The San Jose Sharks have announced the signing of prospect forward Ethan Cardwell to a three-year entry-level contract.
The Sharks’ exclusive rights to sign Cardwell were set to expire on June 1st, which would have allowed him to re-enter the draft. That won’t happen now, though, as he’s earned the right to make his pro debut with the organization that selected him 121st overall at the 2021 draft.
San Jose general manager Mike Grier had the following to say about the signing:
Ethan had a significant improvement in his OHL career this past year being one of the go-to players for his team in nearly all situations. He has the ability to produce offensively and has helped be a driving force on a quality team as Barrie continues their postseason play.
Cardwell is a right-shot center who will turn 21 years old in late August. As an OHLer playing for the Barrie Colts, Cardwell’s junior career was disrupted by the pandemic-related cancellation of the 2020-21 OHL season.
Instead of getting the chance to be a leading player on an OHL franchise in the lead-up to the draft, Cardwell, like many other OHLers, went overseas. He played for Surahammars IF, a club in HockeyEttan, which is the third level of Swedish hockey below HockeyAllsvenskan.
His time in Sweden went well, and he scored 27 points in just 18 games, but without an OHL season his chance to truly rise on draft boards had been lost. He was selected in the fourth round, and went back to Barrie to play two more seasons.
Last year, Cardwell scored 23 goals and 58 points in 49 games, and then this season his production ramped up quite a bit to the tune of 43 goals and 90 points in 62 games. Cardwell’s strong OHL performances earned him recognition as the Sharks organization’s Prospect of the Year, and is likely what has earned him this entry-level deal.
With such a major offensive explosion last season, it’s likely that Cardwell is best served developmentally by turning pro in the fall. Playing in the AHL is quite a bit of a step up from the OHL in terms of competition, but Cardwell has risen to the occasion throughout his junior career and will be a prospect to watch for Sharks fans moving forward.