The Sharks currently have the 30th pick, acquired from the Stars in exchange for Mikael Granlund at this year's trade deadline at the end of the 1st-round, as well as their own second-round pick at 33, while it's possible to trade up with their capital assuming they stay where they are and use their current picks what players could they look at with these picks. Yesterday, I looked at defensemen the Sharks could target in this range; today, I will be looking at forwards the Sharks could target. While the Sharks need defensemen, they have a lot of picks and don't need to use them all to address the backend if they can find value upfront.
Bill Zonnon
Bill Zonnon is an extremely interesting prospect. The 6’2 "winger is an intelligent, physical, playmaking wing from the QMJHL, where he played for Rouyn-Noranda, scoring 83 points in 64 games. Zonnon’s biggest weakness is his skating, but his relentless motor makes it easier to project his skills to the pro game. Add his playmaking and physical tools to his motor, and you have a player every team will love to have. Elite Prospects said this on Zonnon. “Constantly supporting teammates in all three zones, Zonnon jumps to the aid of defencemen on the back wall, gets the puck back, offers timely passing options, and moves the puck quickly in transition, orchestrating clever passing plays and entries in the offensive zone.” It would not shock me if the Sharks took Zonnon with the 30th pick in the draft. His profile is similar to previous Sharks targets, being a bigger, skilled winger with skating issues, similar to previous picks Quentin Musty, Kasper Halltunen, and Igor Chernyshov. His motor and aggressive style could be attractive to a Sharks team looking for more compete and an edge on the ice.
Shane Vansaghi
Shane Vansaghi is probably the most physical player in the draft; the Michigan State winger brings tons of physicality and motor on the ice and would give the Sharks something they don't have in their system. According to Elite Prospects, there may be more to Vansgahi than just his physicality. “Vansaghi also has his moments as a playmaker, landing passes in transition and from below the goal line. Even under heavy pressure, he seems to retain an awareness of the ice and an ability to add a touch of deception to his feeds.” Vansaghi is a pretty projectable player in an NHL bottom six, but if he can continue to add layers to his offensive game, he could become a top 9 power forward that teams covet come playoff time.
Benjamin Kevan
While Benjamin Keven probably won't go in the first round come draft day, he is primarily projected to go at some point in the second round. The skilled winger is a California native and actually grew up a Sharks fan, making It a great story if the Sharks were to select him at the Draft. Kevan is more than a good story, though he is also an excellent hockey player. Keven is a terrific skater with tons of skill and creativity; Elite prospects said this about Kevan. “A speedster, Kevan burns defenders with non-stop crossovers and hands that match. He charges into space, only to cut back and find the trailer. If not, he works a give-and-go to burst through the defensive line. And he has a ton of flash, weaving through traffic, beating defenders, and pulling pucks through and around their feet before going to the net or creatively spinning a pass across the slot.” Committed to Arizona State next season, Kevan will continue to develop his game in the college ranks, but his speed and skill make him an intriguing project for the Sharks to pick up at the draft.
This is a very interesting draft, with many similarly ranked prospects at the back end of the first and into the second. It will be interesting to see how the Sharks attack the draft with three picks in the 20-60 range this year.