Richard Gallant was last pick of the San Jose Sharks’ 2025 Draft, but he was first with providing laughs during his development camp availability.

The future member of the Harvard Crimson is a product of the US National Team Development Program, and adds to the organization’s many ties to Massachusetts. A 5-foot-8 winger, he’ll certainly have a tough road to the NHL, but he seems confident in his ability to continue developing into a useful asset for the San Jose Sharks.

Gallant humorously described his Draft day experience, his team’s dominance at the escape room challenge, and his ties to Mike Grier’s family.

Richard Gallant, on his reaction to being drafted by the San Jose Sharks:

It was a lot of relief, a lot of happiness. I got the phone calls.

[It] was actually a funny story. My agent was texting me like, “We’re pushing hard for San Jose.”

My cousin calls me three times. I hang up all three. He calls my sister. She runs downstairs, and it’s Mike Grier on the phone. I’m like, “What?” I would have picked up the phone if I knew. My whole family was there. A lot of hugs, a lot of tears from the parents. It was really nice.

Gallant, on his thoughts on San Jose so far:

It’s beautiful. I know Henry Thrun on the team. He’s a Harvard guy, St Mark’s guy, so I’ve been talking to him. It’s just like a beautiful area. Told me a couple of spots to go to, and it’s really nice.

Gallant, on his connection to the Grier family:

Well, [his son] Jayden went to St Sebastian’s, and I went to St Mark’s, so I got to play against him. My cousin went to school with him, so I got to hang out with him a little bit.

Gallant, on how his team fared in the escape room:

Well, we finished first. We got the gift cards today, which is really funny. [Eric] Pohlkamp was our team leader, and we like to use our hands for sure. Landon Marleau and [Nathan] Lewis, those are the two big brains of our group. We were done in like 25 minutes, some guys took the full hour.

Gallant, on taking the ice with Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau:

Joe Thornton, it’s just so funny, like you watch him growing up, and then you meet him. Everything [you hear] is true. Joe Thornton is like the biggest goofball, beauty in the league. Marleau, he’s just so skilled. Still got it to this day.

Gallant, on his development camp roommate:

I got [Max Heise]. Funny thing, my buddy [Michael] Fisher here, he told me that [Heise] was fully German. Didn’t speak any English. (laughs) I get to the room, he starts speaking English.