The San Jose Hockey Now Podcast is sponsored by Bring Hockey Back!

It’s part 1 of a mega-2025 Draft Lottery mailbag!

Part 1 will focus on how to improve the San Jose Sharks next year, especially on defense.

Part 2 will center on what the Sharks should do with the 2025 No. 2 pick.

Let’s get to the questions!

Falco5: What stats/measurables equate to a “winning” player? (3:25)

Gary To: Would any 2025 or 2026 Draft prospects make the San Jose Sharks this fall?

James R: Thoughts on Mattias Havelid? Guess on whether Joe Pavelski or Logan Couture re-join the Sharks as development coaches or front office staff?

Brucellus: Should Sharks trade for…Erik Karlsson? (23:55)

Ty Comes: What were Macklin Celebrini and Will Smith’s Draft Combine interviews with the Sharks like?

SJShorky: Are there any goalies worth grabbing in the 2025 Draft? Thoughts on Tom Willander?

Connor: Why are there no Draft night trades of players after they get drafted in the NHL a la the NBA?

Joshua Carey: Is there any defenseman that the San Jose Sharks could sign to an offer sheet either this year or next? (47:41)

Daniel Almaraz: Could the Sharks trade for one of the Chicago Blackhawks’ top defensive prospects?

free_slice: Of the “available” defensive trade targets, who do you like, Noah Dobson, Simon Nemec, or Brandt Clarke?

Patrick: What’s the Sharks’ best pathway to upgrading the top-four of their blueline? Trade or free agency? (1:04:45)

CeleBeauty: Who are some 2025 Draft prospects with some snarl?

Steven: If the San Jose Sharks knew how good Mackenzie Blackwood would end up being, do you think they still would have made the Yaroslav Askarov trade?

Miguel Lenhart: Should Sharks target Matt Duchene in free agency? (1:24:54)

Rothgar: Any top European free agents that Sharks can target this off-season?

Chris R: Two dream (but realistic) trades for Mike Grier this summer? Would Mario Ferraro take bottom-pairing money to re-sign with the Sharks?

Part 2 is coming soon!

The San Jose Hockey Now Podcast is sponsored by Bring Hockey Back!

Keegan, Sheng, and JD Young team up to form a three-headed GM monster! (28:01)

We discuss the next step of the San Jose Sharks’ rebuild with the Locked On Sharks host.

But before we get to JD, we talk about the San Jose Barracuda’s playoff run and preview their series against the Colorado Eagles. Patrick Williams of the AHL and FloHockey shares insight on Barracuda-Eagles. (16:55)

And now, JD Young! (28:01)

What’s the strategy if the San Jose Sharks get the No. 1 pick?

Who would we pick at No. 2 or 3, if the Sharks lose the Draft Lottery? (44:45)

Should the Sharks chase big UFA fish Mitch Marner? We each have a different opinion. (58:30)

How should the San Jose Sharks improve the defense? JD has a smart under-the-radar suggestion. (1:17:12)

What about in goal? Who should San Jose pair with Yaroslav Askarov? Sheng offers a fun (but wildly improbable) scenario. (1:31:40)

Are there any sneaky trades that this three-headed monster would pursue?

The San Jose Hockey Now Podcast is sponsored by Bring Hockey Back!

Mike Grier knows that the San Jose Sharks have to be better next year.

We discuss Grier’s end-of-season availability, and the direction of the Sharks this off-season (3:12).

If the San Jose Sharks get the No. 1 pick in the Draft Lottery, could they trade it? Grier revealed on Friday that he got massive offers for the 2024 first-overall that became Macklin Celebrini. We also made up huge offers from the Chicago Blackhawks and Carolina Hurricanes last year…would you have taken them?

What’s next for the Sharks' free agents? (36:18) We discuss why Alexandar Georgiev didn’t work, besides the obvious, and what free agent goalies could make sense to pair with Yaroslav Askarov? Keegan had a good one.

What do we think about the Nikolai Kovalenko situation? (57:00)

What do we think of Grier being in no hurry to name a captain for the San Jose Sharks?

Does moving Will Smith back to center preclude the Sharks from signing a center in free agency? Sheng doesn’t think so. (1:15:08)

Speaking of, did Grier take the Sharks out of the Mitch Marner sweepstakes by saying that he’s not excited to offer seven or eight-year contracts to a free agent? (1:20:30)