Sharks prospects: World Juniors and a suspension

A lot of news surrounding the San Jose Sharks’ prospects this week. The World Juniors rosters are starting to roll out as countries begin to prepare for the 2024 IIHF tournament in Gothenburg, Sweden. On Monday, Team USA released its camp invite list. Then, it was Team Canada on Tuesday, followed by Team Sweden on Wednesday. There are some Sharks’ prospects on the list, though one’s missing. Plus, Quentin Musty is going to miss the next few games for his Sudbury Wolves.

Havelid, Bystedt to play for Team Sweden

Let’s start out with the most recent news, Team Sweden simply released its list of players that will represent the team in front of the home crowds.

Här är JVM-truppen 🇸🇪🏒
Magnus Hävelid, förbundskapten för Juniorkronorna, presenterar följande 23 spelare till JVM i Göteborg.
Det här blir en höjdare i mellandagarna. Nedsläpp 26 december.
Läs mer 👉 https://t.co/oE05OZ2ujS pic.twitter.com/43cIFzfsb5

— Tre Kronor (@Trekronorse) December 6, 2023

Notice that the Elias Pettersson on this list is a Vancouver Canucks’ prospect, but it’s not the guy currently in the NHL’s top 10 in points. That’s the forward. The Elias Pettersson representing Team Sweden is the young defenseman the Canucks drafted in the third round of 2022 who just happens to have the same name.

There are two Sharks on the list. Forward Filip Bystedt and defenseman Mattias Havelid. Bystedt has regressed this season. The 2022 first-round draft pick has 8 points in 24 games in Sweden’s highest league. He’s playing with fellow Sharks’ prospect Havelid on Linkoping HC. Havelid also has 8 points in 24 games, but that tends to be a more forgivable number considering he’s a defenseman.

According to Chris Peters at FloHockey: “We should probably expect Mattias Hävelid to play a significant role behind Sandin Pellikka as a legitimate puck-moving and offensive threat from the back end.”

Luca Cagnoni left off the Team Canada camp list

To team Canada, where offensively-minded defenseman Luca Cagnoni was left off Canada’s roster for camp invites. Cagnoni was invited to the summer camp, but not to this one. He’s tearing it up in the WHL, 32 points in 24 games with the Portland Winterhawks. Those are pretty good offensive numbers for a defenseman.

Meanwhile, defenseman Jake Furlong was invited to the camp. He has 18 points in 21 games for the Halifax Mooseheads in the QMJHL. Furlong also captains the team.

Smith, Pohlkamp added to Team USA

A pair of Sharks found their way onto the Team USA camp list. Will Smith has lit up college hockey with his play for Boston College. Smith is joined by BC linemates Gabe Perrault and Ryan Leonard on the USA roster. It’s an understandable addition by Team USA’s coaching staff. The trio has instant chemistry. They played together in the USHL last season and carried that play through to their freshmen seasons at BC. All three are virtual shoo-ins to make the team.

One surprise is Sharks’ 2023 fifth-round pick Eric Pohlkamp. Pohlkamp was drafted this past summer as a 19-year-old after going undrafted in 2022. The defenseman has done well in his first season with Bemidji State. He has grit, which may be something the Team USA coaches may be looking for.

“Pohlkamp is an abrasive, physical player despite not being an especially big player. He also has a powerful shot and could potentially give the U.S. some needed grit on the back end,” wrote Peters of FloHockey after the camp invites were announced.

Quentin Musty suspended

Quentin Musty was a surprise omission from the Team USA list, and the hits kept coming for the young forward. Just a day later, the OHL announced that he would be suspended two games for a slewfoot on Sunday.

#OHL Disciplinary Action: Sudbury’s Quentin Musty has been suspended for two games as a result of actions on Dec. 3rd at Mississauga.

— Ontario Hockey League (@OHLHockey) December 5, 2023

This is the second time this season that Musty has been suspended for slewfooting an opponent. In November, he was suspended for two games. Musty plays with an edge, and that’s what the Sharks like, but he will have to learn to walk the line if he wants to play in the NHL. The Sharks can’t afford for him to become a repeat offender.

His offensive upside is not in doubt. Musty has scored 31 points in 16 games with the Sudbury Wolves.