Roaring Rookie Showcase

Yesterday the San Jose Sharks wrapped up a dominant Rookie Showcase, much to the excitement of fans.  Undefeated in the showcase, the young Sharks took a commanding 8-1 lead over the Los Angeles Kings rookies and won against the Utah rookies 3-1.  Excitement is mounting, and rightfully so, as the Sharks continue to build towards something special. 

Unsurprisingly this year’s second overall draft pick, Ivar Stenberg, was incredible.  In his first appearance in a game in the teal sweater, he scored two goals playing on a line with Michael Misa and Igor Chernyshov against the Los Angeles Kings rookies.  While he was spectacular and his fantastic vision was on full display, he could stand to simplify his game a bit.  There were a few times where his immense skill got in his own way, but his puck movement was still a major positive.  Plus, his excitement to be in North America was palpable.  With fighting not allowed in Sweden, he was visibly pumped up watching his teammates defend each other.

One player, in particular, took his role of defending his teammates very seriously.  Big bad 7-foot-one inch Moldovan defenseman Alexander Karmanov was a menace on the ice.  Although his size very much slows him down, he moves relatively well considering his size and his willingness to defend his teammates is admirable.  All in all, he was incredibly entertaining to watch.

Many of the young players were fun to watch, and some were pleasantly surprising.  Specifically, Carson Wetsch and Andrea Gasseau left an impact in their first appearances.  Playing on the same line, Wetsch recorded 4 points (2G, 2A) in the first matchup while Gasseau notched 3 (2G, 1A). Westch, drafted 82nd overall in 2024, had higher expectations and definitely surpassed them.  Gasseau, on the other hand, is not so highly touted so his performance was all the more impressive.  Drafted 213 overall by the Boston Bruins in 2021, Gasseau’s career has not been particularly remarkable.  However, he has clear leadership qualities, evident in his wearing the “C” for Boston College.  Having graduated from Boston College this summer, the Bruins lost their rights to him and he signed a contract with the Sharks.  While it’s unlikely he’ll make appearances in the NHL, he’s definitely still valuable to have in the system especially with his quick shot.

Like Gasseau, the local San Jose kid Jake Gustafson was also surprising in the best way possible.  Gustafson, drafted 174th overall in this year’s draft, played on a line with Gasseau and Wetsch in both games.  Against the Mammoth’s rookies, Gustafson was instrumental to the win scoring 2 out of the 3 goals scored by the Sharks in the game.  However, much like Gasseau it’s probably unlikely he’ll make NHL appearances but his value is not lost on the Barracuda. 

While many people were justifiably excited about Stenberg, who did not disappoint, excitement also mounted around Quentin Musty and Filip Bystedt.  Both forwards had breakout seasons in the AHL last year, and both are ready to make the jump to the NHL.  However, although he scored a goal in the first game, Bystedt sustained an injury that prevented him from playing in the second matchup.  Seemingly being regularly evaluated on a day-to-day basis, there is still hope for a Bystedt appearance.  Musty himself was injured before the second game, but managed to not only play but also score the third and final goal of the game.  With Musty’s physical prowess and Bystedt’s speed, it’s clear both their skill levels are up to par with earning a spot on an NHL roster.

The only disappointment of the showcase, though, may be the lack of Leo Sahlin-Wallenius.  While there is reasonable excitement forming around him, he did not play in the showcase due to an injury.  Much like Bystedt, he seems to be going through regular evaluations on a daily basis to determine if he can play in the preseason.  Also like Bystedt, there is still hope he might make an appearance.  That being said, fans did get a glimpse of defenseman Eric Pohlkamp and he did not let them down.  An absolute wrecking ball of a player, his physical domination was on full display.  

The showcase was exciting in every way possible, but it could be a bad omen for certain players.  With players like Filip Bystedt and Quentin Musty definitely ready to make the leap, it makes players like Ty Dellandrea, Barclay Goodrow, Tyler Toffoli and even Adam Gaudette redundant and unnecessary.  Plus, their skill level is not up to par with the immense young talent in the prospect pool who deserve a chance to play.  Dellandrea, in particular, doesn’t make sense to hold on to.  With a WAR stat of 0, meaning there is not a single person worth taking out of the lineup for the sake of playing him, his contract extension back in March didn’t make sense even then.  Now, it makes even less sense and his spot, like Toffoli, Goodrow and Gaudette, is in danger and rightfully so.  It’s time for the next wave of Sharks talent to make their mark.