June 5: Pasichnuk entry-level contract has been filed for next season, meaning it will be a two-year deal that carries him through the 2021-22 season. Renaud Lavoie of TVA Sports reports that the deal is worth $925K in the NHL, including $185K in signing bonuses and also includes some Schedule A performance bonuses.
March 31: Changing times create changing operating procedures, and we’ve seen another interesting announcement from an NHL team today. Brinson Pasichnuk has officially agreed to join the San Jose Sharks organization, though no contract terms have been announced. That’s because like Scott Perunovich earlier this month, Pasichnuk has agreed to two different contracts; one that starts immediately should the 2019-20 season resume, and one that would start in the 2020-21 season instead. Sharks GM Doug Wilson released a statement on his newest defenseman:
Brinson is an excellent puck moving defenseman with a physical brand of hockey. As captain for the Sun Devils program for two seasons under Arizona State Head Coach Greg Powers, he is a great teammate and proven leader. We are happy to have him join our organization.
Pasichnuk, 22, recently finished his senior season at Arizona State, recording 37 points in 36 games. The undrafted free agent defenseman had drawn interest from as many as 20 NHL organizations, but will officially join the Sharks at some point in the next few months.
The question now becomes whether Pasichnuk can make the jump directly from the NCAA ranks to the NHL. Not only has he shown the ability to skate the puck out of trouble, but the 6’0″ 205-lbs defenseman can also dart long stretch passes or quickly set up his teammates for an easy exit. Those abilities are always in high demand at the professional level, but he’ll have to adapt to the different speed and strength from NHL opponents.