The San Jose Sharks love to create competition for their training camp, and that is no different for 2025.<\/p>\n
With all the off-season moves likely done, all eyes can shift toward who will make the Sharks\u2019 opening night roster<\/a>. Sam Dickinson<\/a> appears to be headed toward an NHL spot, while Michael Misa\u2019s future remains unknown; however, one position is being overlooked: the wing.<\/p>\n The Sharks have added a ton on the wing. Jeff Skinner<\/a> projects to get a chance in the top-six forwards, and as a veteran, he deserves that opportunity. However, players like Collin Graf, Carl Grundstrom, Egor Afanasyev,<\/a> Cam Lund, Igor Chernyshov, and others will find it<\/a> challenging to secure an NHL spot.<\/p>\n GM Mike Grier needed to bring in proven veterans to the San Jose Sharks roster to make his team more competitive. While he\u2019s on record saying he won\u2019t block a young player\u2019s path to the NHL, he certainly isn\u2019t making it easy.<\/p>\n Advertisement. Scroll to continue reading.<\/p>\n Todd Marchant says both Sam Dickinson and Michael Misa’s play will dictate if they make the #SJSharks<\/a> roster. “We’re really excited he’s part of our organization,” Marchant said about Dickinson. “If he shows that he’s ready for the NHL, we’ll make room for him.”\u2014 Max Miller (@Real_Max_Miller) July 3, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n While adding wingers like Adam Gaudette, Philipp Kurashev, and Ryan Reaves are nice additions, the top prospects will need to prove they can play with the big club.<\/p>\n All this should be seen as a good thing. Making the NHL shouldn\u2019t be a shoo-in for anyone, not even Macklin Celebrini<\/a>. Despite Celebrini making the team out of training camp in 2024, he still needed to show he could play. It wasn\u2019t a question if he could or not once he hit the ice. <\/p>\n For borderline wing prospects like Quentin Musty, Ethan Cardwell, Graf, and especially Afanasyev, a perfect training camp might be needed to make the NHL. Graf\u2019s NHL time last season should give him a slight upper hand heading into camp. <\/p>\n The curious case of Afanasyev<\/p>\n One of the most overlooked training camp bubble players could be San Jose Sharks prospect Egor Afanasyev. Acquired in a trade with the Nashville Predators for former first-round pick Ozzy Wiesblatt, Afanasyev left North America last season for Russia. <\/p>\n Advertisement. Scroll to continue reading.<\/p>\n This summer, Grier was able to convince the 24-year-old to leave the KHL and return to America. The Russian Winger has played 19 career NHL games and has one goal.<\/p>\n If he doesn\u2019t make the NHL out of Sharks training camp, reporting to the San Jose Barracuda could be an interesting watch.<\/p>\n The Sharks likely wouldn\u2019t have attempted to sign the prospect to a contract if he wasn\u2019t okay with not being sent down at any point. There is no way to know how Grier managed to get Afanasyev to leave the KHL after just one year, but a promising NHL career could be a primary reason.<\/p>\n Playing in North America isn\u2019t unfamiliar for Afanasyev either. He played in the USHL during his draft year and in the OHL the following year. During the 19-20 season with the Windsor Spitfires, the San Jose Sharks prospect had 31 goals and 36 assists in 62 games.<\/p>\n Advertisement. Scroll to continue reading.<\/p>\n The 2019 second-round pick has been skating with the 2024 No. 2 overall pick, Artyom Levshunov<\/a>, this summer.<\/p>\n Artyom Levshunov with an all-black FlyLite and Egor Afanasyev with a teal Pulse \ud83c\udfd2<\/p>\n \ud83d\udcf8: mpowerskating (IG) pic.twitter.com\/IxJo6TkWqt<\/a>\u2014 GearGeek.com\ud83c\udfd2\ud83e\udd13 (@geargeekhockey) July 7, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Read more news and stories about the San Jose Sharks on\u00a0Sharks Hockey Digest<\/a>! Bookmark the page and follow Sharks Hockey Digest on Twitter @SharksHKYDigest<\/a>!\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\n
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