Is Michael Misa NHL-ready? Four biggest takeaways from Sharks prospect scrimmage originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
SAN JOSE — The Sharks got a first look at their 2025 No. 2 pick at their annual Prospects Scrimmage on Thursday at Tech CU Arena.
This year’s top draft picks, Michael Misa, Josh Ravensbergen, Haoxi (Simon) Wang and Cole McKinney, were among those who made their debuts in teal.
Top prospects Sam Dickinson, Igor Chernyshov and Quentin Musty also participated.
What were my impressions of the Prospects Scrimmage?
There is a caveat, though: The scrimmage is not played at 5-on-5. It’s 4-on-4 and 3-on-3. So they’re not playing NHL-like hockey. They’re also matching almost pro-ready 21-year-old University of Denver star Eric Pohlkamp (hat trick in a 7-3 Team Teal victory over Team White) versus raw 18-year-old McKinney, who is yet to suit up for the University of Michigan.
“We’re not evaluating these players [much on the ice],” director of player development Todd Marchant said on Thursday morning. “I don’t. This is summertime. This is about education. This is about us getting familiar with the players.”
So let’s go beyond just my eye test and try to answer some of the big questions from the development camp.
Misa’s Future?
“He’s going to get every opportunity to come into training camp and rookie camp to make this team,” Marchant said Thursday morning.
While that’s not set in stone, that’s consistent with everything that general manager Mike Grier and Misa have said since last Friday’s draft.
While Misa notched just one assist at the scrimmage, he and Saginaw Spirit linemate Igor Chernyshov were consistently the most dangerous duo for either team. The 6-foot-1 center’s skating and pace popped, especially compared to his older competition.
The long-time development director also praised Misa’s remarkable hockey IQ.
“He’s right up there at the top [for all the players that I’ve ever developed],” Marchant said. “Like I said, I have not been able to figure out a way to teach somebody to make them better at that — you either have it or you don’t.”
Misa’s body, however, isn’t as NHL-ready as Macklin Celebrini’s at this time last year, so that’s an obstacle.
Misa also shared the feedback that he received from Sharks development coaches.
“One thing I take away is probably just always have my feet moving,” Misa said. “[Also] everyone’s so fast at the next level, so you always want to be scanning, kind of looking where your next play is.”
Two NHL scouts weighed in on whether Misa is ready for the best league in the world.
“NCAA. It’s just a much more natural progression. I don’t know why players wouldn’t do it,” Scout No. 1 said. “The NHL is hard and he won’t play much. Why not go to a top-flight college team, get used to a faster, more physical game, and make the jump next year?”
For what it’s worth, Misa’s older brother Luke has committed to Penn State.
That said, a couple of league sources don’t think the difference between the OHL and NCAA is that pronounced.
Another scout thinks Misa is close enough to NHL-ready to try it.
“I think you sign him [to his Entry Level Contract]. Give him camp. Preseason. Nine-game trial. No NCAA,” Scout No. 2 said. “You develop him in the NHL.”
In that scenario, Misa could return to Saginaw after his nine-game NHL trial. However, he would be ineligible for college after he signs his ELC.
For what it’s worth, the Misa decision sounds close to the Will Smith debate last year, where there were strong cases for Smith to go to either the NHL or another league.
What’s Next for Dickinson?
Last year’s No. 11 pick Dickinson is in Misa’s boat, except the NCAA isn’t an option because the reigning CHL Defenseman of the Year already signed his ELC.
Dickinson’s path to the NHL has certainly been complicated by Thursday’s acquisitions of veteran defensemen Dmitry Orlov and Nick Leddy.
At the moment, the Sharks have eight NHL-worthy blueliners on their roster: Orlov, Leddy, John Klingberg, Shakir Mukhamadullin, Mario Ferraro, Timothy Liljegren, Henry Thrun and Vincent Desharnais.
“If [Dickinson] shows that he’s ready for the NHL, we’ll make room for him,” Marchant insisted.
The 6-foot-4 defenseman, as expected, looked dominant during the scrimmage. But will his obvious size and skating advantages here translate to the highest level?
Barracuda Wave of Youth?
The San Jose Barracuda are going to look much different next year, with the departures of Thomas Bordeleau, AHL MVP Andrew Poturalski, captain Jimmy Schuldt and star goalie Yaroslav Askarov.
Like Bordeleau, once-prized prospect Danil Gushchin appears to be a real candidate for a fresh start, too.
Enter the size and skill of 2024 No. 33 pick Igor Chernyshov, 2023 No. 26 pick Quentin Musty and 2023 No. 36 pick Kasper Halttunen, all ticketed for the Barracuda, per Marchant.
That is, unless they make the big club.
The Sharks elected to give the Finland-based Halttunen a break from development camp, while Musty and Chernyshov, as expected, dummied players of their age here.
Their next big test will be training camp, where they’ll measure themselves against legitimate pro competition.
2025 Draft, Non-Misa Division?
While Misa hopes to make the NHL next year, fellow high picks Ravensbergen, Wang and McKinney have their sights set on still getting themselves ready for the world’s best league.
Athletic 6-foot-5 goalie Ravensbergen is set to return to the WHL’s Prince George Cougars next year.
Marchant shared who banged the table for the Sharks to pick Ravensbergen in the first round. That’s the highest that the franchise has ever picked a goalie, the previous high was No. 55 Terry Friesen in 1996.
“Our goaltending staff, Evgeni Nabokov and Ryan Miller were really high on him,” Marchant said. “They were passionate about taking him.”
Wang, predictably for someone who didn’t seriously start play hockey until he was 14, was very raw at the scrimmage. As advertised, he flashed genuinely breathtaking skating for a 6-foot-6 teenager — Marchant called it “amazing” — but his decision-making needs a lot of refining.
The defenseman will go to the OHL’s Oshawa Generals next year, then hope to jump to Boston University.
McKinney is set to go to the University of Michigan this year.
“Cole McKinney was deceptive, smooth with the puck on his stick, showed a lot of potential,” Barracuda head coach John McCarthy said about the future two-way pivot.
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