The San Jose Sharks went into the 2025 NHL Draft with nine picks and used all of them.
After some controversy surrounded who they would pick at No. 2, it all ended once Michael Misa’s name was announced. GM Mike Grier told reporters that the team had known Misa was their guy for a long time.
Here are my grades for each pick that the San Jose Sharks made:
Michael Misa – No. 2 overall – A+
Not much to question with this pick by Grier. The Sharks got the projected best forward in the 2025 class. Misa’s high compete, speed, skill, and goalscoring ability were a no-brainer to take.
While adding Matthew Schaefer to the mix would’ve been helpful, Misa is a tremendous addition. Plus, Grier says he’s not ready to draft for what the Sharks need positionally.
Josh Ravensbergen – No. 30 overall – B+
This pick caught me off guard, but the more I look into it, the more I like the pick. The San Jose Sharks have never picked a goalie as high as No. 30. Josh Ravensbergen is a big goalie who, like Yaroslav Askarov, catches right-handed.
While the numbers don’t jump off the page for the newest Sharks netminder, the prospect of his ability is high. Many rated Ravensbergen the No. 1 goalie prospect in the 2025 class.
Despite that, Ravensbergen was the second goalie taken off the board. Goalies take time to develop, and a pairing of Askarov and Ravensbergen in three to four years could be the best in the league.
Haoxi (Simon) Wang – No. 33 overall – A-
The Sharks had all night Friday night to think about what they wanted to do with the 33rd pick. They decided on Haoxi (Simon) Wang, a project defenseman with high upside.
While this might’ve been a reach for the Sharks in some eyes, Wang is a terrific skater and a work ethic to go with it. The Chinese-born defenseman is 6’6″ and, with the right development, can become a tremendous shutdown NHL Defenseman.
“The word ‘safe’ is always an interesting one. You look at a guy that’s almost 6’7, and can really skate and compete and can use his length, that’s pretty safe too if you look around the NHL right now in terms of who’s playing,” Sharks Director of Amateur Scouting Chris Morehouse said. “Yes, there’s some raw potential, and it’s going to take time, but all these kids are. I think as long as we understand the human—which we do—and we understand what our process is for him, we have such a fantastic development staff here that we make the investment that we feel comfortable with. Whether it’s safe or not, we like the profile that’s there.”
Cole McKinney – No. 53 overall – A
Cole McKinney might be the San Jose Sharks’ “steal” of the 2025 NHL Draft. While being drafted in the second round was the most likely outcome for McKinney, doing it at 53 is excellent value.
Some projections had McKinney going late in the first round or very early in the second. He fits a need for a future depth two-way centerman who will play the in-your-face and sacrifice everything for the team style.
Teddy Mutryn – No. 95 overall – C
Teddy Mutryn might be the Sharks’ worst pick, but it isn’t a bad one by any means. Clearly, Grier and his front office saw something in the forward that drew them to pick him.
Mutryn offers a similar development background to Macklin Celebrini and Will Smith. Mutryn played for the Chicago Steel and will eventually head to Boston College. We’ve seen both those teams develop top-five picks for the Sharks, so you never know what he can turn into.
Ilyas Magomedsultanov – No. 115 overall – B
He has to be paired with San Jose Sharks d-man Shakir Mukhamadullin. All jokes aside, Ilyas Magomedsultanov was a nice value pick in the fourth round.
At 6’2, the Russian defenseman is already playing against men in Russia. There is no known timeline for when he can come over to North America, but the Sharks aren’t worried.
He’s a solid player who will receive professional development time in Russia, which will only help grow his game while the Sharks don’t have him under their control.
Zack Sharp – No. 124 overall – B
Similar to Magomedsultanov, Zack Sharp is a nice find in the fourth round. The defenseman played for Western Michigan last season and had a solid year.
WMU is a strong hockey school, and after finishing with a +19 record in 42 games during his freshman season, Sharp will be able to build on his game in his sophomore season.
The Sharks may have a lot of left-handed defensemen, but they all possess the qualities of pro hockey in their game.
Max Heise – No. 150 overall – B-
Max Heise is a 19-year-old forward who finally heard his name called at the NHL Draft.
The San Jose Sharks prospect was over by the entire league in 2024, but now has a home in San Jose. Heise is a 6’3 forward who likes to get into the dirty areas of the ice. He is a terrific protector of the puck and can hit hard.
After one year in the WHL, Heise is expected to attend Michigan State University.
Richard Gallant – No. 210 overall – C+
The outlier of the San Jose Sharks draft is Richard Gallant. He’s the only player selected who is under six feet tall.
The future Harvard University forward plays bigger than his size. He wreaks havoc on the forecheck and offers an above-average passing ability.
A speedy, 5’8 forward who will use his hands and speed to find the gaps on the ice.
Overall, the San Jose Sharks had a solid draft. After Misa was picked second, Grier and company appeared to have drafted high-potential players rather than high-floor players. There is risk involved in this style of draft, but the development and scouting team has done its homework on the San Jose Sharks’ 2025 Draft class.
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