The San Jose Hockey Now Podcast is sponsored by Bring Hockey Back!
Two of the OHL’s top analysts, Brock Otten (McKeen’s Hockey) and Will Scouch (Scouching.ca) (1:03:19), break down whether Michael Misa and Sam Dickinson are NHL-ready and if they can crack the San Jose Sharks lineup this season. We also dive into Sharks winger prospects Quentin Musty, Kasper Halttunen, and Igor Chernysov. We also talk Danil Gushchin trade and bold 2025-26 predictions for the prospects.
00:00 Intro & Sponsor
04:19 Why Danil Gushchin Was Traded
19:27 Oskar Olausson: Can He Break Out with San Jose Sharks?
29:47 Thomas Bordeleau & Sharks Development Shift
37:00 Is Michael Misa Skipping College?
41:00 Is Michael Misa NHL Ready?
44:45 Will Sam Dickinson Make the NHL Roster?
56:00 Should Sharks Keep Collin Graf in NHL?
1:03:19 Roundtable with Brock Otten and Will Scouch: Are Sharks OHL Prospects NHL Ready?
1:07:01 Will Michael Misa Make the San Jose Sharks Roster?
1:15:03 What Role Will Misa Play: Wing or Center?
1:24:00 Is Sam Dickinson NHL Ready or Rushed?
1:49:00 Which Sharks Winger Prospect Makes the NHL First?
1:57:00 Ceilings & NHL Comparisons: Musty, Halttunen, Chernysov
2:06:00 Final Thoughts & Sign-Off
22 Comments
I hope Misa makes the Sharks.
The path for development was already set by what they did for Celebrini and specifically Smith last year.
Let them grow and develop together from day one, and the results should come earlier as well
Sounds to me like his floor is basically flunky out of the AHL. Seems his upside is meaningful. Alas, getting a guy allergic to the physical game, I'm not sure how many 22 year-olds change that about them. Gushchin just wasn't good enough and Grier did right by him to give him a shot elsewhere.
Misa makes me nervous. Skill-wise, he's got it all and he's ready. But he's 18 and not exactly built for the NHL game yet. Rushing him feels like a mistake. Not enough reward for the risk involved. Sometimes the adults in the room need to be the adults in the room and protect the player from himself. The NCAA seems like the more rational choice. If he doesn't belong in the NHL yet, there's no point in him going to the OHL. Don't want to see him essentially homeless.
Don't risk losing Jack Thompson. He can be part of the future — Deshairnes and Liljegren aren't.
Graf is an NHLer, but the waivers exempt might matter. He plays well with others. He's easily among the team's top 9 forwards. Its not clear that Gaudette or Kurashev is better, and he's got a more complete game than Skinner. Though I agree with giving him a major role with the 'Cuda over a 4th line role.
Is Keegan leaving the podcast? Im confused
Keegan popping up out of nowhere in the guschin segment was pure gold. Loved the energy on this episode
Keegan please stay!!!!! I absolutly don't understand the point from sheng about Collin Graf. About Gus he explains the point there is no place for him in the bottom six. And I think most would agree wit this. Underzized pure offensive forward. But with Graf this makes zero sense. He showed his high hockeyiq at times, his skating improved a lot, he is willing to play physical and a detail oriented game. He is 23 at the beginning of the season and improved a kot at the nhl level. So what exactly has a young player at 23 to do to earn a spot in the bottom six on a rebuilding team??? remenber his coast to coast goal and the end of last season. That was Dan Boyle esque.
The podcast would be better if Sheng Peng would ramble on less. This is basically a one hour podcast that goes on for more than two hours.
The longer the podcast the better…. More sharks content 😏
Misa can sign his ELC after one season in the NCAA. By then some forward roster spots will open up after the trade deadline. Two of the three D additions missed significant time due to injury. Load management might be a thing for the veteran D in addition to Dickinson.
I don’t understand how Misa makes the Sharks right out of the draft. Mack did it but he’s a micron. Misa is NOT a unicorn. I would hate to spurn Graf’s development for Misa who doesn’t NEED to be in the NHL. I’d rather see Dicky get the go and shelter him rather than Misa.
Appreciate Scouching's prediction of Misa sticking with the Sharks for the full season while Dickinson is sent back to the OHL, but it does seem like Grier & the front office are making room for Dickinson as a 7th defenseman and being cautious about Misa.
Sheng and Keegan is easily the best long form Sharks hockey content out there imo.
Sheng, your positive attitude and overall love for the sharks makes me smile man. Keep it up 👍🏻
thank you Sheng & Keegan for the great content this summer!
i think misa gets 35 points and dickinson gets 2 points in 9 games then unfortunately go back to the chl
1:20:36 the Sharks have said Smith should be a center. Idk if Sheng misspoke or he got it wrong in his head but I agree with Scouching he played his best hockey on the wing. I still think long term he’s going to end up like Willy Nylander as a “failed” center
Graf was a top PKer for the Sharks last season by the numbers. He was 4th on the team in xGA/60 and 2nd in GA/60, HDCA/60, and On-Ice SV% when filtering for regular penalty kill contributors (HDCA = high danger chances allowed). I know penalty kill numbers are a small sample and highly influenced by goaltending. But, those stats were accrued without the opportunity to play alongside our best PKer, Mackenzie Blackwood. Graf also played more than an hour of total ice time on the PK.
If you're looking for players to blame for the poor PK, that mantle falls to Georgiev, Wennberg, Sturm, Liljegren, and Dellandrea.
Mukhamadullin had good chance suppression but bad goals against in an even smaller sample. The best skater on the PK may surprise some, but it was Luke Kunin.
I remember a few seasons ago Grier talked about prospects "marinating" (on a question regarding Eklund and was specifically talking about the AHL. It might be a better move for Misa to "marinate" in the NCAA even if he dominates.
I think Graf should be on the team if it makes the team better. I think he looked pretty good last year.
I thought that Grier stated he wanted to put Smith at center and not wing?
Among the best episodes you’ve ever filmed Sheng.
Take a shot every time scouhing says “like”
Who are the hunters lol