Sheng Peng
BUFFALO — The San Jose Sharks have selected Jake Gustafson with the No. 174 pick.
Gustafson is a 6-foot-4 right-handed center, who put up 13 goals and 25 points in 68 games for the Portland Winterhawks.
He’s also got a San Jose Sharks connection: The San Jose native is the son of the SAP Center vice president Jon Gustafson.
“Composed defensive centre most commonly deep in his own zone; flashes of vision and skill suggest he could become more than just a role player,” Elite Prospects says, “Projecting Gustafson to the NHL isn’t tricky: A bottom-six, two-way centre. He’ll have to turn those intriguing pieces into consistent impact and ramp up the physicality and engagement, but he has the tools for such a role.”
The San Jose Sharks’ next pick is scheduled to be their last, No. 201 in the seventh round.