Tristen Robins almost didn’t make the list this season, and if it weren’t for the recent trades by General Manager Mike Grier that sent away a small handful of San Jose Sharks prospects, Robins would have fallen down to the honorable mentions list. However, with the departures of Ty Emberson, Magnus Chrona and David Edstrom, Robins barely squeaks in at 25th overall.
The trouble for the young forward is that he was 12th on our 25 Under 25 list last season, and he hasn’t done a lot to improve his placement. His large drop in the rankings is only due in part to the influx of talent in the past 12 months. He’s also dropped off because he never seemed to find his footing after missing the first part of the 2023-24 season due to injury.
Robins didn’t start playing for the Barracuda until well into December because of ankle issues. However, even after he returned to the team, he didn’t perform well. During his 42 games with the Barracuda last season, Robins had just 18 points (7 G, 11 A). That was a far drop from the 38 points (17 G, 21 A) in 64 games he had in the 2022-23 season.
Position: Forward
Height: 5-foot-11
Weight: 185 lbs.
Age: 22
Date of Birth: November 15, 2001
Draft Year: 2020 (56th overall by San Jose Sharks)
Shoots: Right
2024-25 Team: San Jose Barracuda
What we like
If there’s a positive in all of this, it’s that Robins finished the season strong. In his final six games, he had four points, including three goals. It’s not knock you over numbers, but it might indicate that he can return to 2022-23 form at the start of this season. After all, he’ll have had the summer to work out and get stronger.
We don’t have a problem betting on Robins if all it’s going to take is hard work. The kid is a grinder who “plays the game like each shift is his last and is all over the ice,” according to Smaht Scouting. Admittedly, this was written during Robins’ draft year in 2020, but that aspect of his game has not changed.
A healthy Robins also has great hands and a good wrist shot that can fool an unsuspecting goaltender.
Areas of improvement
Robins doesn’t look like he’ll be a top-six forward, given what the Sharks have added to this point. That’s okay, though, provided that he continues to play a two-way game and adds a scoring pop.
Adjusting to that role may be one of the keys for Robins this season. Understanding that he’s not the star scorer, but the reliable two-way player who can turn the puck the other way after a strong backcheck. If he can make that adjustment, he may still find a place on the Sharks’ roster.
He’ll also need to focus on his health. Starting a season fully healthy will help GMMG and the rest of the management team determine exactly what the Sharks have in Robins.
What’s next for Robins?
If he’s healthy and has his strength back, he could once again compete for a spot in the bottom six. While the Sharks’ forward group is packed, injuries can take their toll, and Robins might find a way to sneak back in.
That said, if Robins fails to take a new step forward this season, his time in teal may be coming to a close. This is the final season of his three-year deal with the Sharks. While the qualifying offer to keep Robins in the fold is affordable, there are a lot of players in the pipeline that could squeeze him out.
As it stands now, the Sharks have 51 of the allowed 50 standard player contracts (Source: Puckpedia). While some of those contracts don’t count because the players are 18 or 19 years old and playing in junior hockey, the Sharks will still want to be judicious with space as more prospects move from junior to the AHL.
Odds are, if Coe does not return to the same form he was in the 2022-23 season or better, Grier might decide to let the young forward go.
Highlights
Robins shows off his skilled hands in this play with Oskar Lindblom. Notice how he uses his body to protect the puck and then feathers the pass through the defender’s legs to find Lindblom.
Great work by Tristen Robins here to feed Oskar Lindblom.
— JD Young (@MyFryHole) March 9, 2024
Jack Thompson with an assist as well pic.twitter.com/WSZSYHnIL9
And, of course, let’s not forget how Robins helped the Barracuda end the season on a high note, winning the final game of the season in overtime.
š„TRISTEN ROBINS WITH THE OVERTIME WINNER š„
— SJ Barracuda (@sjbarracuda) April 21, 2024
What a way to finish the seasonš pic.twitter.com/OhnYpR0XyI
