With the Draft right around the corner, it's the perfect time for The Blades of Teal mock draft. I will be doing the first two rounds, going over who the Sharks will select at the 2025 draft with their four picks over the first two rounds. I won't be doing hypothetical trades during this exercise, so the Sharks will be picking with 2, 30, 33, and 53. Let's get into it.
2nd Overall - Michael Misa, Center, Saginaw, OHL
Despite the recent steam for Anton Frondell at 2nd overall, I'm sticking with the obvious pick at number two. Michael Misa is a dynamic center with high-end offensive capabilities. His OHL draft year saw him produce the highest point totals since future Hall of Famer Patrick Kane.
According to Elite Prospects, “Capable of speeding past opponents and drawing complex rush patterns in the neutral zone, Misa finds and creates gaps in neutral zone coverages. He drives east-west, under and over teammates’ routes, slows down and accelerates, and slips pucks under sticks, always keeping defenders on their heels.”
The Sharks can’t afford to pass up on his offensive upside, even if they already have skilled young centermen in Celebrini and Smith. While the Sharks would have preferred a shot at Matthew Schaefer here, Michael Misa is an excellent consolation prize.
30th Overall - Bill Zonnon, Center/Wing, Rouyn-Noranda, QMJHL
The sentiment is that the Sharks will go defense with their second pick in the first round, and it would be ideal if they could grab one with this pick. However, there aren’t many first-round caliber defenders that are projected to slide to this pick, and with good depth on defense in the second round, the Sharks have an opportunity to take advantage and grab an interesting forward prospect in Zonnon here. Zonnon is a hardworking, versatile forward with tons of skill, and could slot in the top 9 for the Sharks down the road.
According to Elite Prospects, “Defenders retrieving the puck better hurry their play when facing Zonnon. If they take too long to pass, the forward comes barreling down on them, pinning them to the wall, freeing the puck with his stick, and moving to an open teammate.”
His motor and intensity should appeal to Mike Grier and company, and I expect they will zero in on him if he is available at this pick, if one of the 2nd-tier defenders doesn't slide to 30.
33rd Overall - Kurban Limitov, Left Defense, Dynamo Moskva, MHL
At 33, the Sharks go with the 6’4 lefty in Kurban Limitov. The big defender is a project but has a ton of upside, and could be a potential steal in this range.
According to Elite Prospects, Limatov is “a truly impressive mover, blending jaw-dropping fluidity for a player his size while also bringing plenty of explosiveness.”
The Sharks are desperate for upside on the backend, and adding a high upside guy like Limitov is a no-brainer here. Adding Limitov to Sam Dickinson and Muhkhamadulin gives the Sharks a collection of big puck-moving defenseman that can skate, making it an intriguing core to build the blueline around.
53rd Overall - Max Psenicka, Right Defense, Portland, WHL
The Sharks double-dip on defense in the 2nd round, and should, regardless, look to walk away with at least two defenders in the first two rounds of the draft. Max Psenicka is another big defender with good skating, this time on the right side. Psenicka is a physical defender who can use his size and reach to defend.
According to Elite Prospects, “Pšenička is always impacting the play. He denies entries with well-timed pokes off the rush, aggressive step-ups, and hits. Along the walls, he wins inside position as soon as possible, intercepts opponents with his shoulder, and immobilizes them.”
The Sharks lack depth on their right side, and while they shouldn't force a pick at the sacrifice of upside, this is a good range for Psenicka, who could be a solid top 6 defender in a few years, and add more of a defensive style to the Sharks' prospect pool.
These are the picks I would make for the Sharks, assuming the board falls as roughly expected. However, there is a lot of uncertainty around this draft, and with a wide range of players projected all over the place, it is nearly impossible to predict. That said, this was a fun exercise, and if the Sharks came away with this haul, it would be a good addition to an already deep prospect pool.