In a pool with Macklin Celebrini, Will Smith, Quentin Musty and Sam Dickinson, a player like Ethan Cardwell can often fly under the radar altogether. A small-ish, nimble and high-energy forward, Cardwell has only gone from strength to strength in his career despite facing doubts at every step of the way.
Undrafted in 2020, he went to Sweden and proceeded to rack up points in its third-tier league, which propelled him onto draft boards and saw the Sharks take a flier on him. From there, he proceeded to only get better with Barrie, putting up 58 points in 49 games in his D+2 draft year and 90 in 62 in his D+3 season. And, in his debut season with the Barracuda, Cardwell notched 20 goals and 23 assists.
When scouts talk about “compete,” Cardwell is a perfect example of how it can mask deficiencies elsewhere. Despite not having any real high-end skill in his arsenal, Cardwell makes up for it by being decent at everything and possessing incredibly high intellect and compete levels, and it has helped propel his rise through the ranks.
Position: Forward
Height: 5-foot-11
Weight: 201 lbs.
Age: 22
Date of Birth: August 30, 2002
Draft Year: 2021 (121th overall by the San Jose Sharks)
Shoots: Right
2024-25 Team: San Jose Sharks
What we like
He’s a scrappy, high-energy forward who doesn’t shy away from any area of the ice. Cardwell has a relentless motor and forechecks tenaciously, giving no space to opponents whatsoever, and is a perfect bottom-six winger. What makes him even more valuable is his intelligence — he’s capable of identifying and closing down lanes on defense, all while having the speed and smarts to generate and exploit holes on odd-man rushes going the other way.
Cardwell was the Barracuda’s recipient of the AHL Man Of The Year award in 2024 and has rapidly earned a well-deserved reputation as a fan favorite, attending every community and team event and interacting with every fan. While such things are often ignored by fans and armchair analysts, they can meaningfully add some value to player assessments by speaking further to a player’s character and fit on a team. If Cardwell makes the NHL, he’s likely to earn a bit more of a leash from coaches simply through being a good, coachable human being who’s easy to play with.
Cardwell doesn’t have the offensive upside to profile as a top-six forward in the NHL. But he’s got the character and the energy to serve as an incredibly valuable “glue” guy who also helps his team out meaningfully on the ice, almost like a peak version of Barclay Goodrow. At his peak, he could put up 10-15 goals and 30 points if all breaks well for him and float between the third and fourth lines as needed. And those players are incredibly valuable to have.
Areas of improvement
The problem with Cardwell is that he isn’t really elite in any specific aspect. His passing and skating are good, his shot is surprisingly hard for a late-round pick, and he possesses a surprisingly deft set of hands, but there’s nothing in his game that stands out as potentially high-end (as compared to, say, Daniil Gushchin’s). This isn’t really a problem for a player who projects as a third-liner, but it might also cap his ceiling.
What’s next for Cardwell?
Along with Filip Bystedt and Daniil Gushchin, Cardwell will likely take a leading role with the Barracuda this year. Look for him to build on his 20/20 AHL season next year and add a bit more offensive pop, with more power-play time and responsibility delegated to him. He may also be an interesting injury callup option for the Sharks.
Highlight
Ethan Cardwell responds for the Barracuda! 4-3 Checkers. pic.twitter.com/8EoiZIVlLO
— Ian Reid 😡🇨🇦🤖 (@IanBlogsHockey) November 11, 2023
Cardwell charges the net, takes a shot, and then stays with the play and continues jamming at the puck. This is a single-video microcosm of something he’s really good at and a skill that a lot of young players simply don’t have: the ability to stay with (and in front of) the play at all times.
