The San Jose Sharks have often focused their efforts on doing whatever it takes to put the team in position to make a Stanley Cup run, often at the expense of their farm system. The Sharks have routinely sat near the bottom of the NHL rankings as general manager Doug Wilson made a habit of trading away high draft picks for short-term rentals.
More from Prospects
- Three prospects the Sharks should consider drafting
- How does Knyzhov fit in with the Sharks next season?
- Sharks select Ozzy Wiesblatt in the first-round
- San Jose Sharks Prospect Finds New Home with OHL Team
- Dylan Gambrell Seeks to Make Waves on the San Jose Sharks Next Season
However, as part of their organizational “refresh,” Wilson has held on to San Jose’s picks and that decision has already paid dividends. The Sharks rose eight spots in Corey Pronman’s, of ESPN, rankings, and they have some intriguing high-end prospects.
Today, Pronman took a look at the Sharks top 10 prospects and you’ll notice plenty of names from the past couple of drafts. Below are Pronman’s rankings and the first four prospects all appear in Pronman’s top 100 across the entire league:
1. Jeremy Roy, Defenseman (Second Round, 2015)
2. Nikolay Goldobin, Right-Wing (First Round, 2014)
3. Timo Meier, Left-Wing (First Round, 2015)
4. Rourke Chartier, Center (Fifth Round, 2014)
5. Dylan Sadowy, Left-Wing (Third Round, 2014)
6. Julius Bergman, Defenseman (Second Round, 2014)
7. Joonas Donskoi, Right-Wing (Free Agent Signing, 2015)
8. Dan O’Regan, Center (Fifth Round, 2012)
9. Kevin Labanc, Right-Wing (Sixth Round, 2014)
10. Noah Rod, Left-Wing (Second Round, 2014)
The Sharks prospects list is a little heavy on forwards, but Roy checks in as their top overall prospect. San Jose traded up with the Colorado Avalanche to the top of the second round in the 2015 NHL Entry draft to select Roy and he seems to be worth the price.
Roy will likely spend another season with Sherbrooke of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) where he posted five goals and 38 assists in 46 games last year, but it might not take Roy very long to make his debut with the San Jose Sharks.
It’s interesting to take notice of how many of these prospects come from the 2014 draft. Currently, six of the 10 prospects came from 2014, with three more being added through the draft or free agency this past year. As we mentioned earlier, it’s no surprise that this is the case since the franchise emphasized keeping those picks in recent years.
As Pronman points out, one noteworthy prospect who’s jumped up the rankings is Sadowy. Here’s a breakdown of what makes Sadowy an impressive player moving forward:
"Dylan Sadowy trended up in a big way this season, notching 42 goals in his 18-year-old OHL season. He’s a sturdy forward with good two-way awareness. His hands aren’t elite, but his skill is a tick above average, to combine with a quality wrist shot and a fantastic work ethic. His skating is the major flaw in his tool kit right now."
Just missing the list are defenseman Dylan DeMelo (#11, sixth round 2011) and forward Nikita Jevpalovs (#12, 2015 free agent signing). Pronman lists DeMelo as a potential call-up at some point, while Donskoi and Goldobin are identified as the two most likely to make the Sharks out of training camp.
San Jose appears much better positioned for the future with their focus on improving their young talent. While they’ve already traded away their 2016 first round in exchange for Martin Jones, the Sharks have enough coverage throughout their organization to remain competitive into the future.
Next: Sharks Top Three Prospects In The OHL