San Jose Sharks are No. 2 in Scott Wheeler's 2026 NHL prospect pool rankings

Michael Misa was selected by the Sharks in the first round of the 2025 NHL Draft. Lachlan Cunningham / Getty Images Welcome to Scott Wheeler's 2026 rankings of every NHL organization's prospects. You can find the complete ranking and more information on the project and its criteria here, as we count down daily from No. 32 to No. 1. The series, which includes evaluations on nearly 500 prospects, runs from March 9 to April 8. The Sharks have top prospects at every position and some emerging names behind them. Despite graduating Will Smith, Yaroslav Askarov and Colin Graf from last year's top-ranked pool, the additions of Michael Misa and Joshua Ravensbergen helped keep them in the discussion again in this year's countdown. It was a two-horse race between the Sharks and Blackhawks' pool for No. 1 for me this year. 2025 prospect pool rank: No. 1 (change: -1) Misa, the OHL's eighth exceptional status player, drew headlines when he broke Connor McDavid's OHL Cup scoring record with 20 points in seven games while playing up a year with the Mississauga Senators in what became his final year of minor hockey. He then followed that up with an impressive 15-year-old season in the OHL, missing 20 games after fracturing the top of his tibia in a knee-on-knee collision and still leading the Spirit in scoring. If not for the injury, he might have broken John Tavares' exceptional status year scoring record of 77 points. Two years ago, in what should have been his rookie year in the OHL, he finished second to Zayne Parekh on the Spirit in regular-season scoring and finished the year with 91 points in 89 combined regular-season, playoff and Memorial Cup games on the Memorial Cup champions. He also played his way up Canada's lineup at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup and registered eight points in five games as an underager. Entering his draft year, scouts wanted to really see him take charge more and take over as the guy for the Spirit and that's exactly what he did, answering the questions some had of him with an season in which he led the league in scoring, was its top player basically from start to finish, and tied Tavares for the most points by a U18 skater in the OHL since 2000 with 134 (in two fewer games than Tavares). I also thought he was one of the standouts of the CHL-USA Prospects Challenge. He didn't have the same impact in Saginaw's first-round sweep by Erie, but he was also playing banged up for a second consecutive playoff run. A center coming up, Misa played mostly on the wing in his first two seasons but found another level in the move back to the middle last year, playing to nearly a goal per game and over two points per game. This year, though he has spent most of the season in the NHL and has again dealt with injury, he spent a spell in the AHL and went to the World Juniors with Canada. Though he didn't meet expectations at the tournament, he wasn't yet back to 100 percent and has played some strong hockey in the second half with the Sharks now that he is. Misa is a beautiful skater with some quiet explosiveness and a real knack for weaving, cutting, turning and spinning in control of the puck to either shake defenders under pressure in the offensive or defensive zone or slip past them in transition with his speed and agility. He's also a very smart player who makes his linemates better with his playmaking, vision and ability to execute while tightly covered. Off the puck, he's willing to track, stick with plays and compete (I've seen him sacrifice the body to block shots, etc.), hallmarks of his game in minor hockey that have also been more consistent this year -- though I'd argue they were always present and he played a more well-rounded game last year than he was given credit for by some. He finishes his checks even if it's just to bump into better body positioning and has good defensive instincts on interceptions and support. He gets the puck a lot and then protects it beautifully. There are times when he'll turn over pucks, or when I'd like to see him work to get open and glide less, but he has done a nice job cutting back on both of those things and was a top player in the OHL at five-on-five, on the penalty kill (where he led the league in short-handed points last season) and on the power play. He's a slippery player in the offensive zone. He's a weaving skater in transition and has developed more of a scorer's mentality and started to look for his own looks more, using his natural curl-and-drag wrister more intentionally and getting to the guts of the home-plate area with more consistency. And there's natural skill and playmaking layered in, which lights up when he gets the puck inside the offensive zone. The move back to center really involved him in more plays and highlighted the value of his skating, which is most useful when he's getting touches lower in the zone. He's also now almost 6-foot-1 (up from 5-foot-11 in his exceptional status season). I think he has some star quality and that he, Macklin Celebrini and Smith should form a three-headed monster up front for the Sharks. He's just starting to be more assertive in the NHL, and when he figures out how much he can do, watch out in a couple of years. Dickinson is a very projectable defenseman who has size, high-end skating and an offensive game that really rounded into form two seasons ago and took an even bigger step last year, playing 30-plus minutes per game as the best D in the CHL. He stepped right onto a deep Knights blue line at 16 (which is rare), and played bigger minutes by year's end than some drafted guys (which is rarer), including in key situations in the playoffs. Two seasons ago, he played a leading role in all facets of the game on another strong London team (which included successfully quarterbacking one of the power-play units and developing his shot into more of a weapon to nearly hit 20 goals), making two huge plays in the Memorial Cup final. Last year, his game continued to expand as a dominant two-way force who crushed huge minutes to incredible on-ice results and a Memorial Cup win. This season, he has averaged just under 17 minutes per game for the Sharks as the second-youngest full-time D in the league to Matthew Schaefer, but it still often felt like a development year for him and that the best place for him would have been the AHL had it been an option. He has also twice worn a letter for Hockey Canada. He's a strong 6-foot-3/4, 210ish-pound defenseman whose skating is a major strength (forward, backward, four-way mobility -- the full package for a defender his size). He plays to who he is and what makes his game so successful. He defends at a very high level for his age, both man-to-man, down low and positionally in his own zone. He has skill and command with the puck in the offensive zone and shows real vision and an NHL shot consistently. There are times when he needs to pivot and set his gaps earlier (when he's ready and in flow to accept the rush, he's an excellent defender), but his only major hiccup is decision-making under pressure in his own zone. He still needs to read the ice and move it quicker at times, and there are moments in games when he doesn't process it fast enough coming out of his own zone and can turn over pucks (though that improved last season). On offense, he shows comfort, speed, presence and even deception past opposing forwards, and has developed a nice feel for the game offensively when there are plays to be made. He just needs to count, read and problem-solve faster in his own zone. Some still have minor concerns about his IQ but he has all of the physical tools you look for, he can really shoot it (which I know he has worked on to turn into a real weapon), he comfortably handles and skates it, he has a high floor, and he could have a very high ceiling (at both ends) with continued development along the path he's on. Some want to see him play a little meaner, but he was a dominant defender at the junior level, and he has competed/played hard across huge minutes over the years. He's also helped by a June birthday that gives him some runway to continue to find new levels/layers and get the reps in with the puck in his own zone. He can dominate a game in all three zones and four corners of the rink, which is saying something for a defenseman his age. His size, skating, defending and blossoming offensive game make him a true top prospect. He looks like he's going to be a two-way stud in the NHL, and if he continues to improve the way he reads pressure, I think there's first-pairing upside. Ravensbergen was one of the stories of the WHL season two years ago. He was undrafted into the WHL, pitched a shutout in his first start and emerged to challenge Canucks draft pick Ty Young for starts in the regular season with Prince George, playing to an even split and then winning the net in the playoffs, where he was outstanding (his .931 playoff save percentage set a WHL benchmark for a rookie goaltender). That play, combined with his 6-foot-5 frame, earned him an invite to the World Junior Summer Showcase from Hockey Canada and made him the consensus top goalie prospect in the draft entering last season. However, he dealt with a hip injury that limited his training in the offseason when he could have really used some time in the gym to get stronger (he has never really worked out and is quite lean). Last season, he was good without putting up typical first-rounder numbers, playing a lot to a save percentage just above .900 after a strong start to the year (he had a couple of off games early in Prince George's first-round loss to Portland as well, but played really well in Games 5 and 6 to force a Game 7). This season, after he was the second goalie selected in the 2025 draft, he posted a .919 save percentage behind a top team with the Cougars and was Canada's third-stringer at the World Juniors. Ravensbergen is a rare southpaw as a right-catching goalie (coincidentally, as is Askarov). He moves very smoothly in the net for his size. He's smart in his reads and anticipation. He can go post-to-post or low-to-high to get to difficult saves with his length and has definite room to get more powerful through his pushes. He has a competitive fire. He reads the play well and fills the net to take away options from shooters with sharp, challenging angles. He has some natural standout attributes and the size to match. I've seen him look vulnerable, or get frozen, or give up low-danger shots through his body (including at the WJSS, where he wasn't at his best), though, as well. His upside is real, though, and there is untapped potential in his game if he can get into the gym and really build up his body. The tools are all there. That's what the Sharks are betting on. Chernyshov is a November 2005 who has progressed in line with his older age relative to his peers. He established himself as a point-per-game MHL player and scored his first KHL goal (at 16 years and 352 days, he was actually the 11th-youngest player to ever play in a KHL game) three seasons ago and bounced between the MHL and KHL in his draft year, showing mostly well in limited usage with Dynamo Moscow's pro team and registering 28 points in 22 games when he played with his peers. At the junior level, I felt he created more looks than his production suggested in the first half of his draft season. Then, in the second half, the points really started to fall and his production elevated back to where it belonged to reaffirm his first-round merits for me (he finished No. 23 on my board when the Sharks selected him with the first pick of the second round at No. 33 after he was unable to showcase himself at Gold Star's pre-draft camp due to, of all reasons, a severe sunburn he got in Florida). After undergoing shoulder surgery a couple of months after the draft, he then missed the first half of his post-draft season before returning and lighting it up with the Spirit in the OHL, registering 21 goals and 61 points in 28 combined regular-season and playoff games (he also had two points in three AHL games at the end of the year), and looking more like a top-20 talent than a top-40 one. He has continued to look like that in his full first season of pro hockey in North America this year as a 20-year-old, showing top-six quality in both the AHL and NHL, in my opinion. Chernyshov is a big, strong (6-foot-3, about 200 pounds) winger and modern power-forward type where driving is a part of his identity, but not to a bullish fault as his only focus, and his skill/finesse might take on greater emphasis. He plays a straight-line game and has the individual skill and a quick release to go at defenders and make plays off the rush or finish from the slot with a quick, one-touch shot in zone. He's a smooth enough skater, and his stride has some real power, which complements his impressive rush package without needing a dynamic burst. Add in a relatively committed game off the puck (there's still some room for growth there, but he competes fine and has played to very respectable results for his age this year), and there's a lot to like about his mold. He can attack defenders in a variety of ways, threaten on the puck or get open off it and he works hard enough. With his tools, size and scoring skill, he profiles like a second-line winger and secondary threat on a line who can finish, make plays and has size. He often looks like a top prospect. Pohlkamp is a unique player type. He's a 5-foot-11 D, but he's really stocky (210 pounds and muscular) and strong, and he uses that strength to play a physical, competitive and aggressive style offensively (taking charge with his shot) and defensively (playing to win bumps and engagements). He also has one of the hardest point shots outside the NHL; he can absolutely bomb it. Two years ago, as a freshman at Bemidji State, he played huge minutes (23 on average, most on the team), scored double-digit goals as a defenseman, played for Team USA at the World Juniors and then transferred to Denver to play under his USA head coach David Carle last year. As a sophomore, he again played big minutes (23 on average, second on the team to Zeev Buium) and was a prominent part of both the power play and penalty kill. He took another step this year and was, for me, the best defenseman and arguably the most impactful player in college hockey (he would have been my Hobey Baker vote), leading the Pioneers in scoring with 39 points in 41 games to lead them to this week's Frozen Four while playing nearly 24 minutes per game to a plus-25 rating and 185 shots (the most of any player in college hockey). He also performed at the Spengler Cup. He doesn't look or play like your typical sub-6-foot defenseman, playing with decisiveness before poise (while also having it when he needs it), attacking past the first layer and often laying big hits. I think he's going to be a unique NHL defenseman who can do and provide a lot. He's also a righty. I'm a big fan, and this slotting is reflective of that. The top pick in the 2021 OHL Priority Selection, Musty was one of the focal points of the Wolves' offense in his draft year and would have been their leader in shots on goal, assists and points were it not for a few weeks lost to a hand injury. In his post-draft season two years ago, though he dealt with a couple more minor injuries, he led the OHL in points per game (1.92) and paced for 130 points, which would have cleared league scoring champ and linemate David Goyette by 13 points. Last season, after impressing the Sharks at development camp and the preseason rookie tournament, Musty sat out the start of the season while he looked for a trade in the OHL (which, it should be noted, the Sharks supported) and eventually returned and then broke his hand in November, sidelining him for another couple of months. He came back in January with a five-point game and finished the year with 31 goals and 63 points in 36 combined regular-season and playoff games. This season, as a 20-year-old rookie in the AHL, he's going to finish top 10 in U21 scoring in the league and at the time of writing has 19 goals and 40 points in 55 games while playing 16-17 minutes per game on the year but 18-20 of late. Some view him as a top-six-or-bust NHLer who may not have what it takes to crack that high in the Sharks lineup, so that'll be his challenge. He's a big (6-foot-2, 205 pounds), strong, sturdy, athletic winger with slick puckhandling skill one-on-one and a balanced stride. He can unload from his hip into a heavy snapshot or drop and attack the net into a tuck play in tight. He's also really comfortable passing from the perimeter and hitting seams in coverage, which gives his game added dimension inside the O-zone. He's great along the wall on the cycle, but he can also occasionally make a play that pulls you out of your seat. The raw potential is there in spades, and the production and statistical profile are those of a legit NHL prospect. He has time to continue to find new levels and develop his game thanks to his summer birthday as well (he still has some rounding out to do, though I think that has been overstated). There has been talk over the years about his body language and attitude as well, but I've heard mixed reviews on that front, and some think he's misunderstood. There was a time when folks thought Musty was the best American-born 2005 prospect, and while that's no longer the case, there's real talent there. Some questioned his will/competitiveness earlier in his career, but I think those concerns have also been overstated (he can be a little inconsistent, but I've seen him have plenty of standout games where he's in the thick of everything as well). I think he has a real chance to become a skilled middle-six NHL winger. Bystedt is a big center who moves well (especially when he builds a head of steam through the neutral zone) and thrives in puck control, with the skills of protection out wide to his body that you expect in a player his size, but also the propensity to pull and drag pucks through his feet. Though he isn't a very adjustable skater in tight/against coverage, he skates well north-south and around wider crossover paths once he gets going. Those tools make him noticeable and intriguing by default and have allowed him to really hold pucks against his peers and work his way into being a good SHL contributor at an early age, and now the Barracuda's leading scorer in his second season in the AHL (while contributing on both the PP and PK). The reach, length and size (6-foot-3/4, 210 pounds) make him really strong in puck protection. When he's carrying pucks and looking to attack, he's a lot to handle. He has some real dexterity. He stays around it, he goes to the front of the net, he involves himself physically and he has become a much more consistent player over the last two years. His one-timer has some pop because of his strength and size. There were times in his draft year, in viewings across the J20, SHL and U18 worlds, where he played a different style in each and seemed to have a bit of an identity crisis. I think he found himself in the SHL as a driver who needed to use his decent skill and skating where required, instead of out of necessity. He was one of the SHL's better young players in consecutive seasons, and there's more than meets the eye with his game offensively at two good pro levels now. His game also works well on North American ice. He projects as a good bottom-six center for me. He has made necessary progress in the faceoff circle as well and is now over 50 percent in the AHL. I'd like to see him get an NHL look soon. Cagnoni had one of the most productive post-draft seasons by a WHL defenseman in decades two seasons ago, putting up comparable or better numbers to names like Olen Zellweger, Josh Morrissey, Kevin Korchinski and Shea Theodore, the last three of which were first-rounders and the first of which was drafted with the second pick of the second round. In fact, he had the most productive U20 season by a WHL defenseman since 1995, almost 30 years prior, registering 90 points in 65 games. He then built on that with an excellent NHL camp with the Sharks and led all U21 AHL D in scoring with 55 points in 70 combined regular-season and playoff games while playing 20 minutes per game for the Barracuda last season. He hasn't been able to take that next step this year to go from top AHL offensive D to full-time NHLer, though, and that final jump is often a barrier for players with his profile. Still, he's playing first-pair minutes (21-22 per game) for the Barracuda, has had 40-plus points in both of his AHL campaigns (both top 10 among D) and has led all AHL D in shots on goal at the time of writing, with 155 in 64 games this year. Cagnoni's challenge, like Zellweger's before him, is that he's small (the Barracuda list him at 5-foot-9). Importantly, though, he's a superb skater. His feet noticeably kick back through his forward skating stride, but he's a plus-level skater for me in every other way, and his mobility is a major strength on the whole. He also wins on his smarts more than his skill, though I think because his hockey IQ is so high, and that's the first thing people talk about, his skill level doesn't get enough love (it's legit for me). He walks the line really well, defends with his feet and can lace shots through or attack into space to use his quick release. He played a huge role on a top junior team for an established coach who has developed a lot of defensemen, has legitimate playmaking ability and distinguishes himself on the back of his smarts (he understands spacing and plays within the flow of play and often one step ahead of it), rounded skill and footwork. He also plays at a playable weight (180 or so pounds) and has made important progress defending in man-to-man engagements. He's going to have to keep proving people wrong to reach his upside as a No. 5 PP2 offensive defenseman with skating, IQ and offensive elements, but I'm a real believer. He was a second-rounder and not a fourth-rounder for me, and I think he has a chance to run one of the Sharks' power plays of the future (which is something their current blue line lacks). When the Sharks drafted Sahlin Wallenius with their second pick of the second round and fourth pick of the draft in 2024, he was the fourth player they'd taken from my top 32 (he was No. 27 on my board when he was picked No. 53). His post-draft season last year was then split between four levels. He was signed with Växjö in the SHL and dominated with their J20 team, but struggled early on in the season, resulting in a loan to Nybro in the second-tier HockeyAllsvenskan. Shortly after the New Year, he was then loaned to TPS in Liiga for a level of competition between the SHL and HockeyAllsvenskan. In Liiga, he played significant minutes, averaging 20 minutes per game. That may feel like a discombobulated season, but I don't view it that way. There were only two 18-year-old D who played regularly in the SHL last year, so I don't think it's a knock on him that he didn't stick there. I don't mind him going in search of the highest pro level he can play in either, and while I think the gap between Liiga and HockeyAllsvenskan has shrunk over the years, it represented a slightly stronger league, and none of its 18-year-olds played bigger minutes than him in it. This season, after signing with the Sharks, he has played on loan with Växjö, has seen his role grow over the course of the season and into a strong playoffs, and led all U20 D with 13 points in 32 games. He also played a ton and was Sweden's best D for me at the World Juniors, helping them to a gold medal. Sahlin Wallenius is an excellent skater and natural playmaker in motion who transports pucks through neutral ice, joins the rush, jumps in and out of lanes and then has the cleverness needed to hold and play pucks into space with proper timing and stick and positioning needed to complement his mobility and make him a plus-level defender. He uses his feet so well to exit and enter the zone, but also has a good feel on the puck and for where his teammates are (an important combination for D nowadays). He takes what's given while maintaining an eager and involved game. He can make north-south and east-west plays. He has good hands for a defenseman. He has good instincts. And whenever I watch him, it feels like he plays with confidence and finds ways to make an impact. He's able to get back into the play if he has jumped up into it and competes well enough (his skating makes his defense a strength, but I'd like to see him play a little harder in corners/along the boards at times). He projects as a two-way skating third-pairing NHL D, and I thought about ranking him a little higher here. A bright spot on a Huskies team that had some warts in his three years there, Lund stepped right into college hockey as a freshman and played the same game he played when he stepped into the USHL as a rookie in his draft year. He then played to nearly a point per game as a teenage sophomore and just above a point per game as a junior and was the second-leading scorer on a Northeastern team that lost more than it won, playing huge minutes (22 per game and often more as the focal point of the offense at five-on-five and on the power play). He was also one of the final cuts for Team USA's World Juniors squads for both Halifax and Gothenburg. After getting his NHL taste last spring, he started this season in the AHL before it was ended early by an upper-body surgery. At the time, he had 25 points in his first 37 AHL games and was playing 17-18 minutes per game in all situations. Lund tends to be pretty well-liked around the sport for his pro-style game. He's a pass-and-shot threat who will take what's available for himself but simplify and play off his teammates where needed, too. He pushes tempo with plus-level skating, plays with a purpose, works to get pucks back and then has enough skill to make things happen between checks and races. He's a strong, powerful 6-foot-2 player who thrives in transition skating or chasing pucks, hunting on the forecheck, turning defenders and creating breakaways. He finishes his checks. He can score and really shoot a puck. Considering his summer birthday and relative inexperience pre-college, he has progressed well. I don't think he's the smartest player, and he can play too much on instinct, but his speed, athleticism, physical tools, work ethic, good overall skill and increasing roundedness (he has learned the game on the fly). He has bottom-sixer potential if he can continue to develop. He can also play both center and wing (he played center coming up, played wing his first two years at Northeastern, split time between center and wing last season and played the wing in the AHL this year). Halttunen is a big, strong, work-in-progress player with one of the hardest shots outside the NHL. He was the top prospect in a weak(ish) age group for the Finns in his draft year. He impressed at two U18 worlds in Germany and Switzerland (the latter of which he registered 10 points in five games and scored some pretty goals with his shot and off drives to the crease). He looked like a force against his peers at Finland's top junior level. But he also fought it at his Hlinka Gretzky Cup and struggled to make an impact in 28 games in Liiga after registering seven shots on goal in his pro debut early on in his career. After a move to London for his post-draft season, Halttunen led the OHL in regular-season power-play goals with 16 because of his one-timer, was the second-leading scorer for the Finns at his first World Juniors and then found another level in the playoffs and the Memorial Cup, leading the OHL playoffs in goals with 17 in 18 games and making the Memorial Cup tournament all-star team after scoring another four in five games in Saginaw, including one in the final. Last year, after starting the season in the AHL and scoring four points in six games, he returned to the Knights for another run at a Memorial Cup, winning it this time, and played as a returnee at the World Juniors. And while he didn't take a step offensively, he worked to round out his game in other areas so that when he made the jump to the AHL again this year, he was in a better spot. And though he has only played about 13 minutes per game as a rookie and still has some practical limitations, he has still registered 31 points in 63 games, scored five power-play goals and put 133 shots on net. Halttunen has promise as a driven, shot-first, power-forward style winger who can really impose himself against his peers with his ability to get to his spots, outmuscle opposing players, rip the puck and play a physical and competitive style off the puck. He has a pro-built game and frame (6-foot-3 and over 200 pounds, and though he does carry around a little bit of excess weight, he has worked at it), but he can also make plays for himself and his shot. He plays to the inside, and he has the skill needed to make plays around the net for his size. He can definitely be a lot to handle for opposing players when he builds a head of steam, drives into contact in possession and they have to engage with him. He's strong on pucks, shedding bumps to drive past his man well (though I think he'll find it harder to attack into his spots at the pro level). He wins most of his 50/50 engagements against his peers. He protects pucks really well and has sneaky-soft hands through his practiced patterns handling the puck (his hands can look a little sloppy when things get hectic, though). His snapper and one-timer are borderline elite and can cleanly beat goalies from anywhere in the offensive zone (the puck really rattles off his blade). I worry about his problem-solving, discipline, play selection and pace, though. While he has also worked on his skating, it can look a little slow from a standstill (he has some power once he gets going). He has a chance to become a bottom-six scorer and power-play shooter with size. Viewed by some as the top forward in the 2007 age group at the NTDP ahead of last year, McKinney was the first player the U18 team called up from the U17 team the year prior. He also looks and plays more like a pro than those in his age group, though I do wonder about his offensive upside, and it was a weaker year from a talent standpoint up front at the NTDP. His game has never grabbed me and popped, but he was consistently a good player for that team, and he got better as last season progressed, finishing strong. (Though I thought he was just OK at the year-end U18 worlds, he played some really good hockey leading into it.) He finished the year above a point per game as their top scorer and was a center who was counted upon to play an important role on both special teams (he tracks and angles well on the PK, is strong, protects pucks well and took on defensive assignments) and is credited for his well-rounded game on and off the puck. This season, though he played just 9:40 per game at his first World Juniors and struggled a little with the puck, he had a respectable freshman year on the top team in the country, registering 20 points, playing 15 minutes per game, filling in where needed and contributing on the second units of both special teams at times. He has above-average skating, tools and work ethic, with an eager and involved approach and an ability to make plays when they're there and execute. His skill level isn't flashy, but he sees and reads the game well and has some secondary skill. He's strong in the faceoff circle. I like him working in and out of stops and starts along the wall. He has a pro build (6-foot-1, 198 pounds). He's well-liked as a projectable pro center, fit as a second-rounder for me (and most others) and could be a solid bottom-sixer someday after he develops more at Michigan. He's a little vanilla in terms of his puck play, but he's a solid two-way center with a chance to play games. I expect him to play a more prominent role at next year's World Juniors as a returnee as well. Even as the game changes and the makeup of a team's group of six defenders tilts away from rigid roles toward defensemen who are well-rounded, there's still a place for strong, sturdy, defense-first types. Allan doesn't have a strong statistical backing, but he helped the Thunderbirds to a WHL title, won gold with Canada at the World Juniors (though it did feel like Tyson Hinds took over the fourth top-four job from him as that tournament went on), was an all-star at the Memorial Cup and has averaged 21-22 minutes per game over three years and close to 150 games as a young D in the AHL, playing a prominent role at five-on-five and on the penalty kill in Rockford and now San Jose. He skates well, he has length, he defends through neutral ice effectively and he plays hard. Those are desirable qualities. He's not going to be much more with the puck than a player who lifts his head and hits the first available stick with an outlet (his game is pretty simple that way), but he'll occasionally take space when it's given to him, and occasionally beat the first layer of pressure to show some poise, even if neither of those things are consistent in his game. He can show some sloppiness when the pace is high and he has to deal with congestion. He'll skate over and bobble some pucks. But he's a strong and physical defender who fits as a low-fuss No. 6-8 NHL D alongside a busier, more offensively inclined player. Ostapchuk is what he is: A pro-style, straight lines, honest No. 12-14 forward with good speed and length. He has grown on me since the draft, but he's a high-floor, low-ceiling player. He's never going to have much offense, but with his blend of size (6-foot-3), speed, physicality, shot and sheer determination on the ice, he can play in the league at the bottom of your lineup. His effort and execution are always consistent. He's always engaged and applying pressure with the puck to attack, or without it to try to force opposing players into rushed decisions or come up with a steal. He drives the net extremely well in control with his plus-level skating and length in puck protection. He always seems to win his races. He has a good curl-and-drag wrister. He's great along the boards, pushing through contact on the cycle. He's still a little raw in some ways, and he's never going to be a finesse type, but he plays an intense game that is complemented by decently quick hands and good feel in the dirty areas around the net or in the corner. He doesn't process the game particularly well, but his go-getter game has utility. One of the stories of last year's draft, Wang is a 6-foot-6 defenseman born in Beijing who is committed to play for Boston University, attracted 20-plus NHL scouts to his games with the King Rebellion in the OJHL in the front half of last season and then made the jump to the OHL with Oshawa. With the Gens, he was clearly settling in and finding his way on a top team in early viewings. In the playoffs, he only played 9-12 minutes per game on a deep Oshawa blue line's third pairing, but he handled the better competition well, playing alongside Andrew Gibson and Luca D'Amato. He has still looked very much like he's figuring it out this season, split between Oshawa and Niagara, and remains quite raw. Wang is an extraordinarily mobile player for his size, with impressive skating technique through his inside and outside edges laterally and flowing mechanics going north or back to pucks. And while his handling still needs a little refinement, he has some skill, can play with fearless confidence (which I wanted him to show more of and skate more pucks in the OHL instead of deferring) and has the heavy shot you'd expect. There's work to do to tighten his gaps, but there's a lot to like. The skating component is clear, but his reads are coming, his on-ice communication is really strong (he's constantly talking to his partner) and he has learned to play a more physical style. It just feels like once he learns the decision-making component on offense a little better (he has a real ability to join the rush and make plays) and gets stronger on his feet (he's big, and he can bowl guys over, but he can get knocked around when they engage in contact), that there could be something really interesting there. He covers a lot of ground quickly, though he can be a little chaotic and still makes a lot of mistakes. He's also a summer birthday, and it feels like he's still very, very early in his development curve. I don't think anyone knows what he'll be with any confidence, but his development is worth monitoring closely. Wetsch is a well-rounded winger who plays the game the right way, knows his role and is consistent shift to shift. He stays around pucks, he's physical and hard and he involves himself in plays consistently in all three zones. He's a strong skater who plays with pace and balance over his skates. And while his production doesn't inspire (50 points in his draft year, 53 points in his post-draft season and 72 points in 65 games this year with the Memorial Cup hosts), he's a winning player who does have some touch and offense with a quick release and enough skill to execute and be opportunistic. He also has good size to complement his battle factor and driven style. There's a belief among some that he's going to be an effective fourth-liner and give the NHL a real go. He's also been beloved by his organizations, was named the Rockets' captain this year and has always been in good favor with Hockey Canada. Sharp showed enough on the national champs at Western Michigan as an overager to warrant getting drafted where he did last year. He played an expanded role as a sophomore with the Broncos this year as well, averaging just under 20 minutes per game and 19 points in 37 games (without any PP usage) to go with a plus-15 rating and PK deployment. He's a 6-foot-2, 195-pound defenseman who skates well, keeps it simple and doesn't overcomplicate the game. He can beat guys up the ice, make a good first pass, join the play, play physical and give you a consistent shift-to-shift approach. He has learned to hang onto the puck a little longer. When he's at his best, he's getting up and down the ice and looks like a two-way D who has a chance of getting signed when he's done in college. He may just be AHL depth, though. Hävelid is a 5-foot-10, 176-pound defender whose defensive game doesn't come with the deficiencies that you might expect it to for a smaller D. After getting injured a couple of weeks into his 18-year-old season and missing out on the World Juniors (a team he was a lock to be on), he jumped right back into the SHL without returning to junior, a testament to the trust he has tended to earn at an early age. At 19, he played exclusively in the SHL as one of its youngest full-time D and helped Sweden to a silver at the World Juniors. Last year, after struggling early on in the SHL, he played much of the season in the second-tier HockeyAllsvenskan and really rebuilt his confidence there before coming over to North America. This year, in his first full season in the AHL, he has averaged 16-17 minutes per game for the Barracuda and has played to generally positive results. He probably tops out as more of a good AHL defenseman or call-up option than a true No. 6-7 because of his size, but I've always enjoyed watching him and felt he deserved a mention here. He's proficient at everything; he's the kind of player who knows who he is and plays within himself, and it usually looks like the game is being played in front of him. He plays tight gaps, he's confident in control, he has great poise on both sides of the puck and everything is executed cleanly and decisively. He knows when to pick his spots to attack and then has the tools (including a good wrister) to make things happen. He never looks like he's scrambling or having to think out there. He's comfortable atop the offensive-zone blue line, adjusting his way across the line and feathering passes off his forehand and backhand. He's heady, constantly shoulder-checking and reading what's in front of him. He can carry pucks or pass them through neutral ice. He's a well-rounded, effective and ultimately impactful defenseman. I don't think he's a defenseman that coaches see as small, either. I think he can be a little too busy at times defensively, but he's decent young D.