Overagers have been a theme with the San Jose Sharks in the later rounds of the draft, especially on the backend and Zachary Sharp is no exception. It’s hard to fault the plan considering how well things have seemed to work out for 2023 overaged draft pick Eric Pohlkamp. Pohlkamp most recently excelled at the prospect scrimmage, netting a hat trick and giving Sharks fans heart palpitations at the idea of what he could become when he decides to turn pro after one more season at the University of Denver. Yes, it took Pohlkamp a few more seasons to develop, but it feels like the investment of time was worth it. That’s what the Sharks are hoping to get out of Sharp, whom the team used this year’s 124th overall pick to acquire.
Zachary Sharp, D – Western Michigan (NCAA)
Height: 6-foot-1
Weight: 180 pounds
Age/DOB: 20, March 29, 2005
Shoots: Left
Western Michigan (NCAA): 42 games, 9 points (5 G, 4 A), 12 PIMs
The key difference between Sharp and a player like Pohlkamp is the time it took to develop. Sharp is a bit older; at 20, he’s already had a few draft-eligible years where he was passed over. This does not preclude Sharp from becoming an NHL-viable player; however, his ceiling is likely lower.
Last season was his first at the NCAA hockey level, so Sharp has some room to develop his game. Note that Pohlkamp grew his game by leaps and bounds between his freshman and sophomore seasons. The defense trajectory can be difficult. That said, at 20, Sharp has grown into his body a little further than the 18- and 19-year-olds normally drafted, and so you have to remember that some of the “bulk up” that one typically relies on has already happened.
At the lower USHL levels, Sharp was not a prolific defensive scorer. While he liked to activate into the offensive zone, his highest-scoring season was in 2023-24 when he had 25 points in 60 games with the Cedar Rapids Rough Riders. That’s not likely to translate into a high-scoring defenseman in the AHL, let alone the NHL. If he makes it to the NHL, do not count on him to be your high-scoring defenseman. he will make the exit zone pass, but that’s about it.
What the scouts have to say about Sharp
The Athletic’s Corey Pronman said this about Sharp after the Sharks drafted him: “Sharp is a highly mobile defenseman with good size. He makes a decent outlet pass, but his puck game as been inconsistent over the years. I do wish he played a bit more physical for his profile.”
Meanwhile, The Athletic’s Scott Wheeler felt like Sharp “showed enough on the NCAA-champion Western Michigan University Broncos to warrant getting drafted where he did.” The Sharks likely saw a lot of Sharp while watching Pohlkamp, who played for the University of Denver in that double-overtime NCAA Frozen Four loss.
The Elite Prospects Draft Guide had this to say about Sharp in 2023: “Sharp is an activator, never passing up an opportunity to join the play. He flies up the weak to become a lead pass option, sprints the middle to take a forward’s role, and becomes the trailer. He blends his activation into gap control. When moving, he gets early stops, pushes attackers to the perimeter, and neutralizes off-puck threats.”
Conclusion
Sharp is a gamble, the kind that you take with a late fourth-round pick and hope that it will work out. Sometimes, like in the case of Pohlkamp, it looks like it will. More often, it doesn’t, but that’s okay. These are players that you hope will play some NHL games or, at the very least, become contributors on your AHL squad that you can then trade for other potential prospects. Sharp earned this right with his performance on an NCAA championship squad.
