The Sharks have completed their class with a pair of picks in the back half of the class, and have picked up a pair of intriguing forward prospects.
5th round 150 - Max Heise, C, BCHL
Max Heise is a big 6’3 center out of the BCHL. This was his 2nd run through the NHL draft after getting passed over last year. Heise's numbers don’t jump off the page with 40 points in 50 games as an overager in the BCHL, a 2nd-tier junior league, but he isn't known for his offense as a prospect.
According to Elite Prospects in 2024 “Max Heise is a hulking centre whose primary goal is to retrieve pucks and put defenders through the end boards. He’s simple, and possesses a myriad of protection skills.”
Heise is heading to the WHL next season to play for the Prince Albert Raiders and is expected to head to Michigan State in the NCAA the following season. The Sharks are hoping Heise can become a 4th-line guy for them sometime down the road, as his profile does not project much offense from him.
This pick was acquired from the Avs in the Mackenzie Blackwood trade. There are still more assets in that deal, as the Sharks have the Avs 2nd in 2026.
7th round 210 - Richard Gallant, W, NTDP
While it's the last round of the draft, you can still find talent in this round. The Sharks know this well, as they took star Joe Pavelski in this round back in 2003. And while it's unlikely they get another Joe Pavelski, they do get a fun prospect here in Richard Gallant. The 5’8 winger is undersized but works hard and is a talented offensive player, scoring 53 points in 66 games for the NTDP this past season and adding 6 points in 7 games at the U18s, where he wore a letter for the United States.
According to Elite Prospects, “Gallant plays a creative, high-speed game focused on creating and exploiting gaps in coverage. He shifts wide, dragging the defence with him, and then cuts inside. Give-and-gos, hard drives, and quick cutbacks to find the trailer all became commonplace in his game down the stretch.”
Gallant is expected to play for Harvard in the NCAA next season as he continues his development.
With this pick, the Sharks complete the Kappo Kahkonen trade, with the final return being Gallant and Patrick Giles, who was acquired for Vitek Vanecek at the deadline this past season.
This will put a bow on the Sharks' 2025 draft class. Overall, it was an interesting class, and the Sharks added a lot of intrigue to their system this weekend.