Michael Fisher ‘Back on Track’, Ready for Northeastern

Michael Fisher, despite just recovering from a torn meniscus, is excited to make his mark at Northeastern University this season.

Fisher, the San Jose Sharks’ 76th-overall selection in the 2022 NHL Draft, sustained the injury in a preseason game for the USHL’s Youngstown Phantoms. He would miss the majority of his only season in juniors with the knee injury.

“Every injury is definitely difficult,” Fisher told San Jose Hockey Now. “Who got me through it was my family.”

The 19-year-old elaborated: “At that time, all my friends were in school, my teammates were in Youngstown. I was rehabbing on my own. I spent a ton of quality time with my family. You know your family, but I got to know them even better. Being at home, they got me through it.”

Fisher eventually returned to Youngtown’s roster near the end of the season, but did not register a point in his 14 games played.

He’s excited to begin a new chapter, however, as her enters his freshman year at Northeastern University: “It’s definitely gonna be a blast. I’m pumped to get on campus for the first time right after camp.”

The San Jose Sharks and Northeastern have laid out the thing they need Fisher to improve most.

“For me, consistency,” he said. “I want to be a pro defensemen. With that comes a lot of consistency, a lot of reps. Be a good hockey player.”

He’s going to get a lot of reps at Northeastern, who have turned out several NHL defensemen like Josh Manson, Jordan Harris, Jamie Oleksiak, and the San Jose Sharks’ own Matt Benning. Plus Fisher will have fellow Sharks draft pick Cameron Lund around at Northeastern, entering his sophomore season.

“He’s just coming back from his injury, but he’s looking good and getting in the right shape,” Lund said of Fisher. “It’ll be fun to have him out there with us too.”

Lund and Fisher are part of the growing pipeline of players committed to Boston area colleges in the San Jose Sharks system, which includes 2023 picks like Will Smith (Boston College) and Brandon Svoboda (Boston University).

“It’s awesome,” said Fisher. ” You get to chat with some of the Boston guys about the things you do that are in common with them. You all know the same people, see the same guys. Come the summer time, you bump into them every once in a while.”

Of course, it’s a former BU player behind a lot of this pipeline.

“I knew, before he was the GM, Mr. Grier,” Fisher noted about Mike Grier. “Skating with him over the summer. I knew him well, but that was before he knew he was gonna be a GM.”

As for Fisher and his knee?

“I feel back on track,” Fisher concluded. “From this camp forward, it’s gonna be awesome training with Northeastern. Waking up everyday, hitting the gym with my teammates, skating, really being a hockey players. I’m pumped for that.”