Over the course of the rebuild, the Sharks have loaded up their prospect pool with talented players from top to bottom. Names like Michael Misa, Sam Dickinson, and Igor Chernyshov are well known by Sharks fans and generally viewed as some of the organization's most talented prospects. But what about some prospects that have flown under the radar? Today, I'm going to be looking at some prospects who could be in for breakout seasons this coming year.
Filip Bystedt
Bystedt isn’t really an unknown prospect; he was a first-round pick back in 2022 and was pretty highly rated at the time. He has, however, seemingly fallen in most rankings as of late and is more of a borderline top 10 prospect these days. This has more to do with the influx of prospects than Bystedt’s play. Bystedt has looked solid in the AHL to this point with 38 points in 58 games at the AHL level. Bystedt dealt with some injury issues this past season and needs to be more consistent with his play, but he has solid tools and potential to still be a top 9 forward for the Sharks down the middle or on the wing. With an AHL campaign under his belt, a good camp could see Bystedt as a dark horse to crack the Sharks roster as their 4C, a role that is relatively up for grabs this year.
Kasper Halttunen
Halttunen has always been a polarizing prospect. The former London winger has flashed his lethal shot at the Junior level and been an absolute force in the playoffs, scoring 32 goals in 35 games. Consistency with the rest of his game has always been an issue for Halttunen. His shot will play at the NHL level, but he has struggled to develop a B game. At 6’4, Halttunen has the size, and he can play physical now and again. Unlocking consistency with this aspect could see Halttunen reach the NHL quicker than expected. It will be interesting to watch how he transitions to full-time pro hockey with the Barracuda this season.
Joey Muldowney
Finally, I want to talk about a prospect going completely under the radar in the Sharks system, in Joey Muldowney. Muldowney is returning to UConn for his Junior season, and won't be with the Sharks just yet, but the former 2022 6th-round pick had a quiet breakout season last year, scoring 29 goals and 47 points in 39 games for a strong UConn team. His 29 goals were good for 2nd in the NCAA, behind top prospect Ryan Leonard. This is an impressive company, and it will be interesting to see how Muldowney builds off this season and if he factors in the Sharks' plans by the end of the season.
These are just 3 of the Sharks' prospects that I'm interested in watching this coming season. The Sharks system is loaded, but I think these three players have more to offer, and it will be interesting to see if they take that next step this coming season.