Hockey History
How Did Misa Fare in 2025 Draft Combine Fitness Testing? Compared to Celebrini?
The fitness portion of the Combine has wrapped up ahead of the 2025 Draft on Jun. 27.
Potential San Jose Sharks’ No. 2 overall pick Michael Misa measured in at 6-foot-1 and 182 lbs, according to Mark Scheig of The Hockey Writers. Misa didn’t rank in the top-25, however, in any of the fitness test categories.
Here are a few videos of his performances at the combine:
Misa’s Peak Power Output is 14.8 Watts/kg for his Wingate test. The current leader is Charlton Tretheway at 17, Frondell second at 16.8 pic.twitter.com/gXL3lFClIn
— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) June 7, 2025
Misa with a solid 10 pull-ups. Victor Eklund, by the way, had 11 pic.twitter.com/GOJIhrdUXU
— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) June 7, 2025
Misa’s horizontal jump: pic.twitter.com/4A4aT22vNN
— Stefen Rosner (@stefen_rosner) June 7, 2025
Misa is slightly more agile to his right than his left pic.twitter.com/tsxoUDE5vU
— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) June 7, 2025
Don’t be too alarmed by Misa’s less-than eye-catching results though. Last year, Macklin Celebrini snuck onto just a few top-25 lists – the only notably high placement being his fourth-place in the VO2Max (63).
There are other potential picks for the San Jose Sharks at No. 2 who did factor into the Draft Combine leaderboards.
Per Scheig, Matthew Schaefer was recorded at 6-foot-2 and 185 lbs; Porter Martone at 6-foot-3 and 204 lbs; James Hagens at 5-foot-10.5 and 186 lbs; Anton Frondell at 6-foot-1.25 and 204 lbs; and Jake O’Brien at 6-foot-1.5 and 177 lbs.
Frondell topped the chart in the VO2 Max station (64.7), in addition to a third place in Peak Power Output (16.8) and a ninth place in Mean Power Output (11.8).
In the anaerobic fitness station, Schaefer’s 16.6 watts/kg Peak Power Output landed him fourth among prospects. Schaeffer also made it on the leaderboard in five other categories – Mean Power Output (11.4), Left hand Grip (151), Right Hand Grip (144), VO2Max (59.3), and Agility and Balance Right Side (4.43).
Schaefer doing agility workout. pic.twitter.com/GR0gs1jn7A
— Stefen Rosner (@stefen_rosner) June 7, 2025
Porter Martone notched three top-25 spots, in the Peak Power Output, Horizontal Jump, and Vertical Jump Stations. Hagens (58.9) landed in 17th for VO2Max and Jake O’Brien (58.7) just behind him in 19th for the same station.
Celebrini’s lackluster results evidently didn’t affect how the San Jose Sharks saw him, so that shouldn’t affect Misa.
Historically, there isn’t any real correlation between Combine fitness tests and NHL results. The league actually recently released the history of fitness results, see where past San Jose Sharks picks like Artemi Kniazev, Josh Norris, Noah Gregor, Brandon Svoboda, and Michael Fisher have flourished.
If there isn’t any real correlation between Combine fitness tests and NHL results, why bother? Scoring 134 points tells me enough about him and evidently most of the GM’s.
Came here to post the same thing. The interviews are probably the thing that matters a little more, and having a dog and pony show gets the NHL a little attention, which doesn’t hurt.
I wonder what the actual correlation with combine results in the NFL is. Probably not that strong either.
It’s still stuff you’d like to know about a guy even if you’re not judging them by it.
The top-end guys have less to prove so I would say the point is for unranked / lower ranked guys to push themselves in their areas of strength to try and get noticed.
Exactly. And for the higher skill players, it gives organizations an idea of what they need to improve to reach their full potential. Many teams will probably base the first iteration of their development and fitness plans for a player based on these tests.
The only thing the fitness check really does is give a visual check to see they are not lazy over the summer or let themselves slip. The interviews are the most.improtant because they provide insight into the mindset and the prospects opinion of themselves.
I think one thing the fitness test does is just give context to a players season. If they come in and crush all the physical tests, but then you go watch game tape and they’re just so-so in a junior league it could make you wonder why their physical prowess isn’t already translating better at that level. The flip side is maybe they’re fairly talented but are mid-tier on the fitness tests, you might then predict that through better diet and fitness routines your development group could work with them to be even better. There’s probably a hundred ways to… Read more »
Wheeler’s latest mock draft for the Athletic has Eklund at 15. I didn’t like the idea of taking him in the top 10, but if I’m the Sharks and he’s still there, there could be some options. 1) Trade 30 and 33… This should be enough. 2) Absorb Carey Price’s cap hit if the #16 pick of the Habs’ is available, tack on a 4th to move up one more spot. I just heard the actual money involved would be like $2M, so this becomes a lot more palatable to me. And since the free agent market is looking like… Read more »
Other than the marketing value of saying you have both brothers, what is the value of chasing this player? I question whether sub-6ft winger is a type of player you really need to load up on.
Yup. Hard pass.
I could see some value in the move if the Sharks end up with Schaefer at two, but not if they take Misa. I wish there was a bit more size within the Sharks emerging high end forward core so that they could absorb the type of smaller, skilled players that tend to drop in the draft. But that’s just not how the chips have fallen, Celebrini and Smith are both average sized and none of Chernyshov, Musty or Halttunen is a surefire top six winger. The one prospect I could see swapping out of that group in favor of… Read more »
Schaefer at 2 makes it easier, but I’m talking purely about the value of that pick in that spot. Eklund at 9 is too high a price, but if he slides, he quickly becomes an incredible value. He can’t play in the same line as William, but I see him as a lot more successful version of the player Eklund tried to be last year. Viktor wins those battles behind the net. He’s rugged down there. I’ve said many times I would like to get a big wing to play that role on a William line, but Viktor doesn’t need… Read more »
Yeah I agree with all of that, and in general I do like the idea of using 30 and 33 to move into the 13-17 range to get a higher impact player. It would not surprise me at all if Grier already has a handshake agreement in place with Montreal for #16 if Eklund slips. And I think I’d enjoy the narrative much more than I’d worry about the fit. The story would be great, and I do think Viktor is the kind of smaller player who will excel when the games get big. When the Bruins traded Brad Stuart… Read more »
Nothing would surprise me more from this draft than the Sharks drafting little victor in the 1st.
I would NOT like if the Sharks trade out of #2 for Viktor and something. But I am much more intrigued if they get Viktor later, especially if they do it with only a small cash outlay like it would take to absorb Montreal’s cap hit. That would be an incredible use of resources. In that case, they would still have #30 and #33 for something else, and also $31M in cap space to play with, which should be more than enough assuming they aren’t real players in the Marner sweepstakes
I think #30 and #33 may be trade capital for current NHL players. There’s rumblings of some RFAs going on the market. I think those picks can be part of the trade package on some of those RFAs. I’ve mentioned Bowen Byram, whose age is pretty ideal. Noah Dobson still doesn’t have a contract, although his age is less ideal and he is coming off a down year. I just don’t know how much need there is in terms shopping for more forward prospects in the current draft when the team is short on D both now and in the… Read more »
Sign me up for a deal like that with those picks for sure. If the Sharks get Dobson or his like for the Dallas pick and the 2, then re-sign Granlund (which I’m still against mostly for philosophical reasons), it would make trading Granlund seem pretty astute
would he even be a consideration if his last name wasn’t Eklund? No. He doesn’t fit Griers profile.
I don’t care that his last name is Eklund. He was a standout at world juniors and he outplayed Frondell all year
That’s not what I’ve read or any of the scouts said. If anything he carried Eklund.
The lone value added, and its a meaningful value with a big if — IF the Eklund brothers really want to play together and IF they offer meaningful discounts to a team that does allow them to play together, that’d matter.
I wouldn’t write that off, as another pair of Swedish brothers stuck together for their entire careers, the Sedins. Maybe the Eklund’s would like to emulate the careers of the Sedins. Don’t know, but if any GM is going to want to know, its GMMG and the GM that selects Victor.
They never won a cup. Pass.
(I’m mostly kidding)
They need to find a way to get them on the ice to do something comparable to the 40 yard dash like blue line to blue line and have a better data on there skating.
They have plenty of video and scouting notes on their on ice attributes.
The NFL has infinitely more tape and and data and is the greatest pro sports league in the world why do they put so much stock in the 40 and why do players loose or gain draft stock based on fractions of a second. In the next 5 years the NHL will catch up if they are smart, if for nothing else but the tv viewers. I would definitely tune in to watch McKenna sprint Blue line to blue line or timed Russian circles. And see who is the best skating based on time. It’s almost like you don’t want… Read more »
The tests at NFL combine more closely resemble their useful traits in the filed. 40s, strength, matters. NHL? Not so much.
seriously doubt there’s more tape of NFL prospects. Just by a factor of number of games in a season you’re hilariously wrong.
You’re talking about all Star game competitions. Not useful for NHL combine.
The Athletics “Draft Confidential” is terrifying. Makes it seem like no consensus after Schaefer… plenty of scouts have other players over Misa at #2. If the Sharks don’t have Misa as their guy I hope they move back and get something else. At this point I trust their scouting dept though. Having a nice run so far at least with guys improving their stock post draft.
I have this nagging suspicion that they’re going to take Martone. I’ve been listening to a lot of the offseason interviews the Sharks Podcast network has been running and so far I’ve heard four analysts employed by the Sharks ask podcast guests about Martone using almost identical language. It might be a coincidence, but it could also be organizational talking points that were distributed to public facing team employees. Randy Hahn, Ted Ramey, Dan Rusanowsky and Brodie Brazil have all brought him up essentially unsolicited during interviews, and Ramey and Brazil asked Corey Pronman and Scott Wheeler point blank if… Read more »
I think you’re reading too much into that. With the number 2 pick, the list of guys they might take there is pretty short. You don’t need to be Ted Ramey to think to ask about Martone, and your show would be a tight three and a half minutes if you didn’t think of things to talk about beyond Misa and Schaefer. There’s a lot of dead air time right now. And on the Sharks side, they are going to use the same platitudes about everyone. Nobody is tipping their hand right now. Schaefer is great. Misa is great. Martone?… Read more »
What does the betting line say the Sharks will do? Maybe some money to be made there?
Maybe so. I’ve spent the vast majority of my career in PR and executive comms, though, so I do have an ear for this type of thing and have successfully read between the lines before when it comes to team decision making. It’s not just that all four brought it up, it’s that they used almost identical language. The questions posed had the hallmarks of a message intended to soften customer perception.
If they take Martone #2 without acquiring a raft of other assets, I assure you the customer perception is gonna be pretty hard still
If you’re talking die-hards like us, that’s likely very true. But I have plenty of friends who bleed teal and don’t know 1/100th as much about the state of the team or league as most regular commenters here do. For those fans, all they have to have is a positive association with Porter Martone (or anyone else for that matter) and they’re on board. Edit: Even for myself, I was Martone over Misa at the midway point of the season until Misa’s production superseded Martone’s size to a degree I couldn’t reasonably ignore. It would probably be pretty easy to… Read more »
Definitely in the same camp. If Grier believes that’s the guy I’m good to see where it goes.
Same here. Also, I imagine that SJ scouts saw lots of Misa and given how well he played with one of their own prospects – if Grier passes on him, I’ve gotta think they see something missing either in the player or how he would fit the team long term. Of course as a fan, I find it tough not to get caught up in a lot of the hype for some of these kids. I can’t wait for the draft to get here. 5 minutes after that I’ll be saying the same thing about the first day of free… Read more »
August really is the worst month of the year.
Yup. I don’t lament the Dicky vs Buium thing at all. If Buium wins a Norris I still won’t.
OTOH, 134 points is a hard stat to overlook.
It’s also the OHL. I’ve probably played in pickups with a bigger commitment to defense.😜🤣🤣
Martone over Misa feels like Carlsson over Fantilli, a choice that already seems suspect.
Carlson over Fantili, Sennecke over Demidov, yeah, Anaheim is kind of an odd duck when it comes to drafting…. (sorry, had to say it)
I’d argue Carlsson over Smith was wrong, too. I was on Team Michkov, so I can’t say I knew better, but just looking at now, I’d stick with our boy
Being the guy who was a little skeptical of the Will Smith pick when I was drinking the Michkov Kool aid, I do have to be sure I give Grier the benefit of the doubt on this one. But I’ll say it again. I’m not against Martone. I’m against taking him at #2 overall. #2 overall is simply worth more than just Martone. It would be like if the Islanders took Hagens at 1OA (ok, more extreme, but bear with me)… Hagens might actually be the best player for the organization to take. But if they take him at 1OA,… Read more »
Aside from Misa expressing his desire to play in SJ, there’s the built in chemistry he would have playing alongside Chernyshov.
Yeah, I like the story behind that aspect of it, too, but I’m trying not to get carried away with that part. Good players play good with other good players, for the most part.
That’s where I’m at. Take whoever you believe in but if it ain’t Misa, extort a price out of someone for no 2.
You’ve hit the proverbial nail on the head with this, IMO. Hard core Sharks fans might lose their minds if Martone is selected over Misa – presuming Schaefer goes 1OA to the Isles. However, the casual SJ Sharks fan that doesn’t get into the weeds, takes the family to a few games each season, and cares not so much about where player “A” is ranked or drafted at? I doubt they’ll really care who Grier picks at 2. I’m in the trust Grier camp as well, but if Misa is sitting there at 2 and Mike passes on him I’ll… Read more »
GMMG has certainly done enough already to earn the trust of Sharks fans.I don’t believe anything is set in stone at this point. I’m sure he and his staff have their draft game plan and will be light on the feet, or should I say skates, on D-day!
Size does matter. We all remember Jumbo Joe………..
Gotta say I have an extremely hard time thinking this has anything to do with the front office trying to get people used to the idea or accepting of it should it happen. If the team were to utilize something like this, it would seem much more likely to do it as seeding incorrect information out in the world. But I also have a very hard time envisioning that. I just don’t think Mike Grier and company give a shit what podcast hosts for the team talk about. Or think that what they talk about would move any needles on… Read more »
Anyway, Mike, if you’re putting out feelers through podcast hosts then you’re reading blog comments. If you stay at 2 and take someone other than Misa I will be demoralized and lose faith in you. And I am a Sharks 365 member, you don’t wanna be messing with me, dawg.
If you like someone else enough, you can move down and get them.
They’re not “podcast hosts.” They’re team employees and broadcasters. It’s not like I think they’re seeding this stuff via Sheng and JD, or Frank Seravalli. These folks work for the team. They have to toe a specific line on air.
LOL, yeah man, it’s the Kremlin over there. Mike Grier and Ryan Clowe typing up the scripts and everything. Then Joe Will marks it up with his edits. Then those guys just read what they’re given.
Obviously the organization has standards. And the podcast hosts probably get direction on what the subjects in a given show are at least some of the time. And guys know not to share any info they might be privy to about injuries and such.
I do not believe the org chart is set up such that Mike Grier is a part of that.
It’s not the Kremlin, it’s standard best practices for PR and communications. You’re essentially poking fun at something because you don’t understand how it works. Every company has operational leadership that sets the direction for the rest of the organization. In a big enterprise, it’s the C-suite. For a professional sports franchise, it’s the owner (Hasso), president (Becher) and head of hockey operations (Grier). All three will be privy to and have some measure of control over final decisions made within the organization. The direction of the team on the ice is largely dictated by the general manager (and owner), and it… Read more »
Nothing there is outside of my own conception, my mind is not blown, I understand how companies work. I do not think the team thinks it needs to put out Martone propaganda. The fans you mention above who don’t know as much about all these players don’t need convincing ahead of time. They are marks who will go along with whatever, they don’t know any better even according to you. I just listened to the Pronman interview. The question there is framed that other people are making claims that Martone is a Grier-type that the Sharks might take, but isn’t… Read more »
%#}*•=~
Oooo, wow, you sure told him.
And I feel the same and I had the $12 a game breakaway pass all season. You don’t want to get on my bad side either
I agree with all this.
Any team employee that regularly interfaces with the public or media is going to have approved talking points and off-limits topics, it’s just the way an organization of that size and scope works. Mike Grier and company definitely give a shit what their employees are saying via company sponsored channels.
I think Brodie and Ramey have some latitudes and they aren’t just pure propaganda. They will toss softballs in interviews, but I think they also are trying to inform the fans and give them an inside look that isn’t completely filtered
Ask Drew Remenda how much latitude team employed broadcasters have to be even remotely critical.
Me too. Ever since Grier said the top 5 is different I’ve kind of been expecting something unexpected. Could be Frondel too.
You could also get cute and say he said Top 5, not Top 2.
I just don’t think a big guy who can’t skate is all that rare. In fact, I’m bigger than Martone and I also can’t skate for squat. Yeah, I’m in my D+30 year as an overager, but I have serious heart.
Huh? He did say top 5…?
My only point is I don’t care who’s #3 on his list. Only #2 matters
I think there’s a difference between “having heart” and “having an enlarged heart”. 😜🤣
Because you are character does not mean that you have character 🙂
Sorry, I meant I have a serious heart condition
Grier does love size. If only Martone had some kind of Boston connection.
Hockey may not be The Athletic’s strength. Too many thinkers and what if’ers.
These were quotes from NHL scouts given anonymously. I’d say it was exactly a strength for the athletic. 🤨
I also don’t think there’s a lot of correlation, but one thing I’d look for is the strength among d-men. I’d like to know they can clear the net front and strength is a major asset there.
Agility matters, but on-ice agility is just different than on-ground agility.
The other item, and I suspect it’d be a good culture issue, is which guys are workout warriors. I’d consider drafting a player who I know will be in the weight room a lot, simply because he’ll get others involved, too.
A lot of battle strength comes from leverage, that’s sort of hard to measure with weight lifting test — but agree it’s something they should remedy.
I’m also really interested in how certain players are doing post injury. It was fairly interesting to me that Schaefer skipped the bench lifts even though he’s supposedly fully healed. I am also really interesting how McQueen does because that guy with a 100% healthy back should be on a lot more top 5 boards.
The idea that a guy like McQueen is going to be there for the Ducks at #10 is exactly why Sharks fans should not shy away from trying to improve dramatically this year. It might not be McKenna, but there could be opportunity for tremendous value at that pick, similar to what happened at #11 last year.
These kids are just coming into their adult bodies. What they do when they have trainers et al will make strides.