San Jose Sharks

New faces entering the shark tank after a decade-plus of success

Participants in the Stanley Cup Playoffs 14 out of 15 years between 2004 and 2019, the San Jose Sharks have now missed the playoffs in four consecutive seasons. After being a playoff staple for so many years but never being crowned Stanley Cup Champions, the heyday of the Sharks is over, as new young faces now don their teal sweaters.

Though roster moves are necessary, it’s difficult to consider this a full rebuild. The team has held on to some of its long-time faces, as a few will be part of the franchise's transition into a new age.

With Logan Couture captaining the Sharks and veterans Tomas Hertl and Marc-Eduard Vlasic still with the team, the three remain the only players on the roster from the San Jose of old. Though all three are growing grey in the beard, each is under contract in the Bay Area for the next four seasons.

The Sharks have been victims of some gruesome contracts eating up the majority of their cap space. Despite his career year, Erik Karlsson has four years remaining on his contract with an $11.5 AAV.

In trading perennial 30-goal scorer Timo Meier to the New Jersey Devils, the Sharks have begun retooling their roster, starting with Fabian Zetterlund, who turns 24 less than two months before the season opener. The Sharks will look to continue shopping their current roster players in the off-season, including draft day, to recoup any assets as they begin to retool.

With two picks in the first round, including fourth overall, and nine picks in the first five rounds, the Sharks will add to their current European-heavy prospect pool.

1. William Eklund, 20, C/LW, 1st Round (7) 2021, San Jose Barracuda (AHL)

   AHL: 54 Games Played, 17 Goals, 24 Assists, 41 Points
   NHL: 8 games Played, 2 Goals, 1 Assist, 3 Points

   Spending his first complete season in North America, William Eklund is the Sharks' top prospect. Eklund has been one of the top performers for the San Jose Barracuda this year, finishing the season as the team's second-leading scorer. He made his NHL debut in March, participating in nine games with the club. He tallied an assist in his first game and found the back of the net in OT losses against the Columbus Blue Jackets and Seattle Kraken before being returned to the AHL. Eklund is a speedy forward with impeccable vision. With a full year under his belt familiarizing himself with the North American game, look for Eklund to be with the Sharks when opening night arrives in October.

2. Thomas Bordeleau, 21, C, 2nd Round (38) 2020, San Jose Barracuda (AHL)

   AHL: 65 Games Played, 22 Goals, 19 Assists, 41 Points
   NHL: 8 Games Played, 0 Goals, 2 Assists, 2 Points

   A product of the USNTDP and the University of Michigan, Thomas Bodeleau made his NHL debut at the tail-end of the 2021-22 season, playing in eight games. Registering five assists in his time with the Sharks, he was assigned to the AHL to start the 2022-23 season. While more may have been expected of him at the start of the season, Bordeleau has had a strong season in the AHL with numbers very similar to Eklund. He’s a speedster standing at only 5’9” and likes to play along the perimeter in search of teammates, as he’s an exceptional passer of the puck.

3. Filip Bystedt, C, 1st Round (27) 2022, Linköping HC (SHL)

   45 Games, 7 Goals, 13 Assists, 20 Points

   Another top Swedish prospect for the Sharks, Filip Bystedt has played parts of three SHL seasons dating back to when he was only 17 years old. Bystedt didn’t turn 19 until February and has performed marvelously for a middle-of-the-pack Linköping team. Bystedt finished the SHL season as the third leading scorer among U20 players, behind only Leo Carlsson (2023 NHL Draft) and Marco Kasper (Detroit Red Wings). Representing Sweden at the 2023 World Junior Championship, Bystedt was the joint top-scorer (10 points) for Sweden, as they finished the tournament in fourth place. At 6’4”, he has a tremendous frame and can pick up fantastic speed for someone his size.

4. Henry Thrun, 22, D, 4th Round (101), 2019, Harvard University (NCAA)

   NCAA: 33 Games Played, 7 Goals, 24 Assists, 31 Points
   NHL: 8 Games Playes, 0 Goals, 2 Assists, 2 Points

   Following three seasons at Harvard University and a short stint in the USHL, Henry Thrun has made the decision to leap to the professional level. Drafted by the Anaheim Ducks in 2019, Thrun notified the franchise this year that he had no intentions to sign in Southern California. The Sharks would acquire Thrun for a third-round pick in 2024, immediately signing a contract. Thrun jumped directly to the NHL, appearing in eight games with the Sharks this season. Playing in San Jose, he has a more precise path to becoming an NHL regular than in Anaheim. He’s a strong skating two-way forward who closes caps quickly. He projects as a bottom-pairing defenseman with a second-pairing upside.

5. Shakir Mukhamadullin, D, 1st Round (20) 2020, Salavat Yulaev Ufa (KHL)

   KHL: 67 Games Played, 6 Goals, 19 Assists, 25 Points
   AHL: 12 Games Played, 1 Goal, 9 Assists, 10 Points

   One of the pivotal pieces heading back to the Bay Area from New Jersey in exchange for Meier, Shakir Mukhamadullin is a towering 6’4” defenseman with a cannon of a shot. Though the Devils invested a lot in Mukhamadullin, drafting him with their first-round pick in 2020, it would always be tough for him to crack the Devils' lineup. With Luke Hughes, Šimon Nemec, and Seamus Casey all likely ahead of him as far as defensive prospects go, Mukhamadullin is now the top defenseman in the Sharks' prospect pool. Mukhamadullin plays much more of an old-school defensive style, as he doesn’t jump into the play too often unless it's to unload one of his trademark slap shots. He made a cameo in the AHL last season, playing with the Utica Comets in three playoff games, where he registered two assists. According to the KHL website, Mukhamadullin’s contract in Russia expired on April 30, 2023, so he’s expected to be in Northern California come training camp as he’s signed his entry-level contract.

Fabian Zetterlund

The youth within the Sharks roster is rather bleak. Before the acquisition of Zetterlund, Mario Ferraro was the youngest player on the current roster and is set to turn 25 by the start of the 2023-24 season.

Zetterlund was the key cog in the trade that sent Meier to the Devils but has struggled to find his game since moving to the West Coast, totaling only three assists and failing to score in 22 games.

As a big-bodied power-forward, Zetterlund is a superb mixture of speed and power and looks to be a big part of the Sharks' rebuild.

• Fabian Zetterlund, LW, 23

First Round Picks

No. 4 & No. 23 or 24

First Round Targets

The Sharks' fourth overall pick will be influenced significantly by what the Blue Jackets do at No. 3. The likely selection for Columbus is Leo Carlsson, but if he slips to four, San Jose would be on cloud nine. The organization has shown a fondness for Swedish players recently, and Carlsson would become the cream of the crop.

If Columbus does elect to take Carlsson, Will Smith or Matvei Michkov would be the two hottest candidates for the Sharks. I don’t see Mike Grier straying far away from one of these three prospects.

With their second pick in the first round, I'd imagine the Sharks would go with the best player available, regardless of position. Gavin Brindley, Riley Heidt, Ethan Gauthier, and Dimitri Simashev would all be solid picks in the early twenties.