2023 NHL MOCK DRAFTS: SAN JOSE SHARKS

The San Jose Sharks had the 4th worst record in the NHL this season and have the 4th pick in the upcoming NHL draft. San Jose has plenty of issues to address in this draft.
This is a mock draft for the San Jose Sharks in the 2023 NHL Draft.

Related: Columbus Blue Jackets

4. WILL SMITH, C, US National U18/NTDP & USNTDP Juniors/USHL

Will Smith is a dynamic offensive player who is centering the NTDP’s top line this year and is very creative offensively while being reliable defensively. Smith is a natural playmaker, he attracts a lot of attention in the offensive zone, drawing multiple defenders in his gravity before making a deft pass out of pressure to one of his lucky teammates. The ability to make tough plays under pressure at high speeds is often referred to as “pace”, and it is one of the biggest indicators that a player will find ways to succeed in the NHL someday against the fastest and smartest competition in the world. No matter what you call it, Smith has it. While Smith isn’t the best skater, he is agile enough to quickly switch coverage on defense and usually fast enough to separate himself from defenders on the rush at the junior level. The dynamic center is almost certainly going to be a top-10 pick on draft day, with a good chance at ending up in the top six or so. He’s clearly not in the top tier of the draft class with guys like Connor Bedard and Adam Fantilli, but there’s no doubt he’s near the very top of that next group. Smith has the potential to be a top-line center with a great two-way game and he’s a pretty safe bet in my mind to become at least an excellent second-line center. He will control an NHL powerplay from the flank both as a finisher and a distributor, and could even turn into a guy you want on your penalty kill as well. Smith has 90+ point potential and his ability to pull off the absurd things he does at such a high speed gives me hope that he’ll be able to execute similar moves in the NHL someday. My comparison of Will
Smith is Nico Hischier, who is growing into one of the game’s best two-way centers in the league. No matter how you look at it, Will Smith is a top-end prospect who the San Jose Sharks could look to build around for the coming years.

26. LUKAS DRAGICEVIC, D, TRI-CITY AMERICANS/WHL

The top-ranked North American defensive prospect for the 2023 NHL Entry Draft, Lukas Dragicevic, has all the attributes teams are looking for in a modern-day defenceman. The 2022-23 campaign was a busy one for Dragicevic as not only did he play all 68 regular season games, putting up 15 goals and 75 points, plus 4 points in 6 playoff games with Tri-City. participated in the Top Prospects Game and recently helped Canada win bronze at the U18s. During the tournament, he averaged over 23 minutes a game, helping Canada win the Bronze Medal. Dragicevic can be relied upon in his own zone, transition the puck with a crisp first pass or strong skating, and can quarterback a power play. When watching Dragicevic, one part of his game that sticks out is his passing. Starting off in the transition game, he can make a tape-to-tape pass from his own zone, hitting teammates in stride, which can create odd-man rushes entering the offensive zone. Dragicevic’s skating is another reason why he is so dangerous, as he can carry the puck into the offensive zone with ease if no passing options present themselves. While Dragicevic is an exciting player, scouts are concerned about his aggressiveness, as he has a tendency to forget he is a defenseman and get caught up on ice, which leads to odd-man rushes and will try to force passes that are easily intercepted. Dragicevic has all the traits needed to be a first-round pick, but he very well may drop to the second round-because of his overall defensive play. No one doubts his skill, as he is arguably the most skilled defenseman in the entire draft, but the debate teams will have is if his offensive game is enough to mask his defensive flaws. A comparable to Dragicevic is Damon Severson, a high-risk high-reward defenseman, who can be mistake-prone but has shown flashes of greatness at times. San Jose needs an offensive defenseman that they can groom to be Erik Karlsson’s success, and Lukas Dragicevic has the potential to be the best defenseman in this entire draft if he is developed properly.

36. TANNER MOLENDYK, D, SASKATOON BLADES/WHL

For a draft class so heavy in forward talent, it may surprise some to learn that few defencemen are considered first-round picks in 2023, one of those defensemen who could be drafted on Day 1 is Tanner Molendyk, a smooth-skating offensive defender with the Western Hockey League’s (WHL) Saskatoon Blades. In 67 games, the 5-foot-11 blueliner put up nine goals and 37 points, finishing third among the team’s defencemen in scoring. There are concerns concerning Molendyk about a 5’11 defenseman described as a skilled puck mover not being able to score, but that can be contributed to Molendyk playing on a stacked Saskatoon Blades, which included 19-year-old Charlie Wright, 21-year-old captain Aiden De La Gorgendiere, and 20-year-old Blake Gustafson, acquired from the Red Deer Rebels. The main reason his numbers dipped, however, was be he became more focused on being a capable two-way defenseman. He’s a fantastic skater, moving so effortlessly across the ice that it looks like he’s simply gliding, and he can keep up his speed and agility while carrying the puck, pulling off deft moves to maintain possession. He also plays a strong transition game full of confidence and patience and is rarely caught off guard. With a hard, accurate point shot, he is always a danger when in the offensive zone. With his incredible patience and ability to get into position quickly, along with developing confidence in his physicality, Molendyk has emerged as one of Saskatoon’s go-to guys to shut down their toughest opponents, including Connor Bedard. Molendyk may not emerge as a top offensive defender, but he can log a ton of ice time and shut down opponents, making him a player who has a future similar to that of Marc Eduoard Vlasic, who was an excellent shutdown defenseman for the Sharks for a long time. Molendyk could because a core piece of the Sharks’ defense for a long time, just like Vlasic was.

71. CONNOR LEVIS, C/W, KAMLOOPS BLAZERS/WHL

Connor Levis is a good-sized forward, who is very versatile, can play both Center and wing and has a good skillset combined with an excellent skating ability and hockey sense for the game. He finished the season in Kamloops with 67 points in 68 games, as well as 6 points in 14 playoff games; Committed to the University of Michigan, he is a long-term prospect with pro size. I would describe Levis as the ultimate utility forward, he does a little bit of everything for the team and while he doesn’t have the offensive or defensive upside of some other players, he is a pretty safe pick. Levis could ultimately turn into a third-line forward that can add some offense occasionally, similar to Chandler Stephenson, only Levis would be 6’2, while Stephenson is 5’11. San Jose Sharks don’t always need the home run pick, sometimes they should go for the safe pick that can be a utility guy you can move up and down the lineup.

100. MAZDEN LESLIE, D, VANCOUVER GIANTS/WHL

Mazden Leslie certainly chose the right year to have a breakout year, as he put up 12 goals, 38 assists, and 50 points in 66 regular season games with the Vancouver Giants of the WHL, along with 2 points in 4 playoff games. This was an exponential jump from his 5 goals, 14 assists, and 19 points in 2021-22, and he finished 14th amongst defencemen in total points in the Western Hockey League (WHL). Despite that, NHL Central Scouting has him ranked 125th because while his offensive game certainly jumps out at you, at the same time, his defensive game needs a lot of work. Reguardless, we have seen countless offensive defensemen, who were projected to be defensive liabilities, come in and have instant success at the NHL level, because the team can limit their 5 on 5 ice time and use them strictly as a powerplay specialist until they show improvement defensively. In a league that is based on speed and skill through the neutral zone, his skating, mobility, vision, and passing abilities might make a team take a chance on him in the later rounds. He has strong puckhandling skills which allows him to create scoring chances as he activates from the point in the offensive zone. If he can add a physical element to his game, it should help him further develop his defensive game. He is the definition of a high-risk, high-reward prospect, he got the potential to be a regular 40-50 point defenseman in his prime, and I think that is worth a flyer on in the 4th round. From San Jose’s perspective, Leslie along with Lukas Dragicevic and Tanner Molendyk will help reshape the depleted defensive prospect pool.

123. TUOMAS URONEN, RW, HIFK U20/U20-SM-SARJA

Tuomas Uronen is a Finnish winger who played for HIFK U20 in the Finnish junior system, totaling 20 goals and 43 points in 39 games. He appeared in five games for HIFK’s senior team in the Liiga and was held off the scoresheet. He also played in 17 games for Finland’s U18 team at the international level, totaling four goals and eight points. Uronen captured a bronze medal with Team Finland at the U18 World Junior Championship in 2022 and the Hlinka Gretzky Cup last summer. The strength of Uronen’s game is his offensive makeup, specifically his shot. He can wire one with a heavy wrister when given time and space. An intriguing forward who shows strong offensive instincts and has the ability to zip off a shot with his quick release. His ability to process might be his best strength. He’s always got his head on a swivel, both offensively and defensively, and he uses his anticipatory sense in order to put himself in situations in the opposition’s end that make him a viable option for teammates. Every team looks to fill out depth in their prospect pipeline in the later rounds of the draft, or perhaps they’re looking for the next late-round gem, like Mark Stone. Speaking of Mark Stone, Uronen’s strengths and weaknesses are very similar to Stone’s when he was a draft prospect, but he turn out to be a great NHL player. While Uronen most likely won’t be Mark Stone, he could fit the mold of a late bloomer, who makes his marks with his Hockey IQ and two-way play. Tuomas Uronen is exactly the type of late-round gem that the Sharks should be going for because even if he doesn’t pan out offensively, he could still be an effective two-way forward, who can make his mark in all situations.

130. Damian Clara, G, BRYNAS IF/HOCKEYALLSVENSKAN

Damian Clara is a 6 foot 6 goalie, goaltender playing in the Swedish U20-league, and even got some HockeyAllsvenskan action in, too. The 6th-ranked European goaltender by NHL Central Scouting hails from Italy and even won his first men’s national team game earlier this season and was a third goalie at the 2021 World Championship at 16 years old. He’s the future of Italian goaltending, and right now, Clara uses his size to his advantage, and he is worth picking at
this spot in the draft solely because of his size alone. Goaltenders from smaller hockey countries typically spend their whole career trying to scratch and claw their way onto the pro team’s radars. He’s used to facing a ton of shots, which helps. Clara has everything it takes to become of the best goalies in this entire draft, it’s just that he doesn’t get the hype because he comes from a smaller hockey country. If Clara becomes a NHL caliber starter, it would be a steal, considering, he was picked in the 5th round.

132. ZEB FORSFJÄLL, C, Skellefteå AIK/SHL

After starting the season as one of the names to watch, Zeb Forsfjall has fallen through the cracks due to a mediocre campaign this season. In 34 games with Skellefteå AIK J20, he scored eight goals and 22 points and scored a goal in his 17 Swedish Hockey League (SHL) appearances, only one of nine U18 players to do so this season. However, after watching the dominant performances by Leo Carlsson, who’s a lock to go top-five, and the gifted offensive defenceman Axel Sandin Pellikka, he’s failed to stand out, allowing several others to pass by him in the draft rankings. At the 2023 U18 World Junior Championship, Forsfjall took the opportunity to re-assert himself as a top prospect heading into this summer’s draft; he finished the tournament over a point-per-game with two goals and eight points in seven contests, tying him for fourth on the team in scoring. Zeb was Sweden’s top center for the 2022 Hlinka Gretzky Tournament and did an excellent job at his two-way play. He was fast on his feet and maintained a quick first step the entire tournament, utilizing his edges and ability to quickly change speed frequently. He was an excellent puck carrier and distributor for Sweden and did very well at finding the best options moving into high-chance areas and feeding them the puck. Forsfjall showed no fear when attacking the net or the puck and was rewarded with two goals. Defensively Zeb played with his head up and did very well to pressure the puck carrier and cause turnovers. Due to his size, he may be overlooked, but he could very impactful player in the NHL. Forsfjall projects to be a middle-six, two-way forward who can fit into any team’s power play and penalty kill unit. It could take a couple years for him to get there, but he has the potential to have a Philip Danault-type impact on a team, and that is exactly the type of player the Sharks need.

164. MARCEL MARCEL, LW, GATINEAU OLYMPIQUES/QMJHL

Marcel Marcel is one of the older players in this year’s draft and is probably one of the players, who can be added to the lineup in no time due to his combination of size and unique skillset. At, 6 foot 4, 216 pounds, the Czech-born winger has a good combination of size and skill. He’s already made the transition to playing in North America, playing the past season with the Quebec Olympiques of the QMJHL; in 52 regular season games, Marcel had only 14 goals and 32 points but he put up 8 points in 13 playoff games. For Czechia’s U20 WJC team that won silver, he was sensational, tallying 3 goals and 8 points in 13 games. If you are trying to build a playoff contender, this is a player you want to snag, because he seems to be a player who plays best when the stakes are highest, as shown by his tendency to perform better in the postseason than in the regular season. This is the type of player San Jose Sharks are missing; a big and skilled winger, who can fill a role in their bottom 6 in the regular season but when needed, in the postseason, can step up. He has the potential to be a poor man’s Tom Wilson minus the nasty edge and physical play, and every team could use a player like Tom Wilson.

Draft Recap/Grade

A

Will Smith
Lukas Dragicevic
Tanner Molendyk
Connor Levis
Mazden Leslie
Tuomas Uronen
Damian Clara
Zeb Forsfjall
Marcel Marcel

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