Brodie’s Breakdown: 2025 Rookie Faceoff

Brodie’s Breakdown: 2025 Rookie Faceoff

Nick Nolenberger had the call down in SoCal this past weekend of two of the Sharks rookie faceoff classic games. And Nick, help me get some perspective here on the magnitude of what we witnessed because on one hand, I was really excited afterwards. Two wins, a lot of great individual performances, but I also realize it was also just a rookie tournament. You’re Well, you’re exactly right. Um, but it’s the first step for these players to one show what they’re all about and their abilities that we have heard about and we’ve gotten excited about. We’ve seen it now at least in the flesh. It was against their peers. It was against fellow teenagers and some guys may be invited to camp or or late round draft picks. So, it’s not all future NHL players, but there’s some talented guys on the ice. And I think for Sharks fans, what you take away from it is the big guys came, they produced, they made an impact, and that’s all you can really ask for. If guys were quiet that you expected to be dominant players, then there’s some concern. If they dominate, if they, excuse me, they dominate, then you take it with a grain of salt because they’re playing against young players. But I thought it was a great showing, great first step for these young players and hopefully that kind of propels them into training camp because you think about the advantage for these players to get actual game reps before training camp. It’s a huge deal and that’s why these rookie tournaments have become a regular occurrence is because it allows for these young players to get into those situations. And beyond that, they’re throwing over an NHL jersey. They’re wearing the NHL uniforms. They’re being treated like NHL players. And I I think that’s a a small little piece that helps a player feel more confident in in their surroundings. So, I thought it was a very productive couple of days, fun couple of games, and man, there’s a lot of talent uh on the ice wearing teal, that’s for sure. Winning game one by a couple goals and had a couple power play markers. That was nice. But it was game two where the Sharks were down 4 nothing and managed to come back and win by a final score of 85. I thought there was almost even from the kids like a certain statement there. Don’t you think? Yeah. I mean, well, for sure. And it was such a quick turnaround. The team had played the night before 6:00, right? Then a one:00 turnaround. That just is not going to really happen in the NHL. Very rarely happens even in the AHL where you have such a quick turnaround, less than 24 hours to kind of let your body heal. And it felt like they were kind of sleeping through the first period. LA had two twoon- ones in the first minute and a half, and they scored on both of them. And before you knew it, they were down four to nothing. So, I was joking with John M. McCarthy after the game. said, “What type of intermission speech did you give the team?” Cuz something clicked. Um, and they were kind of laughing about that. What do you What do you kind of say to these guys? Just settle into the game, right? So, uh, once they were able to calm down a little bit, get into the game in the second period, they just took over. Uh, the power play, you look at some of the personnel on the power play, feels like an NHL power play already, and none of these guys, aside from from Colin Graph, I think, in that group, has any NHL experience. So, um, yeah, there was a ton of talent and and for them to come back tells you that it was important one to them to to perform well. Um, but also the capability of the team. You fall behind four nothing and I didn’t feel a ton of concern that they couldn’t come back into the game and, you know, they scored two quick goals in the second period and that the tide just totally turned. So, uh, yeah, pretty fun to watch a brand of hockey where no deficit seems too large. You mentioned Colin Graph. I actually want to run through a couple different names here and get your firsthand observations from like being there in person and seeing him. And Colin Graph, I feel like maybe on the edge of even being a rookie, like he played enough games last year at the NHL level, probably the most experienced player to suit up for the Sharks in these two games. Was wearing a letter on his chest, but I feel like just watching him play really showed some leadership by example in those two games. Yeah, without a doubt. And and one thing I thought was kind of interesting is we had a group text with all the players and the staff just being able to communicate some of the scheduling over the the two days and Colin Graph before the trip had even begun said, “Hey, everybody’s going to wear our Teal Sharks polos in black pants.” So, he was kind of taking on a leadership role even before the event started. And for a player like Colin Graph, who played all of last year at the pro level, right, split time between the HL and NHL, but played a lot in the NHL and played well, for him to be in that tournament is a little bit rare. you just don’t see guys with that type of experience playing in that event. So, you can go two different ways. You can kind of act like you’re too good for it. Uh you can act like I shouldn’t be in this and maybe mope a little bit or you can use it as a as a great opportunity to get games under your belt, maybe take on kind of a leadership role amongst the young players and really take it in stride. And I thought Colin was great. I I mean, both games he was outstanding. we kind of know at this point what he is, at least what we we think he could be, right, because of the way he played last year. And so when you go into an event like that, you expect him to be one of the best players on the ice. And he was. And I thought he played really well. And he’s going to be a guy that certainly is if he doesn’t make the the team out of camp, which I think would be a little bit of a surprise to some folks, he’s going to be right there. He’s going to be one of the first callups. So, uh, Colin Graph, as advertised, I thought was very, very good. and just the way he thinks the game uh kind of the the maturity of his game is going to allow him to to I think have a have a legitimate NHL career as a player who was overlooked and and overthought as an undrafted guy. And man, if the Sharks end up hitting on a on a guy they signed basically for free uh in terms of not using draft capital, that’s a home run. Yeah. If he’s on the bubble right now, he’s not going to be there for for very long. Um Michael Misa and Sam Dickinson. And I’m not here to say that their first periods on Friday night were were not bad. There’s nothing like that. But I feel like from period 1 to period six of the two games in two days, like they really showed some comfort. They really obviously contributed on the stat sheet, but solid showings from both of those players who are also kind of on their own bubbles this year of where they might end up. Yeah, those are two of the biggest uh names in terms of intrigue going into training camp because where do they land? Misa just signed his NHL contract last week. that means he’s not going to go to college and he’s now got two options. Does he go and play in the NHL if he makes the Sharks or does he go back to junior? What I liked about him signing, at least for me personally, is that he’s confident enough and has the motivation enough that look, I want to play in the NHL and I want to give myself the best chance this year. He said it. If it doesn’t happen, it doesn’t happen, right? And he’ll come back and he’ll be in the NHL in in no time and it’ll just be more seasoning for him. Uh, but that confidence wanting to be in the NHL this year, I think is a big deal. And the same thing for Sam Dickinson. And you’re looking for players like that drafted where they are with their ability to go into an event like that and be the best players on the ice. And they were. And there’s system things that that are going to t take an adjustment. Timing takes an adjustment for any player who haven’t played in a few months. But if anybody kind of eased their way in, they certainly figured it out quickly and the skill kind of rose to the top. So I don’t think you could ask for much more from those two in those two games. Both at four points a piece in game number two and that all came in the final 40 minutes. Um so it just kind of checks a mental box that okay this is as advertised. Now the big test will be preseason games and both are probably going to get nine games in the NHL before that decision is made. So that’s where we’re going to find out if these guys are ready or not. But it’s certainly an intriguing first step seeing the way they played those two games. Two more things for Anoli and and the first being there was only one disappointment of the weekend for me personally. Do you have any idea what that might be? It’s it’s hard to actually realize this. Luca Canon only played in one game like if I’m nitpicking here, but on the Friday night game like he looked really good back there. Um people are already pegging him as next Dan Bole, but I I just saw it for him and another bubble player. Where’s he going to end up? What’s the balance this year of games where they’re played? But an encouraging first look at him. Yeah. And he was so good last year in the AHL. And he’s one of those players. You look at the history under Mike Greer with drafting. Everybody’s big. Pretty much everybody’s been north of six foot with a few exceptions. And Kenyon is one of those. And when you think about, well, why would they draft a player that’s on the smaller side when they’ve had such a trend of going big, you understand when you watch him play, the way he thinks the game, the way he slows things down, his creativity as a 19-year-old to come into the AHL last year and really be one of, if not the most dynamic defenseman from the back end, certainly on the power play is that’s a big deal. And I think that gets people excited about what the potential is. Size is always going to be brought up with him because he’s not Sam Dickinson. He’s not 6’2 63. He’s not going to out physical guys, but you see the way he defends using his mind and his stick and his body positioning. It makes you think he can handle it at the NHL level as well. So, yeah, I’m really excited to see where he takes his game. He played, I think, six games last year in the NHL. He’s going to get a much longer look this year. With that said, he’s probably going to spend a good chunk in the NHL as well as they continue to develop him. He’s a young player. So yeah, one game I know you want to get like an additional taste in game number two, but I think what it did too is it allowed Sam Dickinson to kind of take on that that top power play role. Good point. Um, and I think for the coaching staff, which was a Barracuda coaching staff and for the front office, they know what they have in Canyone. So play him in the one game. Yep. He just does what he does and and you give him the the afternoon off. So that was me just being selfish. I just only only wanted more Luca. All right, last I know. I missed him, too. Last thing for you here, and it wasn’t injury related. This was all planned, right? So, nothing to worry about. Uh, let’s end on the topic of size. From Luca to Hai Wong. Oh my goodness. Uh, just bigger than life out there. When you see him in person, like I don’t think enough Sharks fans realize how imposing he is. That being said, he has said it uh himself. He’s still working on raw talents. He’s a little bit maybe behind the curve, but I’m telling you, Nick, if if he takes the steps, and he dropped the gloves even in in I think Sunday, Saturday’s game, too. um if he takes the steps that we think he could and see he could, I can’t wait to see how he projects in the future. Yeah, the the raw talent is off the charts. The ceiling extremely high, 6’6, the way he’s able to move at that size when the Sharks drafted him as such a raw player coming over from China. I mean, that’s had never happened before. But when you see him physically, he he is an imposing guy and he’s only going to fill out that frame. He’ll go back to the OHL this year. Then he’s committed to Boston University. So there’s going to be a little bit longer of a development path. Probably spent some time in the AHL. They’re going to slow play him, it seems. So for Housei Wong, one of the biggest things that stuck out for me in those two games was there were some times I think in game number one where it was a little quick for him. Uh there was a few plays where Anaheim had a strong forch check and he ends up turning the puck over. But in game number two, I did not see any of that. I saw a more confident player. Things slowed down for him a little bit. And then you mentioned as well, he he dropped the gloves. he is able to, you know, get in the fray and and be part of the physical side of the game as well. So, um, yeah, I thought just the the evolution of his game from one game to to the second game was really really impressive. And then the physical tools is what what gets you excited about his potential. We’re going to we’ll give him a new nickname, Hichara. You know, I feel like someday he might he might be of of that prototype. Nick, great job on the call. really loved hearing you back on the air and and watching Sharks hockey again and can’t wait for more of it. Thanks for the time. Absolutely.

Brodie Brazil breaks down the Sharks 2025 Rookie Faceoff weekend with San Jose Barracuda play-by-play announcer Nick Nollenberger.