Felicia Keller
Ryan Lin is rooming with someone he knows pretty well during San Jose Sharks’ Development Camp.
Lin and fellow Sharks prospect Colton Roberts played together for the Vancouver Giants for a season, and the defensemen also work out together during the summers in British Columbia.
“We’re good friends, so it’s nice,” the 5-foot-11 right-handeder said. “I didn’t see him during the season because he’s in Colorado, so it’s nice to see him again.”
Now the older Roberts is showing Lin – who the San Jose Sharks drafted at No. 21 – around his first development camp. Roberts was a 2024 fifth-round selection.
Lin has already impressed San Jose Barracuda head coach John McCarthy.
“I thought Lin was competitive as well,” McCarthy said. “I liked that he was working inside on loose pucks. You could see why they were selected where they were.”
Lin spoke about meeting Adam Gaudette seven years ago, who he’s learning from at camp, and more.
On the San Jose Sharks trading up to get him…
It feels good. I’m not going to lie, they obviously used a lot to jump up those six picks and get me. But I feel like I can show them that I deserved that pick. They did use a lot, so I’m going to try to prove them right.
On how the experience of being drafted has been…
The last five days for me have been pretty overwhelming. It was stressful for a bit, but now it’s just pure excitement. This organization is going up rapidly, and I’m excited to be a part of it.
On meeting Adam Gaudette in Vancouver seven years ago…
There’s so many little storylines. I’m not even sure how exactly I met him, but I think he was friends with one of my teammates’ dads when I was 10, 11 years old. When he was playing for Vancouver he came up to one of our practices, and we had a shootout competition at the end, and whoever won, he gave them their stick. I won, so I have Adam Gaudette’s stick in my house still. It’s a pretty cool story, now that he’s here too.
He sent a text to one of our guys, and that was pretty cool. Kind of a full circle moment, and I guess he knows me now.
I framed the picture with me and him, so I didn’t really think that we could be teammates one day, hopefully.
On if he’s going to get another stick from Gaudette…
I might give his back if he wants it. I don’t know. I haven’t seen him yet, but hoping to meet him soon.
On his favorite player, growing up in British Columbia…
I was a Canucks fan. I really liked Quinn Hughes when he was there. He’s one of the best defenders in the league, and anything I could pick from his game. I’d watch all 82 Canucks games being a fan. So I watched him a lot, and really liked him.
On what has stood out to him at camp…
On the ice today, Luca Sbisa (Development Coach). I just met him a few days ago, but I’m already learning a lot of stuff from him. Obviously he had a long NHL career, so I’m excited to learn more from him too.
On being on the ice with Patrick Marleau, Joe Thornton, and other hockey legends…
The staff they have here in San Jose, they have countless NHL games under their belts. So it’s a special place to get drafted to, and to have all these resources available, and all these people who want to help me get better as much as I do, it’s nice.