Sheng Peng
There’s not a lot of info out there about new San Jose Sharks defenseman Phillip Sinn.
And for good reason.
“To be honest, I was surprised by the signing,” a pro hockey executive familiar with DEL, the top German pro league that the 22-year-old came from, admitted,
“We weren’t looking at him,” an NHL exec told San Jose Hockey Now.
That said, the source familiar with DEL had praise for the new San Jose Sharks blueliner.
What are his strengths? What’s his NHL ceiling?
The San Jose Sharks signed the 6-foot-2 left-hander to a two-year entry-level contract on Thursday.
One NHL scout suggested, “I’d guess they’ve been watching Smits and [Sinn] caught their eye.”
Top 2026 Draft prospect Alberts Smits ended his season with Sinn’s EHC Red Bull Munchen.
But Sinn stood out, too.
“He played good minutes in Munich this season and looked mature for his age. Last season was his first DEL season, but he’s been playing pro hockey since he was 19,” the executive said. “Before that, he spent two years in the EBEL in Austria.”
Sinn averaged 14:31 per game, bottom-pairing minutes for Munchen.
“He has decent size and is a good skater with a smooth glide. He’s strong on his skates and strong on the puck,” the exec said. “There’s not a lot of offense to his game — he’s more of a defensive defenseman.”
Sinn notched one goal and three points in 35 games for Munchen. Sinn appears to have some intriguing tools, but it also sounds like he’s a project.
“Right now, I would project him as more of an AHL player,” the executive said, “but we’ll see how he matures in North America.”