Could the Sharks surprise at NHL Draft, and take this ‘Celebrini-ish’ center?

SAN JOSE – The San Jose Sharks – for good reason – have been linked to Saginaw Spirit forward Michael Misa almost from the day they found out they would have the No. 2 overall selection in this year’s NHL Draft.

The dynamic Misa, who led the Canadian Hockey League in scoring with 134 points in 65 regular-season games, was ranked second among North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting. Long term, Misa projects to be a top-six forward, and potentially a No. 2 center, where he could slot right behind Macklin Celebrini for years to come.

But while Misa appears to be the player most likely to be taken by the Sharks when the draft begins next Friday at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, general manager Mike Grier and his staff still have options. And there’s reason to feel Moncton Wildcats center Caleb Desnoyers might be the best fit if they pass on Misa.

Desnoyers played through wrist injuries for most of the season but still had 84 points in 56 regular-season games. He also had 30 points in 19 playoff games, helping Moncton capture the QMJHL championship and advance to the Memorial Cup. A true centerman, Desnoyers was also the QMJHL’s playoff MVP.

“I don’t know if it’s an open and closed book with Michael Misa,” to the Sharks, Sportsnet draft analyst Sam Cosentino told Bay Area News Group. “Caleb Desnoyers is a guy who has a lot of the same characteristics, I believe, as what Macklin Celebrini possesses.”

The 6-foot-2, 182-pound Desnoyers, who turned 18 in April, is a terrific passer with exceptional hockey sense. His skating needs work, but he brings some physicality, and Cosentino believes Desnoyers will eventually get to over 200 pounds.

Unlike Celebrini, who stepped right into the NHL a few months after the Sharks selected him first overall at last year’s draft in Las Vegas, Desnoyers might need another year before he makes the jump to pro hockey.

Desnoyers is projected to go anywhere from third overall to seventh, so it would be a bit of a surprise to see general manager Mike Grier and the Sharks select him ahead of Misa. Still, long term, the left-shot center could be something special, and perhaps, in time, emulate another iconic Sharks duo.

‘This is an organization where (Grier) played with guys like (Joe) Thornton and (Patrick) Marleau,” Cosentino said. “I’m not so sure that if they go down the road of Caleb Desnoyers, they’re not getting Thornton and Marleau for the next however many years.”

So, where might Desnoyers have an edge over Misa?

While Misa is a terrific offensive talent, and his eye-popping statistics speak for themselves, Desnoyers’ 200-foot game is a step ahead. While he has a tantalizing offensive skillset, he also seems to take just as much pride in his work in the defensive zone, and that’s where the comparisons to Celebrini begin.

“So, do you give up some of what offensive upside might be (in Misa) to get an all-around guy who looks Celebrini-ish in terms of his compete and in terms of his all-around game? What does that look like for San Jose?” Cosentino asked. “Or do you just go get the dynamic center that can play wing and can play center, based on his last three years in Saginaw?”

It might be hard to pass on Misa, widely regarded as the second-best player in the draft behind Erie Otters defenseman Matthew Schaefer, who is expected to be chosen first overall by the New York Islanders.

Misa and defenseman Sam Dickinson, whom the Sharks chose 11th overall in last year’s draft, were both named to the all-Canadian Hockey League’s first team on Friday. Misa also worked well with winger Igor Chernyshov when the fellow Sharks prospect joined him in Saginaw in January.

Todd Marchant, the Sharks’ director of player development, took notice.

“It was just amazing how the two of them just looked for each other whenever they were on the ice. It really was impressive,” Marchant told this newspaper last month. “Michael would look for Igor, Igor would look for Michael, and sure enough, when they did that, they would either have a great scoring chance or score a goal.

“So (Misa’s) a talented player, and any team that selects him would be happy to have him.”

This is the third straight year the Sharks have had one of the top four selections, and as Grier has indicated, they hope not to be draft lottery favorites again next spring. With that in mind, if this is the last time the Sharks draft this high, they need to get it right.

Desnoyers’ all-around game versus Misa’s undeniable offensive skill might be giving the Sharks’ brain trust something to think about. If the Sharks aren’t sold on Misa, they could trade down and still get the player they want.

“I think that’s the balance that (the Sharks are) going to be looking at,” Cosentino said, “and I don’t think it’s an open and closed book that (Misa) is going number two.”

NHL Draft

WHEN: Round 1, June 27, 4 p.m. (PDT); Rounds 2-7, June 28, 9 a.m. (PDT)

HOW TO WATCH: Round 1, ESPN, ESPN+; Rounds 2-7, NHLN, ESPN+

WHERE THE SHARKS DRAFT: First round (2nd, 30th overall); Second round (two picks); Third round (one pick); Fourth round (two picks); Fifth round (one pick); Seventh round (one pick).