San Jose Sharks: Ranking every draft class from the 2000s
By Matt Hawkins
2002 – A whole lot of nothin’
Total games played with the Sharks: None
Player with the greatest impact for the Sharks: N/A
The Sharks had seven draft picks back in 2002. This included a first, second, third, two fifths, a seventh, and ninth. So, the Sharks didn’t have a fourth, sixth, and eighth-round pick.
Their first-round pick was right-wing Mike Morris (who?) at 27th overall. Morris would never make it to the NHL. After being drafted, he would finish his college hockey career with Northeastern University and then play just 26 games in the AHL from 2007 to 2009.
Morris would be released from his contract and then retire from professional hockey. Morris’ career set the standard for this draft class as no one from this class played a single game for the Sharks.
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2009 – Small amount of picks = no success
Total games played with the Sharks: None
Player with the greatest impact for the Sharks: N/A
The Sharks had just five draft picks in 2009. These selections didn’t include a first, third, fourth, and sixth-round pick. However, the Sharks had two seconds, a fifth, and two seventh-rounders.
Their first-round pick went to the Tampa Bay Lightning in a deal to acquire defensemen Dan Boyle and Brad Lukowich.
While what should’ve been their first-round pick turned out to be right wing Kyle Palmieri, none of the Sharks’ actual picks amounted to anything. For the second time of the decade, San Jose had a draft class that played zero games for them.
2000 – Not a hot start to the decade
Total games played with the Sharks: 11 games
Player with the greatest impact for the Sharks: Nolan Schaefer (seven games)
The Sharks went into the decade just like they left, without a first-round pick. This first-rounder went to the Montreal Canadiens in a trade to acquire center Vincent Damphousse.
Although this first-rounder was used to draft Marcel Hossa who never amounted to anything great, he would’ve been the best pick of this class. However, because this pick was traded, the best player for the Sharks from this class was goaltender Nolan Schaefer at 166th overall.
Schaefer played in seven of the 11 total games that this class played for San Jose and was actually quite good in these games. He recorded five wins, a 1.88 GAA, .920 SV%, and was the first Sharks goalie to record a win in the shootout.