With two top-four defensive prospects added in the first two rounds of the 2024 NHL Entry Draft, the San Jose Sharks went about rounding out the prospect pool in the latter half of Day 2. The team used its fifth selection, 131st overall, to pick Colton Roberts from the Vancouver Giants of the WHL.
Height: 6-foot-4
Weight: 204 lbs.
Age/DOB: 18, June 8, 2006
Shoots: Right
Vancouver Giants (WHL): 62 games, 27 points (7 G, 20 A)
Vancouver Giants (WHL) Playoffs: 5 games, 1 point (0 G, 1 A)
Roberts was another value add for the Sharks. He was expected to go in the top 100 by most scouts and so grabbing him at 131 was a steal.
For what it’s worth, Roberts also performed well at the NHL Draft Combine in June. Of the 100 draftees invited to the combine, Roberts finished in the top 15 in four categories.
- Grip strength with his right hand (165 lbs., 3rd place)
- Pull-ups (13, tied for 3rd with four others)
- Wingate cycle ergometer test (59 ml/kg/min, 13th place)
- Wing span (78 inches, 14th place)
He also finished 19th in bench press, generating 6.6 watts per kilogram of weight, and 23rd in body fat percentage, with 7.74%.
What do scouts say about Roberts’ game?
Like Sam Dickinson and Leo Sahlin Wallenius, the defensemen drafted by the Sharks prior to pick 131, Roberts is considered a mobile defenseman.
It’s that mobility that likely attracted the Sharks to Roberts. The fact that he plays on the right side doesn’t hurt either.
“Roberts’ mobility is most evident on retrievals, where he easily beats opponents to the puck, takes away their space, and accelerates on reception. He’s also capable of making high-level plays on the breakout,” wrote the Elite Prospects 2024 NHL Draft Guide.
Hadi Kalakeche, the director of North American scouting for DobberProspects, had this to say about Roberts: “Smooth-skating defensive defenseman who can make the occasional strong breakout pass. Lacks offensive pop and struggles against the rush, but projects as a solid bottom-pair NHLer.”
Roberts is on the younger side of the draft prospects. He turned 18 just a few days before the draft. His head coach with the Vancouver Giants says there’s a lot to like about his game.
“You look at his stature, his size, the way he skates, and, more importantly, his hockey IQ, you know, there’s a real good opportunity that eventually this guy is going to play for a number of years in the National Hockey League,” said Giants Head Coach Manny Viveiros. “I think we’re just seeing the tip of the offensive abilities that he’s going to have here and I expect that over the next couple of years, he’s really going to blossom into a top offensive player.”
In a WHL pre-draft player profile, Viveiros said Roberts is just coming into his game and the coaching staff is working with him on his assertiveness in the defensive zone.
“It’s something that has evolved throughout the season,” Viveiros added. “He’s just learning how strong he is and stuff like how he can position his body in battles. For us, we want him to be more assertive in the defensive zone, instead of sitting back and letting the play come to him when he has the opportunity to go in. We say, kill plays in the corner as far as not letting anybody get out of the corner and that’s something where he’s made really a big improvement towards the end of the year.”
What’s next for Roberts?
Roberts is expected to return to the Vancouver Giants in the fall. This will be his third full season in the WHL. He played the tail end of the 2021-22 season after finishing his prep school hockey career.
Given the rules about players moving from the CHL to the AHL, unless Roberts makes a massive leap in development, he’ll be playing the 2025-26 season in the CHL as well. Don’t expect to see him playing for the Barracuda until at least the 2026-27 season at the earliest.
