Former 11th Overall Pick Oliver Wahlstrom Signs With Pacific Division Team

The New York Islanders used the No. 11 overall pick on Oliver Wahlstrom back in 2018, hoping that they'd found a key piece of their future that could grow alongside their then young core.

Unfortunately, that never quite worked out, as the team parted ways with him during the 2024/25 season after struggling in the NHL, as he posted just 36 goals and 71 points in 320 games played before he was claimed by the Boston Bruins.

However, the Bruins did not want to retain him in free agency, with many questioning whether or not the talented 25-year old would have a future in the National Hockey League beyond this summer.

Now, we've got our answer for now, as it has been announced the Wahlstrom is signing with the San Jose Sharks on a professional tryout ahead of training camp in the coming days.

Given how young the Sharks are, this may be the perfect opportunity for Wahlstrom to thrive and find a consistent role in the league, with his early career in New York showing that he's got the talented to be a very solid player in the NHL.

Ultimately though, we'll have to wait and see whether or not he can beat out some of their young players for a spot and a guaranteed contract ahead of the 2025/26, and while some have given up on Wahlstrom, he's clearly going to keep grinding until he finds a consistent role at the top level.