Three members of the San Jose Barracuda that should get an NHL call up this season

Jack Thompson

Acquired at the trade deadline in the deal that sent Anthony Duclair to the Tampa Bay Lightning, Jack Thompson is someone San Jose Sharks fans should watch. Drafted in the third round of the 2020 NHL draft by the Bolts, this is a player who could become a piece of the future for this San Jose Sharks blueline. With the issues the backend has recently had, could some NHL experience help the player and the fans?

With four assists in his eight games with the Barracuda since moving from Northern New York to the Bay Area, this player has offensive upside. Scoring five goals and 27 assists in his 46 games with the Syracuse Crunch before the trade, what he is strong at is evident. His stats were always going to slow down in San Jose because the organization was struggling at both levels. Should the Sharks be looking to give him some NHL experience?

It is a tough decision. Knowing that the player could be warped to accepting defeat in the current state of the hockey club, bringing him up may lower the expectations players should have when wearing the iconic teal jersey. However, you should always want to reward players in the minor leagues for playing well, and the way to do that with Thompson right now is to give him a look at the NHL level.

Knowing that Ty Emberson is out for the season, you could recall Thompson and use him sparingly to get him used to the demands of the best league in the world. It's a conversation that will be had by fans and management both. We will see if he gets the call between now and the end of the season. It's been a long year, and this could provide a feel-good story for the rest.