3 questions going through San Jose Sharks

NHL.com is offering in-depth roster, prospect and fantasy evaluation for every of its 32 groups from Aug. 1-Sept. 1. Today, three necessary questions going through the San Jose Sharks.

1. Will Michael Misa begin this season within the NHL?

If Misa performs opening night time towards the Vegas Golden Knights at SAP Center in San Jose on Oct. 9, the Sharks may have 4 gamers within the lineup chosen throughout the first seven picks of the NHL Draft starting with William Eklund (No. 7 in 2021). The group should determine if Misa, the No. 2 decide within the 2025 NHL Draft, begins within the NHL or the 18-year-old heart returns for a fourth season with Saginaw of the Ontario Hockey League.

“He’ll tell us if he’s ready or not,” San Jose coach Ryan Warsofsky stated. “With Michael, we have high expectations in what he can do on the ice, and I know he’s confident in what he can do.”

2. Can Yaroslav Askarov be a full-time beginning goalie?

The 23-year-old is the projected starter coming into coaching camp. Askarov went 4-6-2 with 3.10 goals-against common and .896 save share in 13 NHL video games (12 begins) final season earlier than going 3-2 with an American Hockey League-best 1.68 GAA and .935 save share within the Calder Cup Playoffs.

“It’s a different schedule, the grind of it, which he’ll have to adapt to,” Warsofsky stated. “That’s really important to have internal competition. We get to make sure he’s in the right mindset and physically ready to go, but we believe that he’s, for sure, ready to take the next step.”

Askarov, the No. 11 decide within the 2020 NHL Draft, was acquired in a commerce with the Nashville Predators on Aug. 23, 2024. He’ll have to carry off Alex Nedeljkovic, 29, and down the highway Joshua Ravensbergen, an 18-year-old from Prince George of the Western Hockey League chosen within the first spherical (No. 30) of the 2025 draft after he was No. 1 on NHL Central Scouting’s closing rating of North American goalies.

“Our job is to go out and find the best talent and this kid kind of fit that mold,” Sharks director of newbie scouting Chris Morehouse stated. “(General manager) Mike (Grier) has always said to us, ‘Let’s get the talent right first and we’ll work off of need versus everything else when we get into a smaller group and start discussing.’”