Joonas Donkoi was a standout rookie for the San Jose Sharks last season. After watching him play just two games I instantly became a fan.

And I'm not alone.

The 24-year-old was selected in the fourth round (No. 99) of the 2010 NHL Draft by the Florida Panthers. But never played a game for the Cats. He remained in Finland until the Sharks swooped in and signed him to a two-year entry-level contract in May 2015.

Donskoi showed us a great combination of speed, hands and versatility, making him a valuable two-way player and somebody the Sharks could throw into any situation. Plus, he possessed an uncanny knack for scoring in the shootout.

For all you advanced stat folks....Donkoi was also one of the Sharks better possession players...thanks in part to his incredible hands and shiftiness.



In his first full NHL season, Donskoi scored 11 goals and added 25 helpers in 76 games. He added 12 points (6g 6a) in 24 playoff games. It almost felt like the bigger the stage, the brighter his star.

But, where can he go from here? And what can we expect next season?

The former Jari Kurri award as Liiga playoff MVP with Karpat of the Finnish league is only going to get better. With a full NHL season and extended playoff run under his belt, I fully expect him to take that next step in 2016-17.

Donskoi never scored more than 19 goals while playing in Finland, but it's not unfathomable to see him reaching and even eclipsing that mark in the NHL. While I don't expect him to be the next Teemu Selanne, I do expect him to play a bigger role in the Sharks offense going forward, especially if he's promoted from the third line.

If Donkoi is going to have any chance of doing that he's going to have to be more consistent. Last season he the definition of a streaky player. If he can fix that....forget about it.

From scoring his first NHL goal on opening night against the LA Kings to delivering the franchise its first Stanley Cup Final win with an overtime goal in game 3, Donskoi had his fair share of big time moments last season.

What's next? I guess we'll find out when the puck drops on the 2016-17 season in....




Let me know in the comments what you expect from Donskoi this season. Is he a flash in the pan or a star in the making?

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Thanks for reading,
Steve

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