Hockey History
Sharks Among League’s Worst at Drafting Goalies
Quick, name the last San Jose Sharks-drafted goalie to make the NHL.
You’ve got to go back 15 years to answer that – 2008 fourth-round pick Harri Sateri.
That’s a long time, so long in fact, it’s a league-worst.
That’s right, every team – including the six-year-old Vegas Golden Knights, but not the two-year-old Seattle Kraken – has had a more recent goalie Draft pick appear in an NHL game than the Sharks.
Since Sateri, the San Jose Sharks have selected Fredrik Bergvik (2013), Mike Robinson and Jake Kupsky (2015), Zachary Emond (2018), Ben Gaudreau (2021), and Mason Beaupit (2022). Now that’s not a lot of netminders drafted, but that’s also zero success.
It’s a mark of an organization that hasn’t been able to figure out their goaltending in a while, whether via the Draft, free agency, or trade.
The recent decision for Gaudreau to re-enter the 2023 Draft is just another example of that.
2021 No. 81 Gaudreau, by the way, was the highest Sharks goaltender pick since No. 55 Terry Friesen in 1996. That also makes Gaudreau the second-highest San Jose-drafted goalie ever, followed closely by Robinson (No. 86 in 2015), Timo Pielmeier (No. 83 in 2007), Tyson Sexsmith (No. 91 in 2007), Thomas Greiss (No. 94 in 2004), Vesa Toskala (No. 90 in 1995), and Dan Ryder (No. 89 in 1991).
But back to Harri Sateri!
Pulling up at the rear with the Sharks and 2008 in drafting goalies futility are the Chicago Blackhawks (2010: Kent Simpson), Detroit Red Wings (2010: Petr Mrazek), Los Angeles Kings (2011: Christopher Gibson), and Winnipeg Jets (2013: Eric Comrie).
Another telling piece of history: The last significant netminder drafted by the San Jose Sharks was Alex Stalock in 2005, “significant” loosely defined as a keeper who’s played 20-plus games in an NHL season.
That’s also a long time ago too, with only the Blackhawks (2003: Corey Crawford), Montreal Canadiens (2005: Carey Price), and Kings (2006: Jonathan Bernier) suffering a similar drought.
All this is to say, the San Jose Sharks need to draft a good goalie, and fast. Will this be the year?
| Team | Last Drafted NHL Goalie | Draft Year | Last Drafted "Significant" NHL Goalie | Draft Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anaheim Ducks | Lukas Dostal | 2018 | Frederik Andersen | 2012 |
| Arizona Coyotes | Ivan Prosvetov | 2018 | Adin Hill | 2015 |
| Boston Bruins | Jeremy Swayman | 2017 | Jeremy Swayman | 2017 |
| Buffalo Sabres | Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen | 2017 | Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen | 2017 |
| Calgary Flames | Dustin Wolf | 2019 | Jon Gillies | 2012 |
| Carolina Hurricanes | Pyotr Kochetkov | 2019 | Pyotr Kochetkov | 2019 |
| Chicago Blackhawks | Kent Simpson | 2010 | Corey Crawford | 2003 |
| Colorado Avalanche | Justus Annunen | 2018 | Spencer Martin | 2013 |
| Columbus Blue Jackets | Veini Vehvilainen | 2018 | Elvis Merzlikins | 2014 |
| Dallas Stars | Jake Oettinger | 2017 | Jake Oettinger | 2017 |
| Detroit Red Wings | Petr Mrazek | 2010 | Petr Mrazek | 2010 |
| Edmonton Oilers | Stuart Skinner | 2017 | Stuart Skinner | 2017 |
| Florida Panthers | Spencer Knight | 2019 | Spencer Knight | 2019 |
| Los Angeles Kings | Christopher Gibson | 2011 | Jonathan Bernier | 2006 |
| Minnesota Wild | Kaapo Kahkonen | 2014 | Kaapo Kahkonen | 2014 |
| Montreal Canadiens | Cayden Primeau | 2017 | Carey Price | 2005 |
| Nashville Predators | Yaroslav Askarov | 2020 | Karel Vejmelka | 2015 |
| New Jersey Devils | Nico Daws | 2020 | Nico Daws | 2020 |
| New York Islanders | Ilya Sorokin | 2014 | Ilya Sorokin | 2014 |
| New York Rangers | Igor Shesterkin | 2014 | Igor Shesterkin | 2014 |
| Ottawa Senators | Leevi Merilainen | 2020 | Marcus Hogberg | 2013 |
| Philadelphia Flyers | Samuel Ersson | 2018 | Carter Hart | 2016 |
| Pittsburgh Penguins | Filip Gustavsson | 2016 | Filip Gustavsson | 2016 |
| San Jose Sharks | Harri Sateri | 2008 | Alex Stalock | 2005 |
| St. Louis Blues | Joel Hofer | 2018 | Ville Husso | 2014 |
| Tampa Bay Lightning | Hugo Alnefelt | 2019 | Connor Ingram | 2016 |
| Toronto Maple Leafs | Joseph Woll | 2016 | Garret Sparks | 2011 |
| Vancouver Canucks | Arturs Silovs | 2019 | Thatcher Demko | 2014 |
| Vegas Golden Knights | Jiri Patera | 2017 | N/A | N/A |
| Washington Capitals | Ilya Samsonov | 2015 | Ilya Samsonov | 2015 |
| Winnipeg Jets | Eric Comrie | 2013 | Connor Hellebuyck | 2012 |
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Great article. I find it interesting that the sharks have never used a 1st or 2nd round pick on a goalie in 32 drafts. Now, there are plenty of examples of mid to late round goalies becoming star net-minders (Nabokov, Kiprussoff) for the Sharks but still…plenty of other teams are willing to take the chance in the first round on players like Fleury, Price, Vasilievsky, Oettinger and more recently Askarov, Cossa and Wallstedt. I realize I’m cherry picking and lots of current starting goalies were not 1st round picks. I guess the point I’m trying to make is when there… Read more »
Yeah none of those guys project as elite but there’s always a surprise or two a year. If I’m drafting I’m taking 2 goalies and one every year after this, until I have a situation like kipper/nabby and toskala. It sucks because I should be super excited about the off-season and the picks and I’m just completely filled with dread about what blunder will be next.
Thanks! I wrote about this a couple years ago, comparing SJS to other teams:
https://sanjosehockeynow.com/ray-payne-san-jose-sharks-goaltending-draft-history/
How do you consider Garret Sparks, Marcus Hogberg, Connor Ingram and Spencer Martin to be “significant” goaltenders? What exactly are your parameters to get to that level of significance? Theyre hardly significant imo Sparks is an AHL starter and 3rd string NHL goalie that played 20 games in 18-19 due to injury, he’s seen 3 games since. Hogberg hasnt seen nhl ice in 2 years. Ingram got a shot last year due to a tanking Coyotes team that outside lf Schmaltz and Keller basically iced an AHL squad. Martin got a chance this season, also due to injury, and was… Read more »
It says in the story. I suppose I could’ve raised “significant” threshold to 30+ games played in a season. That would’ve filtered out some of the lesser names. Also, used another word besides “significant”, maybe “regular”
Thanks sheng. It’s a good article, I guess I just wanted clarity.
Seems right on par with their drafting of forwards and defenseman
Yeah Hertl, Marleau, Pavelski, Couture, Meier, Vlasic just to name a very small few are all just awful players.
Great comment, you’re so smart!
Oh yeah you’re right, that’s the single greatest group of forwards ever conceived. And their contracts prove they are great, except for Joe, the only one who proved he has heart, and was paid the least
at worst they’re league average at drafting. It’s not like we were picking at number one and top 5 for a decade like the oilers. After all those picks they still don’t have a full squad needed to make a deep playoff run. I would honestly rate our drafting as above average.
It is objectively below average, especially their track record in the first round. This is a team that traded up to get Setoguchi, an off the board pick that ended up going before Anze Kopitar. This is a team that used the 7th and 16th overall picks in 2003 to draft Michalek and Bernier over Getzlaf and Perry.
Give me a break.
Hindsight is easy. Bemoaning Bernier (No. 16) over Getzlaf (19) makes some sense, but Michalek at No. 6? That’s a reach to expect the Sharks to “reach” for the actual 19th pick at No. 6.
Both Setoguchi and Michalek were fine picks, derailed for different reasons, Setoguchi’s own publicized demons and Michalek’s injuries. You also fail to mention that the Sharks were able to convert Setoguchi, close to his peak value, as a big part of the deal for Brent Burns.
Sheng, great topic and article.
How much of this is poor scouting/selection and how much of it is a philosophy that goalies are a crapshoot so our picks are in the late rounds? Vs. other teams, if we looked at a graphic of where our picks are for the last fifteen years, would we be significantly later than most other teams.
Without looking at it, I would guess it’s a bit of both?
Thanks!
It’s probably both. The Sharks have said that they’ve liked goalies high before though, they just didn’t get a chance. I’m fairly certain they liked Wallstedt a lot, not with their 2021 No. 7 pick, but as he was falling, I think they tried to swoop in
Why is Nabby still around after so many years of poor drafting, developing goalies?
He was the king of letting in soft goals in the playoffs.
Well, his playoff performance has nothing to do with the development track record. But it’s fair to say that Nabokov/Sharks could really use a goalie hit in the Draft/development
Perhaps the Sharks can go for Tristan Jarry, Jonas Korpisalo or Anthony Stolarz. All are UFAs but Jarry might be a little too expensive and wouldn’t bet against the Penguins resigning him, so that leaves Korpisalo or Stolarz. A lot of UFA goalies are up in age, so it is a “crap shoot” with the remaining goalies have in the “pipeline”.
It doesn’t make sense for the Sharks, in this stage of their rebuild, to invest 3-plus years in any goalie I think. So that should eliminate Jarry/Korpisalo? Stolarz is interesting
THIS!!
Everything the Sharks do has to be thru a lens which goes out 4+ years. Really 4-6 years.
The way to look at is simple: Can getting Jarry, Korpisalo or Stolarz help the 2028 Sharks? If it is unlikely, then don’t do it. If there’s a decent chance, go for it. But this is viewpoint management needs to take. Given how strange life is with goalies, I’d be hesitant to acquire a netminder which is expensive — in either cap or draft capital. At least for another 3 years.
The barracuda have had a weird run of goalies. First couple of years the sent their goalies to the ahl all star games. But the only one to see any “success” was Dell and Grosnek. Otherwise just a rotating door of high expectations and meh.
Now that I think about it the all star game selections may have been more a commentary on how poor out skaters were then how good our goalies were.
But any way I don’t think it’s just our bad drafting but our development is equally a problem.
Ah yes I totally agree. Having a head coach for an Ahl team that has never coached before, you get about the same results as you’d get as hiring a guy who’s been a director of player personnel for one year as his only real front office experience. I do think that McCarthy could turn it around, he seems like maybe a decent leader, but I think that again his mentality as a 4th liner will probably hold him back. Idk man it’s not like the only two teams who win the cup every year are Boston, Nashville and St.… Read more »
Drafting goalies is a waste of a pick. They are impossible to accurately scout at age 17.
To be fair, if you take 6 random players selected after pick 80, the chances you get a meaningful NHL player in that group of 6 is pretty modest.
That’s essentially what the Sharks have done, with a bunch of the goalie picks selected well into triple digits.
Ironically, the cross section of goalie draft picks and 3rd round draft picks (another Sharks black hole), you’ll find the 3rd most successful Sharks goalie pick (behind Nabby and Kipper) and the most successful 3rd round pick in team history: Thomas Greiss.
Gone are the days of Nabokov, Kiprusoff, and Toskala. Add this to the many needs. And a indication on how unsuccessful the drafts have been.