Michael Misa is back.<\/p>\n
Not with the San Jose Sharks though, not yet.<\/p>\n
The 2025 No. 2 pick will make his AHL debut on Friday, as the San Jose Barracuda host the Tucson Roadrunners. Misa says he\u2019s not sure of his plan beyond this weekend\u2019s back-to-back set.<\/p>\n
Misa, out since Nov. 5 with a right ankle injury, is in the AHL on a conditioning loan. He\u2019ll be with the Cuda for, at most, two weeks.<\/p>\n
Misa spoke with reporters for the first time since his injury, disclosing his injury, how Jeff Skinner has mentored him, his thoughts about potentially representing Canada at the World Junior Championships, what he learned in his time with the San Jose Sharks, and more.<\/p>\n
Misa, on getting back on the ice:<\/b><\/p>\n
It definitely feels great. I think the last three weeks or so have been a grind to try and get back. For me, that was focusing on myself and the rehab process, and now that I am back, I\u2019m glad to be playing hockey.<\/p>\n
Misa, on how he got hurt at San Jose Sharks morning skate on Nov. 5:<\/b><\/p>\n
It was just at the end of practice. There was a weird play along the boards, and my ankle kind of shifted funny, I heard something right away. I knew there was something wrong, so I\u2019m glad I\u2019m back.<\/p>\n
Misa, on the initial prognosis:<\/b><\/p>\n
Ankles are pretty tricky, but working with the guys here and the Sharks on my rehab process, they did such a good job making sure I could get back on time. I\u2019m young, so it probably healed a little quicker. (laughs)<\/p>\n
Misa, on approving AHL conditioning loan:<\/b><\/p>\n
I mean, I haven\u2019t played in just about a month, so I think it\u2019s smart for me to come down here for a little bit and get a couple of games under my belt this weekend so I can feel good about playing again and feel good about my game and go from there.<\/p>\n
Misa, on things he did during his recovery:<\/b><\/p>\n
Upper body was huge for me\u2014most of my workouts are a lot of upper body to start with. It\u2019s also nice for me to get in the gym.<\/p>\n
Misa, on his path back:<\/b><\/p>\n
After a week or two, I started with Ricci, and then progressed to morning skate, then practice, and now we\u2019re here.<\/p>\n
Misa, on any frustration with the injury:<\/b><\/p>\n
Definitely a little bit of a change\u2014you\u2019re really on your own schedule for the whole rehab stuff and it might feel a little lonely at times, but I think I did a good job of staying positive. Just trying to talk to all the guys around the rink, it\u2019s always nice, so I\u2019m glad I\u2019m back.<\/p>\n
Misa, on rehabbing with Jeff Skinner:<\/b><\/p>\n
He probably picked me up for the rink like four times, then drove me to games another four times. It was good to get to know him\u2014he\u2019s been through a similar path to me, got drafted early, so picking his brain about stuff like that was good for me.<\/p>\n
Misa, on practice:<\/b><\/p>\n
I was playing with [Cam Lund] and [Oliver Wahlstrom], but yeah. Wherever they have me tomorrow, I\u2019m going to be ready to go.<\/p>\n
Misa, on how he feels his first game back will go:<\/b><\/p>\n
I\u2019m just going to get my game back. I think the biggest thing is to play with pace, get my legs going again, feel the puck, and hopefully get the win.<\/p>\n
Misa, on living with Tyler Toffoli:<\/b><\/p>\n
He\u2019s been my go-to guy since I got here. He took me in as their own little child there with him and Cat. They\u2019ve been so good for me over the first couple of months here, I can\u2019t thank them both enough.<\/p>\n
He was kind of telling me his first couple of years in the NHL weren\u2019t full-time. As an 18 year old, he did go down to the AHL for a bit and he said it\u2019s all a part of the process. He said it\u2019s going to be good just to get the reps in and get going, and hopefully try to get back up there.<\/p>\n
Misa, on the Cuda team culture\/welcome:<\/b><\/p>\n
These are all guys that I hung out with a lot over training camp. To get to see them again, it\u2019s been nice. [Braden Hache], Lundy, Musty, Q, all of these guys, to be able to hang out with them again, it\u2019s fun.<\/p>\n
Misa, on getting to know San Jose:<\/b><\/p>\n
I\u2019ve been to a 49ers game, that was fun. I know a lot of people complain at the games that if you\u2019re sitting in the sunny side, it\u2019s a whole different perspective than if you\u2019re on the shady side of the game. When I did go, I was on the shady side, but then Vinny Desharnais, when he was there, he was telling me he was on the sunny side, and I told him to wear a hat. I thought his whole head would have been burned if he didn\u2019t wear a hat.<\/p>\n
Misa, on what he\u2019s heard from Hockey Canada about the World Juniors:<\/b><\/p>\n
I haven\u2019t heard too much about World Juniors, to be honest. Gonna keep my ears open and focus on the upcoming weekend games.\u00a0<\/p>\n
It\u2019s a huge honor any time you get to represent your country and compete against other countries to bring home the gold medal. It\u2019s what you dream of as a little kid, so it\u2019d be very cool.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I think everyone knows the stages of that tournament. I think what\u2019s happened with Canada the last couple of years is not like us. If I do get the chance to help them out, it\u2019ll be fun.<\/p>\n
Misa, on what he\u2019d like to improve after his first few NHL games:<\/b><\/p>\n
I think the first couple of games were trying to get my feet and understand the game a little bit, but I thought that I was playing well for the games that I did play. Obviously, then the injury happened, which kind of sucks. In terms of learning stuff, it\u2019s just the amount of time you have with the puck. There\u2019s not much time anywhere, so you have to make smart decisions and stuff like that. I thought each game I was getting better.<\/p>\n
Misa, on Igor Chernyshov\u2019s 10-goal November scoring binge:<\/b><\/p>\n
The first thing I said to him when I saw him yesterday was \u201ccongrats on the Rookie of the month,\u201d because it\u2019s hard to do this. This is a really good league and it\u2019s impressive what he\u2019s done\u2014but I expect that from him, that\u2019s just who he is as a player.<\/p>\n
Misa, on the Cuda power play units:<\/b><\/p>\n
I was on a unit with Cherny, Musty, and [Luca Cagnoni]. Just kind of getting some reps with them for tomorrow.<\/p>\n
Misa, on the young core of the Sharks:<\/b><\/p>\n
It\u2019s a great feeling coming down here and seeing how good their team is and how many good prospects they still have. I\u2019m excited.<\/p>\n
Misa, on his one-game suspension at a previous Teddy Toss game in the OHL:<\/b><\/p>\n
Yeah, it was just a moment that shouldn\u2019t have happened. My emotions got the better of me in that situation, and it\u2019s something I probably won\u2019t do again, so I\u2019m gonna keep my stick on the ice on Saturday.\u00a0<\/p>\n
We were on the penalty kill and they scored on my shift. It was just the heat of the moment, I guess\u2014I saw a teddy bear come flying at me when I was getting back to the bench, and I kind of flicked it back into the stand. I was a little irresponsible, but we live and we learn.<\/p>\n
\nThe media speaks to @sanjosesharks<\/a> F Michael Misa prior to the first game of his conditioning assignment with the #SJBarracuda<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/s74bKJvw2E<\/a><\/p>\n
\u2014 SJ Barracuda (@sjbarracuda) December 4, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
Special thanks to Maddie Dutra for her help transcribing.<\/p>\n
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