Michael Misa, No. 2 overall pick by the San Jose Sharks in the 2025 NHL Draft, will be joining the San Jose Barracuda on a conditioning assignment, the team announced Wednesday.

Misa has been sidelined since Nov. 1 with a lower-body injury. He has appeared in seven games with the Sharks so far during the season and has registered a goal and two assists.

The top prospect in a Sharks system that is loaded with young talent, Misa came to San Jose with some particularly strong accolades. He was granted exceptional status to play in the OHL at age 15, won the OHL’s Rookie of the Year Award, won a Memorial Cup with the Saginaw Spirit the following season, then won the OHL scoring title and Red Tilson Trophy as the league’s most outstanding player in 2024-25. 

By placing Misa on long-term injured reserve, retroactively, and his having been out over a month, the team was able to send the 18-year-old to the AHL for a conditioning assignment. This is the only way Misa can play in the AHL this season as the NHL-CHL agreement that says players 19 or young have to be sent back to their CHL club if they don’t stick with the NHL team is still in effect.

A conditioning assignment can last 14 days. The Barracuda have six games within the two week span for Misa to potentially play in, including three at home starting Friday.

2025 Tucson Roadrunners vs San Jose Barracuda

The Sharks can assess where Misa is at in terms of his return and determine if they want to send him back to the big club to resume his first NHL season.

There is another option, however. Misa could complete his conditioning assignment and the Sharks could potentially loan him to Team Canada for the World Junior Championship. Misa is eligible to play for Canada in the tournament that begins Dec. 26. Team Canada is due to open their training camp in Ontario in about two weeks.

Misa’s situation is a bit complicated given that he’s coming off of injury, but this conditioning loan will be the first steps to seeing where he is at and what the right path forward for him is not just for this season, but for the long term. 

The Barracuda square off against the Tucson Roadrunners Friday at 7 p.m. PST on FloHockey.

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