With the 2025 NHL Draft only a week away, the San Jose Sharks are getting ready to make up to nine total picks. The front office is spending a ton of time in meetings with their scouting staff to lock in who they believe will be the best picks to help improve the organization moving forward.
Over the last few weeks, we’ve covered a bunch of different targets that the Sharks could take with their two first-round selections, which fall at number two and number 30. But now, it’s time to shift the focus to the second round and look at the options that could make sense at 33rd overall. That pick is the first selection in the second round and realistically should come from the same group of talent as pick 30.
Yesterday, we broke down Haoxi “Simon” Wang. Today, we’re going to look at goaltender Jack Ivankovic. He checks a lot of boxes when it comes to projecting as a future NHL starter and, if developed properly, could give the Sharks a 1A-1B tandem with Yaroslav Askarov for years to come.
Scouting Report
2024-25 Team: Brampton Steelheads (OHL)
2025-26 Team:University of Michigan (NCAA)
2024–25 Stats: 25-12-5, 3.05 GAA, .903 SV%, 2 SO
DOB: May 22, 2007
Position: G
Catches: Left
Height: 5-foot-11
Weight: 179 lbs
Ivankovic is widely seen as the second-best goalie available in the 2025 NHL Draft class. Heading into the year, many thought he’d be the first netminder taken, but after a slow start to the season, Joshua Ravensbergen passed him on most draft boards. What stands out with Ivankovic is his calm, collected demeanor in the net. He doesn’t let the moment get to him, stays even-keeled, and that trait alone has allowed him to bounce back and settle into games. He’s also very sound positionally. He doesn’t over-commit, keeps square to shooters, and rarely gives up second-chance rebounds.
The one thing that scouts knock him on is his size. At just 5-foot-11, he doesn’t have the ideal frame NHL teams typically look for in a starting goalie, and traffic in front of the net can be more difficult for him to manage. That said, being undersized hasn’t held back guys like Dustin Wolf, who’s only listed at six feet tall and has been excellent for the Calgary Flames. Ivankovic could follow a similar path, especially if the defense in front of him does their part by boxing out and clearing lanes. The raw talent is there. He’s an excellent goaltender and has very few flaws in his game overall.
What the Scouts Are Saying:
Ivankovic is a game-stealing, undersized goalie with a lengthy international résumé. His angles and tracking can click at an elite level at times, and despite his size, he does a much better job fighting pucks through screens than you’d expect. — Elite Prospects, 2025
Jack Ivankovic is a goaltender who combines technical precision with athleticism, making him a formidable presence in the crease. Ivankovic excels in maintaining his angles and staying square to the shooter. His ability to read plays and anticipate shots is a standout feature of his game. — Dominic Tiano, OHL Writers
Ivankovic is an extremely athletic goalie. He moves fast, clean, and fluid – in an impressive way. His glove is quick and he sees the puck all the way through. But he struggles to reach the second slot, and his small frame leaves big holes that he has to be super athletic to cover. He has an exciting style, but will be an upside bet in many different regards in this draft. — Gabe Foley, Recruit Scouting
An undersized goalie with a penchant for winning, Ivankovic reads the play well in traffic and can move from post to post with aplomb. There has been a steady stream of 5-11 goalies bucking the trend of the 6-5 giants and thriving, such as Dustin Wolf (6-0), Devon Levi (6-0) and Juuse Saros (5-11), so don’t write off Ivankovic by any stretch. — Luke Sweeney, Dobber Prospects
Despite the size disadvantage, Ivankovic has become a force. Internationally, he put up some of the best performances we’ve ever seen at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup en route to a gold. He then looked good in his World Junior debut – the ill-fated loss to Latvia – before posting a perfect record at the U-18 World Championship and taking home top goaltender honors. Ivankovic has been a starter in three international events and has won gold at all of them – truly remarkable stuff. — Steven Ellis, Daily Faceoff
If the Sharks have a chance to take him at 33, it’s something they should consider. It never hurts to have multiple high-end goalie prospects who can potentially steal you games. There’s also the unknown of how Askarov’s development will turn out — maybe he doesn’t pan out as expected, or maybe he gets moved. Either way, they don’t have another sure-fire goalie prospect behind him. If GM Mike Grier has the chance to draft Ivankovic, it would be a smart decision and a great fit for a franchise that needs depth in net.
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Photo Credit: Terry Wilson / OHL Images