Where Will Michael Misa PLAY In 2025-26? | Is His ELC Coming Soon?

12 comments

1. JD, do you know when captains skate starts or when the boys start hitting the Sharks ice together?

2. I think he will sign his ELC but if he looks really bad in those first 9 I honestly could seem him benefiting from the auston mattews route and sliding his contract

3. Per Puckpedia Chernyshov is also slide eligible.

4. A guess — they're looking to trade for Carey Price contract which makes more sense to do on/after Sept 1. Also, they might want to move Mario or Liljegren prior to season start. They'll still need to deal with the contracts since I think Price's would count against the cap, though a player to MTL might add to the return.

   A bit disappointed he didn't take the NCAA year, as its been good for both Macklin and Smith. And it is a meaningful step up from OHL. This isn't a skill issue, its handling the physical demands of battling bigger and older players.

5. My theory is that this could be related to taking on the Carey Price contract. The Sharks would need to fit the Price contract into the 50-player limit as well even though he won’t play. Of course, the Price bonus pays on September 1, at which time the Sharks would only owe him $2 million of actual cash and the reason to wait.

   The Sharks can trade two extra Barracuda forwards to Montreal for Price and a second round pick. Then when they slide Sahlin-Wallenius, the Sharks could fit both Dickinson and Misa on their roster if they both make it past the nine game cup of coffee.

   I realize the Sharks have reached the salary floor, but if they want to trade Ferraro sooner than later as well as some veteran UFAs at the deadline, they still need to increase their payroll.

6. college is for nerds

7. He doesn't have to go to clsses.. 9e gets paid and plays hockey. He can join the team during the season

8. What nobody seems to talk about is Michael Misa is every bit as driven in his work ethic as macklin and has hockey iq off the charts. He will give macklin some serious competition. 2nd line center in his future.

9. I had no clue Dickinson wasn’t able to play in the AHL this year. So it’s either London or SJ?

10. I have a question: since it’s September 1st soon, do you recall the rumors that the sharks might take on the Carey Price contract. Are you familiar with that rumor?

11. What is the approximate September schedule? Like captain skates early sept? When do rookies report before rookie faceoff? What is before that?

12. Once again, a great episode. Here are my thoughts:

    Agree: Misa will only spend one year in the NCAA. I agree that if he goes to the NCAA, he will most likely go to the Sharks or Cuda the next season.

    Agree: If he plays on the Sharks' opening night roster, he gets the Will Smith treatment for his rookie season. He plays third-line wing and gets development time for all the reasons.

    Agree: The number of contracts is unimportant, as the Sharks will move contracts if Misa is ready.

    Agree: Misa is a more complete player than Will Smith was in his draft year, and he is more than likely to be ready to play in the NHL from our view point.

    Disagree: Misa must be on an NCAA team sooner rather than later because classes are starting and teams are gathering. Your viewpoint is from a student, not a student-athlete. Those are drastically different scenarios.

    If an NCAA program can get a player of Misa's caliber, they will fit him in, find him a seat in a class, and a slot on the team. They have been doing this for decades.

    Disagree: We would have already known if he was attending the NCAA. The Sharks and Misa are not talking right now. We all know that GMMG said he would give him every opportunity to make the team, and Misa stated his goal is to make the Sharks roster.

    Actions speak, and so far, there have been none. IMHO, his not signing his ELC when both Celebrini and Smith already had it this time last offseason makes me think GMMG is keeping his options open.

    The NIL money (or Name, Image, and Likeness) is distributed to each university/college, with approximately 20.5 million for all sports, though the number varies from one school to the next due to how it is calculated.

    The only thing about this is that by now, it could restrict where he must choose if he goes the NCAA route. As far as I know, it is a finite number, and there has been a lot already allocated.

    Misa is a great OHL player, more like Celebrini than Smith. We all want him to make the Sharks, as it would be exciting and fun to watch.

    I want him to make the roster, too, but I am not sure he is physically mature enough for the rigors of an NHL season. This is not a height and weight issue; it is a physical maturity issue, not directly related to height and weight.

    His skill may overcome that, but we will not know until he goes through training camp and the preseason. Even then, it is not the regular season, which is another level entirely.

    Whatever GMMG and his staff decide, I am good with it. I believe a year in the NCAA will do him a ton of good, and it will not affect the Sharks' season or build one way or the other.

    But it undoubtedly will if they play him too early and destroy his confidence.