Fisher flashed offensive skill in his draft season, which unfortunately has not translated to higher levels in the NCAA and BCHL. At 21 years old he is still young and part of a San Jose prospect pool that is weaker for right shot defensemen, so they will likely be patient with his development. He could end up a bottom pairing NHL defenseman or top four defender at the AHL level in three to four years, though it’s hard to project him in a higher role than that if his offence doesn’t pop soon.

Fisher was drafted 76th overall by the Sharks.

Fisher spent his entire 2021-2022 campaign with St. Mark’s in the high school prep circuit, where he finished second on his team in scoring as a defenseman with 13 goals and 37 assists for 50 points in only 28 games. The prospect has already committed to Northeastern University for the 2022-2023 campaign, where he’ll be continuing his development against legitimate competition, on a team known for developing their blue-liners’ chance-suppressing tendencies.

Fisher is electrifying on the puck, utilizing a variety of fakes to carry the puck up the ice. He’s daring, manipulative, and shows a wide arsenal of puck skills which he pulls out at the right times to make an impact in all three zones. Off the puck, there are some concerns, such as his tendency to lose a marker or struggle to close gaps quickly. This isn’t as apparent against teenagers in high school, but I expect him to have a tough first year with Northeastern as he learns to do these things on a more regular basis. He should adapt quickly, however, as his hockey sense is clearly above-average and he got better as his season went on. A team could take a swing at him as early as the start of the second round, especially if they have a hole on the right side of their defensive pipeline and don’t mind a long-term project. He could be a top pair defender, or not make the NHL; it all depends on what the next few years of his development look like.