Within the next 48 hours, the San Jose Sharks will make their selections in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft. While they were unable to win the draft lottery to select Conor Bedard, They received the fourth overall pick, which should allow them to choose a superstar to add to their pool of leads. However, as NHL fans have learned many times in the past, nothing is guaranteed once the draft has begun. everything is possible.
Related: 2023 NHL Draft Entry Guide
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Outside of a Bedard first in general, there are plenty of ways an upcoming draft pick could find ways to turn things around from the many dummy draft picks that have been posted online. As a result, these are three predictions for what the Sharks will do during the 2023 draft, which will undoubtedly age terribly.
The Sharks would pass Michkov for fourth overall
Although this year’s draft is star-studded, there is a fair amount of discourse surrounding one of the best players available. Matvei Michkov was expected to rise to second place overall in the 2022-23 season, but his stock has fallen dramatically due to a host of other prospects with exceptional seasons and a Kontinental Hockey League contract, which runs until 2026.
While there’s a good chance Mitchkov will slip to at least fourth place overall, there’s a good chance he’ll be passed by the Sharks in favor of Will Smith or any of the top three prospects that somehow end up falling. Michkov is undoubtedly very talented, but General Manager Mike Grier could be willing to play it safe for the team’s future. It’s a decision sharks may end up regretting, but it wouldn’t be surprising to see what happens.
The Sharks selected a top goaltender in the draft
This year’s draft isn’t known for being heavily stocked with goalie prospects. However, there are definitely few of them. For the Sharks, adding another goaltender is something they desperately need. There is so much uncertainty surrounding goalkeepers that it wouldn’t hurt to pump up their stock a bit more. With that in mind, it wouldn’t be surprising to see the Sharks select Michael Hrabal or another goaltender with their second first-round pick.
Hrabal spent most of his season with the Omaha Lancers of the United States Hockey League. However, what really drew him attention was his performance in the international tournaments, where he consistently hit a . 920-plus save percentage. It wouldn’t be surprising to see the Sharks snag this goaltender ASAP, and while they could add another skater to the potential pool, a potential goaltender like Hrabal might be exactly what they need.
The Sharks add another first-round pick
Trying to predict trades during the draft is very difficult, but the Sharks are said to be working on it Trying to find a place to send Erik Carlson. If there was ever a time to send him to a new team, it would be during this year’s draft. With the number of great prospects available, Karlsson’s transfer would be a great way to stock up on another first-round pick. However, this potential trade also raises many other questions.
Given the magnitude of Carlson’s big salary cap, whether or not the Sharks will be able to get a big payout is questionable at best. Despite his phenomenal season, adding $11.5 million to any team’s salary is no easy task. If the Sharks keep their salary, their chance of getting a first-round pick is likely to increase dramatically. Either way, it’s the sharks’ best chance to speed up their rebuilding.
There are a lot of things the Sharks can do during the 2023 NHL Entry Draft that can shock their fans. All too often, these kinds of predictions end up aging terribly, and it wouldn’t be surprising if all three of these scenarios were so far off. However, with the knowledge currently available, this is the best I can do to work out what the Sharks might try during the draft. For now, though, fans will have to wait until June 28th to find out.