5 biggest surprises from Day 1 of 2018 NHL Draft

1. Sharks select D Ryan Merkley

This selection was a shock to everyone who wasn’t me. No, seriously, I called this in my article this morning. It just made sense.

Ryan Merkley was on multiple teams’ “no-draft lists.” He was expected to fall as a late second round pick, or even as far down as the third round. Despite his skillset, his attitude and emotional outbursts were the first thing anyone wanted to discuss.

As all drafts go, however, winning teams pick late in the first round. These teams (in win-now mode) can better utilize prospects who could make quick work of the minors in order to help them at the pro level as soon as possible. The caveat with that line of thinking is that those players usually go much higher in the draft. Not Merkley, though. Questions surrounding his personality sent him down the rankings all season long, despite his incredible skill.

With only one pick in the first three rounds, it made the most sense for the Sharks to swing for the fences. GM Doug Wilson has a history of willingness to take chances on players who have been labelled as “immature” and allowed them to grow as hockey players and individuals. He traded for Joe Thornton only a couple years after an arrest for assaulting a police officer, as well as a less-than-impressive playoff performance in which his desire to win was called in to question. He more recently traded for Evander Kane whose NHL career has been tainted by feuds with teammates and perceived “attitude issues”. While Kane’s sample size is much smaller, both have thrived in San Jose.

Organizationally, Marc-Edouard Vlasic is also one of the better defensive specialists in hockey and is signed through 2024-2025. His style of play would allow the Sharks to more responsibly unleash Merkley’s offensive capabilities 5 on 5, cushioning his defensive shortcomings until he can run the power play on a man advantage.

Next: Statistically Ranking Top 10 Forwards In NHL of this Generation

This was a match made in heaven. Merkley has expressed a strong desire to improve his shortcomings, and the Sharks may have nabbed one of the top players in the draft at 21st overall.