The Prince George Cougars drafted a pair of players with ties to the San Jose Sharks earlier this week at the Western Hockey League Draft.
First, the Cougars picked a member of the San Jose Jr. Sharks, goaltender Blake Sutherlin.
The 15-year-old netminder is already listed at 6-foot-6 despite his young age, and will likely have a chance to compete for a WHL spot in the relatively near future as the Cougars' starting netminder, Sharks prospect Joshua Ravensbergen, is heading to the NCAA, and their two other goaltenders are already 19 years old.
Sutherlin was the only goaltender that the Cougars drafted this year.
Second, Prince George selected the son of long-time Sharks defenseman Brent Burns, Jagger Burns, with their next in the eighth-round, 172nd overall.
Jagger Burns is a 14-year-old forward who joined the Okanagan HA Colorado 14U AAA team this season following some time with the Carolina Jr. Hurricanes due to his father signing with the Colorado Avalanche over the summer.
"Burns is a fluid and balanced skater who’s rather light on his feet," Elite Prospects scout Tyson Soobotin said of Burns. "Burns makes good decisions with the puck, but due to below average puckhandling ability, he’s often not able to make the plays he wants to make."
Burns is the second son of a former San Jose Shark to be drafted into a top junior league this spring, as Joe Pavelski's son, Nathan, was drafted into the USHL earlier this week:
