Two Sharks Ranked In Craig Button's Top 50 NHL-Affiliated Prospects
TSN's Craig Button just released his list of the top 50 NHL-affiliated prospects, and the San Jose Sharks have two players.
Dean Tait - Hockey Shots - Two Sharks Ranked In Craig Button's Top 50 NHL-Affiliated ProspectsTSN's Craig Button just released his list of the top 50 NHL-affiliated prospects, and the San Jose Sharks have two players.
Will Smith and Shakir Mukhamadullin rank No. 3 and No. 31 on the list.
Smith is only behind Anaheim Ducks prospect Cutter Gauthier and Carolina Hurricanes Alexander Nikishin.
Button ranks the players from an AA to a C scale, and Smith is ranked AA, meaning he is an elite-level prospect.
Smith is second in scoring on Boston College with 46 points (16 goals, 30 assists) in 29 games. He is only behind his linemate, Gabe Perreault.
"They are so good it's scary," Button of the Smith, Perreault, Ryan Leonard line. "I'm in awe of them. They just complement each other. Their hockey sense is all off the charts. They all compete in different ways but all at high level. They all have unique skills that just work perfectly with one another."
Mukhamadullin comes in at No. 31 and is B-rated. Button ranks the tall D-man as a top-four defenseman, which is something the Sharks are in desperate need of.
Mukhamadullin held his own in his three-game cameo in the NHL earlier this season. He is constantly improving while playing in the NHL and will continue to develop as the Sharks rebuild.
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