The Sharks system has good high quality depth with quite a lot of prospects I believe may play video games or assist the group in a significant method. They lack a real high title although, particularly after William Eklund’s so-so yr in Sweden.
Key graduates: Mario Ferraro
Key additions: Mattias Havelid, Filip Bystedt, Cameron Lund
2021 rating: No. 22
2022 NHL Draft grade: B
Full 2022-23 NHL Pipeline Rankings
Participant Rating
1. William Eklund, LW
19 years outdated | 5-foot-10 | 176 kilos | Shoots left
Drafted: No. 7 in 2021
Tier: Bubble high and center of the lineup participant
Skating: Excessive-end
Puck abilities: NHL common
Hockey sense: Above NHL common
Compete: NHL common
Shot: Under NHL common
Evaluation: Eklund was superb at Sharks camp, making the group for a trial interval. When he went again to Sweden he was good however didn’t stand out like he did the earlier season, with just one purpose in 29 SHL video games. He’s a ahead with dynamic skills, significantly his skating. Eklund’s mixture of velocity and high-end edge work permits him to be fairly elusive in open ice. He combines that with superb puck abilities and offensive creativity as a playmaker. He’s not that large however doesn’t draw back from going to the web. Regardless of that, you’d prefer to see extra end in his recreation total. I nonetheless suppose he’ll be an excellent top-six ahead. He performed some middle this season versus males, opening the likelihood he may very well be an NHL middle.
2. Thomas Bordeleau, C
20 years outdated | 5-foot-10 | 175 kilos | Shoots left
Drafted: No. 38 in 2020
Tier: Center of the lineup participant
Skating: Above NHL common
Puck abilities: NHL common
Hockey sense: NHL common
Compete: NHL common
Evaluation: Bordeleau noticed his manufacturing dip down a bit this season from his large freshman season however he was nonetheless an excellent participant within the Large Ten. He’s an important playmaker and skater. His skating is quick and elusive, and he’s in a position to make robust performs in movement. Bordeleau may be too pass-heavy; he has an important shot he doesn’t use that a lot. In some video games he may be too perimeter and pushed out of the sport, however there are video games he’s engaged and a difference-maker. I see sufficient expertise for him to be a second-line winger or a No. 2/3 middle if he stays down the center within the NHL.
Thomas Bordeleau. (Stan Szeto / USA Right now)
3. Ryan Merkley, D
21 years outdated | 5-foot-11 | 168 kilos | Shoots proper
Drafted: No. 21 in 2018
Tier: Center of the lineup participant
Skating: NHL common
Puck abilities: NHL common
Hockey sense: Excessive-end
Compete: Under NHL common
Evaluation: Merkley had a greater second professional season — I wouldn’t name him a standout but at that degree, however he received quite a lot of NHL motion and regarded good on the AHL degree. His passing is elite. Merkley walks the blue line and may decide aside defenses at a high-end degree, displaying the poise and creativity to run an NHL energy play for a very long time. The offensive contact has all the time been legit, however as a smaller defenseman who struggles to deal with professional defenders when it comes to their physicality and his so-so effort at occasions, he might have to be utilized in a selected method. I nonetheless see a possible No. 4/5 D-man with PP time and the upside to be greater than that.
4. Mattias Havelid, D
18 years outdated | 5-foot-9 | 165 kilos | Shoots proper
Drafted: No. 45 in 2022
Tier: Center of the lineup participant
Skating: Above NHL common
Puck abilities: NHL common
Hockey sense: NHL common
Compete: NHL common
Shot: Excessive-end
Evaluation: Havelid is a gifted offensive participant from the again finish. He has the skating capacity to leap into assaults and activate off the blue line to create offense along with his talent. Havelid can discover seams and create along with his playmaking constantly. He additionally has a tough level shot and scored quite a lot of objectives this season. The key downside on Havelid is his body. Not many 5-foot-9 defensemen play within the NHL. He defends effectively and has been nice at retrievals in junior however whether or not he can versus males is the controversy. Due to how effectively he skates, I believe he’ll make it as a top-four defenseman who might help an influence play.
5. Brandon Coe, RW
20 years outdated | 6-foot-4 | 188 kilos | Shoots proper
Drafted: No. 98 in 2020
Tier: Center of the lineup participant
Skating: Under NHL common
Puck abilities: NHL common
Hockey sense: Under NHL common
Compete: NHL common
Evaluation: In his final yr of junior this previous season, Coe was one of many high gamers within the OHL, coming by way of on the promise that made him a No. 3 decide in his junior draft. Coe’s bodily toolkit is very intriguing. He’s an enormous man with legit talent who strikes effectively for a man along with his body. I don’t see him being a big-time driver of offense at increased ranges, however he could make the odd play and has an honest shot. Coe confirmed an excellent inside recreation this season that I haven’t all the time seen from him previously. I should purchase him turning into a middle-six winger.
6. Filip Bystedt, C
18 years outdated | 6-foot-4 | 204 kilos | Shoots left
Drafted: No. 27 in 2022
Tier: Projected to play NHL video games
Skating: NHL common
Puck abilities: Under NHL common
Hockey sense: NHL common
Compete: NHL common
Evaluation: Bystedt has a transparent NHL toolkit. He’s a 6-foot-3 middle who can skate effectively and has some offense. There are occasions you watch him and get actually enthusiastic about his professional potential when he’s skating pucks up with velocity and creating possibilities. I don’t suppose his puck play is overly spectacular, however he exhibits sufficient sense to seek out lanes to make performs and be a secondary contributor to an NHL line. I believe he’s going to play. I don’t view Bystedt as this nice defensive participant neither is he an enormous scorer, however along with his instruments, somebody will discover a place for him in a backside six, and he has the potential to play increased if his growth goes effectively.
7. Cameron Lund, RW
18 years outdated | 6-foot-2 | 192 kilos | Shoots proper
Drafted: No. 34 in 2022
Tier: Projected to play NHL video games
Skating: NHL common
Puck abilities: NHL common
Hockey sense: NHL common
Compete: Under NHL common
Shot: Above NHL common
Evaluation: Lund has a transparent NHL toolkit. He’s a 6-foot-2 ahead who can skate and has legit offensive contact. He could make expert performs at full velocity and be an actual menace on zone entries. Lund exhibits some power-play creativity as a playmaker and has an excellent wrist shot from vary. On his finest shift he may be dynamic, however his finest shifts are rare. He may also drift to the perimeter an excessive amount of to generate his offense. I believe he performs within the NHL and has the potential to be an excellent NHL participant however he must be extra constant to take action.
8. Tristen Robins, RW
20 years outdated | 5-foot-10 | 176 kilos | Shoots proper
Drafted: No. 56 in 2020
Tier: Projected to play NHL video games
Skating: Above NHL common
Puck abilities: Above NHL common
Hockey sense: Above NHL common
Compete: NHL common
Shot: Above NHL common
Evaluation: Robins wrapped up a highly-productive CHL profession. On the WHL degree, he’s constantly noticeable along with his velocity and talent. Robins can transition pucks by way of the impartial zone very effectively along with his skating. He can push the tempo, whereas additionally having the talent and imaginative and prescient to create off the perimeter. Robins sees the ice at a excessive degree however does have an excellent shot, too. He’s not the largest man and he can play an excessive amount of on the perimeter, however I don’t thoughts his battle degree and he works off the puck. I see Robins as a full-time bottom-six winger within the NHL.
9. Ozzy Wiesblatt, RW
20 years outdated | 5-foot-10 | 183 kilos | Shoots proper
Drafted: No. 31 in 2020
Tier: Projected to play NHL video games
Skating: Above NHL common
Puck abilities: NHL common
Hockey sense: NHL common
Compete: NHL common
Shot: Under NHL common
Evaluation: Wiesblatt had a disappointing last WHL season, scoring underneath some extent a recreation and never being the difference-maker you’d have hoped to see, particularly given how promising he regarded earlier in his junior tenure when he was a late first-round decide. The attributes that made him a excessive decide are nonetheless there. He’s a wonderful skater, he has good puck abilities, he could make some performs, and works laborious sufficient off the puck. As a smaller ahead who doesn’t rating at vital ranges although he’ll have a tough time discovering a everlasting spot within the league. The skating and all-around play possible get him video games, however I can’t see him but as a man who sticks.
10. Artemi Kniazev, D
21 years outdated | 5-foot-10 | 182 kilos | Shoots left
Drafted: No. 48 in 2019
Tier: Projected to play NHL video games
Skating: Above NHL common
Puck abilities: Under NHL common
Hockey sense: NHL common
Compete: NHL common
Shot: Above NHL common
Evaluation: Kniazev was a strong rookie professional. He didn’t tackle large minutes, however he confirmed he may translate to the AHL. Kniazev is a superb skater with the velocity and edge work to make NHL checkers miss. He could make a powerful first move and has a tough level shot. I don’t suppose he’ll be a power-play kind within the NHL, however he’ll be capable of move and skate pucks up the ice. So long as he can enhance defensively sufficient he’ll be capable of take a daily third-pair shift.
Has an opportunity to play (listed alphabetically)
Mason Beaupit, G
18 years outdated | 6-foot-5 | 188 kilos | Catches left
Drafted: No. 108 in 2022
Evaluation: Beaupit measures in at over 6-foot-5, and he strikes effectively for his body. He’s a wise, environment friendly goalie who reads the play effectively and may make robust saves when he must, despite the fact that his lateral quickness isn’t elite. Beaupit’s consistency isn’t one of the best, and he may be susceptible to the gentle purpose.
Nick Cicek, D
21 years outdated | 6-foot-3 | 201 kilos | Shoots left
Signed to ELC
Evaluation: Cicek was spectacular as a rookie professional and earned an NHL deal. He performed on each particular groups for the Barracuda and generates some offense. He’s a powerful athlete — a tall, sturdy defenseman who skates effectively for his measurement. He competes effectively in his personal finish and may make stops.
Michael Fisher, D
18 years outdated | 6-foot-2 | 198 kilos | Shoots proper
Drafted: No. 76 in 2022
Evaluation: Fisher’s athletic instruments get scouts excited. He’s a 6-foot-2 defenseman who can actually skate. He exhibits nice velocity in transition and talent to maneuver off the offensive blue line attributable to his toes. He may also shut on checks effectively and be dependable defensively. Fisher has an excellent level shot and exhibits flashes of talent, however his puck recreation normally is unreliable. He’s not a cerebral participant with the puck and may power quite a lot of performs. His measurement and skating completely give him an opportunity to make it if he can change into extra reliable with the puck.
Benjamin Gaudreau, G
19 years outdated | 6-foot-2 | 175 kilos | Catches left
Drafted: No. 81 in 2021
Evaluation: Gaudreau was simply OK this season. He has the power to make robust saves, with sturdy lateral quickness and good puck-tracking capacity. He must decrease the quantity of objectives that get in from lengthy vary although, possible a operate of not having the most important body.
Daniil Gushchin, LW
20 years outdated | 5-foot-8 | 165 kilos | Shoots left
Drafted: No. 76 in 2020
Evaluation: Gushchin was a high OHL scorer this season on one of many worst golf equipment within the league. He’s a wonderful skater with a excessive talent degree who can shoot the puck effectively. Gushchin can be a small ahead and, whereas gifted, I’m on the fence if his expertise is elite sufficient for his measurement to be a daily NHL participant.
Gannon Laroque, D
18 years outdated | 6-foot-2 | 200 kilos | Shoots proper
Drafted: No. 103 in 2021
Evaluation: Laroque is a great two-way defenseman with some grind to his recreation. His skating is ok; not wonderful, however ok to provide him an opportunity to change into an NHL participant.
Adam Raska, RW
20 years outdated | 5-foot-10 | 178 kilos | Shoots left
Drafted: No. 201 in 2020
Evaluation: Raska is a tough, bodily competitor who has some talent and scoring contact. Whether or not there’s sufficient velocity and playmaking to take a daily shift up entrance is the controversy in his recreation.
Participant Eligibility: All skaters who’re 22 years outdated or youthful as of Sept. 15, 2022, no matter what number of NHL video games they’ve performed, are eligible. Participant heights and weights are taken from the NHL.
Instrument grades: Instrument grades are primarily based on a scale with six separate ranges, with an eye fixed towards how this attribute would grade within the NHL (poor, below-average, common, above-average, high-end and elite). “Common” on this scale means the instrument initiatives as NHL common, which is supposed as a optimistic, not a criticism. Skating, puck abilities, hockey sense and compete for each projected NHL participant are graded. Shot grades are solely included if a shot is notably good or poor.
Tier Definitions: Tiers are supposed to present roughly the place in a mean NHL lineup a participant initiatives to fit in.
(Illustration: Wes McCabe / The Athletic; photograph of William Eklund: Ezra Shaw / Getty Photographs)
