Joe Will joins the San Jose Hockey Now Podcast!

The San Jose Barracuda GM talks about the Barracuda goaltending situation, John McCarthy as a developer of talent, and San Jose’s AHL player turnover rate.

But before we get to Joe Will (53:15), we talk about this week in San Jose Sharks news!

Igor Chernyshov signs with the San Jose Sharks! He’s also playing for the Saginaw Spirit. Why not the AHL for Chernyshov? Will Russian native Chernyshov feel isolated in Saginaw? Sheng reached out to Chernyshov’s agent Dan Milstein about that. (2:28)

The San Jose Sharks impressed at World Junior Summer Showcase! Keegan talked about what he saw from prospects who impressed like Brandon Svoboda and Leo Sahlin Wallenius and Sam Dickinson, Quentin Musty being just okay, and Carson Wetsch and Axel Landen. (8:50)

Keegan discussed three Draft trends that he’s observed in the Mike Grier era. (19:31)

Sheng talked about what ex-San Jose Sharks GM Doug Wilson said about letting Joe Pavelski walk as a free agent in 2019. (26:29)

How has the Erik Karlsson trade to the Pittsburgh Penguins looked for the Sharks, one year later? (36:58)

Last call for subscriber Andy Drexler, last chance to win your Sharks legend autograph! You have until the end of this week to reach out to Sheng via e-mail. (50:08)

And now, Joe Will! (53:15)

Will talks about the Barracuda’s big free agent signings this summer, Andrew Poturalski, Lucas Carlsson, and Jimmy Schuldt, and where they will slot in with the Cuda. (55:00)

Could the Barracuda add one more high-end veteran before camp? Will says yes, and reveals the positional fit.

How about the goaltending? Fans have been expecting a more veteran goalie to be added to the Barracuda…Will says that the San Jose Sharks organization, if anything, is looking for an older, more experienced prospect for that role. (57:17)

Could the San Jose Sharks find their No. 3 goalie in waivers?

Will discusses stories that have circulated that some of the recent Cuda veterans and their wives haven’t been happy in San Jose. In his view, has player treatment been a problem in San Jose in recent years? (1:02:20)

Will suggests another reason why veterans might be unhappy.

How has treatment of players changed from Worcester to San Jose? Does Will have to make better contract offers with a Bay Area-based team?

Will defends head coach John McCarthy’s track record as a developer of talent. (1:08:43)

How did Barracuda prospects progress throughout last season, what were they asked to focus on this off-season? Going by position. (1:12:16)

Magnus Chrona (1:12:52)

Georgi Romanov

Will explains rolling with Eetu Makiniemi last year, his profile looks like what the San Jose Sharks are looking for right now, absent Makiniemi’s injuries. (1:15:10)

Thomas Bordeleau (1:17:18)

Danil Gushchin

Ethan Cardwell (1:20:23)

Filip Bystedt

Tristen Robins (1:26:12)

Shakir Mukhamadullin (1:27:22)

Jack Thompson (1:32:00)

Valtteri Pulli

Artem Guryev (1:35:38)

Gannon Laroque

Will discusses Luca Cagnoni and Kasper Halttunen, both eligible to return to the CHL, breaking camp with the Barracuda instead. (1:42:00)

Does Will expect this Barracuda team to make the playoffs? Or do they need more? (1:47:42)

Will was also San Jose Sharks interim GM throughout most of the 2021-22 season: Keegan asks him about re-signed Tomas Hertl to an eight-year extension. (1:50:40)