Rumors earlier in the day that the Sharks would acquire Bieksa from Vancouver, but later word is the trade is dead. (And may be total fabrication by parties rumor mongers.)
With the 9th pick, the Sharks selected Timo Meier from the QMJHL Halifax Mooseheads. He’s a friend and countryman of both Mirco Mueller and Noah Rod.
Video: Draft pick/analysis | Media interview | Wilson recap of day 1 | Meir quick quiz
News links:
SJSharks: Pick announcement | Quick facts
SJ Merc: Sharks select winger Timo Meier with ninth overall pick in draft
CSN Sharks: Sharks take winger Timo Meier in 2015 NHL Draft | Sharks rookie Meier already has friends in organization
Gackle Report: Timo Meier’s Power Game Should Compliment Sharks’ Skill At Forward
Hockey’s Future: San Jose Sharks add more Swiss to the mix with Timo Meier
Reuters: First Round recap
CBC/Halifax: Timo Meier, Halifax Mooseheads forward, drafted by the San Jose Sharks
Halifax Mooseheads: TIMO MEIER GOES 9TH OVERALL TO SHARKS
Chronicle Herald
USA Today: NHL draft 2015: First-round picks, scouting reports
“San Jose Sharks – RW Timo Meier. His game is built on power and skill. Skates with a very wide, strong base and is impossible to knock off the puck. Physically he already looks like a man – has a thick, sturdy build and plays a heavy game. Takes the puck hard to net and has a heavy, accurate wrist shot. This season his offensive game has really taken off – he added more power and precision to his shot and made huge strides in his playmaking. Started seeing the ice better and using his linemates much more often to diversify his game. Vastly improved hockey sense. Showing more puck poise and vision. He is not fleet of foot, but he’s a bulldozer whose straight line speed allows him to get where he needs to go and is pretty solid laterally. Hard on his stick and his strength allows him maintain possession and cycle very effectively down low.”
USA Today: The winners, losers and strange moments from Day 1 of the NHL draft
NHL:
- First round pick-by-pick summary
“The versatile Meier (6-foot-1, 209 pounds) is strong with or without the puck. His 44 goals and 23 power-play goals led the Mooseheads in the regular season. He ranked in the top 10 in goals (10) and points (21) in 14 games in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League playoffs. Meier also has experience skating with top players; with Switzerland at the 2015 IIHF World Junior Championship, his linemate was Nashville Predators forward Kevin Fiala, in Halifax his linemate was Winnipeg Jets top prospect Nikolaj Ehlers, and at the 2015 CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game he played on a line with Connor McDavid.”
- Notes from first round
Other news from draftland:
Report: Grosenick resigned – two year deal
CSN Sharks
DeBoer promises captain before start of season
CSN Sharks
Report: Karlsson resigned – two year deal
CSN Sharks | NBC/PHT
Sharks add 3rd round pick
CSN Sharks
Compensation for McLellan signing; they have two picks (79, 86) – guessing it’ll be the latter.
Sharks Draft Party
I attended the Sharks draft party Friday evening. Found a nice, relatively quiet corner and was able to watch (and sometimes listen) to the draft and activities.
Events were MC’d by Rusanowsky and Hahn. Sharkie wandered around a few times.
Sharks alums Evgeni Nabokov, Dave Maley and Mike Ricci stopped by, talked about their draft experience (and signed some autographs).
Barracuda head coach Sommer and radio guy Lindquist were interviewed. Sommer indicated the Barracuda have signed some players (which have not yet been announced). Later, Lindquist indicated to me that he is in the process of finding a radio home for the Barracuda locally.
(I did win Bingo on one card handed out, but missed out onany raffle prices.)