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San Jose Sharks on The Hockey News
Sharks Top 10 Prospects Post 2024 NHL Draft
By Max Miller,
17 hours ago
The San Jose Sharks prospect pool is among the best in the NHL in terms of quality and depth.
With 2024 first-round selections Macklin Celebrini and Sam Dickinson, the Sharks' prospect pool has tons of elite talent. Here are THN's rankings of the top ten.
1. Macklin Celebrini
There is no doubt Celebrini is the No. 1 prospect in the Sharks system. Celebrini is a generational talent tasked with being the franchise cornerstone.
The Sharks and their fans will see Celebrini in teal starting July 2nd at the team's development camp. The Boston University product has not made his decision regarding going pro.
2. Will Smith
Last season's No. 1 prospect slides down one spot. There is no doubt Smith's offensive talent has the potential to become elite in the NHL.
Smith led the NCAA in scoring with 71 points and had four goals in the Hockey East final. He has turned pro and signed his entry-level contract.
3. Sam Dickinson
The Sharks added a top-three-ranked defenseman in the 2024 NHL Draft class in Dickinson. The London Knights d-man is a terrific skater who the Sharks feel can unlock even more offense despite scoring 18 goals and 52 assists in 68 games.
4. Shakir Mukhamadullin
Ranking Mukhamadullin this high could be seen as a stretch, with players like Quentin Musty and Kasper Halttunen still not listed. Mukhamadullin is ranked this high due to his three-game cameo in the NHL last season.
Mukhamadullin had one assist in three games but didn't look out of place. He skated well and was physical right from the get-go. In 55 games with the San Jose Barracuda, he had seven goals and 27 assists.
5. Quentin Musty
Musty had a terrific season in the OHL for the Sudbury Wolves. The 2023 first-round pick possesses an elite shot and can create plays out of nothing when needed.
Musty had 43 goals and 59 assists in 53 games. He scored two goals and eight assists in eight OHL Playoff games.
6. Igor Chernyshov
Chernyshov was seen as a late first-round pick. Some rankings had Chernyshov ranked around No. 25, similar to Musty's selection in 2023. Chernyshov was picked at No. 33, the first pick of the second round.
Chernyshov played in the MHL/KHL in Russia for Dynamo Moskova. In 22 games in the MHL, he scored 13 goals and added 15 assists. In 34 games in the KHL, he scored three goals and one assist.
7. Filip Bystedt
The 2022 first-rounder made his North American debut with the San Jose Barracuda this season. He scored twice in his first game. The knock on Bystedt is his skating, which did show improvement in the few games with the 'Cuda.
His hockey IQ made him a first-round pick, and while there is a quality center there, there could be some untapped potential.
8. Kasper Halttunen
Halttunen is a sniper. His teammate with the London Knights said his shot is one of the best he's ever seen.
"The eye-popping thing with him is the shot. It's the best shot that I've ever seen. The best shot that I've ever had to defend against," Dickinson said. There's no real way to stop it. When he gets it off, you just got to start praying and hoping because when he gets it off, it's going to be deadly."
9. Luca Cagnoni
The Sharks might've found a diamond in the rough in the fourth round of the 2023 NHL Draft. Cagnoni had the best offensive season in this century for the Portland Winterhawks last season.
In 65 games, the defenseman had 90 points (18 goals, 72 assists). His size had him drop down in the draft, but Cagnoni's broad frame made his smooth skating an excellent complement to his physicality.
10. Collin Graf
There was a glimpse of Graf at the end of 23-24, but the best is yet to come. The Quinnipiac product told reporters that the physical play of the NHL was a big adjustment. Now, with his first summer of NHL training, he can focus on that.
After signing his entry-level contract, Graf had two assists in seven games with the Sharks. He can potentially shoot up THN's rankings, depending on the start of his season.
Honorable Mentions:
David Edstrom, Daniil Gushchin, Ethan Cardwell, & Jake Furlong
Make sure you bookmark THN's San Jose Sharks site for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more.
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