Latest news with #MichaelMisa
Yahoo
24-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
No. 2 Pick Michael Misa Names Islanders Prospect As His Toughest Matchup
On July 27, the San Jose Sharks selected Saginaw Spirit forward Michael Misa with the second overall pick at the 2025 NHL Draft.
Yahoo
23-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
No. 2 Pick Michael Misa Names Islanders Prospect As His Toughest Matchup
On July 27, the San Jose Sharks selected Saginaw Spirit forward Michael Misa with the second overall pick at the 2025 NHL Draft.
Time of India
21-07-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
San Jose Sharks' Michael Misa stuns fans by calling Islanders' Matthew Maggio his toughest rival
Michael Misa poses for a portrait after being selected 2nd overall by the San Jose Sharks (Credit: Getty Images) San Jose Sharks' second overall pick Michael Misa surprised everyone by naming New York Islanders prospect Matthew Maggio, not top pick Matthew Schaefer, as the best hockey player he's faced. Despite Maggio's struggles in the AHL, Misa's praise highlights his potential. The comment reignites interest in the gritty forward's future in the National Hockey League. Michael Misa names Matthew Maggio his toughest opponent When San Jose Sharks forward Michael Misa, the No. 2 pick in the 2025 NHL Draft, was asked to name the best player he's faced, most expected him to mention a fellow top draft class peer. But the 17-year-old didn't flinch; he named Matthew Maggio, a relatively quiet New York Islanders prospect, as his toughest opponent yet. Is Michael Misa an obvious pick for Sharks at No. 2 overall? Matthew Maggio's OHL dominance still resonates Maggio, now 22, made noise in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) during the 2022–23 season, and his offensive explosion came after he was initially passed over in the NHL Draft. And making his eventual fifth-round selection by the Islanders in 2022 was all the more impressive. Despite the rocky pro start, coaches and teammates continue to vouch for Maggio's commitment; he's praised for his motor, adaptability, and leadership qualities, traits that are often unteachable. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Pierce Brosnan's Wife Lost 120 Pounds - This Is Her Now Undo MICHAEL MISA SCOUTING REPORT - 2025 NHL Draft Misa's praise shines a spotlight on under-the-radar prospects Misa's unexpected shoutout shows how much respect young NHL hopefuls hold for players like Maggio. It also proves that raw stats don't always define on-ice impact. For Misa to remember Maggio above all others hints at a deeper competitive influence; something that can't be ignored in player development. FAQs Who did Michael Misa name as his toughest opponent? Michael Misa named New York Islanders prospect Matthew Maggio as the toughest player he's faced. What team drafted Michael Misa in the 2025 NHL Draft? The San Jose Sharks selected Michael Misa with the second overall pick. What has been Matthew Maggio's performance in the AHL? Maggio scored seven goals in 60 games for the Bridgeport Islanders in his most recent AHL season. Why is Matthew Maggio's name surprising? Despite a dominant OHL career, Maggio hasn't yet broken out at the pro level, making Misa's praise unexpected. Whether or not Maggio becomes an NHL regular, he's already made a lasting impression on one of the game's brightest young stars. Also Read: Edmonton Oilers linked to $27m veteran Jonathan Marchessault, pressure mounts as Oilers eye scoring boost for NHL 2025-26 season Catch Rani Rampal's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 4. Watch Here!
Ottawa Citizen
21-07-2025
- Sport
- Ottawa Citizen
Rules rewritten: How the NCAA is shaking up major junior hockey in Canada
The American league is not available to CHL players like Dickinson or this year's top picks, such as Michael Misa and Porter Martone, until they're in their age-20 year. The NCAA is only an option for players who remained unsigned by their NHL teams. 'I don't know why it's a rule (anymore), because they've professionalized themselves in every way,' Maloney said of U.S. colleges. 'But you still can't go back to school after signing a contract. The CHL and NHL will negotiate at some point and we'll see what happens after that.' There are two years remaining on the NHL-CHL deal, but that can be reopened to discuss teens playing in the American league. 'The NHL has not exercised that yet,' MacKenzie said. 'Based on the reporting around the CBA (collective bargaining agreement), that's on their minds. We have been partners with the NHL for a long time and will talk to them about this issue.' The CHL produced 90 selections (40 per cent) in the NHL draft last month – the most in nine years – and at least 21 first-round picks for the fifth time since 1969. But the big question is where they end up after hearing their name called. 'I think we'll see the best 17- and 18-year-olds playing against their draft class peers (in the CHL),' the scout said, 'but will we see them pushed against the best 19- and 20-year-olds trying to make it to the Memorial Cup? 'We don't know.' WILL THIS CHANGE? (2025 NHL draft picks by NHL teams) Canadian Hockey League: 90 United States Hockey League: 40 Sweden: 34 Russia: 22 NCAA: 9
New York Times
30-06-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
How will the Sharks approach this offseason?: ‘We could use a lot of things'
Long-range vision is what carries the San Jose Sharks through these days as they imagine eventually moving out of the NHL basement into higher floors, leaving a collection of disheartening and ugly losses for another team to rummage through. In this vision, Macklin Celebrini is putting fans on the edge of their seats — and then lifting them out of them — while Will Smith is creating magic alongside him, or dictating the game on his own line. Quentin Musty and Igor Chernyshov are providing a power complement to the slender and surprisingly feisty William Eklund as three wingers who can make plays and finish around the net. Sam Dickinson is directing and attacking from the back end for added dynamism. Yaroslav Askarov is stoning opposing forwards with game-changing saves. Advertisement The Sharks have amassed a bevy of young top-of-the-lineup type talent. Six straight years outside the playoffs — including the worst record in the league for two years running — helps a team build a new core in a major rebuilding effort. And they added to that on Friday by drafting Michael Misa with the No. 2 overall pick, which had been long projected. The Sharks have collected prized prospects. They're developing them into NHL players. Now they've got to construct a full team. Building one that can win and moving into the NHL penthouse is the hardest step. 'We've got to surround them with the right pieces,' Sharks general manager Mike Grier said. 'We don't want to put too much on these kids and feel like they got to carry the franchise. We got to surround them with the right pieces, right vets. The right guys that are maybe in their mid-20s or so. 'We got to put some pieces around them and keep building. And not get complacent in any parts in the organization, from myself to the coaching staff to the players. To get better and turn the corner, everyone's got to put in the work and be willing to push themselves and try and be better every day.' The Sharks started that process last offseason by signing Tyler Toffoli, a past Stanley Cup champion, to a four-year, $24 million contract, but even his team-leading 30 goals weren't nearly enough to generate more victories. They've got Alex Wennberg and Barclay Goodrow as other example-leading veterans and they used draft and prospect capital to acquire Askarov, who's expected to grab the No. 1 goalie job. It has been a patient rebuild to this point. And it figures to stay that way for now. The Sharks have more than $44 million of salary cap space, and that's counting Logan Couture's $8 million, which will help them reach the cap floor of $70.2 million even though the center will no longer play because of injury. With no potentially expensive restricted free agents to re-sign this summer, Grier has all sorts of financial flexibility to upgrade his roster and make it more competitive. Advertisement But unless he's sending out a giant smokescreen, Grier has signaled his preference to target free agents that won't be seeking max-term contracts. Think deals closer to four years than something in the seven-year range. 'I'm not in any rush to hand out a seven- or eight-year contract to someone in their late 20s or early 30s,' Grier said in a pre-draft availability last week. Besides, it's possible that most of the biggest free agents won't make it to market when it opens Tuesday. Sam Bennett was determined to stay with the Florida Panthers and Mitch Marner could be headed to the Vegas Golden Knights in a sign-and-trade. Does that mean the Sharks will make plays for next-level players such as Brad Marchand, Aaron Ekblad, Nikolaj Ehlers or even Brock Boeser? It doesn't seem likely. But could they address a subpar defense by targeting Dmitry Orlov, Nate Schmidt, Nick Perbix or Matt Grzelcyk? Any of them should be available for a deal that won't be long and prohibitive. Going after Vladislav Gavrikov or Ivan Provorov wouldn't seem to make much sense, because they don't want to block Dickinson's development or that of fellow youngsters Shakir Mukhamadullin (23) and Luca Cagnoni (20). With plenty of cap space, the Sharks will be active. They need help in 'everything,' as Grier recently said. Just don't count on them emptying the financial tank now. 'You watched the games, right?' Grier quipped. 'We got a lot of work to do up here. We're starting to lay the foundation, but we need to get better on the back end. One, we got to keep the pucks out of our net, for sure. That's probably priority one. We've got to get a goalie to kind of support Asky here and push Asky. And then up front, there's holes up front, too. We got some good vets that played well — Wenny and Goody and Toff. Those guys played well for us last year. Mack and Will played well. And then we'll have some internal competition with (Collin Graf) and Chernyshov and Musty and those types of guys. Advertisement 'Yeah, there's lots of holes. We could use a lot of things.' Misa should help at some point soon. The 18-year-old might not be a phenom on the level of Gavin McKenna, the projected No. 1 pick in 2026, or even Celebrini, but Misa led Canadian major junior hockey with 134 points (including 62 goals) in just 65 regular-season games this season as captain of the Ontario Hockey League's Saginaw Spirit. The Sharks view Misa as a center because of his well-balanced, 200-foot game, as he combines good defensive presence with an ability to set up teammates and finish plays himself. Grier insisted that the Sharks had Misa at No. 2 on their board 'for quite a while' even though rumors circulated that they were considering Anton Frondell or Porter Martone. 'He's a dual threat,' Grier said of Misa. 'Can score and shoot and make plays and competes hard. He's got pretty much everything you look for at someone in the middle of the rink. We're excited to be able to get him.' Added Chris Morehouse, the Sharks' director of amateur scouting: 'His defensive play isn't talked about as much because of the offensive production. But he does have strength. He does have ability to maintain and hold in the middle of the ice. Obviously, yes, it'll be up to him, but we are projecting him as a center.' The Sharks are considering moving Smith back to center, but he struggled there in the first half of his rookie season before improving in the second half when he was moved to wing and found great chemistry with Celebrini. And while he played on the wing for the Spirit in 2023-24, Misa took off last season in the middle, and he could be the Sharks' second-line center of the future. Or sooner, if Misa has his way. It is possible that he will head to Penn State and play with his older brother, Luke. But making the San Jose roster out of training camp also is on his mind. Advertisement 'I think that's kind of for my game to decide,' Misa said. 'I've got to prove myself. You know, I believe when I'm at my best, I'm making guys around me better. I think I play with good offensive ability. We'll see what happens.' As for the Sharks, it's all about the vision and not straying too far from it. While it may be tempting to bag another season and try to land McKenna next summer, it's time to show Celebrini and the greater hockey world that San Jose is moving upward and can be an attractive location for free agents, for reasons beyond great weather and lifestyle. 'I would say the focus is more to try to improve the roster,' Grier said. 'But there's 31 other teams and GMs out there that have all big ideas this time of year like ourselves. Things they want to do and things they hope they can accomplish. You never know. You might get to August and maybe you need to take a contract on and get a sweetener to take that on. Get a pick or a prospect or something to help build this thing. 'But for sure the plan is to try and push it forward and be a better team and improve the roster for this season.' (Photo of Michael Misa: Kirby Lee / Imagn Images)
