San Jose Sharks: Ranking every draft class from the 2010s
By Matt Hawkins
2016 – Good so far
Total games played for the Sharks: 92 games
Player with the greatest impact for the Sharks: Dylan Gambrell (61 games)
In 2016, the Sharks had just five total draft picks. Amazingly, three of them played for the team at some point this season and the other two played with the Sharks AHL affiliate, the San Jose Barracuda, this season and could possibly be seen in the NHL for the Sharks as soon as next season.
The three players that played for the Sharks from this draft are second-round pick center Dylan Gambrell (61 games), fourth-round pick center Noah Gregor (28 games), and seventh-round puck winger Joachim Blichfeld (three games).
With Gambrell playing the most games out of these three, I would say he’s been the most impactful one. In his 61 games, he’s scored 11 points (five goals, six assists).
Although more than half the players the Sharks drafted this year have played for the team, it’s hard to say if this draft class is good or not. These players could never play a game again in a Sharks’ uniform, making it a bad class.
However, one or all of them could play 200 more games each in a Sharks’ uniform making it a great draft. Therefore, it’s just too early to tell, making it undecided.
2017 – Reaching for the star
Total games played for the Sharks: 61 games
Player with the greatest impact for the Sharks: Mario Ferraro (61 games)
The Sharks had six picks back in 2017 and so far just one of these picks has played in the NHL for the team. That player is second-round pick defenseman Mario Ferraro.
When first picked, analysts said the selection was a reach, however, now it seems Ferraro was a great pick with him quickly rising through the ranks and establishing himself as a young, promising defenseman for the Sharks.
Through his 61 games, Ferraro has posted 11 points (two goals, nine assists) and a plus/minus of -15.
Ferraro is most likely not the only pick from this draft that’ll be playing for the Sharks. The likes of sixth-round pick center Sasha Chmelevski might be seen in a Sharks’ uniform in the near future.