The NHL has announced that the Draft Lottery will be officially held on May 5th. This will be an important day for Sharks fans as they currently hold the best odds for the first overall pick.
The Sharks find themselves in the pole position for the number one pick for a second straight year after selecting Macklin Celebrini 1st overall in 2024. They will hope for similar luck heading into next week as they look to add another cornerstone piece to their rebuild.
If the Sharks can secure the number one overall pick, Matthew Schaefer looks likely to be the first overall pick. The defender played for the Erie Otters in the OHL this season, amassing 22 points (7G, 15A) in 17 games before missing the rest of the season due to a broken collarbone suffered at this year's U20 World Juniors. Schaefer has dazzled this year when healthy, sitting at the top of many expert draft boards, including NHL Central Scouting. Schaefer would be a welcome addition to a Sharks organization that lacks high-end talent on the backend outside of Sam Dickinson. NHL Central Scouting director Dan Marr said this about Schaefer: "He is the best available prospect at his position, and the results he achieves with his combination of speed, skills, and size give him the edge for the No. 1 spot. While his game is still maturing, he's playing a style that will transition well once he gets his NHL opportunity."
If the Sharks don’t secure the number 1 overall pick, there will still be interesting players available to them. Saginaw Center Michael Misa led the OHL in scoring with 134 points and had instant chemistry with current Sharks prospect Igor Chernyshov. This would add to an already stacked center core that includes Celebrini and Smith down the middle. Anton Frondell is another option down the middle that could make sense. The Physical Center had 25 points in 29 games for Djurgardens in the Allsvenskan this year. Frondell is a scoring threat and would add a different flavor down the middle for the Sharks. Finally, Porter Martone would be a very Sharks pick; the big winger has a ton of skill and fits the mold of other prospects the Sharks have targeted over the last couple of years. The Power Forward would add size to a relatively small top six and could be the perfect wing for Celebrini for the next decade.
While the Sharks would be ecstatic to land Schaefer, the team is well-positioned to add a core piece to its already deep prospect pool. On draft day, the team will have four picks in the first two rounds. The future is bright in San Jose, and May 5th will undoubtedly be a pivotal day for the Sharks.