Christian Kirsch’s path to this point hasn’t been smooth, but the San Jose Sharks prospect says the bumps along the way helped shape him.
The 2024-25 season was a grind for Kirsch. He got cut, bounced between the USHL and the NAHL, and had to leave the Green Bay Gamblers, where he had been living with his brother.
That kind of disruption would rattle plenty of young players. Kirsch, though, says it forced him to grow.
“It really helped,” Kirsch said at San Jose Sharks development camp. “It’s definitely going to be an experience that’s going to help me for the rest of my career, not giving up, not getting too frustrated, don’t stop the work, and keep doing what you can.”
The fourth-round pick by San Jose in 2024 found steadier ground this past season with the Kitchener Rangers in the OHL, and that stability showed in the results. He played 41 games, posted a 2.42 goals against average and a .899 save %, and helped Kitchener win the Memorial Cup.
For Kirsch, the biggest takeaway from that run was learning how to keep his game on the rails no matter what the season looked like around him.
“I kept working on little habits and details, didn’t really change anything throughout the year. Even if there was a part of the year that didn’t work that well, I just kept working and focused on the dull things.”
Winning the Memorial Cup gave him a jolt of confidence, too.
“It was really, really exciting. A really good feeling for me, for my confidence, and everything. It was great.”
He also had to adjust to life behind a strong Kitchener team, one that didn’t always send a ton of rubber his way.
“It was a little hard at the start, obviously only getting like 20 shots wasn’t always easy. But we adjusted to the play style of the team. It was a great team, and I was just trying my best to help them out.”
Kirsch is now at his third Sharks development camp, and he says the experience has a familiar rhythm.
“They all feel pretty much the same. The first year I was with Macklin, (but) the crowd was huge here (this year) too.
All of them are great players, no matter if it’s the first round or undrafted, or just an invite. They’re all great players, and it was really fun.”
Next up is Quinnipiac, where he’ll continue his development after decommitting from UMass. Kirsch said the decision came down to fit, especially on the goaltending side.
“There were a couple schools. I was pretty much in the high of the season when UMass de-committed, so there was quite a few schools.
But we just thought that Quinnipiac was the best fit with the goalie coaching, with the goalie situation they have right now, and with the coaching staff there. So that’s how I made the decision.”
He expects the jump to NCAA hockey to bring a more mature and structured game, and that’s part of the appeal.
“It’s older guys, a little more mature, a little smarter. It’s the next step towards pro, and I feel like I’m ready for that, and I need to take that step.
I don’t really know what to expect, but it’s a structured game there, and that fits my playing style pretty good. I’m excited to get going.”
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