The San Jose Sharks entered the 2008 NHL Entry Draft in Ottawa without a first, second or third round draft selection. Scheduled to select for the first time at 117th overall, many thought the team might choose to move some assets in exchange for a first or second round selection.

While San Jose did not end up drafting in the first two rounds, they wasted little time in the third round, executing a trade with the Tampa Bay Lightning for the 62nd overall selection in exchange for a fourth round selection (117th overall), a fifth round selection (147th overall) and a third round selection in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft. With the 62nd overall pick, San Jose selected center Justin Daniels from Kent High School in Connecticut.

Daniels, a six-foot-one, 156-pound native of Queens, NY was ranked 100th overall among North American skaters. He notched 47 points (12 goals, 35 assists) in 25 games with Kent High School. Justin, along with his twin brother, Drew, were among the highest-rated prep school players by Central Scouting Service for the 2008 Draft. Justin is planning on playing for Sioux City (USHL) this coming season and both brothers are scheduled to attend Northeastern in the fall of 2009.

San Jose scout Jack Gardiner says of Daniels: “He’s a good skater and a very tough kid. Is an excellent playmaker and goal scorer with a tremendous shot.”

San Jose later acquired the 92nd overall selection (the first pick of the fourth round) from the Los Angeles Kings in exchange for a fourth round selection in 2009 and a fifth round selection in 2010 to take defenseman Samuel Groulx from Quebec of the QMJHL.

Groulx, who was named to the QMJHL All-Rookie Team in 2007-08, was ranked 76th among all North American skaters by Central Scouting Service. He posted 25 points (five goals, 20 assists) and 100 penalty minutes in 70 games with Quebec.

NHL Central Scouting's Chris Edwards says of Groulx: "Samuel was often used on both the power-play and penalty kill units, showing good puck movement from the point and good body position in front of the net to prevent the opposition from gathering rebounds. His at his best when he plays a simple controlled style game, but needs to improve his overall strength and decision making."

Also in the fourth round, the Sharks acquired the 106th overall selection from Nashville in exchange for a seventh round selection (207th overall) and a fourth round selection in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft (previously acquired from Toronto). With the 106th overall selection, San Jose selected goaltender Harri Sateri from Tappara in Finland. Sateri was the second highest-rated European goaltender by Central Scouting Service and was ranked first at their mid-term rankings.

Sateri posted a 2.63 goals-against average and a .924 save percentage with two shutouts in 2006-07 with Tappara in 23 games and a 2.99 goals-against average and a .907 save percentage with one shutout in 34 games.

Despite being tagged as Finland's backup heading into the 2008 World Junior Championships, Sateri worked his way into a tandem role with Riku Helenius and earned the start in the crucial quarterfinal match against Team Canada en route to leading the Finns to a sixth-place showing at the tournament.”

With their fifth round pick, acquired from the Montreal Canadiens two seasons ago in the Craig Rivet deal, San Jose selected the hard-hitting defensive defenseman Julien Demers from the Ottawa 67's.

Demers joins a growing group of current 67's players who have been drafted by San Jose, a group that includes forwards Jamie McGinn (2nd round, 36th overall in 2006) and Logan Couture (1st round, 9th overall in 2007).

In the sixth round, San Jose selected forward Tommy Wingels from the University of Miami-Ohio with the 177th overall pick. In his freshman year with the RedHawks of the CCHA, Wingels was the third-ranked scorer among first-year players posting 29 points (15 goals, 14 assists) in 42 games.

The Evanston, Illinois native was one of just 10 players on the squad to appear in all 42 games for the RedHawks who fell to fellow Sharks prospect Nick Petrecki (1st round, 28th overall in 2007) and his Boston College Eagles squad in the 2008 NCAA Northeast Regional Final. Petrecki and the Eagles would advance to claim the NCAA Championship.

The Sharks concluded the 2008 NHL Entry Draft with a pair of seventh round picks. With the 186th overall selection, San Jose grabbed Jason Demers (no relation to 5th round pick Julien Demers) from the Victoriaville Tigers of the QMJHL.

Then with the 194th overall pick, San Jose selected Drew Daniels also from Kent High School. Drew Daniels is the twin brother of Justin Daniels (3rd round, 62nd overall) who was taken by the Sharks with their first pick in this draft.