It sounds like the end of the line for Noah Rod in a San Jose Sharks uniform, as the team has placed him on unconditional waivers for the purpose of terminating his contract. Rod only signed his entry-level contract in March of 2017, but will likely return to Switzerland after playing just 11 games for the Sharks’ AHL affiliate. Selected in the second round in 2014, Rod is only 22 years old.
It’s a tough end to the relationship for a young prospect and team, given that there wasn’t much of an evaluation period. Rod made it clear that he only wanted to play for the Sharks, not the AHL’s San Jose Barracuda, and returned to Switzerland quickly after failing to make the NHL. Though he wasn’t playing against the very top competition in the AHL or NLA, he did go up against some of the best in the world at the most recent World Championships where Switzerland took home a silver medal. He was held scoreless in the tournament, which isn’t very surprising given his relatively low point totals throughout his professional career.
Rod is a ball of energy on the ice, banging and crashing in all three zones. It’s that limited offensive ceiling that makes this loss easier to swallow for the Sharks, who while sinking some expensive draft capital into the player couldn’t have expected a top-six player at this point. There is a chance he catches on with another NHL team at some point, but if he remains unwilling to go to the minor leagues first there may not be a spot for him. Instead, the winger will likely continue to suit up in the NLA and for his country internationally, trying to develop his game further.