NHL Draft Day Preview: 5 Players the Sharks Should Target

The San Jose Sharks have, for the most part, slid under the radar this season with consistent play. After suffering through early exits in the playoffs, the Sharks were able to put together a solid run last season.

From an outsider perspective, it seems that the Sharks must win, and win now. Fans are only so patient, and one look at the current Sharks roster raises questions about the future.

Other than rookie stand-out Logan Couture, the heart of the Sharks roster is starting to age. The likes of Joe Thornton, Dany Heatley and Patrick Marleau won't be around forever.

With this in mind, it's worth taking a look at some potential talent that the Sharks can target at the upcoming NHL Entry Draft. 

The following is a list of five prospects currently slated to go in the later half of the first round. As they stand, if the draft were to occur today, the Sharks would be selecting 25th overall. Although this is subject to change, it's the position that I used when formulating this list.

There are no goalies on this list simply because none are projected to go in the first round. If you're interested in goalies though, don't be surprised to see the Sharks look to Europe; they have a strong history of drafting Finnish goalies.

Just in case you were wondering, I used International Scouting Services (ISS) in order to formulate this list.

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Nathan Beaulieu

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TORONTO, CAN - JANUARY 19: Nathan Beaulieu #28 of Team Orr skates against Team Cherry in the 2011 Home Hardware Top Prospects game on January 19, 2011 at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Canada. Team Orr defeated Team Cherry 7-1. (Photo by Claus Anderse

Currently ranked 23rd overall by ISS, Nathan Beaulieu is a puck-moving defenseman. Just shy of 6'2" and 185 pounds, he has registered 45 points each of his last two seasons in junior.

Young guns on the Sharks such as Couture are going to need someone to feed them the puck out of the defensive zone. Beaulieu would fit that role perfectly.

Mark McNeill

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TORONTO, CAN - JANUARY 19: Mark McNeill #10 of Team Cherry poses for a Head Shot prior to skating in the 2011 Home Hardware Top Prospects game on January 19, 2011 at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images)

In 53 games played this season, McNeil has torn it up for the Prince Albert Raiders, scoring 32 goals and 49 assists. He is currently ranked 15th overall on ISS, but other lists have him slated a bit lower, so it's conceivable that he could slip down for the Sharks.

Coming in at 6'1", he plays center. While he won't turn out to be the next Joe Thornton, he could easily round into a solid second line set-up man.

He has skills highly coveted in the NHL right now, so expect the Sharks to snag him should he be available. 

Jamie Oleksiak

If the Sharks want a defenseman in the first round and are unable to grab Beaulieu, I wouldn't be surprised to see them take Oleksiak. He is an absolute beast from the backend, standing at a huge 6'7" and weighing in just shy of 250 pounds.

Interestingly enough, the scouting report suggests that he is a fluid skater, which is rare with such tall players. He won't contribute much offensively but, given time, will round into a rock from the backend.

Sven Bartschi

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BUFFALO, NY - DECEMBER 26: Sven Bartschi #15 of Switzerland passes the puck during the 2011 IIHF World U20 Championship Group A game between Germany and Switzerland on December 26, 2010 at HSBC Arena in Buffalo, New York. (Photo by Tom Szczerbowski/Getty

Swiss native Sven Bartschi has exploded onto the WHL scene this season. Scoring at over a point-per-game pace, he has been able to notch 34 goals and 51 assists.

ISS has him slated in the 21st spot, but his numbers suggest he should be higher. Other lists have him slated to go in the top ten. He plays left wing and can apparently skate like the wind.

He has IIHF World Junior experience, and he is adapting well to playing in North-America. Look for him to climb the rankings prior to the draft.

Brandon Saad

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TORONTO, CAN - JANUARY 19: Brandon Saad #22 of Team Orr skates against Team Cherry in the 2011 Home Hardware Top Prospects game on January 19, 2011 at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Canada. Team Orr defeated Team Cherry 7-1. (Photo by Claus Andersen/G

Saad is an interesting case. ISS has him slated 12th, but other scouting reports have him slated lower. In any case, he has scored 55 points this season playing for the Saginaw Spirit in the OHL.

He is projected to be a power forward in the NHL, with the ability to chip in offensively at times. His physical skill is his standout attribute, so expect him to be on the Sharks' radar come draft day.

Enjoy the draft, Sharks fans!