The Daily Chum: Remembering the Sharks 2007 draft

As 2016 begins to turn into nothing more than a tire fire in our rearview mirror, let’s take a look back at the Sharks 2006-07 draft class as we approach the draft’s 10 year anniversary. This draft was a good one for the Sharks, and not just because of Logan Couture. Mostly because of him, though.

Let’s take it from the top. All data from hockey-reference.com.

Player: Logan Couture

Pick: No. 9

Amateur: Ottawa 67s

Hindsight: This is one of the Sharks best first-round draft picks of all time. San Jose hasn’t always had great luck with their first round picks, but this is one that the front office can still feel very, very good about. He’s one of the cornerstones of the franchise and San Jose wouldn’t be the team it is today without him.

Player: Nick Petrecki

Pick: No. 28

Amateur: Omaha Jr. A

Hindsight: Remember what I said about the Sharks not having much luck in the first round? Look no further than Petrecki. He played in just one NHL game, logging 12 minutes, in the 2012-13 lockout shortened season.

Player: Timo Pielmeier

Pick: No. 83

Amateur: Koln Jr.

Hindsight: Another player that only featured in one NHL game, Pielmeier got his shot with the Anaheim Ducks in the 2010-11 season. That was short lived, though, and he never sniffed the NHL again.

Player: Tyson Sexsmith

Pick: No. 91

Amateur: Vancouver Giants

Hindsight: Sexsmith doesn’t even have a hockey-reference page. What I’m saying is, this pick didn’t turn into anything for the Sharks.

Player: Patrik Zackrisson

Pick: No. 165

Amateur: Rogle Angelholm

Hindsight: Well, he never played an NHL game, but the expectations for a sixth-round pick are pretty low. His amateur team has a cool name, though. I promise these next two picks are better, okay?

Player: Nick Bonino

Pick: No. 173

Amateur: Boston University

Hindsight: The good news is that Nick Bonino has proven to be a solid NHL player and even won a Stanley Cup! The bad news is that he won that cup last year with the Pittsburgh Penguins and never played a game with the Sharks because he was traded to the Ducks for a pair of guys that never made an impact in San Jose.

Player: Justin Braun

Pick: No. 201

Amateur: University of Massachusetts

Hindsight: That Braun is the third-best seventh-round pick in Sharks history says a hell of a lot about the Sharks’ drafting. Jason Demers and Joe Pavelski are both gems the Sharks have unearthed late in the draft and it’s a testament to the team that they’ve still got two of those guys around. Braun has been a steady partner for Marc-Edouard Vlasic on the top pairing.

Player: Frazer McLaren

Pick: No. 203

Amateur: Moose Jaw Warriors

Hindsight: Playing in 100 NHL games after being drafted in the seventh round is something of a miracle. While players like McLaren may be a dying breed in the NHL, it’s quite an accomplishment that he made it even this far. According to hockey-reference.com, only 130 of the 1,142 seventh rounders drafted since 1963 have played in at least 100 NHL games (as of 12/1/16). McLaren is the 11.4 percent!

Getting a pair of very good players who are still with the team makes this draft a success for the Sharks. The Bonino thing hurts a little bit, but Couture and Braun help soothe the suffering.