2026-27 NHL Prospect Pool Breakdown: San Jose Sharks’ Top 10

Credit: Steven Ellis

It’s time for Daily Faceoff’s third annual NHL Prospect Pool Breakdown, looking at the best all 32 teams have to offer. We’re highlighting the top 10 prospects for every franchise, their biggest strengths and weaknesses, and so much more.

Here are the criteria for being labeled a prospect: players generally have to have played in 50 or fewer NHL games. Players over 23 years old are not included. Goaltenders are a bit more subjective, but they must be 25 or under and have played fewer than 20 games in the past season or fewer than 30 games over their career.

Today, we’re breaking down the San Jose Sharks.

The Sharks have had one of the best pipelines in hockey for a few seasons now, and that’s not changing this year.

We’ve seen some core members graduate to full-time NHL action in recent years, featuring the linkes of Macklin Celebrini, Will Smith, Michael Misa, Sam Dickinson and Yaroslav Askaorv. And with all of their promotions, the Sharks have keep their pipeline in tact. They had an outstanding first round at the 2026 NHL Draft with Ivar Stenberg, Keaton Verhoeff, and Ryan Linn giving the team some much-needed skill. A few others further down the list also played some games but for the most part made the San Jose Barracuda one of the most exciting teams to watch in the AHL.

The Sharks are still a few years away from being true tough contenders, but their pipeline has been one of envy for a few years now, and I can’t wait to see it truly blossom.

The future is bright in Cali, Sharks fans.

Biggest Strength

This prospect pool is full of defenders who know how to move the puck. I’m a Verhoeff fan – he quite raw and only touching the surface of his true potential, in my opinion. Linn was obviously very dangerous in the WHL the last couple years and is going to be so difficult to contain in college. Luca Cagnoni gone into some NHL action the past two years and both him and Eric Pohlkamp should see time with the big club again this year. A few of those guys will either get moved or fizzle out at some point. But teams typically love defenders who can do great things with a puck, and San Jose has it in spades. I also love their center depth: don’t be surprised if Cam Lund and Filip Bystedt both play significant NHL time this year.

Biggest Weakness

There isn’t a single right winger on this list, and I’m not really convinced any of them are future NHLers. You can obviously move centers and left wingers to the side, and that’ll probably happen. But for the absurd amount of depth this team has, not a single RW was in consideration to make the top 10.

Fast Facts:

NHL GM: Mike Grier
Dir. of Amateur Scouting: Chris Morehouse
Dir. of Player Development: Todd Marchant
AHL Affiliate: San Jose Barracuda
ECHL Affiliate: Wichita Thunder
Recent NHL Graduates: Michael Misa, C; Collin Graf, RW; Sam Dickinson, D; Yaroslav Askarov, G

TOP 10 PROSPECTS

*Ivar Stenberg (Steven Ellis/The Nation Network)*

1. Ivar Stenberg, LW, 18 (San Jose Sharks)

Acquired: Drafted second overall, first round in 2026

Stenberg’s floor is very, very high, and he proved that at the World Championship. Stenberg has virtually no holes in his game. He’s dynamic in possession, wields a lethal shot and flashes high-end hockey sense. Even though his point production tapered off slightly down the stretch, he still authored one of the most impressive U-19 seasons in recent SHL history and was excellent at the Worlds. Add a stellar gold-medal run with Sweden at the World Juniors to his resume, and his complete profile becomes undeniable. Stenberg will have some depth to contend with on the left side this year, but I fully expect him to leave camp as a middle-six winger before ultimately pushing himself onto the top line alongside Celebrini and Smith.

2. Keaton Verhoeff, RHD, 18 (University of North Dakota, NCAA)

Acquired: Drafted ninth overall, first round in 2026

Verhoeff jumped from the WHL to the NCAA last year, which was an excellent move for his development. He put up solid numbers while playing top-four minutes on one of the top college teams. Verhoeff takes up a ton of space at 6-foot-4 and is willing to hit you hard while also making many high-end passes in the offensive zone. Scouts wish he’d add a bit more speed to be a true top-pairing defender, though, but there’s time for him to figure that out. I know his play near the end of the season left a bit to be desired, but the ceiling is still sky-high for such a young dude. I commend him for going to college early, and I think he’ll be much more comfortable this year. We’ll also see him ply a big role – potentially on the top pair – for Canada’s World Junior team.

3. Ryan Lin, RHD, 18 (University of Denver, NCAA)

Acquired: Drafted 21st overall, first round in 2026

*Ryan Lin (Steven Ellis/The Nation Network)*

Despite his undersized frame, Lin stands out as one of the most naturally skilled defensemen in this class. High-end decision-making combined with explosive skating makes him a one-man transition machine, which explains his consistently dominant possession numbers. His dynamic upside makes him a potential fan favorite at the next level. Scouts are willing to overlook his lack of size because he consistently dictates the pace of play by rarely giving up the puck. His sheer evasiveness limits his time spent defending, which is important for a smaller player. He is more than capable of holding his own in his zone, too. I still can’t believe the Sharks got him with their third pick in the first round – there’s a legit star talent here.

4. Igor Chernyshov, LW, 20 (San Jose Sharks)

Acquired: Drafted 33rd overall, second round in 2024

Chernyshov is definitely looking like a steal right now. He had great numbers in the OHL in 2024-25 and followed that up with an explosive first year of pro, highlighted by his 19 points in 28 NHL games. At points, it felt like he played better in the NHL than the AHL, showing high-end offensive skill. Chernyshov’s skating has been a problem for him in the past but it feels like he’s closer to average than he has ever been. I think his ability to get to the net and make things happen on the attack will allow him to secure a top-six wing role for the long-term future. That might start out of training camp, too – I’d love to see him play on the top line with Celebrini.

5. Joshua Ravensbergen, G, 19 (Michigan State University, NCAA)

Acquired: Drafted 30th overall, first round in 2025

Ravensbergen was one of the top goaltenders in the CHL last year, as expected. His three-year run in Prince George helped establish himself as a top prospect, and the Sharks took him despite already having Yaroslav Askarov in the system. That could end up being one of the best goalie duos in the game, and I’m excited about that possibility. The big goalie is competitive with an excellent glove hand, and he never gives up on a play. He stole his fair share of games over the past few years and I don’t expect that to change at MSU. Ravensbergen has big skates to fill after watching Trey Augustine own the crease, but he’ll do great.

6. Quentin Musty, LW, 21 (San Jose Barracuda, AHL)

Acquired: Drafted 28th overall, first round in 2023

*Quentin Musty (Steven Ellis/Daily Faceoff)*

Musty made a really good impression in training camp in 2024 before getting sent back to junior hockey he spent all of last year in ahl where he put up an impressive 21 goals and 45 points in 61 games as a rookie with the Barracuda. Musty has always felt like a high risk high reward player because he truly needs to be in a scoring role to thrive. Fortunately, he got that opportunity last year, and I know the Sharks are happy with his development. I’d like to see Musty transition into more of a power forward at the pro level, but I think his defensive game has improved over the last couple years. If his skating can find another step, he’ll be fine in the NHL.

7. Filip Bystedt, C, 22 (San Jose Barracuda, AHL)

Acquired: Drafted 27th overall, first round in 2022

Bystedt had one heck of a season last year. He has always been pretty productive in the AHL, but 60 points in 65 games is a lot better than I think most would have expected last year. The 22-year-old has a great shot, plays with a lot of muscle, and has continued to improve his playmaking game, too. In terms of his puck play, there isn’t a ton to hate. Fundamentally, his skating is OK, but he needs to add a bit more speed to get himself into scoring lanes at the next level. I think we’ll see him get into his first NHL action this year and perhaps develop into a bottom-six power forward.

8. Luca Cagnoni, LHD, 21 (San Jose Sharks)

Acquired: Drafted 123rd overall, fourth round in 2023

Cagnoni had a strong sophomore AHL campaign, registering 43 points in 67 games. it was a step down from the 52 points the year prior, but he looked more defensively sound and in control of the puck. Cagnoni also had a three-game stint with the Sharks, but failed to register a point. He’s a high-volume shooter who loves to move the puck, and he’s also a bit fiesty for a 5-foot-9 blueliner. He’s a great skater who can do some highly dangerous things with the puck, sort of like Vince Dunn. I think Cagnoni will need a bit of sheltering to play a bigger role in the NHL (his defensive game needs work), but I still relaly like his overall game.

9. Eric Pohlkamp, RHD, 22 (San Jose Barracuda, AHL)

Acquired: Drafted 132nd overall, fifth round in 2023

The Sharks took a chance on Pohlkamp in the fifth round in 2023, and he quickly became one of the most intriguing college defenders. He played his freshman year at Bemidji State before producing more than 70 points over two years at Denver. Pohlkamp is as close to a play-driver as you’d find on any NCAA blueline, often involving himself as a fourth forward. Pohlkamp will likely see some time in the NHL, but after the team’s acquisitions of Jacob Trouba, Darnell Nurse and Michael Kesselring, it won’t hurt for the 5-foot-10 blueliner to get some time with the Barracuda first. Count me in as a fan, though.

10. Brady Knowling, G, 18 (Saginaw Spirit, OHL)

Acquired: Drafted 127th overall, fourth round in 2026

*Brady Knowling (Steven Ellis/The Nation Network)*

Knowling is coming off a strong season with the USNTDP this year and even made his World Junior debut. The Boston University commit has a big 6-foot-5 frame, but he’s quick for his size, too. The Toronto-born goaltender commands the crease without giving up too many costly rebounds, which led to him becoming the top-rated North American-born goalie for the 2026 draft. Not every scout is fully sold on him, especially with passive hands that often lag behind when he moves crease-to-crease. He allows too many weak goals for my liking, too. He’ll have a good base to work with in front of him in Saginaw before heading to the NCAA, and he’ll also likely be USA’s starting goalie at the World Juniors.

Other Prospects: Andre Gasseau, C (23), Carson Wetsch, RW (20), Cameron Lund, C (22), Ethan Cardwell, RW (23), Jake Gustafson, C (18), Cole McKinney, C (19), Teddy Mutryn, C (19), Max Heise, C (20), Richard Gallant, LW (19), David Klee, C (21), Yegor Rimashevskiy, RW (21), Reese Laubach, C (22), Axel Landen, RHD (21), Alexander Karmanov, LHD (18), Simon Wang, LHD (19), Ilya Magomedsultanov, LHD (19), Mattias Havelid, RHD (22), Nolan Allan, LHD (23), Phillip Sinn, LHD (22), Leo Sahlin Wallenius, LHD (20), Christian Kirsch, G (20), Yaroslav Korostelyov, G (20)

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