The San Jose Sharks have inked a draft pick from last summer, signing Manuel Wiederer to a entry-level deal. No financial details were released, but it will be a three-year deal starting next season.
Wiederer played the past two seasons in the QMJHL after coming over from Germany, scoring 29 goals in both years. While his assist totals took a step back this season, Sharks’ GM Doug Wilson had this to say about the forward.
Manuel mixes a defensively responsible two-way game with speed and offensive creativity and has proven that he can play with players much older than he is. He takes pride in his defensive game, but has also shown that he can produce when asked to provide offense. We look forward to him developing his overall game with our organization.
It’s true that Wiederer has proven an ability to skate with older players, as he spent most of the 2014-15 season playing in the DEL, Germany’s highest professional league. He was just 17 playing against men mostly a decade older than him. While he didn’t put up many points there, the Canadian junior ranks came a little easier and he showed his offensive potential in the playoffs both seasons. Last year, he scored 12 goals in 17 games for the Moncton Wildcats before registering 10 points in 12 playoff games for the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies this spring.
The winger has upside as a potential secondary scoring threat, but is more likely to develop into an excellent defensive player. Should that game be able to transfer all the way to the NHL is still up for debate, but he’ll likely head to the AHL’s San Jose Barracuda next season to test it against North American professionals.
Doug Murray is a former Sharks defenseman; so is Doug Wilson, for that matter, but he’s the real Sharks GM.
Hahaha. What a ridiculous mistake. Doug Murray.