SAN JOSE – The NHL Draft Lottery is on Monday, and Macklin Celebrini, like other San Jose Sharks players, is obviously interested in the result.
“That’s the future of our organization, and something that affects all of us,” Celebrini said last month, “so I’m going to be paying attention to it.”
The Sharks are in the same spot as they were 12 months ago, when, after finishing in last place in the NHL’s overall standings, they had a 25.5% chance of winning the lottery. The Sharks then had the right combination of ping pong balls pop up and won the No. 1 overall pick, which they used on Celebrini, their next franchise centerman.
The Sharks, who had a 20-50-12 record this season, also have an 18.8% chance of drafting second and a 55.7% chance of falling to third.
A draft lottery win by the Sharks this year would allow them to select Erie Otters defenseman Matthew Schaefer. The projected top-pair blueliner is widely considered the draft’s best player despite sustaining a season-ending shoulder injury while playing for Canada at the IIHF World Junior Championships in December.
The 17-year-old Schaefer, listed at 6-foot-2, 183 pounds, is the top-ranked North American skater by NHL Central Scouting and has drawn comparisons to the Columbus Blue Jackets’ Zach Werenski, a Norris Trophy finalist, and others.
If the Sharks fall to second or third in the lottery and keep that pick, they will likely draft a forward. While center/left wing Michael Misa of Saginaw (OHL) appears to be the second-best available player after a dominant year, No. 3 is up for debate.
Boston College center James Hagens, winger Porter Martone of Brampton (OHL), and Sweden center Anton Frondell, the top-ranked international skater, are in that conversation.
“At the top, after Schaefer, it’s probably more forward-heavy, which is fine,” Sharks general manager Mike Grier said last month. “There are good players there that I think will be impactful NHL players.”
Here’s a quick look at the top players available this year
1. Matthew Schaefer, defense, Erie Otters (OHL)
HT/WT: 6-2/183
ANALYSIS: An elite puck-mover and a creative and gifted playmaker, the left-shot Schaefer, 17, is easily considered the best player at his position in this draft. Like a slightly bigger version of Erik Karlsson, Schaefer is crafty enough to be a one-man breakout against a hard-forechecking team. Between his shoulder injury and a bout with mononucleosis at the start of the OHL season, Schaefer played in just 17 games. But he would still be a terrific addition to the Sharks, who have drafted some high-end forwards in recent years and could use a high-octane defenseman to go with them.
2. Michael Misa, center/left wing, Saginaw Spirit (OHL)
HT/WT: 6-1/185
ANALYSIS: Misa, 18, was the OHL’s top regular-season scorer with 134 points in just 65 games. While Misa was formerly more of a distributor, he became one of the OHL’s best shooters this season with 62 goals. Misa projects to be a top-six NHL forward and a future stalwart on a first power-play unit, and when Sharks prospect Igor Chernyshov joined Saginaw in January, the two found instant chemistry
3. Anton Frondell, center, Djurgardens (Allsvenskan)
HT/WT: 6-1/198
ANALYSIS: Frondell, who turns 18 on Wednesday, has the size, is a terrific shooter, and is considered a heady player. He’s also displayed a more well-rounded game than some other forwards at the top end of this draft. Competing mainly against older players this past season with Djurgardens, he was used in all situations and had 25 points in 29 games. A definite option for the Sharks should they draft second or third overall.
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4. James Hagens, center, Boston College (Hockey East)
HT/WT: 5-11/177
ANALYSIS: Hagens, 18, is a bit smaller as a center than Misa or Frondell, but is no less creative or dangerous. He was a key part of Team USA’s gold medal-winning team at this year’s World Junior Championships with nine points in seven games, and skated alongside Gabe Perreault and Ryan Leonard at Boston College. He drives plays and hounds pucks.
5. Porter Martone, right wing, Brampton (OHL)
HT/WT: 6-3/208
ANALYSIS: The Sharks have gone big with several early-round draft picks in recent years, and selecting Martone would certainly follow that pattern. Already possessing a man’s body, Martone uses his size to his advantage as a bruising winger willing to fight and go to the hard areas. He had 98 points in 57 regular-season games and has a quick release on his shot, but, as TSN’s Bob McKenzie noted in January, needs to work on his skating.
