Nick Nollenberger, also known as "Nolly," has been the play-by-play voice of the San Jose Barracuda since 2016. Over that time, he has called more than 600 games. In addition to his work with the Barracuda, he also serves as an analyst on NBC Sports California for select San Jose Sharks games. A native of Santa Cruz California, Nollenberger is a San Jose Jr. Sharks alum and a graduate of the University of Arizona. 

Hello, Cuda Country — Happy Summer! 

I hope you've had a chance to travel, unwind, and soak up some sunshine. It’s Development Camp week — one of my favorite weeks of the year. I’ve been on paternity leave since the end of the season and will return once this week wraps up, but it’s great to be back for a few days to reconnect with the staff. I’m also looking forward to seeing many of you at the Prospect Scrimmage at Tech CU Arena on Thursday morning. If you can’t make it in person, I’ll be on the call, which you can catch on all Sharks digital platforms, including the team’s 24-hour home, the Sharks Audio Network. 

I figured, why not throw together a few blogs this week to share my thoughts on all things Team Teal? 

The Sharks are coming off another exciting draft, which means a new group of prospects has joined the organization. Only time will tell, but it feels like General Manager Mike Grier and company hope this is the last time they’ll be picking this high. While there’s already plenty of buzz around Gavin McKenna in 2026, at some point, the focus has to shift toward becoming more competitive. Personally, I believe winning is the most important thing at this stage of the rebuild — though, as we all know, that’s easier said than done. Winning is a learned habit, and that takes time. 

Monday marked the first day of Development Camp, with players arriving over the weekend. Today was all about orientation — fitness testing, headshots, media obligations, and more. On-ice sessions begin Tuesday and Wednesday, with the four-day event culminating in a scrimmage on Thursday at 11 a.m. 

Last year, the scrimmage gave us our first look at Macklin Celebrini in teal — and even in that brief showing, it was clear he was special. 

This week is all about helping players build connections with the organization. While there are a few returners at camp, this is one of the youngest groups I can remember. No one on the Development Camp roster spent a full season with the Barracuda last year, meaning every player here is either set to start their pro career full-time this fall or still a couple years away. 

This stretch is one of the busiest on the NHL calendar — with the draft, July 1 free agency, and Development Camp all packed into a short window. A common expectation among fans and media was that, needing to reach the cap floor, the Sharks would be aggressive in acquiring established NHL veterans to help support their young talent. But last week’s buyout of Marc-Edouard Vlasic suggests the organization might be even more aggressive in reshaping the roster than many initially thought. 

Earlier today (Monday), the Sharks announced they have extended qualifying offers to forwards Thomas Bordeleau and Danil Gushchin, as well as defenseman Jack Thompson, retaining negotiating rights with all three restricted free agents. 

Meanwhile, eight players were not issued qualifying offers and will become unrestricted free agents: Carl Berglund, Nolan Burke, Brandon Coe, Noah Gregor, Klim Kostin, Nikolai Kovalenko, Georgi Romanov, and Mitchell Russell. 

A qualifying offer is a standardized contract a team must extend to a restricted free agent (RFA) by a specific deadline to retain negotiating rights with that player. 

I’m not sure if Bordeleau or Gushchin were locks to return after limited NHL time last season, but both have high-end offensive talent and remain cost-effective given their age and contract status. They’re both great guys, too. Hopefully a little more runway and they can crack the NHL lineup and become regulars. 

I’m only surmising given who’s under contract, but I’d expect the Sharks to add multiple goaltenders this summer. As it stands, aside from Yaroslav Askarov, the only goalies signed for next season are Gabe Carriere and Matt Davis (on an AHL deal). 

The Sharks made nine selections in last week’s NHL Draft, including three in the top 33. Here's a quick rundown: 

2025 Sharks Draft Class 

Michael Misa (1st Round, #2 Overall – C) 
Despite some pre-draft buzz to the contrary, the Sharks selected who most expected: Saginaw Spirit center Michael Misa. A dynamic, play-driving center and captain of the OHL’s Spirit, Misa posted a staggering 134 points — the most by an OHL draft-eligible player since Patrick Kane in 2007. He was granted exceptional status and had a fractured tibia slow his 2022–23 campaign, but this past season he bounced back in a big way. After playing the wing in Saginaw’s Memorial Cup run (alongside Barracuda defenseman Braden Haché), he returned to center this year and thrived playing with Sharks prospect Igor Chernyshov. 

Joshua Ravensbergen (1st Round, #30 Overall – G) 
A 6'5", right-catching goalie, Ravensbergen was ranked as the top North American goaltender by NHL Central Scouting. In 51 WHL games with Prince George, he posted a .901 save percentage and a 33–13–4 record, finishing as a Goaltender of the Year finalist. He becomes the first goalie ever selected in the first round by the Sharks. 

Haoxi “Simon” Wang (2nd Round, #33 Overall – D) 
Wang’s journey is remarkable. Born in China and moving to Canada at 12, he becomes the highest-drafted Chinese-born player in NHL history. Standing 6'6", he’s an outstanding skater for his size, though still raw. He’s considered a long-term project but has tantalizing upside. Wang is headed to Boston University this fall — a program that has built a strong connection with the Sharks. 

Cole McKinney (2nd Round, #53 Overall – C) 
A 6'3" center from the U.S. NTDP, McKinney led the team with 61 points (27 G, 34 A). He’s a hardworking, two-way pivot who plays well in the corners and shows playmaking ability — ideal middle-six potential. He’ll head to the University of Michigan next season. As we saw with Florida this year, relentless, workmanlike players are critical to a championship identity. 

Teddy Mutryn (3rd Round, #95 Overall – C) 
The Chicago Steel (USHL) center tallied 30 points (17 G, 13 A) in 47 games, including multiple multi-point efforts and an eight-game point streak. He’s a dependable two-way center with offensive upside — likely a future depth piece. Mutryn is off to Boston College in the fall. 

Ilyas Magomedsultanov (4th Round, #115 Overall – D) 
If he makes it to the NHL and lines up with Shakir Mukhamadullin, they might form the longest last-name pairing in league history — maybe worth submitting to the 32 Thoughts podcast. Selected from Lokomotiv Yaroslavl Jr. (JHL), the 6'2", 185-pound blueliner plays with size and edge. Sharks Director of Amateur Scouting Chris Morehouse noted his physicality. He won’t be attending Dev Camp due to travel logistics. 

Zachary Sharp (4th Round, #124 Overall – D) 
Sharp is a puck-moving defenseman from Western Michigan (NCHC) with good mobility. He helped the Broncos win their first national championship in program history this past season. At 20 years old, he’ll continue to develop at the collegiate level. 

Max Heise (5th Round, #150 Overall – C) 
Heise, from the BCHL’s Penticton Vees, is a skilled scorer with upside as a secondary offensive contributor. At 6'3", he has great size and room to grow. With the CHL’s new rules, he’ll likely play for the WHL’s Prince Albert Raiders next season before heading to Michigan State. 

Richard Gallant (7th Round, #210 Overall – C) 
Another U.S. NTDP product, Gallant is a high-energy, two-way center. He’s just 5'8", but Morehouse described him as a "rat" — a term of endearment in hockey circles. He’s a long-term project, but with great work ethic and versatility. Gallant is set to play at Harvard next season. 

That does it for this edition of Nolly’s Notes. Keep it locked on SJBarracuda.com, where I’ll be sharing my observations throughout the week. Thanks for reading — talk to you all soon!