Check Sharks’ Choice with the Second Pick in the 2025 NHL Draft – Hockey Writer – San Jose Sharks

Now that the San Jose Sharks know they have the second pick in the 2025 NHL admission draft, they can start the process of deciding how to use it. They faced a very different situation than last season when they got the best choice for the best prospect in the draft. They will have several options and depend to a lot on what New York Islanders do before them.

Matthew Schaefer is the best choice

If the Islanders are not on defense overall, Matthew Schaefer, the Sharks should be able to submit their draft picks to the league the moment they set foot on their moments. San Jose needs defenders far outstripping the striker, and Schaefer is the unquestionable top blueliner.

Schaefer provides the defensive players with the ideal all-around game. He is an excellent skater, not limited to the blue line, able to shoot and pass from anywhere in the offensive zone. Defensively, he used his hockey IQ to anticipate the game, but he is also a good beating defender willing to hit and block. The Sharks have to improve their defense, and they want to attack more from the defense. Schaefer won’t be an immediate contributor to the NHL, but he can provide these qualities to San Jose in the next few seasons. If he was a right-handed defender, he might be slightly better in the shark’s system, which needs more than left-handed, but that shouldn’t cause the deterrent they pass on to him.

Islanders can take Schaeffer for many of the same reasons, in which case the shark will have to pivot. But if he’s still around, San Jose will have a great player who solidifies their blue line core.

Sharks will have several options to move forward

If Schaefer heads to New York, the Sharks’ choice is open a lot, as almost all the remaining top ten candidates are forwards. If they choose to go forward with the second pick, they can go in multiple directions.

Several top options are already connected to the current shark. Michael Misa leads the Ontario Hockey League with 134 points as a member of the Saginaw Spirit, where he is teammate Igor Chernyshov of the Sharks. James Hagens is an elite organizer and a product of Boston School, just like McLean Celebration, Will Smith and Mike Grier. Victor Eklund is an excellent all-around offensive player, but specializes in target scores and happens to be William Eklund’s younger brother.

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These three players, along with all other potential options, were carefully examined, which shows the difficulties the Sharks may face in the draft. Misa and Hagens are both centers, and Sharks need wingers more, which is where Eklund or Porter Martone can play. Misa also has the ability to play on the wings, and the shark can draft him to convert. Meanwhile, they don’t want to arrive just to pick up their wings, and drafting in the second pick rather than the best one is always risky.

The Sharks can join one of the best young forward teams in the NHL using this year’s draft. Unlike the defender location, the forward is the more difficult decision to be the best in the role.

If the shark does not have chaefer, it can be returned.

Although the lottery draft awarded the sharks the second pick, they didn’t have to stay there. If Schaefer is not on the board, they can trade on this round, luring a team of desperate people like Hagens or Misa while collecting some assets and still adding quality players.

This strategy can allow them to draft a forward or defender. For the former, they can trade to the seventh pick or are expected to fall off in other forwards outside the top five. If they want to focus on the blue line, they may move to around tenth, where the focus may be Radim mrtka, usually considered the best right-handed defender in the class. Meanwhile, they can get other draft picks, or quality players or prospects to strengthen their roster and make such a deal worth it. The transaction can only be made if Schaefer cannot choose, but if it turns out, Sharks can turn setbacks into positive for the franchise.

Sharks have the opportunity to increase young talent

After winning five draft picks in the top five in the first 32 years of the series’ founding, the Sharks have had such a choice for the third straight draft. Their reconstruction is a slow process, and this year’s draft is another step. They used the last few drafts to build an exciting young core and create optimism for the franchise. If they use their draft position, they can only further enhance the positive prospects.