San Jose Sharks select Kasper Halttunen with No. 36 overall pick in 2023 NHL Draft

The San Jose Sharks have selected winger Kasper Halttunen with the No. 36 overall pick in the 2023 NHL Draft.

The Finn spent most of his season with HIFK Helsinki in the Finnish Elite League (SM-Liiga), where he had one assist in 23 regular season games, and also played one playoff game for them where he was held pointless as HIFK went on to lose in the bronze medal match. He also played three games for Kiekko-Vanta in the Championship series, which is the league below SM-Liiga, where he had one goal and two assists in three games.

Daily Faceoff’s own prospect expert Steven Ellis did not have Halttunen projected to go in the first round in his mock draft of the 2023 NHL Draft, Halttunen was selected at No. 36. Ellis had this to say about him in his prospect rankings:

“Halttunen produced nothing against men but was too good for HIFK’s U-20 team. He’s big, has a powerful wrister and has produced at all levels up until Liiga. Next year will be a big one. A bit more maturity will help take his game up another level next year, but he hits as hard as anyone, and that’s fun to watch.”

Halttunen is the first selection by the Sharks in the second round of the 2023 draft and is currently the only pick they are slated to make in the second. Barring any trades, the Sharks will make their next pick in the third round with the No. 71 overall selection.

The Sharks finished with a 22-44-16 record in the 2022-23 season, giving them 60 points that was good enough for 7th in the Division and 29th in the league. They missed the playoffs as a result.