The future is now

The preseason is in full swing, and although the San Jose Sharks have yet to win a game so far, the past two games have been very telling, especially following today’s round of roster cuts. The Sharks have one of the most stacked and fearsome groups of young talent in the NHL, particularly the forwards, and their prowess was on full display last night.  Although they lost 2-1 in shootout to the Vegas Golden Knights, last night’s game was a clinic of talent by the young stars in the organization.  

One cannot talk about the plethora of young talent within the Sharks club without mentioning, and raving about, Ivar Stenberg.  The Swedish 18-year-old (almost 19) second overall draft pick in the 2026 NHL Draft has been nothing short of outstanding.  Earning the primary assist on Michael Misa’s lone goal of the night on the power play, and scoring the Sharks’ only goal in the shootout, Stenberg showed everyone exactly why he was such a highly touted prospect-and probably should have gone first overall.  Playing on a line with Collin Graf and Alexander Wennberg, his incredible vision, speed, and puck movement was on full display.  

Michael Misa himself was also fantastic in the matchup last night, not missing a beat getting back into the full swing of things.  At the close of last season, Misa had said fans had not even begun to see the real extent of his capabilities.  Following last night, it’s clear that was an understatement.  Misa’s speed was relentless, and he looked incredibly comfortable centering the top power play unit with Stenberg, Igor Chernyshov, defenseman Luca Cagnoni, and Alexander Wennberg.  In fact, Misa seemed to even benefit from playing with Stenberg and his talent for moving the puck in tight spaces.  One play to Misa from Stenberg in particular was eye-catching, with Stenberg faking a drop pass to throw off his defenders and draw them closer to him (which left Misa completely wide open).  To the untrained eye, it seemed as though Stenberg might have lost control of the puck.  However, considering his immense puck moving skill, Stenberg almost certainly was deliberate with the move and completely discombobulated his defenders which allowed him easily to get the puck over to Misa.  

Another massive positive of the night was Luca Cagnoni, who greatly made the case for his spot on the roster opening night.  Endlessly confident in his abilities, Cagnoni was exciting to watch crash the net and carry the play into the offensive zone.  Cagnoni is exceptionally good at moving the puck and creating offensive opportunities, and he was able to do so effectively last night.  One particular thing about his puck movement that was great to see was his entry into the offensive zone.  Rather than just dump the puck in behind the net, Cagnoni very deliberately carried the puck past the blue line to help set up the forming play.  

In addition to Cagnoni, defenseman Eric Pohlkamp also looked well adjusted.  Although he probably is not quite at the same level of readiness to make the jump to the NHL as Cagnoni, and likely will benefit from AHL action with the San Jose Barracuda, Pohlkamp was still poised and reliable.  Although he is not particularly big, standing at 5-foot-ten inches, Pohlkamp’s specialty is his physicality.  His ability to leverage play using his body was certainly a highlight of the night, and he did not disappoint in the slightest.

The game would end up not being settled in regulation, and would be solved in a shootout.  Although they lost, Sharks’ goalie Yaroslav Askarov looked solid throughout the entire night.  He even earned himself second star of the game, with 22 saves and a save percentage of almost 96%.  On the other end, Stenberg was the team’s lone goal scorer in the shootout.  His calmness was palpable as he strode down the ice towards the net and ripped an incredibly sharp shot past the goaltender, making it look easy.  Totally unbothered by not only the pressure but also the advances of the goalie, Stenberg’s shot was simple but impressive.  

Things are really starting to come together for the Sharks, as the team continues to build towards something truly special.  While there is absolutely room for improvement, the young talent within the club is nothing short of remarkable.  Between Macklin Celebrini, Stenberg, Misa, Cagnoni and more, the Sharks are building a team that will terrorize the rest of the league for years to come.