Henry Thrun will become the San Jose Sharks No. 1 defenseman by the end of the season.

San Jose Sharks defenseman Henry Thrun has been spectacular during training camp and preseason.

Although he is technically fighting for a roster spot, the former Anaheim Ducks 2019 fourth-round pick has performed above and beyond.

"We'll see if I can beat any goalies this year," Thrun said before the Sharks' first preseason game. "It's something I felt I'm usually pretty solid at, getting myself chances, but sometimes struggle to actually complete the chances."

In that game, Thrun had three points, two goals, and one assist. His first goal came 24 seconds into the first period.

"He's had a very good camp," Sharks head coach David Quinn said. "He's done a really good job this summer working on the things we touched on that he needs to get better at."

Thrun had a cup of coffee in the NHL last season. He played in eight games and had two assists. However, despite a small sample size, Sharks players, front office, and fans were impressed with his skating ability and hockey IQ.

"I really like his game. He's got a lot of confidence," Tomas Hertl said about Thrun. "He's a really good skater. He's got some skill, and I think he's had a really good camp. I'm really happy for him."

With Erik Karlsson out of the picture, the San Jose Sharks will need someone to step up and run the No. 1 powerplay. Thrun has all the tools to be successful in that position.

Thrun is also 6'2, 190 lbs. At 22 years old, the young defenseman is still growing into his body. Due to his size, he should be durable enough to make it through an entire NHL season against the top lines of opposing teams.

Quinn and GM Mike Grier think highly of the defenseman. Don't be surprised if Thrun leads the San Jose Sharks in ice time in the second half of the season.

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