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#30: The San Jose Sharks Top Ten Prospects - The Final Chapter |
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Holy crap has it really been 2 months already? Well this is the end my friends the final top-10 prospects per team by Brian Huddle and myself. It’s been a sometimes fun sometimes frustrating endeavour but in the end I think it turned out alright. I’d just like to say that we’ve both really appreciated the support for the series and we will be looking to do some similar work together whenever we get a chance during the season.
Due to an error I've done the top-5 and number 10 while Brian did 6-9.
I want to dedicate this blog to former Sharks prospect Daniil Sobchenko who passed in the flight, I had him at number 5 and he will be missed.
I don't know what's wrong with the picture but it won't let me switch it to a San Jose one...
1.
Taylor Doherty, Defenseman,
Kingston Frontenacs, OHL,
57th overall, 2009, 20 years old,
6’8, 230.
A decent skater for his size Doherty is huge and knows how to use his size to his maximum effectiveness. He was projected as a defensive defenseman but has since found that he possess a bomb of a shot and solid passing ability. His strength and conditioning have massively improved and he overpowers most of his competition. He delivers big hits and plays solid positional hockey. He can play the PP and PK effectively and with his great shot has found a niche as the shooter part of a PP tandem. He just needs to add some more consistency to his offensive creativity and prove he can handle stronger competition.
Upside: Top-4 Two-Way Defenseman
NHL Comparable: Zdeno Chara
2.
Nick Petrecki, Defenseman,
Worcester Sharks, AHL,
28th overall, 2007, 22 years old,
6’3, 216.
Petrecki is a hard nosed defensive defenseman with good skating ability and strong positioning. He loves to hit and do it often usually in bone crunching fashion. He is very good on the PK with his mobility and strength and has a very hard shot which allows him to clear the puck effectively. Though he has a very hard shot it is not very accurate and most hope of him becoming a shooter on the PP have dwindled since his first year in Boston College, don’t expect much if any offense from him.
Upside: Top-4 Defensive Defenseman
NHL Comparable: Brooks Orpik
3.
Matthew Nieto, Left Wing,
University of Boston , NCAA,
47th overall, 2011,
5’10, 183.
Nieto is a very fast skating forward with excellent breakaway speed that allows him to blow by defenders. His offensive awareness is very good and he has very good passing skills though at times he shows that at top speed he can’t pass or shoot as well as he usually would going slower. His hands are below-average and he thrives off a pass and shoot game with a lot of simplicity. His shot is pretty weak and but he loves to go to the net fishing for rebounds and that is where he scores many of his goals. Despite his speed and hard work in the offensive zone it hasn’t translated to his own end and he is often caught out of position and being lackadaisical on the backcheck.
Upside: 2nd/3rd Line Playmaker
NHL Comparable: Derrick Brassard
4.
Freddie Hamilton, Center,
Niagara IceDogs, OHL,
129th overall, 2010, 19 years old,
6’0, 187.
Hamilton is the definition of the “Complete Player,” he is extremely smart positionally and is almost never caught making a poor play. He plays an extremely simple game based on hard work and anticipation and can be counted on to play in any situation. While he has some offensive skills his lack of creativity will likely hamper him going forward from turning into a serious scoring threat at the NHL level, he seems like more of a complimentary piece that can fit on any line. Hamilton is a wizard at face-offs and has quietly become one of the best in the CHL.
Upside: “Elite” 3rd Line Center
NHL Comparable: Jarett Stoll
5.
Michael Sgarbossa, Center,
Sudbury Wolves, OHL,
Undrafted signed 2010, 19 years old,
5’11, 174.
The compact center had an interesting year in which he struggled in Saginaw prompting a trade to the Wolves upon which he better one of the best players in the OHL. He’s an average skater with good mobility and decent acceleration. He has very quick hands and is very good in tight around the net. He has good playmaking ability and that is boosted by his best feature which is his creativity, Sgarbossa has a knack for making fancy plays out of nothing. He forechecks extremely hard and can be a pest, this includes never shutting up between whistles. He has to work on his consistency and show that his unbelievable play in Sudbury was the real deal (62 points in 37 games).
Upside: 3rd Line Contributor
NHL Comparable: Brad Marchand
6.
Tommy Wingels, Center
Worcester Sharks, AHL
177th Overall, 2008, 22 years old
6’0, 195 lbs
A competent distributor, Wingels plays a solid and smart game at both ends of the ice. He doesn’t shy away from the rough stuff either. Wingels displays a smooth and quick stride but lacks any real acceleration or separation gear. He’s a smart player defensively and does all the little things right.
Upside: Third Line Center
7.
William Wrenn, Defense
Portland Winterhawks, WHL
43rd Overall, 2009, 20 years old
6’1, 200 lbs
A strong leader in the dressing room, Wrenn brings a low maintenance and steady game to the back end. He captained the US National Development Team before a stop with the University of Denver and recently capped off a year in the WHL. He’s a positional player who plays a simple game in his own zone and transitions the play up the ice.
Upside: 4-6 Stay-at-Home Defenseman
8.
Konrad Abeltshauser, Defense
Halifax Mooseheads, QMJHL
163rd Overall, 2010, 19 years old
6’5, 215 lbs
A big boy by any standard, Abeltshauser is another stay-at-homer in the Sharks system. He has a decent stride and is mobile for such a large man, but is nowhere near a good skater. He has a long reach and uses it pretty effectively. He can start the breakout, but there’s nothing there in terms of that offensive ability.
Upside: 6-7 Defenseman
9.
Alex Stalock, Goalie
Worcester Sharks, AHL
112th Overall, 2005, 24 years old
6’0, 185 lbs
A hybrid goalie, Stalock plays on his feet more than into the classic blocking butterfly position. His stance is quite narrow and he doesn’t move down into the butterfly as often as most NHL tenders. He holds his limbs in tight, but plays a bit higher in the crease and challenges shooters. People also note how he rarely looks nervous.
Upside: NHL Backup
10.
Brandon Mashinter, Left Wing,
Wocester Sharks, AHL,
Undrafted, 22 years old,
6’4, 224.
Mashinter is a below-average skater with low top-end speed but decent acceleration and surprising mobility for a guy who looks extremely awkward. He’s a tough and mean customer that loves to lay out huge checks and never hesitates to crush somebody. Some think he has the skill to be a power forward in the NHL but it’s more likely he will end up on the 3rd or 4th line playing a grinder role. He has average hands and doesn’t like to deke, he prefers to bull his way around the net and really drives it hard. He has a very hard but inaccurate shot and mostly gets his goals around the crease or while screening the goalie.
Upside: 3rd Line Power Winger with PP Time
NHL Comparable: Steve Ott
Thanks for reading.
Follow me on Twitter @AdamFrenchReal
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