Sharks Prospects Ranked Best in NHL

The San Jose Sharks have been ranked as the best prospect group in the NHL in a recent report. The organization topped Scott Wheeler of The Athletic's annual prospect rankings, in what was an unsurprising yet well-earned choice.

The Sharks are loaded to the brim with young talent, something Wheeler would agree with whole-heartedly. They have two of the top rookies in the NHL this season with 2024 first-overall pick Macklin Celebrini ranking second in scoring among first-year players and 19-year-old Will Smith playing significantly improved hockey over the past month.

Beyond their top pair of rookies, the prospect pool runs deep in San Jose. Wheeler names six more prospects who he views as future NHL contributors across all three positions. In his own words, he discusses how impressive this group is.

"The Sharks’ pool has a star prospect at every position (forward, defense and in net)," he writes. "Quality that runs into the double digits and depth well into the teens, with two players slotted in the teens here who’ve already played NHL games."

The list includes 22-year-old goalie Yaroslav Askarov. The team acquired him from the Nashville Predators at the beginning of this season, and he's been excellent in his first year with the organization. He was named as an AHL All-Star representative and has also started 12 NHL games for the Sharks.

Another top prospect the Sharks are invested in is defenseman Sam Dickinson. The team's second 2024 first-round pick is currently dominating in the Ontario Hockey League. Through 37 games with the London Knights, he has 20 goals and 38 assists for 58 points. The 6'3 defender is an excellent puck-mover and power play quarterback, but also possesses a solid two-way game. He projects to be a top-four defender and possibly a top pairing guy down the line for San Jose.

With the amount of firepower in the Sharks' system, they are setting themselves up for success in the future. They are loaded at forward, defensemen, and in goal, and hopefully this turns into a successful NHL club soon.