San Jose Sharks Sign Tristen Robins To ELC

Jan 1: The Sharks have officially announced the contract for Robins. GM Doug Wilson released a short statement on his young forward:

Tristen came off an impressive performance at the end of last season, scoring 16 points in the final nine games. His game has improved since he made the move to center, and his puck possession, pursuit and skating ability fit in our system of how we want to play moving forward. We are excited to have him a part of our organization.

Dec 30: The San Jose Sharks appear happy with their early 2020 draft picks. After signing first-round pick Ozzy Weisblatt in October and watching their first second-round pick Thomas Bordeleau lead the University of Michigan in scoring thus far, the Sharks have now signed their other second-rounder to an entry-level contract as well. CapFriendly reports that Tristen Robins has signed his three-year ELC with the standard $925K AAV.

Robins, 19, was a polarizing prospect in the 2020 NHL Draft. Seen by many as a second-round pick and others as a third- or fourth-round talent, with others not having Robins on their board at all, Robins’ early selection was at least a slight surprise to some. However, those who watched Robins in the WHL last season as he recorded 33 goals and 73 points in 62 games will understand the Sharks’ excitement. Robins’ deft stickhandling and offensive instincts were apparent with the Saskatoon Blades last season and and sent him moving up draft boards.

With that said, don’t mistake Robins’ contract with San Jose looking to rush him to the pros. While the team does have a need for right-shot forwards, they have depth, youth, and talent up front in the NHL and AHL and can allow Robins (and Wiesblatt) time to develop. However, the contract is a testament to their faith in Robins as a prospect and he could be challenging for a roster spot in a year or two.