World Junior goaltender refuses to sign with NHL club, to re-enter draft
The San Jose Sharks' goaltending depth chart has shrunk by one name in recent days.
According to Sheng Peng of San Jose Hockey Now, Sharks prospect and World Junior gold medalist Benjamin Gaudreau will not be signing with the organization and will re-enter the draft next month.
Gaudreau's agent, Eddie Mio, confirmed the news regarding his client this past week.
The Sharks have plenty of goaltending depth in their system with 2022 US Olympian Strauss Mann, recently signed Russian Georgi Romanov, former University of Denver Pioneer Magnus Chrona, as well as 2022 fourth-round pick Mason Beaupit. There definitely wasn't a clear path to being a goaltender at the NHL level with San Jose for Benjamin Gaudrea.
Gaudreau, 20, just completed his third and likely final season in the Ontario Hockey League with the Sarnia Sting, leading them to the Western Conference Final, where they lost to the London Knights.
In 44 regular season games, the Corbeil (Ontario) native had a 24-12-6 record with a 3.07 GAA, .889 save percentage and one shutout. He turned his game up a notch during the OHL Playoffs, where he sported a 10-5 record with three shutouts in 16 games.
He also earned a spot on Canada's roster for the 2023 World Junior Hockey Championship, appearing in two games including against Austria where he made 12 saves for the shutout.
Source: San Jose Hockey Now
