Quentin Musty has quickly become one of the most exciting prospects in the San Jose Sharks organization, and he seems primed to make an impact at the NHL level, sooner rather than later.
Musty’s Season in Review
Musty started the 2024-25 season with the Sudbury Wolves of the Ontario Hockey League, following an extended holdout as he awaited a trade that would never come. In the OHL, his offensive production did take a step back a bit; however, he still finished with 30 goals and 29 assists in just 33 regular season games with the Wolves. His production continued into the playoffs, where he scored a goal and tallied three assists in three games before Sudbury was knocked out by the Kingston Frontenacs.
From there, while his teammates from Sudbury started their offseason, Musty found his way over to the Bay Area and made his professional debut with the San Jose Barracuda in the American Hockey League. Between the regular season and the postseason, Musty played four games for the Barracuda and failed to record a point, but didn’t look out of place in the AHL.
A Path to the NHL
Looking forward, the Sharks are going to have some roster spots to fill this coming season. They traded away some players at the trade deadline, and now they’re going to face some decisions with restricted free agents like Thomas Bordeleau, Klim Kostin and Nikolai Kovalenko, none of whom are guaranteed to return at this stage. As a result, there’s a clear immediate path to the NHL if Musty can impress once again at training camp this coming fall.
One advantage for Musty is that he’s already shown chemistry with a member of the Sharks’ lineup. At the Rookie Faceoff last summer, Musty was linemates with Will Smith, and they were dominant together. Musty’s performance was highlighted by a hat trick that he scored against the Anaheim Ducks during the tournament. He seemed like a player who could legitimately sneak onto the opening night roster last season, and that will almost certainly be the case this fall as well.
What Musty Brings to the Lineup
With a big frame, 6-foot-2 and 201 pounds per Elite Prospects, Musty brings a combination of size and offensive ability that makes him a threat in any situation. He can win board battles, score goals, or find his teammates in space to create opportunities. He’s a perfect complementary player for a star, and as a result, it makes sense that he worked well with Smith in their time together. It seems like he’d also work well with a player like Macklin Celebrini, or even Michael Misa if the Sharks select him in the upcoming draft. He’d take some of the attention off of them and open up offense while helping create turnovers on the forecheck. He’s an all-around power forward who can be very effective in the Sharks’ lineup. A line of Musty, Celebrini, and Tyler Toffoli, for example, seems like it could generate a considerable amount of offense while not being a liability defensively.
The Sharks are starting to show signs that they’re close to breaking out of their rebuild, and Musty is going to be a big part of their future when they finally do. He’s ready to make an impact now, and Mike Grier would be wise to let him.
