With the Season at a close, it is a good time to examine the state of the Sharks' prospect pool. Over the next 3 days, I will personally rank my top 15 Sharks prospects after the 2024-25 season.
Criteria
Regarding eligibility, my cut-off for what I consider a prospect will be 50 NHL games played for Skaters and 25 games played for Goalies, with an age cut-off of 24. I feel this is a good range for this exercise.
With this cut-off, key Sharks graduates from previous lists would be Macklin Celebrini, Will Smith, and Zack Ostapchuck. With that, let’s get into the List. Previously, we covered prospects 15-11 and 10-6; we will finish this exercise with my top 5 prospects in the Sharks system.
5. Quentin Musty, W, 1st round 2023
Kicking off the Top 5, we have Quentin Musty. The skilled winger has done nothing but dominate at the OHL level since being drafted. He boasts a deadly combination of size and skill, making it easy to see him one day being a top-six winger in the NHL. He has all the tools to be an offensive force, and there is a world where he is a top-line power winger in the NHL. Despite this, I have some pause with Musty as a prospect. I seriously debated putting him below Colin Graf at 6. This is primarily due to his motor. Musty, to me, is a low-effort player, which is scary when p[rojecting junior scoring to the pro game; his dreadful pre-season didn't help these concerns. Ultimately, I feel Musty’s potential is significant enough for him to maintain a top 5 spot. Next season will be huge for Musty, who will be entering his first full pro season, a much-needed challenge for the big winger. Despite his flaws, Musty is very much a key piece for the Sharks and their future core.
4. Shakir Muhkamadulin, D, Acquired from New Jersey, 1st round 2020
Muhkamadulin is on this list for what is probably the last year. The big defender dealt with injuries all season, which started and ended with different injuries. This probably kept him from playing for the Sharks full-time this season, but he was still able to get into a groove in the second half, putting up 9 points in 30 games for the Sharks, averaging 18 minutes a night, and not looking out of place. Muhkamadulin is a big, rangy defender with good skating and puck-moving ability and has shown flashes of being a top 4 caliber two-way shutdown Dman at the NHL level. His ability to play the right side despite being a lefty is also very useful to a Sharks D pool that is heavy on left-handed defensemen. Expect Muhkamadulin to be in the NHL full-time next season as he recovers from an off-season shoulder injury and is expected to be ready for training camp.
3. Igor Chernyshov, W, 2nd round 2024
I covered Chernyshov in a recent article; the big Russian wing had an excellent half-season in the OHL, scoring over 2 points per game at that level. Chernyshov plays a pro-ready game and has amazing tools that project well to the NHL. He is a dark horse to crack the team out of camp at just 19 years old. If not, he will have a significant role in the AHL with the Barracuda as he continues his development. In my eyes, Chernyshov is a pretty safe bet to become a top 6 winger in the NHL and could become a very good player when playing with other talented players down the line.
2. Sam Dickinson, D, first round 2024
Coming in at number 2, we have the Sharks' top Defensive prospect, Sam Dickinson. The 11th overall pick last year, Dickinson had a sensational D+1 season, scoring 91 points in 55 games and adding 31 points in 17 games in the playoffs for the London Knights, who qualified for the Memorial Cup. The 6’3 "defender is an elite skater who impacts the game on both ends of the ice, being a dominant two-way force in the OHL. At the NHL level, Dickinson has the potential to be a number 1 Dman for the Sharks. However, it’s not a sure thing; while Dickinson dominated the OHL, there are valid concerns about his hockey IQ, as he is very turnover-prone. With this in mind, Dickinson still has all the tools you look for in a top-pairing defenseman and is still very young. I believe he is a slam dunk top 4 Dman with number 1 upside if he hits his ceiling. The Sharks have a conundrum with Dickinson going into next season, as he is only NHL or OHL-bound and can't play in the AHL. While you don’t want to rush him, he is far too good for the OHL and may be better off developing with the Sharks full-time if it's the only other option next season.
1. Yaroslav Askarov, G, Acquired from Nashville, 1st round 2020
To cap off our list, we have the Shark's number 1 prospect, Yaroslav Askarov. Acquired from Nashville last offseason, Askarov became the future of the Sharks crease. Askarov was sensational for the Barracuda last season and had his moments on a bad Sharks team. In terms of goalie prospects, Askarov is as good as it gets. He has the size and athleticism you look for in a franchise netminder. Askarov projects to be a perennial Vezina candidate and top 5 goalie in the NHL one day if he reaches his ceiling. He should be a cornerstone piece along with Macklin Celebrini on the next Sharks contender. Askarov should, by all means, be in the NHL full-time next season and should compete for the starting job with whoever the Sharks pick up in free agency or trade to form a tandem.