SHARKS CONCLUDE 2020 NHL DRAFT WITH NINE SELECTIONS
Oct 7, 2020SAN JOSE, CA (Oct. 7, 2020) - The San Jose Sharks concluded the 2020 NHL Draft today with Sharks General Manager Doug Wilson and Director of Scouting Doug Wilson Jr. making nine selections overall in the 2020 NHL Draft.
After selecting Ozzy Wiesblatt 31st overall on Day One, San Jose opened Day Two by trading their second-round selection (34th overall) to the Buffalo Sabres for a 2020 second-round selection (38th overall) and a 2020 fourth-round selection (100th overall). With the 38th overall selection, the Sharks chose center Thomas Bordeleau from the U.S. National Team. The five-foot-ten, 175-pound center appeared in 47 games for USA Hockey, registering 46 points (16 goals, 30 assists) with 16 penalty minutes, and ranked first among US U-18 skaters in assists and points. He also appeared in 19 games, scoring 18 points (seven goals, 11 assists) for the U.S. National Team Development Program (USNTDP). Bordeleau was invited to the 2021 U.S. National Junior Team Evaluation Camp in anticipation for the 2021 IIHF World Junior Championship and is committed to the University of Michigan for the 2020-21 season. His father, Sebastien Bordeleau, was selected 73rd overall in the 1993 NHL Draft and appeared in 251 career NHL games. Thomas was ranked No. 29 overall among North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting.
With the 56th overall selection, the Sharks chose right wing Tristen Robins from the Saskatoon Blades in the Western Hockey League (WHL). He appeared in 62 games during the 2019-20 season with the Blades, recording 73 points (33 goals, 40 assists) with a plus-16 rating. Robins finished tied for 11th in goals among WHL skaters, 14th in points, and led the team in goals and points and ranked third in assists. Robins set career highs in all offensive categories including goals, assists, points, plus/minus, power-play goals (10), shots on goal (233), and game-winning goals (4). Robins was ranked No. 86 overall among North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting. He is the first drafted player in San Jose Sharks history to hail from Great Britain. Robins father, Trevor, was a goaltender who signed as an undrafted free agent with San Jose in 1993. He spent parts of two seasons with the team’s International Hockey League (IHL) affiliate Kansas City Blades.
In the third round, the Sharks traded the 100th overall selection (acquired from Buffalo) and the 126th overall selection in the 2020 draft (via Ottawa) to Edmonton for the 76th overall selection and drafted left wing Danil Gushchin from the Muskegon Lumberjacks in the United States Hockey League (USHL). Gushchin appeared in 42 games for Muskegon, recording 47 points (22 goals, 25 assists) with a plus-21 rating. He led the league with six game-winning goals (tied) and three shorthanded goals (tied), was eighth in plus/minus, tied for ninth in goals and led the Lumberjacks in goals, points, shorthanded goals, plus/minus and was tied for second in assists. He was named to the USHL Third All-Star Team. Internationally, the left wing helped Team Russia to a gold medal in the Hlinka Gretzky Cup and earned a silver medal at the 2018 U-18 World Championship. Gushchin was ranked No. 41 overall among North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting.
In the fourth round, the Sharks traded a 2021 third-round pick (acquired from Washington) for the 2020 98th overall selection and drafted right wing Brandon Coe from the North Bay Battalion in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL). Coe registered 57 points (25 goals, 32 assists) in 60 games played with North Bay, led the team in assists, and ranked second in goals and points. In his third season with the Battalion, the right wing set career highs in goals, assists, points, and game-winning goals (3). Internationally, he helped Canada Red earn silver at the 2017 World U-17 Hockey Challenge, scoring four points (one goal, three assists) in five games. Coe was ranked No. 35 overall among North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting.
In the fifth round, the Sharks traded the 127th overall pick to the New York Rangers for the 196th overall selection and the 206th overall selection (via Vancouver) in the 2020 draft.
In the seventh round, with the 196th overall pick the Sharks selected center Alex Young from the Canmore Eagles in the Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL). Young appeared in 53 games for Canmore and recorded 82 points (36 goals, 46 assists) and finished fifth in the league in goals, eighth in points and tied for 11th in assists. He was named to the AJHL South All-Star Team twice (2018-19, 2019-20) and also earned the AJHL Sportsmanship Award, awarded annually to the AJHL player in the South Division that best exhibits character, dedication, perseverance, integrity and sportsmanship. Over three seasons, Young amassed 206 points (91 goals, 115 assists) in 172 career games. Young was ranked No. 145 overall among North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting.
With the 201st overall selection, the Sharks drafted right wing Adam Raska from the Rimouski Oceanic in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. In his rookie season, the five-foot-ten winger posted 21 points (13 goals, eight assists) with a plus-10 rating in 35 games. His plus/minus rating was sixth among QMJHL rookies and his five power-play goals ranked ninth. Internationally, Raska represented the Czech Republic in the 2020 World Junior Championship, appearing in five games. Raska was ranked No. 112 overall among North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting
With the 206th overall selection, the Sharks drafted center Linus Oberg from Orebro HK in the Swedish Hockey League (SHL). Last year, he split the season with the J-20 Orebro club in the SuperElit, appearing in 11 games, recording 18 points (12 goals, six assists) with a plus-5 rating. In the SHL, he recorded eight points (four goals, four assists) with a plus-1 rating in 37 contests. In the 2018-19 season, he led the league with the best faceoff percentage (63.38%). Internationally, he represented Team Sweden at the World Junior Championships, helping Sweden to a Bronze Medal with two goals in seven games. Across four games in the SHL this year, he has five goals.
With the 210th overall selection, the Sharks drafted right wing Timofey Spitserov from the Culver Academy in the United States High School, Preparatory league. In 40 games, the right wing scored 76 points (49 goals, 27 assists) with six penalty minutes. Spitserov ranked second in goals and fifth in points in the USHS-Prep, and he led the team in goals and points, and finished second in assists. Over two seasons in the league, he has amassed 143 points (95 goals, 47 assists) in 78 games. Spitserov was ranked No. 160 overall among North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting.
In addition to the nine players drafted, the Sharks have added several other prospects as free agents.
Joining NHL contracts Brinson Pasichnuk, Fredrik Handemark, and Alexei Melnichuk are AHL signings Joseph Garreffa, Kyle Topping, and Steen Pasichnuk.