Sharks Re-Sign Pavol Regenda To Two-Way Deal
The Sharks have re-signed winger Pavol Regenda on a two-way contract, according to a team release.
San Jose acquired Regenda from the Ducks in January in a swap of minor-league forwards, sending Justin Bailey the other way. He didn’t see an NHL recall following the trade or at all this season, for that matter, after getting brief looks with Anaheim in 2022-23 and 2023-24. In 19 games over those two seasons, he scored a goal and two assists while averaging 10:49 per night.
The 25-year-old wasn’t an RFA this summer because he’d accrued enough professional experience for Group VI UFA status while playing less than 80 career NHL games. He could have signed anywhere else – including Europe – but instead returns to the Sharks organization on a deal that pays him $350K in the minors with a $400K guarantee, per PuckPedia.
The 6’4″, 212-lb winger from Slovakia signed with Anaheim as an undrafted free agent in 2022 on the backs of a strong showing at the Olympics and World Championship. Regenda now has three full AHL seasons under his belt and seems content in his minor-league role. He has 45 goals, 55 assists, 100 points, and 189 PIMs in 176 career AHL games, including a good 9-16–25 scoring line in 36 games with the Barracuda after the trade to San Jose.
With younger, higher-ceiling names likely taking priority for a call-up this upcoming season, Regenda should be on track to spend most, if not all, of 2025-26 down with the Barracuda if he clears waivers.
Devils, Sharks Swap Shane Bowers, Thomas Bordeleau
The Devils have acquired the signing rights to RFA forward Thomas Bordeleau from the Sharks in exchange for Shane Bowers, both clubs announced.
The trade marks a swap of underperforming prospects, although calling Bowers a prospect at this stage of his career is a big stretch. He turns 26 later this month and now joins his fifth NHL organization after being a first-round pick by the Senators in 2017 out of Boston University.
Bowers, a 6’2″ center, has seen NHL action in each of the last three seasons but is still looking for his first NHL point. Twelve of his 13 career appearances have come over the last two seasons with New Jersey, where he averaged 9:03 per game and went 8-for-23 on faceoffs (34.8%) with 12 hits.
The Nova Scotia native hasn’t displayed consistent upside in the minors, either. He had just three goals in 65 games with AHL Utica last season, adding 14 assists for 17 points with a -14 rating. He’s produced just 0.34 points per game over seven AHL seasons during stops in the Devils, Avalanche, and Bruins organizations.
While Bordeleau has a lower draft pedigree and has also failed to capture a full-time NHL role, he’s three years younger than Bowers and has displayed far more offensive competency at the NHL and AHL levels. That makes this a shrewd pickup for the Devils, and it’s fair to wonder if Bordeleau requested a trade out of San Jose amid a logjam of forward prospects in the Bay Area.
Either way, the 5’10” center gets a fresh start in Newark with a chance to make the opening night roster in October. The 23-year-old University of Michigan product posted six goals and 18 points in 44 NHL games with the Sharks in the last four years, and he logged a 14-24–38 scoring line in 59 games with the AHL’s San Jose Barracuda last year. He was an AHL All-Star in 2022-23 and was the Big 10’s Rookie of the Year with Michigan back in 2020-21.
New Jersey will need to get Bordeleau signed to a new contract, but once they do, he’ll look to compete for a roster spot alongside names like rookie Arseni Gritsyuk and depth signing Angus Crookshank. If he doesn’t crack the roster, he’d need to land on waivers to go to Utica.
Two-Way Deals: 7/1/25
As major signings come in around the NHL today with the 2025-26 league year beginning, teams are shoring up their minor-league depth as well by signing players to two-way contracts. We’re keeping track of those signings today in this article, which will be continuously updated. Deals are one year unless otherwise noted.
Boston Bruins
F Riley Tufte ($775K NHL) – Ty Anderson of 98.5 The Sports Hub
D Jonathan Aspirot ($775K NHL) – Ty Anderson of 98.5 The Sports Hub
G Luke Cavallin ($775K NHL) – Ty Anderson of 98.5 The Sports Hub
Buffalo Sabres
F Riley Fiddler-Schultz ($865K NHL/$90K SB/$35K PB/$85K AHL) – PuckPedia // two years, entry-level
F Carson Meyer ($775K NHL/$350K AHL Y1 – $375K AHL Y2) – PuckPedia // two years
D Mason Geertsen ($775K NHL/$425K AHL) – Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet // two years
D Zachary Jones ($900K NHL/$550K AHL) – PuckPedia
D Zach Metsa ($775K NHL/$250K AHL/$325K gt’d) – PuckPedia
Calgary Flames
D Nick Cicek ($775K NHL) – team release
Carolina Hurricanes
G Amir Miftakhov ($775K NHL/$100K AHL/$240K gt’d) – PuckPedia
Chicago Blackhawks
F Dominic Toninato ($850K NHL) – team release // two years
Colorado Avalanche
F T.J. Tynan (unknown) – team release
D Jack Ahcan (unknown) – team release
D Ronald Attard ($775K NHL/$450K AHL/$500K gt’d) – PuckPedia
Columbus Blue Jackets
F Owen Sillinger (unknown) – team release
D Christian Jaros (unknown) – team release
Dallas Stars
D Niilopekka Muhonen (unknown) – team release // three years, entry-level
Edmonton Oilers
D Riley Stillman ($775K NHL/$475K AHL) – PuckPedia // two years
G Matt Tomkins ($775K NHL/$400K AHL/$450 Y2 gt’d) – PuckPedia // two years
Florida Panthers
F Nolan Foote ($775K NHL/$150K AHL/$250K gt’d) – PuckPedia
F Jack Studnicka ($775K NHL/$450K AHL) – Chris Johnston of TSN/The Athletic
G Brandon Bussi ($775K NHL/$400K AHL) – PuckPedia
G Kirill Gerasimyuk (unknown) – team release // two years, entry-level
Los Angeles Kings
F Cole Guttman ($775K NHL/$450K Y1 – $475K Y2 AHL/$475K gt’d Y1 – $500K gt’d Y2) – PuckPedia // two years
Minnesota Wild
F Tyler Pitlick ($775K NHL/$300K Y1 – $350K Y2 AHL/$325K gt’d Y1 – $375K gt’d Y2) – PuckPedia // two years
D Ben Gleason ($800K NHL/$475K AHL) – PuckPedia
Montreal Canadiens
F Alex Belzile (unknown) – team release
D Nathan Clurman ($775K NHL/$125K AHL/$140K gt’d) – PuckPedia
New Jersey Devils
D Calen Addison ($775K NHL/$325K AHL/$400K gt’d) – PuckPedia
F Angus Crookshank ($775K NHL/$425K AHL/$475K gt’d) – PuckPedia // two years, one-way in 2026-27
New York Islanders
F Matthew Highmore (unknown) – team release
D Ethan Bear ($775K NHL/$325K AHL/$425K gt’d) – PuckPedia
D Cole McWard (unknown) – team release
New York Rangers
D Derrick Pouliot ($775K NHL/$400K AHL/$425K gt’d Y1 – $450K gt’d Y2) – PuckPedia // two years
Ottawa Senators
F Wyatt Bongiovanni ($775K NHL/$160K AHL) – PuckPedia
F Olle Lycksell ($775K NHL/$450K AHL/$500K gt’d) – Darren Dreger of TSN
Philadelphia Flyers
F Lane Pederson ($775K NHL/$525K AHL) – PuckPedia
San Jose Sharks
F Jimmy Huntington (unknown) – team release
F Samuel Laberge (unknown) – team release
F Colin White ($775K NHL/$425K AHL/$475K gt’d) – PuckPedia
D Cole Clayton (unknown) – team release
St. Louis Blues
F Matt Luff ($775K NHL/$400K AHL) – PuckPedia
Tampa Bay Lightning
F Nicholas Abruzzese (unknown) – team release
F Tristan Allard (unknown) – team release // two years, entry-level
F Boris Katchouk (unknown) – team release
D Simon Lundmark ($775K NHL/$250K AHL/$350K gt’d) – PuckPedia // two years
G Ryan Fanti ($775K NHL/$80K AHL) – PuckPedia
Utah Mammoth
F Kailer Yamamoto ($775K NHL/$500K AHL) – PuckPedia
D Scott Perunovich ($775K NHL/$400K AHL/$500K gt’d) – PuckPedia
Vancouver Canucks
F Joseph LaBate ($775K NHL/$350K AHL) – PuckPedia
F Mackenzie MacEachern ($775K NHL/$575K AHL) – PuckPedia // two years
D Jimmy Schuldt ($775K NHL/$500K AHL) – PuckPedia // two years
Winnipeg Jets
F Phillip Di Giuseppe ($775K NHL/$450K AHL) – PuckPedia
D Kale Clague (unknown) – Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet
Sharks Acquire Alex Nedeljkovic From Penguins
The Sharks have sent their 2028 third-round pick to the Penguins in exchange for goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic, both clubs announced.
In a clever move by the Sharks, the team has strengthened their goaltending while providing an avenue to playing time for youngster Yaroslav Askarov. Since San Jose isn’t expected to contend for a postseason spot next season, the team has nothing to lose by making Nedeljkovic the starting netminder should Askarov stumble out of the gates. And yet, if Askarov succeeds as planned, Nedeljkovic will revert to a familiar backup role.
It wasn’t long ago that Nedeljkovic was receiving votes for the Calder Memorial Trophy. During the 2020-21 season with the Carolina Hurricanes, Nedeljkovic managed a 15-5-3 record in 23 games with an impressive .932 SV% and 1.90 GAA. Had he continued that output for even 40 games, he would have had a better case for rookie of the year.
Thinking that they had their answer in net, the Detroit Red Wings acquired Nedeljkovic the following offseason. His time in Detroit was where he became seen as a weak starting, but quality backup netminder, earning a 25-31-11 record in 74 games with a .900 SV% and 3.35 GAA. To be fair to Nedeljkovic, the Red Wings put together a lethargic team in front of him.
Going unqualified after the 2022-23 campaign, Nedeljkovic quickly signed on with the Pittsburgh Penguins. Despite nearly willing the Penguins to the postseason in his first year with the club, Nedeljkovic finishes his tenure in Pittsburgh with a 32-22-12 record, a .898 SV%, and 3.05 GAA.
PHR’s Brennan McClain contributed significantly to this article.
Sharks Sign John Klingberg, Philipp Kurashev, Adam Gaudette
The Sharks have signed center Philipp Kurashev to a one-year, $1.2MM contract, per PuckPedia. He was a UFA after being non-tendered by the Blackhawks. They have also signed defenseman John Klingberg to a one-year deal worth $4MM, per Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic. Additionally, the Sharks will bring in center Adam Gaudette on a two-year, $4MM contract per Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman. All three signings were first reported by Brennan Klak on X.
San Jose has confirmed Klingberg’s deal.
This pair of moves most notably features a pay-raise for Klingberg after he played through last season on a one-year, $1.76MM deal with the Edmonton Oilers. Klingberg didn’t sign that deal until mid-January, limiting him to just 11 games played before the end of the regular season. He recorded four points, eight penalty minutes, and an even plus-minus in those appearances — showing signs of rust after only playing 14 games of the 2023-24 season, but still able to hold up to 17 minutes a night. With his legs under him, Edmonton moved Klingberg into a nightly role during the postseason. He again recorded four points, though this time added a plus-three and one penalty, through 19 appearances.
Klingberg looked capable of the nightly role, even despite a bilateral hip surgery limiting him to just 44 games over the last two seasons combined. He’s scored 13 points in those appearances, though handled a clear-cut top-pair role pre-injury and a third-pair role after returning. A lofty price tag in San Jose could push him up the team’s depth chart on a very shallow right-shot side. He should fill a second-pairing role alongside Henry Thrun, Shakir Mukhamadullin, or Sam Dickinson. All three youngsters have the mobility to help cushion Klingberg as he looks to transition from an injury to a battered role with San Jose.
Boosting the offense will be Kurashev and Gaudette, who each filled minor roles on their NHL squads this season, though through very different paths. Gaudette is coming off of his first full season in the NHL since the 2021-22 campaign, when he played 50 games for the Ottawa Senators. He scored just 12 points that season, prompting an assignment to the minor leagues that took two seasons of strong scoring to work out of. In what was the first full AHL season of his career, Gaudette managed 51 points in 65 games during the 2022-23 campaign, split between the Toronto Marlies and Springfield Thunderbirds. He returned for Springfield last season and exploded for 44 goals and 71 points in 67 games. That was good enough to earn a call-up back to the Senators that he took full advantage of, with 19 goals and 26 points in 81 games.
Meanwhile, Kurashev took a hard fall from grace last year after managing a career-season in 2023-24. He recorded 54 points in 75 games in a top-line role with the Chicago Blackhawks that year, but tumbled all the way down to just 14 points, split evenly, in 51 games this season. The steep drop in scoring coincided with concerns about Kurashev’s two-way game, and calls for his assignment to the minor-leagues. The 25-year-old winger has shown flashes of scoring upside throughout his career, with 130 points in 317 games. He’ll look to rediscover his flash of scoring as he joins a similarly skilled-and-speedy Sharks lineup.
Photo courtesy of Sam Navarro-Imagn Images.
Sharks Sign William Eklund To Three-Year Extension
The Sharks have signed winger William Eklund to a three-year extension worth $5.6MM per season, the team announced. He was entering the final year of his entry-level contract as a pending RFA. It’s a total value of $16.8MM for Eklund on his first standard NHL contract. He’ll be due a $5.8MM qualifying offer on expiry, per PuckPedia.
Eklund, 22, was one of the first cornerstone draft picks of San Jose’s rebuild. Selected No. 7 overall in 2021, he’s had a productive run in a top-six role out of the gate for the Sharks. He’s played two full NHL seasons after seeing a nine-game trial in 2021-22 and an eight-game one in 2022-23. In 174 career games, he has 35 goals and 110 points. That includes a 17-goal, 58-point showing in 77 games for the Sharks this year, finishing second on the team in scoring behind rookie Macklin Celebrini and averaging 19:33 per game.
It’s a shrewd deal, particularly for Eklund. He’ll take a bridge deal now with the chance to likely double his salary upon becoming an RFA again in 2029 at age 26 if he continues on his current development path. For the Sharks, it’s a tad peculiar to see them not go long-term with Eklund or pay him a higher salary on his bridge. It’s worth pointing out that Eklund’s deal doesn’t affect their ability to reach the cap floor this season since it doesn’t go into effect until 2026-27.
In a vacuum, though, it’s an exceptional value over the next few years for the star potential Eklund provides. As the team around him develops, he’s on track to be a surefire 70-to-80-point producer for the Sharks as Celebrini’s wingman for the foreseeable future. He’s maintained his draft slot well, currently ranking seventh in scoring among 2021 draftees. He’s played fewer games than everyone ahead of him except for Mammoth winger Dylan Guenther.
Image courtesy of D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images.
Sharks Re-Sign Gabriel Carriere To Two-Way Deal
June 29: San Jose confirmed Carriere’s re-signing Sunday in a team release.
June 27: The Sharks have re-signed pending RFA goaltender Gabriel Carriere to a two-way deal for next season, PuckPedia reported Thursday. It carries a $795K cap hit, including a $20K signing bonus and $775K NHL salary. He’ll earn an $85K salary while in the minors with a total salary guarantee of $100K.
Carriere, 24, signed his first NHL contract with the Sharks a few months ago. The undrafted free agent out of the University of Vermont was in his first professional season on a minor-league deal with AHL San Jose. However, the Sharks needed to get another goalie under contract before the trade deadline, with top prospect Yaroslav Askarov injured and backup Vítek Vaněček traded to the Panthers. That temporarily left them with only two healthy goalies, Alexandar Georgiev and Georgi Romanov, under NHL contract, so they signed Carriere in case one of them sustained an injury.
The Ottawa native had an impressive showing in the minors after toiling behind a weak Vermont team as the starter for most of his time in college. He made 47 appearances, split almost evenly between the AHL and ECHL. He was imposing in the latter league with the Wichita Thunder, posting a 2.60 GAA and a .922 SV% in 25 games – good for three shutouts and a 14-9-2 record. Carriere’s numbers understandably dipped during his AHL call-ups, though. He was easily the worst of the Barracuda’s three regular netminders (himself, Askarov, and Romanov), logging a .894 SV%, 3.06 GAA, and a 10-9-3 record in 22 games.
Nonetheless, his ECHL showing out of the gate was worth another look. The Sharks also haven’t made any other moves to address their lack of goaltending depth, although they should be expected to do so on July 1. For now, at least, Carriere becomes just the second goalie in the organization signed for next season alongside Askarov, who’s beginning a two-year, $4MM extension as he makes the jump to full-time NHL minutes.
Sharks Select Michael Misa With Second Overall Pick
The San Jose Sharks have added to their young, talented forward group—already headlined by Macklin Celebrini and Will Smith—by selecting Michael Misa with the second overall pick in the 2025 NHL Draft.
By selecting Misa, the Sharks have arguably added the most offensively gifted player in the draft. Playing for the OHL Saginaw Spirit last season, the speedy Misa put up 62 goals, 72 assists, and 134 points in 65 games. He added two goals and an assist in four playoff games. Listed as a center and left wing, Misa is projected to be an impact first-line center at the NHL level. More than just a flashy offensive performer, Misa also draws positive reviews for his defensive capabilities.
In their 2025 NHL Draft Guide, Elite Prospects stated of Misa:
“Capable of speeding past opponents and drawing complex rush patterns in the neutral zone, Misa finds and creates gaps in neutral zone coverages. He drives east-west, under and over teammates’ routes, slows down and accelerates, and slips pucks under sticks, always keeping defenders on their heels. Away from the puck, he’s constantly relocating from pocket to pocket, reloading to the top of the zone, sprinting behind defenders, and playing between them.”
The Sharks selection of Misa ended weeks of suspense as to who would go second overall. While it was widely expected that defender Matthew Schaefer would go first to the New York Islanders, the Sharks were perceived to have multiple options to go with. In the end, they landed Misa, who adds to one of the best young forward groups in the league.
With that young core set to lead the team moving forward, the Sharks and GM Mike Grier can now turn their attention to free agency, where the team has a league-high $40MM in cap flexibility, per PuckPedia. While the club isn’t expected to be a major player for headline free agents on July 1, they could do well by signing veteran depth to support their young core.
Sharks To Buy Out Marc-Édouard Vlasic
June 27: Vlasic has cleared waivers and can now be bought out, according to Chris Johnston of The Athletic and TSN.
June 26: The current active longest-tenured member of the San Jose Sharks will see his run with the team conclude. According to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, the Sharks have placed defenseman Marc-Édouard Vlasic on unconditional waivers for contract termination. The Sharks organization has confirmed the news from Friedman.
Vlasic’s buyout from the Sharks marks an unceremonious end to an incredible tenure in San Jose. As it currently stands, Vlasic is the franchise’s second all-time in games played, eighth all-time in points, and first all-time in defensive point shares.
In his decision regarding the buyout, General Manager Mike Grier stated, “This was a difficult decision to make today, with how much Marc has meant to the San Jose organization for 19 years. I was fortunate enough to be here with Marc for his first season with the Sharks, and knew he would become a great defenseman. Over the course of his career in the NHL, Vlasic was one of the premier shutdown defensemen, earning tough defensive assignments on the ice against the best players in the world and doing it with effectiveness.”
There are no discrepancies in Grier’s statement. In his prime, Vlasic was arguably the game’s top shutdown defenseman, averaging nearly 22 minutes a game from 2009 to 2020, accruing 1,545 blocked shots and earning several nominations for the Lady Byng and Norris Trophies.
San Jose drafted Vlasic with the 35th overall pick of the 2005 NHL Draft, making his debut a few years later. Vlasic finished sixth in Calder Trophy voting that season, scoring three goals and 26 points in 81 games, and earned a spot on the NHL’s All-Rookie Team. 
Since Corsi tracking began in the 2007-08 season, Vlasic had a rate of approximately 53.0% from 2007 to 2016, an impressive output for a defenseman who started nearly 57.0% of his shifts in the defensive zone. In that time, Vlasic never had an on-ice save percentage at even strength lower than 90.0%, proving his ability to keep pace with any opposing team’s top unit.
Vlasic’s value burned brightest during the Sharks’ run to the Stanley Cup Final in 2016. The veteran scored one goal and 12 points in 24 postseason contests, finished at the top among the qualified players with a +14 rating, and averaged 2.83 blocked shots per game. Unfortunately, San Jose was unable to capture their first Stanley Cup championship in franchise history, losing to the Pittsburgh Penguins in the first half of their back-to-back run.
Due to his illustrious career with the organization, the Sharks signed Vlasic to an eight-year, $56MM contract in 2017, which was expected at the time to be his final contract in the NHL. Unfortunately, even two years into the deal, due to injuries and ‘Father Time’ remaining undefeated, Vlasic’s contract quickly became an unappreciated anchor for San Jose.
Since the second year of the contract, Vlasic has scored 17 goals and 68 points in 358 games with a disastrous -90 rating. His possession metrics have similarly taken a nosedive, falling to 42.2% at even strength this past season. With several defensive prospects looking for regular playing time in 2025-26, the Sharks no longer had a necessity for Vlasic to remain on the roster.
Although the last several years will put a damper on his total output with the team, Vlasic concludes his career as a Shark with 84 goals and 379 points with a +42 rating in 1,323 games over 19 seasons, with an additional six goals, 39 points, and +20 rating in 142 postseason contests.
Now, San Jose will owe Vlasic a reduced rate of $4.67MM in 2025-26 and $1.167MM in 2026-27. According to PuckPedia, the Sharks have more than $44MM to spend this offseason and could become one of the most active teams in recent memory. Even if Grier doesn’t plan on exhausting all of San Jose’s financial flexibility this summer, he’ll need to spend more than $19MM to reach the cap floor.
Photo courtesy of Stan Szeto-Imagn Images.
Sharks Expected To Non-Tender Noah Gregor
The Sharks will not issue a qualifying offer to center Noah Gregor, per Curtis Pashelka of The Mercury News. He will become an unrestricted free agent on July 1.
This will be Gregor’s third straight offseason with a non-tender. He was initially a fourth-round pick of the Sharks back in 2016 but was not given a qualifying offer by San Jose in 2023, leading to him signing a one-year deal with the Maple Leafs in free agency. Toronto also declined to qualify him, after which he landed with the Senators for the 2024-25 season. The Sharks brought him back to the organization in the deadline deal that saw Fabian Zetterlund head to Ottawa, but his second stint in the Bay Area will be short-lived.
The quick-footed Gregor first arrived in the NHL with the Sharks in the 2019-20 campaign, his first in the pros. While he bounced between the NHL and AHL his first two seasons in the organization, he established himself as a full-timer in 2021-22 with a 23-point showing in 63 games while averaging nearly 15 minutes per night, all of which still stand as career highs. While a proper depth offensive presence at times, he’s yet to provide the scoring punch necessary to elevate himself out of a bottom-six or even fourth-line role.
This season marked something of a new low for Gregor. He never gelled in Ottawa after signing a one-year, $850K deal there when free agency opened. He dealt with injuries and was limited to just six points and a -12 rating in 40 games when healthy, averaging 11:21 per game. He also had just one assist and a minus-nine rating in 12 showings with San Jose after the trade. His non-tender is an unsurprising one as the Sharks look to create roster flexibility for more impactful free agent signings and young players graduating to NHL roles.
While he hasn’t seen AHL action in over three years, a two-way deal seems likely for Gregor on the open market this season following his tough 2024-25 showing and burgeoning journeyman reputation. There’s still some late bloomer potential as he turns 27 in July, but he’ll have to work on rounding out his offensive skillset beyond just strong skating ability.