The Sharks have plenty of goaltending depth in their system with 2022 US Olympian Strauss Mann, recently signed Russian Georgi Romanov, former University of Denver Pioneer Magnus Chrona, as well as 2022 fourth-round pick Mason Beaupit. There definitely wasn't a clear path to being a goaltender at the NHL level with San Jose for Benjamin Gaudrea.
Gaudreau, 20, just completed his third and likely final season in the Ontario Hockey League with the Sarnia Sting, leading them to the Western Conference Final, where they lost to the London Knights.
In 44 regular season games, the Corbeil (Ontario) native had a 24-12-6 record with a 3.07 GAA, .889 save percentage and one shutout. He turned his game up a notch during the OHL Playoffs, where he sported a 10-5 record with three shutouts in 16 games.