LOS ANGELES — How did the rest of the league view Day 2 of the Sharks’ 2025 NHL Draft?
San Jose Hockey How solicited three NHL scouts from opposing teams for their opinions about the Sharks’ second-day selections Haoxi (Simon) Wang, Cole McKinney, Teddy Mutryn, Ilyas Magomedsultanov, Zack Sharp, Max Heise, and Richard Gallant.
The No. 33 overall pick of the 2025 draft, Wang is the highest Chinese-born selection in NHL history.
The 6-foot-6 left-hander, who started playing hockey seriously at 14, is a project, but he has got tons of potential.
“Huge, good skater, physical, tries to play intimidating and in-your-face. Solid defense,” Scout No. 1 said.
It sounds like his calling card might be more of a high-end shutdown defenseman.
“[Not much] offense. Skills and sense are questionable,” Scout No. 1 said.
He does believe that Wang will learn to make a strong first pass.
Wang is ticketed to suit up for the OHL’s Oshawa Generals this coming season, then Boston University, Macklin Celebrini’s alma mater, in 2026-27.
Wang might take a while to get to the NHL but considering how much he’s improved since he was 14, he might be well worth the wait for the Sharks.
McKinney is a hard-working 6-foot center who’s going from the USNTDP to the University of Michigan this coming season.
“All arounder. Works like a dog. Plays fast. Creates offense through effort. Not sure there’s a ton of natural creativity or first-tier offense,” Scout No. 1 said regarding McKinney “Ceiling is probably a good 3C-type that is difficult to play against.”
McKinney sounds like a potentially perfect complement to the offensive stylings of Macklin Celebrini, Misa, and company in the coming years. He could be a center that you’re happy to get in trenches with in the playoffs.
“Great value. Guaranteed NHL player. Fourth-line center that can win faceoffs and kill penalties. High character,” Scout No. 2 said. “Limited skating and offensive ceiling.”
The No. 95 overall pick looks to be a crash-and-bang winger with a good shot.
The 6-foot-1 Mutryn, however, may have something of a fatal flaw.
“Average-sized thick body, plays physical, but not mean. Hard and heavy. Average sense and skill,” Scout No. 1 said.
“Heavy feet, so skating is a negative.”
“Not a fan. Slow. Plays hard but is limited. Bad feet,” Scout No. 2 said. “I don’t see a third-rounder or NHL’er there.”
That said, Mutryn is just 18, and skating can be improved. If Mutryn, ticketed for Boston College, improves those feet, he appears to have the make-up to be a valuable grinding winger.
A little bit like Wang, Magomedsultanov is a raw and toolsy blueliner.
“His calling card is physicality, big hits in open space,” Scout No. 3 said of the No. 115 pick. “Needs to bring confidence on puck plays, pretty good skating, played simple and safe enough.”
The 6-foot-3 left-hander played with Loko Yaroslavl in the MHL this past season, and appears to be a project, no rush for him to get to the NHL.
Magomedsultanov wasn’t on this scout’s list, but he can see the defenseman developing into a bottom-pairing shutdown blueliner.
Over-ager Sharp, 20, won a national championship at Western Michigan this past season.
The 6-foot-1 defender has one asset that really impresses these scouts.
“Exceptional skater. Elite asset,” Scout No. 1 said of Sharp.
“I like him. Mobile,” Scout No.2 said.
That said, he’s got a lot to improve, such is a life for a fourth-rounder.
“Doesn’t do much else with [his skating] to follow up. Needs to learn to use skating to defend,” Scout No. 1 said. “Good first pass. Little physically undeveloped. Always kind of leaves you wanting a little more.”
Scout No. 1 was more complimentary: “Heady. Not tall or hard or offensive, but a good two-way guy.”
“Great kid. Has grown into being a bigger piece in [BCHL] Penticton. Tall, skinny, tons of effort, plays the right way,” Scout #1 said. “Offense, has to go a long way for him to be more than an effort-based checker. But he’s a high culture kid that works and has some physical upside.”
Heise is headed to the WHL’s Prince Albert Raiders next year, then hopefully Michigan State in 2026-27.
Perhaps another late-bloomer, it will probably be a while before we might see Heise in the San Jose Sharks’ line-up.
The Sharks closed the book on their 2025 Draft with 5-foot-8 winger Richard Gallant at No. 210 overall , the only player under 6-foot-0 that they took this year.
Scout No. 2 was excited by the Harvard-bound Gallant: “Great seventh-rounder. Small but super-smart and competitive. Arguably, USNTDP’s most effective all-around winger. Great on PK.”
This scout likened Gallant to Colin Blackwell, a 2011 Sharks’ seventh-rounder who has fashioned a respectable NHL career for himself as an energy fourth-liner.
