The Sharks hosted the team’s annual Prospect Scrimmage this morning at Tech CU Arena, and the vibes were everything you’d expect from a summer look at the future of the franchise. It was fast, it was physical, and for a scrimmage, it was quite the competition.
The score ended up being 7-4 in favor of Team Teal.
The event wrapped up San Jose’s development camp, a couple of days of on-ice sessions, team-building activities and a chance for Sharks fans to get their first look at some seriously exciting talent.
The format was split into a four-on-four and three-on-three segment. That stretch turned into more than just a skills display; you could tell everyone on the ice wanted to leave a mark.
All eyes were on second-overall pick Michael Misa, and he didn’t disappoint. He wasn’t flashy or overly dramatic with the puck, but his decision-making, skating and awareness stood out. You can already see the poise that comes from playing up in the OHL the last couple of years. Misa shared a glimpse of what helped out pregame.
“Just everyone being happy. We had a couple of good pregame speeches in the room before the game to get guys going. Listened to some good music before the game. Everything helped us to get the win,” said Misa.
This was Misa’s first experience in front of a San Jose crowd and he enjoyed the energy.
“Yeah, great turnout. It shows how much support we have here in San Jose. And it was fun to play in front of them,” Misa said
Another standout was goaltender Joshua Ravensbergen, San Jose’s first-round pick at No. 30. He tracked the puck pretty well and stayed composed under pressure. There’s a steadiness in his game that feels more mature than his age.
And let’s not forget the jaw-dropping hat trick from Eric Pohlkamp, who has been showing what he came here to do.
“Four and four is super fun to play in [and] three on three. So, I think it’s just for me coming with my third year, I think the confidence is so much easier. My first year, to be honest with you, I was scared shitless, like seriously. I didn’t know what was going on, or how this worked,” said Pohlkamp.
Ah yes. Not only have we landed a standout player, but he is honest and funny, too. That kind of personality and game fits in perfectly here in San Jose.
Returning names from last year’s draft class had big moments, too. Quentin Musty looked confident and comfortable, clearly one of the more seasoned prospects in this group. His connection with Cole McKinney was noticeable. They both pushed the tempo in transition and created some of the most dangerous chances of the day.
Defenseman Sam Dickinson brought exactly what you’d expect from a top blue line prospect: size, mobility, and the kind of active stick that disrupts plays before they can develop. We asked about what he saw in the group today.
“It’s been a couple of days. It’s a little bit of a feeling out process. I think when you get to this level, you should be able to figure things out pretty quick. Where a guy’s going to be, where a guy’s going to go, just simple things like that, not try to overcomplicate anything. But, I’ve had the last couple of days to get to know each other, and that helps when we’re out there,” Dickinson said.
And Haoxi (pronounced how-she) “Simon” Wang, one of the more underrated invites, showed off a smart two-way game and didn’t shy away from the physical side. Dickinson tells the media about how he viewed Wang’s game.
“You can just kind of see this stuff that he does on the ice, just the raw talent that he has, how big he is, how well he skates. You can tell he knows the game really well. Just a kid who will mold into a really good player, for sure,” Dickinson shared.
And to add that cherry on top, Logan Couture and his son presented the cup to the winning team.
With training camp still a few months away, this was just a taste of what’s to come. But if today was any indication, there’s reason to be optimistic about the direction things are heading. The future in San Jose doesn’t just look promising. It’s starting to feel real.
