Why Could Frondell Go Ahead of Misa? Sharks-Blackhawks Trade Proposal (+)

Are the San Jose Sharks going to pull off a surprise at top of the Draft?

Since the Sharks lost the 2025 Draft Lottery in early May, expectation was that the New York Islanders would take defenseman Matthew Schaefer first-overall, while the Sharks would follow with center Michael Misa No. 2.

However, at the Draft Combine two weeks ago, San Jose Hockey Now heard a rumbling from a go-to source that the Sharks might be looking elsewhere at second-overall: “There was a whisper that San Jose likes center Anton Frondell.”

That whisper is getting louder.

“There is a notable section of the league,” Corey Pronman of The Athletic wrote on Thursday, “that prefers Frondell to Misa currently.”

“There is a growing belief in the scouting community that Anton Frondell could knock off Michael Misa and be the first forward taken in this Draft,” Chris Peters said in “Called Up”, his podcast with Cam Robinson, on Friday.

NEW Podcast: NHL Draft Rankings, Juicy Rumours, Could Frondell Go Ahead of Misa?

It's Episode 28 of Called Up: The Prospects Podcast

Listen. Review. Share. Help us feed our families.https://t.co/DoAL3PnWUm pic.twitter.com/22J5fFmwFD

— Cam Robinson (@Hockey_Robinson) June 20, 2025

For what it’s worth, this league source still believes that the Sharks will take Misa.

“They’ll keep it simple at No. 2. I’m really convinced it’s gonna be Michael Misa,” he said this week. “I don’t expect a curveball.”

That said, he’s also a big fan of Frondell.

So what’s he think of Misa?

Why could San Jose go Frondell, what makes him special? He also explained what separates Frondell from other No. 2 candidate Caleb Desnoyers.

Also, how could a hypothetical trade between the Sharks and Chicago Blackhawks for No. 2 work?