- Erik Karlsson could be back this week as well, as San Jose Sharks head coach Bob Boughner told reporters including Curtis Pashelka of the Bay Area News Group that the veteran defenseman could suit up on Thursday. Karlsson was in the midst of a bounce-back season before undergoing forearm surgery in January and hasn’t played in nearly two months. In his first 33 games, the two-time Norris Trophy winner had 26 points, already eclipsing his total from the 2020-21 season.
Sharks Rumors
AHL Shuffle: 03/08/22
It’s an extremely busy Tuesday in the NHL, with 11 games on the docket. That includes a big eastern matchup between the Florida Panthers and Pittsburgh Penguins, and an incredibly important match between the Dallas Stars and Nashville Predators. Those two central teams are neck and neck in the playoff race, meaning any head-to-head action is a huge opportunity to gain ground. As those teams and others prepare for action, we’ll keep track of all the minor league shuffling.
Atlantic Division
- The Ottawa Senators have reassigned Dillon Heatherington to the AHL, after he failed to get into any games on this most recent recall. The veteran minor league defenseman last played for Ottawa in December but continues to be a depth piece that’s recalled as injury insurance. He has zero points in nine NHL games this season.
- The Florida Panthers have sent Spencer Knight back to the AHL, after he stopped 29 of 30 shots yesterday against the Buffalo Sabres for his tenth win of the season. Knight continues to bounce up and down in order to get the most playing time possible, while the Panthers rely on Sergei Bobrovsky for the vast majority of the NHL action. Jonas Johansson, technically the NHL backup, has seen just a single game since being acquired in December.
- The Toronto Maple Leafs returned Mac Hollowell to the minor leagues today, as they welcomed Rasmus Sandin back to the ice after dealing with an illness. It’s unlikely Sandin plays tonight, though with him at least a possibility the team no longer needed Hollowell on the NHL roster.
Metropolitan Division
Central Division
- The Chicago Blackhawks have recalled Alec Regula to the NHL once again, and he was skating on the third pairing at practice according to Charlie Roumeliotis of NBCS Chicago. The 21-year-old defenseman has played in four games for the Blackhawks this season and is still looking for his first NHL point.
- The Dallas Stars have sent Marian Studenic to the AHL on a conditioning assignment, something that’s understandable given he hasn’t played since the Stars claimed him off waivers last month. Studenic has appeared in 17 games this season, all with the New Jersey Devils, and has one goal.
- Per The Athletic’s Jeremy Rutherford, the St. Louis Blues have recalled forward Alexey Toropchenko from the AHL’s Springfield Thunderbirds (tweet). The forward has zero points in five games in the NHL this season, but does have a solid 20 points in 42 games at the AHL level.
Pacific Division
- The San Jose Sharks have reassigned Jasper Weatherby and Santeri Hatakka to the AHL, suggesting that some players–particularly Erik Karlsson—could be available to play in the coming days. Weatherby, meanwhile, has spent most of the season with the Sharks, playing in 45 games so far and racking up ten points. The 24-year-old forward is still waiver-exempt, meaning he can move up and down without issue whenever the team needs him again.
- Earlier today, the Edmonton Oilers sent defenseman Markus Niemelainen down to the AHL’s Bakersfield Condors. The 23-year-old has split time between the NHL and AHL this season, tallying 7 points in 23 games at the AHL level and just one assist in 20 games at the NHL level.
This page will be updated throughout the day
Trade Deadline Primer: San Jose Sharks
As the calendar turns to March, the trade deadline is inching closer. Where does each team stand and what moves should they be looking to make? We continue our look around the league with the San Jose Sharks.
The Sharks are a team in transition. From 2015-16 through the 2018-19 season, the Sharks made the playoffs each year, winning six playoff series in the process. But a Stanley Cup championship eluded them, and since falling to the Blues in the 2018-19 Western Conference Final the Sharks have not been back to the playoffs, finishing in the league’s basement in each of the past two seasons. Longtime GM Doug Wilson has stepped away from the team on indefinite medical leave, and assistant GM Joe Will has a host of decisions to make in his boss’ absence as the trade deadline nears. The Sharks are unlikely to make the playoffs this season, and as a result, it is up to Will to navigate the Sharks’ decision-making process with several players of note hitting unrestricted free agency. They are probably going to be sellers, but how far will they go?
Record
24-25-7, 7th in the Pacific
Deadline Status
Seller
Deadline Cap Space
$16MM today, $21.7MM in full-season space, 47/50 contracts used, 0/3 retention slots used per CapFriendly
Upcoming Draft Picks
2022: SJS 1st, SJS 3rd, SJS 4th, BUF 5th, SJS 6th, SJS 7th, ARZ 7th, MIN 7th
2023: SJS 1st, SJS 2nd, SJS 3rd, SJS 4th, SJS 5th, SJS 6th, SJS 7th
Trade Chips
The discussion surrounding the Sharks’ trade deadline approach has rightfully revolved around center Tomas Hertl. Hertl is an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season, and he has spent his entire career with the Sharks since being drafted by the team in the first round of the 2012 draft. Hertl is a top-six center, occupying the sweet spot in between being a low-end first-line center and being an elite second-line option. Hertl had an offensive breakout in 2018-19, when he scored 35 goals and 74 points in 77 games, and he has been hovering just under the point-per-game mark for the past two seasons. He has 22 goals and 42 points in 52 games so far this year, and 30 goals and about 65 to 70 points is a reasonable expectation for Hertl, who is right in his prime as a 28-year-old player. Hertl isn’t a suffocating defensive presence but he also isn’t a slouch in that area either, and he drives play well enough to handle being the centerpiece of his own line. He’s a truly valuable player, the kind of player numerous NHL clubs would like to add. But Hertl’s virtues complicate his status as a trade chip, as the Sharks are “taking a run” at keeping Hertl, according to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet. The Sharks have good reason to want to extend Hertl, he’s a fantastic player for all the reasons previously mentioned, but should the two camps not be able to arrive at a deal before the trade deadline, expect Hertl to return a significant bounty of assets to the Sharks from whatever team acquires him.
After Hertl, the Sharks don’t have any additional players who profile as true difference-makers set to be available at the deadline. That’s not to say they don’t have some attractive assets, though. One of those assets is Alexander Barabanov. Like his frequent linemate Hertl, Barabanov is also a pending unrestricted free agent. After a long career in the KHL, Barabanov first made his way into the NHL with the Toronto Maple Leafs, but struggled there and was traded to the Sharks. With the Sharks, Barabanov found immediate success, posting 7 points in 9 games for the big club in 2020-2021, and this season he has found chemistry with the Sharks’ scorers to the tune of eight goals and 27 points in 48 games. He’s enough of a skilled offensive player to be able to fit on one of a team’s scoring lines and has been productive this year. He should be able to provide a team with some solid secondary scoring and the ability to play higher in the lineup should a more accomplished skill player have trouble with injuries. His cap hit is only $1MM, which makes him an ideal candidate for teams tight up against the upper limit of the salary cap. If a team needs some scoring depth at a cheap price, (both on the cap sheet and in terms of acquisition cost) Barabanov is a solid option.
One more winger the Sharks could shop to other teams is veteran Andrew Cogliano. Cogliano has an expiring $1MM cap hit, like Barabanov, but his play style could not be more different. Cogliano is now 34 years old, and whereas he once could reliably provide thirty-plus points of offense he now has seen that production mostly dry up. He has only four goals and 14 points on the season, but at this point he wouldn’t be acquired for his offense. It’s his penalty killing, reliability, and veteran leadership that gets him paid these days, and those three things that he brings to the table are coveted by many general managers across the league. Cogliano probably won’t return much for the Sharks, but for a team looking to add some reliable reinforcements to their special teams and their bottom-six, Cogliano is a proven, respected player to target.
Others to Watch For: G James Reimer, F Ryan Dzingel, D Jaycob Megna
Team Needs
1) Draft Picks
The Sharks, like many teams struggling on the fringes of the NHL’s playoff races, need more talent. Due to management’s uncompromising chase of a Stanley Cup this past decade, the Sharks have seen their pipeline of young talent erode. They have had some quality players emerge from their system, like Mario Ferraro, but in total young players like him have been few and far between. The Sharks now have an improved prospect system, ranked 14th leaguewide by the Athletic’s Scott Wheeler (subscription required) but they still could use more should some of their prospects not pan out as hoped. When approaching this season’s trade deadline, a priority should be adding to the team’s stable of draft picks, a collection that is currently missing the additional valuable picks that many other rebuilding clubs can boast.
2) Investment in Young Goalies
A goalie, perhaps more than any other player on the ice, can change a team’s fortunes in any given game. With the decline and then eventual departure of Martin Jones, the Sharks lost the player they once believed would be their long-term answer in net. This past offseason, the team traded a 2nd round pick for the Coyotes’ Adin Hill, but he has not had an ideal season for the Sharks. He has played in 24 games and has a .901 save percentage, which is not a confidence-inspiring number. To put it simply, the Sharks need more options to decide who will be their goalie long-term. The Sharks do not have a blue-chip goaltending prospect in their system, and since the 2016 draft, they have only selected two netminders. One has to wonder if developing goalies has been an organizational priority in the past, but from the perspective of the deadline, that isn’t relevant. What matters is that the Sharks need to make finding a long-term goalie a priority, and they can start at this trade deadline.
Photo Courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Erik Karlsson And Jaycob Megna Expected To Return Thursday
- The Sharks are hoping to have defenseman Erik Karlsson back in the lineup on Thursday, relays Curtis Pashelka of The Mercury News. He has been out for the last six weeks with a shoulder injury that has been giving him trouble since the start of the season although it hasn’t held him back offensively as the 31-year-old has 26 points in 31 games. Pashelka adds that blueliner Jaycob Megna could also return on Thursday. The 29-year-old underwent surgery last month to repair a foot fracture, one that carried a recovery timeline of four-to-six weeks. It appears he’ll be on the short end of that range.
James Reimer Out Week-To-Week
- James Reimer is considered out week-to-week according to head coach Bob Boughner, who spoke with Curtis Pashelka of The Mercury News. Reimer’s injury further explains why the San Jose Sharks traded for–and subsequently recalled from the AHL–Alex Stalock. Adin Hill is still out with an injury, though Boughner explained that the goaltender “felt good” this morning. Losing Reimer is a pretty hefty blow to the Sharks’ fortunes, as the veteran netminder was having a nice bounce-back season and has a .916 save percentage in 34 appearances.
San Jose Sharks Acquire Alex Stalock
Another goaltender was dealt for future considerations last night, as Alex Stalock is now on his way to the San Jose Sharks from the Edmonton Oilers. The veteran netminder was originally not expected to play at all this season after being diagnosed with myocarditis but has now appeared in five games for the Bakersfield Condors.
Stalock, 34, actually has a long history with the Sharks. Drafted 112th overall by the team in 2005, he suited up 62 times for San Jose over parts of five seasons. That included an incredible rookie run in 2013-14 when he posted a .932 save percentage in 24 appearances, even getting into three postseason games when Antti Niemi struggled in the playoffs. It’s been years since he was part of the Sharks organization though, leaving them in 2016 when he was part of the deal that brought James Reimer over from the Toronto Maple Leafs.
After a few seasons in Minnesota, Stalock was actually claimed off waivers by the Oilers in the 2020-21 season, but never appeared for the club at the NHL level. His future is relatively unclear at this point, though it has been good to see him back on the ice after many ruled him out completely. In five appearances with the Condors, he has a 3-1 record and a .862 save percentage.
For the Oilers, there were already enough goaltenders in the system to fill out the minor league spots, with Stuart Skinner obviously needing the most playing time whenever he’s in the AHL. In San Jose meanwhile, the Sharks are dealing with an emergency recall of Zachary Sawchenko while Adin Hill deals with injury, meaning Stalock may actually get a look in the NHL if healthy enough to do so.
Santeri Hatakka Returned To AHL
- With the San Jose Sharks now off until Saturday, they’ve returned Santeri Hatakka to the minor leagues for the time being. The 21-year-old defenseman hasn’t played in the NHL since November, but could end up seeing some time as the Sharks deal with several injuries in the coming weeks.
Ferraro Moved To IR; Hatakka Recalled From AHL
- The San Jose Sharks have recalled Santeri Hatakka from the AHL, after Mario Ferraro went on injured reserve. Ferraro is expected to miss six to eight weeks, meaning there could be an extended look for some of the team’s even younger defenders.
Sharks’ Mario Ferraro Out Six To Eight Weeks
The San Jose Sharks have been dealt a major blow to their already dwindling playoff hopes. Promising young defenseman Mario Ferraro underwent surgery on Sunday to repair a fractured left fibula, the team announced. The timeline for recovery is six-to-eight weeks; with less than nine weeks remaining in the season and the Sharks outside the postseason picture, Ferraro will have limited if any impact over the remainder of the year.
The injury occurred on Saturday night as the Sharks faced off with the Boston Bruins. During a battle for the puck in his own end, Ferraro was the recipient of a somewhat questionable check from opposing forward Taylor Hall. Hall shoved Ferraro from behind and he slid into the end wall, with the impact causing immediate and apparent pain. Ferraro was helped off the ice – clearly injured – but a broken leg is one of the worst case scenarios for the team.
Ferraro, 23, has impressed since day one of his young NHL career, but was on pace for his best season to date. The UMass standout has been seeing increased ice time and was on pace for a career high in goals, points, hits, and takeaways, having already set a career mark in blocked shots. A budding top-pair defenseman, if not already there, Ferraro has been a critical part of San Jose’s success this season.
Even with Ferraro’s contributions thus far, the Sharks are just a .500 team. While they have remained at or above that mark all season, doing so moving forward will be a difficult task. Ferraro will join Erik Karlsson, Nikolai Knyzhov, and Jaycob Megna on the injured reserve while Nicolas Meloche also remains sidelined, leaving San Jose with a severely depleted blue line. Nine points behind the Dallas Stars for the final playoff spot in the West and with four other teams between them in the wild card race, the Sharks’ postseason hopes now look like a long shot, especially if Ferraro misses the maximum eight weeks.
Erik Karlsson's Shoulder Injury Actually Occurred In September
Although Erik Karlsson got off to a very strong start to his season, the defenseman told reporters, including Curtis Pashelka of The Mercury News, that he actually suffered the forearm injury that has him out of the lineup now back in September. The veteran had 26 points in 33 games for the Sharks before the pain became too much to overcome. Karlsson has since undergone surgery and is believed to be roughly two weeks away from returning to the lineup and will certainly be a welcome addition to a San Jose squad that is trying to climb their way back into the postseason picture.