Sharks Draft Day

The Sharks draft came and went and with Chris Fekete's first official draft in MRFHL, it turned out to be a good one.

#46 overall (via the Hamhuis trade, more details to follow): Nick Sorensen. A two-way player who works hard on the ice, Sorensen is perhaps a step behind when it comes to his development due to missed time with injuries. Healthy now, he shows no ill effects and no trepidation on the ice. Although not the strongest player, he doesn't shy away from working hard in the corners and driving the net. A great skater, Sorensen is a playmaker first and foremost but also has an accurate shot that he can get off quickly. Just as important is his dedication to his own end, where he hustles hard to back check and help out his defensemen.

#54 overall: Sven Andrighetto. Andrighetto’s biggest issue is his dimunitive size. At just 5’09″ he has scared off teams in the last two drafts. However at 188 lbs, he is well built and strong on his skates, making him difficult to knock off the puck. Andrighetto is a very good skater with excellent top end speed, and very quick acceleration. He has good agility and edgework, making him shifty in the offensive zone and difficult to contain. Andrighetto plays the point on the Huskies powerplay and he has an excellent slapshot, especially on one timers. It is hard and extremely accurate. He also has a very good wrist shot and an excellent release. Not just a one trick pony though, Andrighetto is as good a playmaker as he is a sniper, with very good vision and passing skills.  Despite his size Andrighetto tries to play a gritty game and get involved in the corners, and he’s more successful than many would expect.  Still the size is limiting in this aspect. Andrighetto’s defensive game has improved, but remains a work in progress.  He has trouble containing bigger opponents who can muscle through him at times.  He needs better positioning as well, as he can sometimes simply lose his man.  This is the biggest weakness in his game.

#65 overall (via Hamhuis trade): Gabryel Boudreau. Paquin-Boudreau has good puck skills, he can outmaneuver most defenders and can control the puck and keep it away from opposing players. He is a very good skater, with top end speed. Not only does Paquin-Boudreau have good straight-line speed, but he also is very quick and able to make good, sharp turns without losing much speed. He has good offensive tools that have the potential to be even better. He’s very creative, especially on the rush, and can make exceptional plays.

#84 overall: William Carrier. At his best Carrier has a strong, powerful skating stride. He generates very good speed, and his acceleration is such that he can reach top speed in only a few strides. He has enough speed to take a defender wide and cut to the net. Carrier has great balance and is very difficult to knock off the puck. Carrier’s powerful stride allows him to fight through checks, and he has the ability to go straight through defenders at times instead of going around them. He has decent agility and edgework, but he’s more likely to use his ability to bulldoze a defender then to elude them. Carrier cycles the puck extremely well down low, and finds openings to cut to the net. He has soft hands when he gets there and scores a lot of goals in tight either through this cutting to the net, or by standing in front with rebounds and tip-ins. Carrier also has good vision and can be an excellent playmaker, especially out of the cycle. A pure powerforward, he wins battles along the boards, and loves to throw his weight around on the forecheck. Carrier has the added bonus of playing a strong two-way game. He brings his physical presence to his own end of the rink, and continues to be strong in board battles and hitting. He also cuts down on passing and shooting lanes and is not afraid to block shots. Carrier has good anticipation, and creates turnovers. He has been used on the penalty kill. Carrier’s power forward style of game is reminiscent of Erik Cole, just as a Left Wing instead of a Right Wing. His potential is to be a top 6 forward capable of playing in both ends of the ice.

#114: John Hayden. Hayden is a power forward who drew attention this year due to the solid amount of offensive skill he displayed, along with his power elements. He already has the body of an NHLer, as he is 6’2″ and 210 pounds, and he uses his frame well. He is a tough player who will drive the net, shoulder off checks, and grind it out for pucks in board battles. His offensive touch with the puck is intriguing. Hayden will not blow anyone away with a flashy move or highlight reel pass, but he can flash above-average potential, and he has some creativity to his game. He is not selfish, as he can make plays. His power elements, combined with the fact that he can make a man miss, make him a desirable prospect. His skating is roughly average; while he is not lumbering, he is not a player will blow past a defenseman. One scout thinks that he is average skater, and another thinks he needs some work in that area. He will be attending Yale University in the fall.

How SJ received the 46th and 65th overall picks were because of the Hamhuis trade with Winnipeg. The Jets, looking to add to their arsenal picked up Hamhuis (pending UFA, sign and trade most likely) from the San Jose Sharks. In return, the Sharks picked up several assets. 46th overall which was used to select Nick Sorensen, 65th overall which was used to select Gabryel Boudreau, young winger Mattias Tedenby (NJ Devils organization), young promising defensemen in Matt Donovan (NYI organization) as well as Winnipeg's 2nd round pick in next year's draft. Trying not to look too far ahead but the Sharks will have 5 picks in the top 60 and 8 in the top 120. For a team that is rebuilding and wanting to replenish the prospect cupboard, this is definitely the way to help move things along a bit more swift.