Going into yesterday, the San Jose Sharks were anticipating the possibility of sitting out of the second round, but thanks to a nifty deal with the Arizona Coyotes, they added two second-round selections (34th overall and 45th overall), the first of which they used to select center Cameron Lund from the USHL’s Green Bay Gamblers.
A native of Bridgewater, Mass., the freshly 18-year-old Lund was mostly ranked early in the second round, though some rankings had him falling deeper into the draft. It seems as though the Sharks have little interest in the players who have surprisingly fallen off the board and have specific players in mind to target, as it seems likely based on rankings that Lund would’ve been available at the Sharks’ second selection in this round.
Lund has committed to Northeastern University in the NCAA Division I next season, with Buffalo Sabres goaltending prospect Devon Levi, after just one full USHL season, thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic. He ranked second on the Gamblers in points (50), sixth in assists (25) and first in goals (25).
Scouting reports indicate that Lund created a name for himself over the course of last season, building on his shot to become a more complete package as a player. His hockey sense has improved, as has his shot selection, resulting in better decision-making from the young forward.
Skating was marked as an area of concern by Elite Prospects’ J.D. Burke back in 2021 at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup, where Lund notched 5 points (4 goals, 1 assist) in four games. While there’s been some improvement, it’s still the weakest part of his game. At 6-foot-2, he’s got a long stride, and weak skating will allow him to be bodied off the puck easier than one would like for a prospect of his size.