The San Jose Sharks reached an entry-level contract with Latvia’s Rudolfs Balcers on Thursday.
San Jose drafted Balcers in the fifth round (142nd overall) in 2015. He enjoyed a strong 2016-17 season in the WHL, finishing second in Kamloops Blazers scoring with 77 points in 66 games.
That included 40 goals, which wasn’t lost on the Sharks.
“Rudolfs is a natural goal-scorer who has proven that he can find the back of the net when his team needs it most,” Assistant GM Joe Will said. “His first season in North America showed he could keep up with a more physical game, while still being one of the more dynamic snipers in the league. We’re excited to see him continue his development with our organization.”
Balcers is listed at just 165 lbs., so one would think that the Sharks expect him to bulk up a bit if he hopes to eventually make a jump to the NHL. At 20, he has plenty of time to do so.
Here are some older highlights of the sniper: