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San Jose Sharks Sign Ozzy Wiesblatt

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One of the best moments of the 2020 NHL Entry Draft was when the San Jose Sharks announced the first-round selection of Ozzy Wiesblatt, signing his name on the broadcast. Wiesblatt’s mother is deaf, making it an emotional moment for all involved. The young forward was doing a different kind of signing today, inking his three-year entry-level contract with the Sharks. San Jose GM Doug Wilson explained just why they picked him 31st overall:

Ozzy brings speed, playmaking, and offense to the lineup, which makes it difficult to play against a talented skater like him. His tenacity for the puck paired with his ability to retain possession and drive the offensive side of the game, along with his character on and off the ice, makes him a valuable player for our organization.

Wiesblatt, 18, has spent the last two seasons with the Prince Albert Raiders of the WHL and scored 70 points in 2019-20. The powerful skater was actually ranked 19th among North American players by NHL Central Scouting but barely made it into the first round when the Sharks took him with the pick they received from the Tampa Bay Lightning in the Barclay Goodrow deal.

One of four hockey-playing brothers (Ocean, Orca and Oasiz), and five children total, Wiesblatt’s story is an incredible one. With the prices of high-level hockey ever-increasing, his family was helped along the way by the community. That work has paid off in a big way with a first-round NHL selection and now an entry-level contract.

San Jose Sharks Sign Patrick Marleau, Matt Nieto

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The San Jose Sharks have brought back a pair of familiar faces, signing Patrick Marleau and Matt Nieto to one-year contracts. Chris Johnston of Sportsnet reports that Marleau has signed for just $700K, while Curtis Pashelka of Bay Area News Group adds that Nieto will also earn just $700K.

Marleau is obviously a franchise icon and is now just 45 games behind Gordie Howe for the all-time lead in NHL games played. He should break that this season if healthy and could eclipse 1,600 games with the Sharks. San Jose GM Doug Wilson explained why they are bringing the 41-year-old back:

Patrick is one of the most iconic players in San Jose Sharks history, as well as being one of the most respected veterans in the National Hockey League. The leadership he brings on and off the ice has been well documented over his fantastic NHL career and his competitive fire to win is still burning strong. Patrick’s lead-by-example demeanor is inspiring and continues to resonate with our group of younger players.

The veteran forward leads the Sharks in almost every record thanks to his two decades in the uniform, starting way back in 1997-98. One of the most consistent offensive players in the NHL over his years, father time has finally started to catch up with him. In 2019-20 he scored just ten goals and 20 points in 58 games for the Sharks before a deadline deal to the Pittsburgh Penguins. Marleau had two points in eight games down the stretch and was basically invisible during the Penguins’ qualification round loss.

Nieto too should be comfortable in San Jose, having played parts of four seasons there to start his NHL career. The 27-year-old actually recorded his career-high in points with San Jose back in 2014-15, scoring 27 in 72 games that season. Though he’s not a top-six contributor, Nieto does have a little scoring punch to add some depth to the lineup and now has plenty of playoff experience.

Neither player will push the needle very far for the Sharks, but come with absolutely no risk at their league-minimum salaries. Marleau does not have trade protection in his deal.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Sharks Re-Sign Kevin Labanc To A Four-Year Deal

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The Sharks have avoided salary arbitration with RFA winger Kevin Labanc, announcing that they’ve signed him to a four-year contract.  Pierre LeBrun of TSN and The Athletic reports (Twitter link) that the deal will carry an AAV of $4.725MM while TSN’s Frank Seravalli adds (via Twitter) the full breakdown:

2020-21: $3.2MM (includes a $1.5MM signing bonus)
2021-22: $3.95MM (includes a $1MM signing bonus)
2022-23: $5.875MM salary
2023-24: $5.875MM salary

There is no form of trade protection in the contract though he was only eligible for it in the final year.

GM Doug Wilson released the following statement on the signing:

Kevin brings a rare level of offensive skill and creativity to our line-up and has established himself as a top-six forward in our league. His Game 7 playoff performance last season is one of the most iconic moments in Sharks history and is a perfect example of the impact he can have on a hockey game. Kevin has shown a consistent ability to perform at a high level in both the regular season and the playoffs and he will be a big part of our club in the coming years.

The 24-year-old had a breakout year in 2018-19 that saw him pick up 17 goals and 39 assists in 82 games while chipping in with nine points in 20 postseason games including the one Wilson referenced in his statement.  However, without arbitration eligibility and San Jose being up against the cap, he opted to take a one-year, $1MM contract with an eye on getting a bigger deal this offseason.

Mission accomplished.  While Labanc took a notable step back offensively this year, he still managed to put up 14 goals and 19 assists in 70 games while logging a career-best 16:04 per game.  Clearly, the Sharks feel that he has shown enough to be a full-time part of their top six and have given a deal that buys out the rest of his arbitration eligibility along with his first UFA-eligible season.

With the signing, San Jose has its five highest-paid forwards all locked up through 2021-22 so this is their core for the next couple of years at the very least.  They have just under $3MM left in cap space per CapFriendly with no remaining free agents at the NHL level to re-sign.  That gives the Sharks a bit of wiggle room to try to add a depth player or two or hold their space for in-season moves.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

San Jose Sharks Re-Sign Stefan Noesen

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The San Jose Sharks have brought back one of their outgoing free agents, re-signing Stefan Noesen to a one-year contract. The deal is worth $925K according to Curtis Pashelka of the Mercury News.

Noesen, 27, was actually a first-round pick of the Ottawa Senators back in 2011, but took several years to make his mark in the NHL. That came in 2017-18 when he had a sneaky-good season for the New Jersey Devils, scoring 13 goals as part of an energy line with Blake Coleman. The duo rotated through linemates like Brian Gibbons, Travis Zajac and Miles Wood, creating a group of checking forwards that was a huge reason why the Devils made it to the playoffs.

Though he hasn’t been able to recapture that magic since, Noesen fit in well with the Sharks after he was claimed off waivers in December. He scored six goals in 34 games after the claim, even while playing in a bottom-six role. That included two game-winners, not something the Sharks were very used to this season.

Noesen will likely be a regular for the Sharks next year and so far he is their only signing since free agency has started. San Jose has been extremely quiet today, deciding not to jump on many of the mid-level players that have found homes.

Sharks Re-Sign Antti Suomela

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Friday: As expected, HIFK has announced that San Jose has loaned Suomela to them, permitting him to play in the SM-liiga until NHL training camps begin.

Wednesday: As part of their qualifying offer announcements, the Sharks announced that they’ve re-signed center Antti Suomela to a one-year, two-way contract.  While financial terms of the deal weren’t disclosed, CapFriendly reports that the deal is worth $700K in the NHL and $350K in the AHL.

The 26-year-old recently wrapped up his second season in North America and once again split the season between the Sharks and the Barracuda, their AHL affiliate.  In 20 games at the top level, he had a goal and six assists despite only averaging 9:41 per night of ice time.  He was more productive in the minors with five goals and four helpers in 14 games.

Earlier this week, it was reported that Suomela has started skating with HIFK in Finland but was unable to play for them due to his NHL contract situation.  Now that a deal has been done, it wouldn’t be surprising to see a loan announcement in the coming days.

Sharks Re-Sign Four Players

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San Jose’s busy day continues.  After acquiring Devan Dubnyk and Ryan Donato in separate trades from Minnesota, CapFriendly reports in a series of four tweets that they’ve re-signed center Maxim Letunov, defensemen Jacob Middleton and Nicolas Meloche, plus winger Jayden Halbgewachs.

Letunov’s one-year, two-way deal pays $700K in the NHL and $140K at the minor league level.  Middleton receives a two-year, two-way pact worth $700K in 2020-21 and $750K in 2021-22 while paying him $225K in the minors both years.  Meloche received a one-year, two-way deal worth $700K in the NHL and $100K in the minors while Halbgewachs signed for two years at the league minimum in the NHL ($700K and $750K) while getting $150K and $200K in the minors.

Letunov made his NHL debut this past season, getting into three games with the Sharks where he scored his first career goal.  He was also quite productive in the minors, leading the Barracuda in scoring with 12 goals and 28 assists in 50 games, beating his numbers from his rookie season.  The 24-year-old is still waiver-exempt but should push for more NHL ice time next year.

Middleton played in 10 games with the Sharks this season, logging just shy of 11 minutes a night on their back end.  Most of his campaign was also spent in the minors where he played in 32 games with the Barracuda, recording a goal and five assists.  With Brandon Davidson and Dalton Prout both eligible for unrestricted free agency this week, the 24-year-old should move up a couple of notches on the depth chart.

Meloche, 23, has been a stay-at-home defenseman over his three professional seasons but has yet to suit up in the NHL.  He was acquired by San Jose last September from Colorado for goaltender Antoine Bibeau and had seven assists in 41 AHL games this past season.

As for Halbgewachs, he was a dominant scorer in the WHL with seasons of 101 and 129 points and has spent the last two years with the Barracuda.  He finished only behind Letunov in scoring in the minors this past season with 19 goals and 16 assists in 55 games, equalling his rookie point total in nine fewer games.  Like Letunov, the 23-year-old also has one more year of waiver exemption but should push for a chance to be recalled at some point in 2020-21.

San Jose Sharks Acquire Devan Dubnyk

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In their second trade of the day, the San Jose Sharks and Minnesota Wild have announced that Devan Dubnyk is heading to California. The Wild will receive a 2022 fifth-round pick in return, while the Sharks will receive a 2022 seventh-round selection in addition to the veteran goaltender. Minnesota will also be retaining half of Dubnyk’s remaining $4.33MM cap hit for the 2020-21 season.

The two teams completed an earlier trade that saw Ryan Donato go to San Jose in exchange for a 2021 third-round pick. Sharks GM Doug Wilson released a statement on the latest deal:

Devan has been one of the League’s top goaltenders for many years and after playing so many years in the Western Conference, is someone our hockey staff is very familiar with. As we head into what will surely be a unique season, his acquisition gives us a high-quality and experienced tandem of netminders.

For the Sharks, this means the team will have an experienced tandem, but one that will need drastic performance improvements next season. The team’s starter Martin Jones has now posted back-to-back seasons with an .896 save percentage, allowing 394 goals in 103 appearances. That save percentage was third-worst in the NHL last season among goaltenders with at least 30 appearances, ahead of Pekka Rinne and, unfortunately, Dubnyk. The Minnesota netminder posted a dreadful .890 in his 30 games for the Wild, though does at least have several recent strong seasons to fall back on. In 2018-19, when Jones was still struggling, Dubnyk posted a .913 save percentage in a league-leading 67 appearances for Minnesota.

Amazingly, these two goaltenders finished fifth and sixth in Vezina Trophy voting in 2017. While it seems unlikely they can get back to that level in 2020, it’s not necessarily out of the question. With Jones signed for four more seasons at a $5.75MM cap hit, the Sharks will try everything to get him back to playing at a high level. Dubnyk meanwhile comes in at a relatively inexpensive $2.17MM cap hit after the salary retention, plus is actually set to earn even less in actual salary.

The Sharks also paid a very low price for the acquisition, swapping a pick two rounds up for the chance to see what Dubnyk can do in San Jose. That’s almost nothing, though given the overflowing goaltending market this offseason this acquisition certainly won’t excite many fans.

For Minnesota, moving on from Dubnyk was an obvious move for GM Bill Guerin. The team wants to get younger and provide opportunities for some of their prospects, which could include reigning AHL Goaltender of the Year Kaapo Kahkonen. The Wild also still have Alex Stalock under contract for two seasons at just a $785K cap hit. Kahkonen, who is just 24 and coming off an outstanding season in the AHL in which he posted a .927 save percentage, is an arbitration-eligible restricted free agent in need of a new deal. Whether he can handle the starting job isn’t clear, but with Dubnyk out of the way, there is a clear path to the net.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Minnesota, San Jose Complete Ryan Donato Trade

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11:20am: The deal has been officially announced. Donato will head to San Jose in exchange for a 2021 third-round pick.

10:09am: The Minnesota Wild and San Jose Sharks have been working on several trades over the last week and are closing in on at least one of them. Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic tweets that the two sides will soon announce a trade that will see Ryan Donato head to the Sharks in exchange for a 2021 third-round pick. Devan Dubnyk, who the two sides have also discussed, will be in a separate trade if they can complete it.

Donato, 24, will be heading to the third NHL organization of his young career after previously being traded from the Boston Bruins in 2019. The 2014 second-round pick made one of the most electrifying debuts of the last few years after starring at Harvard and on the Olympic stage, but hasn’t been able to reproduce that magic on a regular basis. In 130 NHL games he has just 57 points and found himself on the fourth line or in the press box on several occasions this season.

That certainly doesn’t mean he won’t take his game to another level in San Jose, but the Wild have clearly made a decision to change the makeup of their forward group. Minnesota GM Bill Guerin has already traded Eric Staal and let Mikko Koivu depart through free agency, acquiring Marcus Johansson and Nick Bjugstad in the process. Donato and his $1.9MM cap hit will head to San Jose for a draft pick, opening up another roster spot for one of the team’s other young forwards.

San Jose of course is looking for ways to rebound after a brutal 2019-20 campaign that saw them score just 180 goals in 70 games. Timo Meier led the club with 49 points and Evander Kane was the only player who could score consistently on the powerplay. Donato will likely have an opportunity to play up in the lineup for the Sharks, who have their own youth movement happening upfront after watching Joe Pavelski leave last offseason. Melker Karlsson and Joe Thornton—two of the team’s three remaining 30-plus forwards—are both unrestricted free agents that could be looking for new homes come Friday.

Antti Suomela Training With HIFK In Finland

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  • Sharks center Antti Suomela has started skating with HIFK, the SM-liiga team announced. At this time, he’s only skating with them to stay in shape for next season but as their press release indicates, that could change once he gets a deal done with San Jose.  The pending restricted free agent had a goal and six assists in 20 NHL games this season while chipping in with five goals and four helpers in 14 AHL contests.  If a deal is reached soon, he could join the growing list of players suiting up overseas on loan agreements.

Goalie Notes: Sharks, Ustimenko, Bachman

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The San Jose Sharks have been linked strongly to Devan Dubnyk in recent days, meaning Pierre LeBrun’s latest report for The Athletic should come as little surprise. LeBrun writes that the Sharks are on the lookout for a “1B” to install behind Martin Jones, with Dubnyk, Braden Holtby and James Reimer all candidates.

Short-term is the key part of the Sharks search, leaving Holtby as an interesting inclusion. The former Washington Capitals starter is about to hit free agency after his worst season in the NHL and perhaps could be looking at a shorter deal to rebuild his value. Still, signing to serve as the backup, even if it is in a tandem role, may not be the best way to accomplish that.

  • Sometimes when a team has a young goaltender starring in the NHL, it’s easy to forget about their other prospects. That’s the case in Philadelphia where Carter Hart steals all the headlines, but the pipeline is filled with other interesting names. One of those, Kirill Ustimenko, is headed overseas for the time being, loaned to HC Gomel of the Belarusian Extraliga. That’s Ustimenko’s hometown team, where he can continue to develop his game before eventually returning to North America. The 21-year-old was a third-round pick in 2017 and posted a .919 save percentage in 31 starts at the ECHL level in 2019-20.
  • Former NHL goaltender Richard Bachman’s playing days are over, as the Iowa Wild of the AHL has announced his hiring as goaltending coach. Bachman, who suited up in the AHL and SHL just this season, played in 49 NHL games over a long professional career.

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