2024 was a good draft year for the San Jose Sharks. Headlined by Macklin Celebrini, Sam Dickinson and Igor Chernyshov, the players lower in the draft don’t get talked about a lot. But the 2024 draft is starting to bear some fruit below the headliners, and the first on our list is goaltender Christian Kirsch.

Position: Goaltender
Height: 6’4″
Weight: 209 lbs.
Age: 20
Date of Birth: June 18, 2006
Draft Year: 2024 (116th overall by the San Jose Sharks)
Catches: Left
2026-27 Team: Quinnipiac University (NCAA)

As with most 18-year-olds selected in the fourth round of the draft, Kirsch’s selection was more of a lottery ticket than a sure thing. That can be even more so with a goaltender, a position that tends to take longer to develop than forward or defense. That said, the goaltender showed some of the tools you can build on even on draft day. He was competitive and athletic, with a big body and good edgework.

Kirsch used his first season post-draft to move to North America from Switzerland and play in the USHL. This past season, 2025-26, he jumped to the OHL, where he was the main netminder for the Kitchener Rangers. Kirsch finished the season with a 27-10-3 record, a .899 save percentage and a 2.42 goals-against average. But perhaps more importantly, he went 16-2-0 in the playoffs and helped win his team the Memorial Cup.

What we like

Kirsch continues to challenge himself and seems to have the mental fortitude to meet those new challenges. The goaltender has gone through a lot of changes since he was drafted in 2024, moving from Switzerland to the USHL to the OHL. Not only does that mean adjusting to a new environment and new home each time, but also a new team and a new system.

He was outstanding last season, leading the OHL in goals saved above expected and it wasn’t even close.

Some advanced stats from the crease 📊#OHLStats | @FloHockey pic.twitter.com/2FtAM9sJfQ

— Ontario Hockey League (@OHLHockey) March 24, 2026

Kirsch’s 25.7 goals saved above expected was ten more than the next best goalie in the league. Then there’s the fact that he led the Kitchener Rangers to a Memorial Cup win in his first season in the OHL. That’s no small feat. Kirsch posted a 24-save shutout in game one of the Memorial Cup and finished the whole thing off with a 4-0 record, 1.50 goals-against average and a .952 save percentage.

Areas of improvement

The question is, can he keep it going? Kirsch has developed at a pretty fast rate for a kid who was drafted two years ago. He’s done a lot of moving around and he’s going to do it again this season, when he jumps to the NCAA to play for Quinnipiac University.

As with most goaltenders working their way toward the NHL, Kirsch’s biggest area for improvement is consistency. Quinnipiac is a place where he’ll stick for at least a season or two. This is where we’ll see if he can focus on rounding out his game and getting that consistency that will help prepare him for the next move — the one where he turns pro.

We’ll also get a chance to see how Kirsch’s size and athleticism serve him at the next level, where he will face more experienced players on a weekly basis.

What’s next for Kirsch?

Both of the netminders who took Quinnipiac to the regionals, just shy of the Frozen Four, last season have moved on, so Kirsch has the opportunity to claim the starting goaltender job as a freshman. The net is his if he beats out the other two men on Quinnipiac’s roster and he very much has a shot to do that this season.

After that, look for him to play the full season for the Bobcats. While he might not challenge for the Frozen Four in his first season in net with Quinnipiac, we expect he’ll help the team to a strong season.

Highlights

Let’s start things off with highlights from Kirsch’s 24-save shutout performance in game one of the Memorial Cup.

A memorable start to the #MemorialCup

Christian Kirsch turned aside all 24 shots he faced to help lead the @OHLRangers to a win in last night’s tournament opener.#MemorialCup | @OHLRangers | #TheFutureIsTeal pic.twitter.com/75lP52hX0I

— Ontario Hockey League (@OHLHockey) May 23, 2026

He also had a shutout on Feb. 21, 2026 with some beauties.

Kirsch kept EVERYTHING out🚫

The @OHLRangers claimed top spot in the West last night on the back of Christian Kirsch’s third #OHL shutout!#TheFutureIsTeal pic.twitter.com/ur7pvJmWbM

— Ontario Hockey League (@OHLHockey) February 21, 2026