Prospect Spotlight: Nick DeSimone

In a sport that continues to become increasingly more about skill and speed rather than size, Nick DeSimone, San Jose Barracuda defenseman, proves that having all three leads to success in professional hockey. His ability to move the puck as well as his speed on both ends of the ice make him an invaluable player within the San Jose Sharks organization.
Prior to joining the Barracuda in 2017, the six-foot-two,195-pound native of East Amherst, New York played three years at Union College, helping the Dutchmen reach the first round of the NCAA Hockey College Championship tournament. In his final year, he led Union defensemen in goals (9) and ranked second in points (19). Following the tournament loss, Nick signed an American Hockey League ATO with the Barracuda, leaving the Dutchmen for the AHL.
Despite arriving late in the 2016-17 Barracuda season and seeing only four regular season games, DeSimone quickly gained the trust of Barracuda head coach, Roy Sommer, and the entire Sharks organization.

"I ended up having a couple of good games and coach trusted me," said DeSimone. "So, I ended up playing a [few more]." During the 2017 Calder Cup playoffs, DeSimone played in 13 of the team's 15 games, registering six points (one goal, five assists). He skated alongside current Sharks forwards Barclay Goodrow, Timo Meier, Marcus Sorensen, Kevin Labanc and defensemen Tim Heed and Joakim Ryan.
"It helped a ton playing with the guys that were on that [2016-17] team. A lot of them are in the NHL right now, so it was a great environment to learn in," said DeSimone. "Going pretty deep [in the playoffs] helped with gaining experience and confidence."
After a taste of AHL hockey, the 2017-18 Barracuda season offered another opportunity for Nick to prove his consistency as a defenseman long-term. Piggybacking off a playoff run, he had the confidence to tackle the inevitable challenges of his first full year in the league. In a transitional season for the Barracuda, DeSimone played in 59 games, scoring six goals and collecting 14 assists. He finished the year third among 'Cuda defensemen in assists and solidified himself as an everyday defenseman.

With one full season under his belt, DeSimone came into both 2018-19 development and training camps leading the charge. "At the start of training camp, I saw massive improvements in all aspects of his game," said Sommer. "From moving the puck, to his reads, to defending low with his stick, everything had
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