa as he faced off against a string of their top prospects this season. Winger Kasper Halttunen shined through as a strong, persistent sniper sat on top of the London Knights offense. He finished the regular season with 21 goals and 41 points in 38 games, then ramped to 15 goals and 21 points in 17 playoff games en route to an OHL and Memorial Cup championship. 

He was physically imposing, with the boost of tons of finesse on the puck and a killer wrist-shot. Those same descriptors could apply to Quentin Musty, who scored 30 goals and 59 points in 33 games with the Sudbury Wolves across the league.

San Jose also laid claim to another bruting OHL winger in Igor Chernyshov, who racked up an incredible 19 goals and 55 points in just 23 games playing opposite of Misa.

All three wingers seem to offer the hefty physicality and hard shot to compliment the nimble skill of players like Celebrini and Smith. If they can’t, San Jose has plenty more productive scorers rounding out its forward pool – players like Cameron Lund, Collin Graf and Joey Muldowney.

While that list, and many more, fall into place on offense — the defense already seems to sit in the hands of Sam Dickinson. He won the OHL’s Max Kaminsky ’Defense of the Year’ Trophy with a lofty 29 goals and 91 points in just 55 games this season. He was electric in all aspects, showing the physical fundamentals to dominate the defensive zone and the all-out confidence to dominate on offense. Dickinson will also have a clear path to make the NHL roster out of training camp, helped along by the recent trade of Henry Thrun.