- From one high-profile search to another, it appears the San Jose Sharks are also planning to narrow their list of candidates for their vacant General Manager position this week, says The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun. It’s unclear who exactly would be on the Sharks’ shortlist, though LeBrun says the organization has had lengthy interviews of 4 to 6 hours each with a dozen candidates. The organization made clear after former GM Doug Wilson stepped down that they would take their time finding his replacement. Much like the Flyers, the organization has shown they are not interested in a lengthy rebuild and would like to find a GM who shares that vision (link).
Sharks Rumors
Joachim Blichfeld Signs In SHL
The San Jose Sharks won’t be able to rely on Joachim Blichfeld as an injury call-up next season, as the young forward has signed a two-year contract with the Vaxjo Lakers in the SHL. The team will be able to retain his exclusive rights by issuing a qualifying offer but this is a disappointing turn for a franchise that will need young talent in the coming years.
Blichfeld, 23, made his NHL debut during the 2019-20 season and got into another handful of games in 2020-21, before spending the entire 2021-22 campaign in the minor leagues. The 6’2″ winger was excellent for the San Jose Barracuda, scoring 24 goals and 45 points in 61 games but failed to even earn a single call-up, other than a short period on the taxi squad when it was brought back in January.
He then suited up for Denmark at the World Championship, where he scored another five goals in seven games, an impressive total that easily led the squad. All of that doesn’t really matter for the Sharks now as they’ll lose him for the next two years at least, and perhaps longer if Blichfeld decides to stay overseas. While he wasn’t someone they had invested a ton of resources into–Blichfeld was a seventh-round pick, 210th overall in 2016–he did represent some nice depth for the organization.
San Jose Sharks Sign Gannon Laroque
After giving him an AHL tryout deal in April, the San Jose Sharks have announced that they have signed defenseman Gannon Laroque to his full entry-level contract. Sharks interim GM Joe Will gave the following statement about Laroque as part of the team’s announcement:
Gannon had a very strong season with Victoria and was arguably the most improved prospect in our system. He has displayed an impressive blend of steady, defensive play matched with an ability to generate offense. We’re excited about working with him to continue his development.
Will noted that Laroque was possibly the Sharks’ “most improved” prospect, and he’s probably right. Laroque, 18, had a draft year with the Victoria Royals where he didn’t produce a significant amount of offense, posting only 7 points in 21 games. This season, after going 103rd overall to the Sharks, Laroque found another gear to his game and put up 52 points in 63 games. The Royals didn’t have the best season, going 23-39-6, but Laroque was one of the bright spots on the team and grew into being their most important defenseman.
Laroque stands at six-foot-two, 190 pounds, and has made himself into a threat on the offensive side of the ice. The improvements to his game show why the Sharks drafted him just outside of the top-100, and Laroque earning his entry-level deal and getting into a few AHL games before he even turns 19 is a testament to how fast his prospect stock has risen. Laroque will in all likelihood return to Victoria next season and hope to have another strong WHL campaign.
Offseason Checklist: San Jose Sharks
The offseason has arrived for half of the league’s teams that weren’t playoff-bound plus those who were eliminated early in the postseason. It’s time to examine what they will need to accomplish over the coming months. Next up is a look at San Jose.
After being a consistent playoff threat including 14 appearances in a 15-year stretch, things haven’t gone as well for the Sharks in recent years as they’ve missed in three straight seasons. With a veteran-laden roster and minimal flexibility from a salary cap perspective, it’s a big checklist for them to navigate through this summer.
Hire A GM
Before even getting into what needs to be done, the Sharks need to determine who is going to do the work. Interim GM Joe Will clearly has the green light to make moves as evidenced by the contract extensions for Alexander Barabanov and Jaycob Megna earlier this month. Ownership has expressed an openness to having Will take the team through the draft and potentially into free agency as well. While that’s a nice short-term vote of confidence, it doesn’t seem as if Will is considered a strong candidate for the full-time position.
But it isn’t just a matter of who the next GM will be, it’s when that person takes over. If Will has control going into free agency, it’s possible he makes decisions that his successor won’t like. That makes that scenario a tough one to play out. As a result, determining who the full-time GM will be and getting that person under contract as soon as possible needs to be at the top of their priority list.
Move A Goalie
Most of the time, a three-goalie system isn’t tenable for a full season. San Jose was able to make it work after the trade deadline with Adin Hill missing time but he’ll be fully recovered for training camp. James Reimer is still on the roster while Kaapo Kahkonen was brought in at the deadline in the Jacob Middleton trade. At first glance, it sure seems like one of them needs to be moved.
Kahkonen is the youngest of the three at 25 and is a restricted free agent this summer. To move a quality young blueliner for him only to trade Kahkonen away later doesn’t seem likely to happen. Instead, a multi-year contract that buys out some UFA years is probably their preferred outcome if they can afford it on the cap.
That leaves Hill and Reimer battling for one spot. Both players have one year left on their contracts and will be UFA-eligible in 2023. The cap hits are nearly identical ($2.25MM for Reimer, $2.175MM for Hill). But when it comes to age and experience, there’s a big difference as the 34-year-old Reimer has 433 career NHL appearances while the 26-year-old Hill sits at 74. If the Sharks are prioritizing the longer-term, Hill has the most upside but it’s also possible that it comes down to if one is willing to sign an extension this summer. Neither netminder is likely to carry much trade value but it would be tough for the Sharks to carry all three on the roster in October.
Meier Extension Talks
Back in 2019, the Sharks signed winger Timo Meier to a four-year, $24MM contract as a restricted free agent. On its own, the AAV was reasonable and it allowed him to still be RFA-eligible at the end of the deal. But his contract was the most extreme of the backloaded contracts done that summer as his salary for next season is $10MM. Since that deal was signed before the new CBA, he’s not subjected to the new rule where the qualifier is the lower of the previous salary or 120% of the AAV. In other words, they have to qualify him at $10MM next summer if he’s not on a new contract by then.
A few years ago when the salary cap was steadily on the rise, the number would have been a little inflated but potentially manageable. Now, with the Upper Limit barely moving for the time being, offering Meier $10MM isn’t manageable, at least with the state of the rest of their roster.
While Meier is signed for next season already, there is a pressure point of sorts this summer. In an ideal world, San Jose doesn’t want him to enter 2022-23 without a new deal in place. Getting to next summer where Meier either has to be let go or qualified at an above-market rate isn’t palatable for the team. As a result, finding a suitable extension now has to be a priority. Meier is worth a raise on his current AAV and is coming off a career year that saw him pick up 35 goals and 41 assists but it shouldn’t be up to $10MM per season. Whoever is named as the permanent GM is going to have a big negotiation this summer as a result.
Free Up Cap Space
The Sharks have some big contracts on the books, especially on the back end where they have over $31MM in commitments and that doesn’t include RFA Mario Ferraro who is coming off a season where he logged 23 minutes a game. Even without arbitration eligibility, he’s in a good position to command a sizable raise of his own off his entry-level salary.
Right now, San Jose could get through the summer okay. They could try to sign Ferraro and Kahkonen for one year, sign their other RFAs to one-year deals, trade a goalie, and manage to narrowly stay cap-compliant by carrying a roster close to the minimum size. But will they be any better than they’ve been the last few seasons? Probably not. Looking ahead to the 2023 summer, they’ll have 11 players signed at just over $57.5MM which doesn’t leave a lot of wiggle room for improvement in the future either, especially considering Meier needs a new deal that summer.
As a result, if they want to add an impact player or even have the flexibility to shake up their roster, they need to move a big contract. Brent Burns ($8MM through 2024-25), Erik Karlsson ($11.5MM through 2026-27), and Marc-Edouard Vlasic ($7MM through 2025-26) are the oft-discussed possibilities although they each have at least some form of trade protection and not a particularly robust trade market because of their contracts. No one said it would be easy but for the Sharks to have a chance to shake things up, they will need to find a way to move out one of those rearguards.
Resolve Kane Grievance
There is one other factor at play when it comes to San Jose’s summer and that’s the Evander Kane situation. The expectation is that it will be resolved by the start of free agency but there is still plenty of uncertainty surrounding whether or not his deal will be put back on their books, the termination will be upheld, or, most likely, a settlement is reached which is what happened with the Kings and Mike Richards when things went down that path back in 2015. The details of any potential settlement will go a long way towards determining what space they have to work with this summer and how much extra emphasis will have to be placed on clearing out one of their existing contracts. The sooner they find out the end result of this, the better.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images. Contract information courtesy of CapFriendly.
Jaycob Megna Leaves Worlds Due To A Family Emergency
Prior to their semi-final game against Finland today, the United States found themselves down another defenseman as it was revealed by Daily Faceoff’s Chris Peters (Twitter link) that Sharks defenseman Jaycob Megna had left the team to tend to a family emergency. That left the Americans with just four healthy defensemen for the game while the team is out of available roster slots which meant they weren’t able to add Montreal blueliner Jordan Harris – who has skated with the team as an extra all tournament – to the roster. Sam Lafferty and Riley Barber, both forwards, comprised the third pairing and will likely do so again on Sunday when they battle Czechia for the bronze while Finland and Canada go for gold.
San Jose Sharks Sign Mitchell Russell
The San Jose Sharks have added another prospect, signing Mitchell Russell to a three-year, entry-level contract. The financial details of the deal were not disclosed. Sharks general manager Joe Will released a short statement on the free agent forward:
Mitchell is a character player and leader on the ice with good production that helps his team win. He has a strong pedigree as a skater who was selected in the first round of the OHL Draft.
Russell, 21, played his overage season with the OHL’s North Bay Battalion this year, and scored 41 goals and 88 points in 64 games. More impressive has been his playoff run, where he’s been basically unstoppable with 11 goals and 22 points in nine games, as the Battalion walked through Ottawa and Kingston without issue.
The interesting part about signing players like this is that Russell can move directly into the AHL next season and make an impact on the organization. Undrafted, his strong play is enough to land an entry-level contract, as the Sharks obviously saw something they like.
It will be a challenge for Russell to bring that production over to the professional ranks, but he’ll certainly have a coach that knows what it means to make an impact without big offensive totals. John McCarthy, named San Jose Barracuda head coach this week, was a seventh-round pick that had to find different ways to contribute in order to maintain his long playing career.
San Jose Barracuda Make Coaching Change
It’s another end of an era in San Jose. After the organization parted ways with long-time NHL general manager Doug Wilson, there is a huge change coming in the AHL as well. The San Jose Barracuda have appointed John McCarthy as their new head coach, announcing that Roy Sommer will move into a senior advisory role.
Sommer, 65, has been the head coach of the Sharks’ top affiliate for the past 24 seasons. That time includes years with the Kentucky Thoroughblades, Cleveland Barons, Worcester Sharks, and Barracuda, which resulted in the most wins of any AHL coach and an AHL Coach of the Year award in 2017. In his new role, he’ll assist Barracuda general manager (and acting Sharks GM), Joe Will, in scouting and player development.
McCarthy meanwhile is moving up from his role as a development coach with the Barracuda, but has a history with the organization that goes back long before he took on those responsibilities. Selected 202nd overall by the Sharks in 2006, he was the epitome of hard work and dedication, carving out a long professional career that included 88 NHL games and five years as captain of the Barracuda.
The young coach released the following statement on his new job:
I am honored to be named the head coach of the San Jose Barracuda. I have been a member of this organization for 13 years and could not be happier to have this opportunity. I’d like to thank the organization for putting their faith in me to lead this group, and I’m excited to get to work on developing the next wave of players for the Sharks.
San Jose also announced several other coaching changes. Assistant coach Jimmy Bonneau has been moved back to his previous role as a professional scout, assistant Michael Chiasson has accepted a position as an agent with CAA Hockey, and goaltending coach Dany Sabourin will not return to the organization next season.
Snapshots: San Jose, Kuzmenko, Bellamy
The San Jose Barracuda will be hosting the AHL All-Star festivities in 2024 after their new Tech CU Arena is opened next season. It’s interim San Jose Sharks general manager Joe Will who released a statement about the event today, as he is still also the GM of the Barracuda at the moment:
Hosting the AHL All-Star Classic is an incredible opportunity to shine light on the City of San Jose, our facilities and our organization. None of this could have been possible without the vision and support of our owner Hasso Plattner who saw the immense value in moving the Barracuda to San Jose seven years ago.
Though the Barracuda were not very good this season, they have a strong history of success since arriving in San Jose in 2015. The team has made the playoffs in five of the six times they were held, and twice made it to the third round. With the All-Star game now on the horizon, you can bet there will be an investment into some of the more well-known names in the coming years to make sure they have a strong contingent at the event.
- Another reporter has indicated that the Vancouver Canucks are on the short list for Russian free agent Andrei Kuzmenko, as Rick Dhaliwal of CHEK TV tweets that the team is a finalist in the sweepstakes. A decision is still not expected for another few weeks, according to Kuzmenko’s agent Dan Milstein. The 26-year-old had 20 goals and 53 points in 45 games this season and has also been linked to the Carolina Hurricanes, Edmonton Oilers, Nashville Predators, and Vegas Golden Knights, among others.
- The PHF continues to make news this month, after announcing record contracts and big additions to the league leaders. Once again it’s the latter, as eight-time World Champion Kacey Bellamy has been named Scout and Player Relations Liaison for the upstart league. Bellamy, 35, was a huge part of the U.S. national team for more than a decade and won gold at the 2018 Olympics. Notably, she was also part of the PWHPA for the last two years, meaning another important figure has crossed the line.
Montreal Canadiens Win 2022 NHL Draft Lottery
Beginning this season, the full effect of the changes to the draft lottery rules announced last year are in place. Starting this year, teams can only move up a maximum of 10 spots if they’re selected, meaning teams originally set at picks 12, 13, 14, 15, and 16 cannot move up all the way to the first overall pick. A win for one of these teams in the first draft lottery secures the pick for the team that finished last.
The team with the best odds coming in will win the draft lottery for the second straight year, though. The Montreal Canadiens will pick first overall in their own building, the first time such an occurrence has happened since 1985 when the Toronto Maple Leafs drafted Wendel Clark at Maple Leaf Gardens. The New Jersey Devils moved up from fifth overall to second overall, bumping down the Arizona Coyotes, Seattle Kraken, and Philadelphia Flyers down one spot each.
The order for the top 16 picks of the 2022 NHL Draft is as follows:
- Montreal Canadiens
- New Jersey Devils
- Arizona Coyotes
- Seattle Kraken
- Philadelphia Flyers
- Columbus Blue Jackets (via Chicago Blackhawks)
- Ottawa Senators
- Detroit Red Wings
- Buffalo Sabres
- Anaheim Ducks
- San Jose Sharks
- Columbus Blue Jackets
- New York Islanders
- Winnipeg Jets
- Vancouver Canucks
- Buffalo Sabres (via Vegas Golden Knights)
While Shane Wright is still the consensus no. 1 overall selection across public draft boards (and NHL Central Scouting), there’s been recent noise about players like Juraj Slafkovsky and Logan Cooley potentially challenging him for first overall. That’s an upset unlikely to happen, though, as Wright had a terrific second half of the 2021-22 campaign, finishing with 32 goals, 62 assists, and 94 points in 63 games with the OHL’s Kingston Frontenacs. He also has 10 points in eight playoff games at the time of writing. While teams will draft him for his elite playmaking ability, he’s got an underrated shot when he chooses to use it as well. Standout Slovak defenseman Simon Nemec, Czech defenseman David Jiricek, Canadian forward Matthew Savoie, and Finnish forward Joakim Kemell are also names to watch for near the top of the draft board.
Latest On Sharks’ Offseason Plans
The San Jose Sharks announced a pair of extensions today, locking up Alexander Barabanov and Jaycob Megna for the next two years. Those deals were necessary for two players who have found a home in San Jose but certainly not the headline-making news that fans are hoping for, now that the team is going to be under new management.
Long-time general manager Doug Wilson has stepped down, leaving the Sharks with Joe Will as interim manager until a more permanent solution is found. When that new solution is found, however, there will be some huge questions to be answered in terms of the direction of the team. After an almost unprecedented era of regular season success, that saw the Sharks qualify for the postseason in 19 of 21 seasons, they’ve missed the playoffs in each of the last three and now face some difficult decisions.
The biggest among those: what to do with an aging, expensive defense corps?
The Sharks have $26.5MM in cap hits tied up in three defensemen that will all be at least 32 at the end of this month. Erik Karlsson, the youngest of the three, carries an $11.5MM cap hit through 2026-27. Marc-Edouard Vlasic, 35, is signed at a $7MM cap hit through 2025-26. And then there is franchise legend Brent Burns, who despite turning 37 a few months ago, is still carrying an $8MM cap hit through 2024-25.
It is Burns’ future that is perhaps the most intriguing. Karlsson and Vlasic each have full no-movement clauses, blocking any potential trade unless they approve it but Burns will have to submit a new list on July 1, one which would allow the Sharks to trade him to three teams without getting his approval again. While that obviously doesn’t give them much wiggle room, Burns’ front-loaded contract, shorter term, and still strong play have at least sparked some speculation. On today’s 32 Thoughts podcast, Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet explained:
I believe they had some trade talks with a couple of teams on Karlsson this year. However, I don’t think that has gone anywhere, and I’m told it’s not that likely, because it’s just a big contract. Burns has three years left, the contract in terms of actual salary goes down, and he’s still a heck of a player.
I just think that everybody recognizes here that there is the possibility this might be one of the ways that the Sharks try to break up their logjam, as long as they get what they want. I was told specifically by one of the teams that they are not giving Burns away. That is just not happening. There is a package they want and they are going to demand it.
Though the contract carries an average annual value of $8MM, Burns is owed just $16.5MM over the last three years of the deal, $3.5MM of which will be due in signing bonuses next season.
Despite his age, Burns has continued to be a huge factor for the Sharks on the ice. He averaged more than 26 minutes a night this season, played in all 82 games, and racked up another 54 points. Though some may think of the veteran defenseman as an offense-only player, he actually logged nearly three minutes a night on the penalty kill this year, while recording a career-high 150 blocked shots. That level of play is obviously still valuable, but there is so much risk in having nearly a third of the salary cap tied up in those three aging defensemen.
One can see exactly why by dissecting the play of Vlasic, who has taken several steps back in recent years. Once one of the most feared shutdown defenders in the entire league, his playing time was slashed dramatically this season, to the point where he was averaging just over 15 minutes a night when he was in the lineup. A buyout is one way out for the Sharks but if they went that direction this offseason, they’d be carrying a substantial cap hit through 2029-30. Friedman and co-host Jeff Marek both agree that while a buyout did seem like a possibility, Will spoke as though Vlasic would be coming back at the team’s end-of-year media availability.
An interesting wrinkle in all of this is the situation surrounding Mario Ferraro, arguably the team’s most valuable defenseman behind Burns. The 23-year-old is a restricted free agent this offseason and could be in line for a hefty raise, if the team wanted to sign him long-term. As it stands that doesn’t really even seem possible with so much money tied up elsewhere, meaning the team could have to go short-term and try again later; Ferraro does not have arbitration rights this offseason and would theoretically have to sign his qualifying offer if the team wanted to squeeze him (or an offer sheet elsewhere).
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images