Sharks Sign Ivar Stenberg to ELC + More News & Notes

 At the conclusion of today's Sharks Prospect Development Camp and Scrimmage, the Sharks officially signed their 2026 second overall pick Ivar Stenberg to his three-year, entry-level contract. Stenberg is regarded as one of the best forwards in the 2026 draft class and will fit easily into the Sharks’ top-six forward core next season and for many more years to come. Last season for Frolunda, Stenberg recorded 11 goals, 22 assists, and 33 points in 43 games, leading the SHL in assists and points by a junior. His last season for Frolunda was the fifth-highest scoring season by an 18-year old in SHL history. He also scored four goals, six assists, and ten points at the World Junior Championships at the beginning of this year and helped lead Team Sweden to a gold medal at that tournament. On top of that, Stenberg tallied four goals, four assists, and eight points in eight games for Sweden at this year’s World Championships and led Frolunda to a Champions Hockey League title. 

Speaking of the prospect scrimmage, it took place earlier today at TechCU Arena, in which Team White, coached by Patrick Marleau, defeated Team Teal, coached by Joe Thornton, 5-3. Jake Gustafson, Ivar Stenberg, David Klee, Andre Gasseau, and Teddy Mutryn each scored for Team White, while Carson Wetsch, Max Heise, and Matteo Giampa each scored for Team Teal. 

In addition, San Jose announced a few Barracuda reinforcement signings today, signing forwards Brett Leason and Tye Felhaber along with goalie Kyle Keyser to one-year, two-way contracts. Leason spent most of last season with the Hershey Bears in the AHL, recording 14 goals, 30 assists, and 44 points in 56 games along with two goals in six Calder Cup Playoff games. He also skated in six games for the Washington Capitals. In total, Leason has 54 points (25 goals, 29 assists) in 226 NHL games with the Capitals and Anaheim Ducks, along with 91 points (32 goals, 59 assists) in 170 AHL games. Both Felhaber and Keyser spent last season in the Colorado Avalanche organization. Felhaber registered 15 goals, 16 assists, and 31 points in 63 AHL games with the Colorado Eagles. On the other hand, Keyser split last season between the Colorado Eagles in the AHL and the Utah Grizzlies in the ECHL. He posted a 9-4-1 record, 2.09 goals-against average, .922 save percentage, and two shutouts in 15 AHL games with the Eagles, along with a 6-4-1 record, 2.43 goals-against average, .917 save percentage, and one shutout in 12 ECHL games with the Grizzlies. 

Lastly, the only Sharks player under team control that still needs a new contract before next season is Collin Graf, while Macklin Celebrini and Will Smith are eligible to sign contract extensions but have yet to do so at this time. Most importantly, it is great that the Sharks were able to sign Stenberg to his first NHL contract while he was in San Jose for development camp, and I am greatly looking forward to seeing how he performs during his rookie campaign starting in the fall. 

Sources: Sharks + SAP Center App, Sjsharksnews via Instagram 

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Sharks 2026 Free Agency Day 1 Recap

 Day one of the NHL free agency period is in the books, and it has been quite an eventful one for the San Jose Sharks. There is plenty to cover here, so let’s begin: 

Before diving into the start of free agency for the Sharks, prior to the start of free agency today, the Sharks signed recently-acquired defenseman Michael Kesselring to a new three-year contract worth an average annual value of $4.5 million. It was revealed soon after the contract was signed that Kesselring was dealing with some soreness in his knee for much of last season and was not transparent with the Sabres about it. With this new contract, the Sharks are significantly counting on Kesselring to bounce back and thrive as their middle-pairing right-shot defenseman for at least the next few years. 

Onto the start of free agency this year, and these transactions will be listed in the order they were officially announced. The first free-agent addition added to the Sharks this year is defenseman Jacob Trouba to a four-year contract worth an average annual value of $8.25 million. Known for his solid two-way ability and large, physical presence, Trouba recorded 10 goals, 25 assists, and 35 points in 81 games for the Anaheim Ducks last season, along with one goal in 12 Stanley Cup Playoff games. His goal total from last season is one shy of his career best of 11 set during the 2021-22 season with the New York Rangers, while his assist and point totals from last season were the third-best of his career. He also led Ducks defensemen with 149 blocked shots and ranked second among this group with 143 hits last season. At the start of last season, Trouba became the third defenseman since 2006-07 to register ten or more points and a plus-16 rating or better in the first 15 games of the season. Over the course of his NHL career, Jacob Trouba has amassed 84 goals, 274 assists, and 358 points in 906 games with the Winnipeg Jets, New York Rangers, and Anaheim Ducks, along with five goals, 15 assists, and 20 points in 85 Stanley Cup Playoff games. In addition, Trouba was awarded the Mark Messier NHL Leadership Award in the 2023-24 season. 

The Sharks' second free-agent addition this year is forward Mason Marchment, who signed a five-year contract carrying an average annual value of $6.75 million. Marchment split last season between the Seattle Kraken and Columbus Blue Jackets, recording a combined 19 goals, 26 assists, and 45 points in 68 games. He performed better in Columbus after he was traded there from Seattle in mid December, collecting 32 points in 37 games, including seven multi-point games and a hat trick on January 24 versus the Tampa Bay Lightning. Marchment was tied for second on the Blue Jackets in goals and ranked fifth on the team in points during his tenure in Columbis last season. In total, Mason Marchment has registered 95 goals, 139 assists, and 234 points in 370 career games with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Florida Panthers, Dallas Stars, Seattle Kraken, and Columbus Blue Jackets. He also has 11 goals, eight assists, and 19 points in 59 Stanley Cup Playoff games with the Panthers and Stars, helping the Stars reach three straight Western Conference Final appearances from 2023 to 2025. Marchment's play style and new contract are similar to those of Kiefer Sherwood, and Mason's dad Bryan was a former Sharks player and scout, making this new addition a full-circle moment for him. 

Team Teal's third free-agent addition of significance this year is goalie Eric Comrie on a two-year deal worth an AAV of $1.15 million. Comrie spent last season as the backup to Connor Hellebuyck on the Winnipeg Jets, posting a 12-11-1 record, 3.13 goals-against average, and an .890 save percentage in 25 appearances. His best season to date came in 2024-25 with the Jets, in which he compiled a .914 save percentage, 2.39 goals-against average, and two shutouts, along with a 1.40 goals-against average and .923 save percentage in his first three Stanley Cup Playoff games. In total, Comrie has registered a 45-47-4 record, 3.11 goals-against average, .896 save percentage, and four shutouts in 102 career NHL games with the Jets, Detroit Red Wings, New Jersey Devils, and Buffalo Sabres. Under the Sharks, Comrie will serve as their third-string goalie and insurance in net in case one of Yaroslav Askarov or Alex Nedeljkovic goes down with an injury at any point during the next two seasons. 

After the Sharks made their three major free-agent additions today, they swung a significant trade to further reshape their defense, acquiring Darnell Nurse from the Edmonton Oilers in exchange for defenseman Shakir Mukhamadullin and prospect forward Zack Sharp. No salary retention was involved in this deal. Last season with the Oilers, Nurse recorded seven goals, 17 assists, and and 24 points in 82 games. He led the Oilers in blocked shots and hits, and ranked fourth on the team in average time on ice (20:58). He also ranked ninth among NHL defensemen in blocked shots and third among Oilers defensemen in points. Last season was Nurse's ninth consecutive year of recording at least 100 blocked shots and hits and logging an average ice time of 20 or more minutes per game in a season. In total, Darnell Nurse has compiled 88 goals, 236 assists, and 324 points in 798 career NHL games, along with seven goals, 22 assists, and 29 points in 100 Stanley Cup Playoff games, all with the Oilers. In addition, Nurse served as one of the Oilers' alternate captains from 2019-20 until last season. On the other hand, Shakir Mukhamadullin registered five goals, seven assists, and 12 points in 83 games during his tenure with the Sharks from 2023 to 2026, and Zack Sharp was a fourth-round pick of the Sharks in last year's NHL Draft. 

To round out the first day of free agency this year, the Sharks signed recently-acquired forward Andre Gasseau to a two-year, two-way, entry-level contract. They issued a qualifying offer to forward Collin Graf, but did not issue a qualifying offer to forward Philipp Kurashev as well. At the start of this offseason, I thought the Sharks had a strong possibility of bringing back Vincent Desharnais, but he left in free agency today to join the Washington Capitals on a four-year contract. There was an even greater likelihood that longtime Sharks defenseman Mario Ferraro would walk in free agency, and that is exactly what happened, as he is joining the Winnipeg Jets on a three-year contract. 

In a smaller transaction that has a greater impact on the Barracuda in the AHL, the Sharks signed forward Alex Barre-Boulet, who was a point-per-game player with the Colorado Eagles last season and will bring some much-needed firepower to the Cuda next season. 

Overall, I like the Sharks’ latest additions of Mason Marchment, Jacob Trouba, and Eric Comrie. Marchment should fit in very well on the Sharks’ second or third lines and in a place he was very familiar with growing up. Before he joined the Sharks, I was not the biggest fan of Jacob Trouba, but he is a great fit on this Sharks team as an effective two-way defender and a mentor and protector for the young star players. I see Eric Comrie as a decent third-string goalie for the Sharks, and he should be an upgrade over Laurent Brossoit in this role. However, I am not a big fan of the Darnell Nurse trade due to him being an aging, declining veteran defenseman on an expensive contract. The Sharks also gave up a young defenseman with room to improve in order to land Darnell Nurse, and they did the Oilers a favor by taking on the remainder of his contract. In addition, I believe there were better routes the Sharks could have taken to further address their blue line woes, and I am concerned that Nurse will be stealing valuable ice time from younger defensemen like Sam Dickinson and Luca Cagnoni. On the other hand, if this change of scenery can improve the Sharks defense, and Darnell Nurse can be an effective player in a Sharks uniform, I will view this acquisition in a more positive light. Despite some valid criticisms from analysts and fans regarding the free agent signings and trade made by the Sharks today, I am still confident that the Sharks will perform better and make the playoffs next season. 

Sources: Sharks + SAP Center App, Sjsharks.com, Curtis Pashelka and Sheng Peng via X 

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Sharks 2026 NHL Draft Rounds 2-7 Recap

 Day 2 of the 2026 NHL Draft is complete, and the Sharks have made their final selections in this year’s draft. They had three picks remaining after their masterclass of a first round last night and made a pretty significant re-signing as well. Let’s get into them: 

The first order of business that the Sharks took care of on day two of the NHL Draft is re-signing center Zack Ostapchuk to a four-year contract carrying an average annual value of $2.35 million. Ostapchuk was a solid fourth-line center last season, setting personal bests with four goals and seven points along with tying a career high in three assists in 59 games. He also ranked second on the Sharks last season with a 51.6 percent faceoff win percentage, third on the team in hits with 140, and fourth among Sharks forwards with 2.92 blocked shots per 60 minutes. I am glad that the Sharks signed Zack Ostapchuk to a new contract and are keeping him around for the next four years, and I hope he elevates his game to the next level next season. 

The first selection the Sharks made on day two of the 2026 NHL Draft was goalie Brady Knowling from the U.S. National Team Development Program with the 127th overall pick in the fourth round. Last season with the USNTDP Juniors, Knowling compiled an 8-5-1 record, 3.33 goals-against average, and .886 save percentage in 15 games. These stats rank him first in wins and second in goals-against average and save percentage on his respective squad. Knowling plans to join the Saginaw Spirit in the OHL next season before heading to Boston University the following season. This selection maintains the Sharks' tradition and philosophy of taking at least one goalie in the draft every year. 

The Sharks' second late-round selection made this afternoon was forward Jake Gustafson from the Portland Winterhawks of the WHL with the 174th overall pick in the sixth round. A San Jose native, former Jr. Shark, and son of SAP Center & Sharks Ice Senior Vice President Jon Gustafson, Jake Gustafson recorded 13 goals, 12 assists, and 25 points in 68 games for Portland last season. He is committed to Colorado College starting in the 2027-28 season. 

Lastly, the Sharks' final selection of the 2026 NHL Draft is defenseman Alexander Karmanov from the North Bay Battalion of the OHL with the 201st overall pick in the seventh round. This is a pretty notable pick, as Karmanov is the tallest player to ever be drafted into the NHL at 7'1'' and the first-ever NHL draft pick from Moldova. He began last season with the Brantford Titans of the GOJHL before signing with and finishing the season with the North Bay Battalion. Karmanov recorded three goals, four assists, and seven points in 15 games with Brantford along with two assists in 20 games with North Bay in 2025-26. He is set to attend Penn State University in the fall of 2027-28. 

With these six selections, the 2026 NHL Draft will go down as one of the greatest drafts in Sharks history. Besides their three first-round picks from last night, I like each of the Sharks' later-round selections that they made today and hope each of them are future studs in the making. Next up, the Sharks begin their prospect development camp next week, and NHL free agency opens on July 1. I cannot wait to find out what Big Money Mike Grier is cooking up for the Sharks to begin free agency. Stay tuned to CPF Hockey for more updates. 

Sources: NHL Network, Sjsharks.com, Sharks + SAP Center App, Sjsharksnews via Instagram, Curtis Pashelka via X 

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Sharks 2026 NHL Draft Round 1 Recap

 Another historic draft for the San Jose Sharks is in the books, and it’s safe to say that they are by far the biggest winners of this year’s NHL Draft with their three selections made in the first round tonight. Let’s begin and explain why: 

The Sharks’ first selection made tonight was left wing Ivar Stenberg from Frolunda HC in the Swedish Hockey League with the second overall pick. Stenberg is regarded as one of the best forwards in the 2026 draft class and will fit easily into the Sharks’ top-six forward core next season and for many more years to come. Last season for Frolunda, Stenberg recorded 11 goals, 22 assists, and 33 points in 43 games, leading the SHL in assists and points by a junior. His last season for Frolunda was the fifth-highest scoring season by an 18-year old in SHL history. He also scored four goals, six assists, and ten points at the World Junior Championships at the beginning of this year and helped lead Team Sweden to a gold medal at that tournament. On top of that, Stenberg tallied four goals, four assists, and eight points in eight games for Sweden at this year’s World Championships and led Frolunda to a Champions Hockey League title. 

San Jose’s second first-round pick in this year’s draft is defenseman Keaton Verhoeff from the University of North Dakota at no. 9 overall. Verhoeff projects as the Sharks’ franchise cornerstone top defenseman and has high offensive potential. The Sharks struck two birds with one stone with this pick as Verhoeff was both best player available and filled an organizational need. Last season for North Dakota, Verhoeff recorded six goals, 14 assists, and 20 points in 36 games, ranking top-three among  North Dakota blueliners in all scoring categories. He also recorded four assists in five games in the latest World Junior Championships, leading Team Canada to a bronze medal in that tournament. Verhoeff will more than likely play at least one more season at North Dakota before turning pro. 

The Sharks’ last pick in the first round this year was at no. 21 overall, which was acquired in a trade with the Philadelphia Flyers for picks 27, 62, and 120 in this year’s draft. With the 21st overall pick, the Sharks moved up six spots to select defenseman Ryan Lin from the Vancouver Giants of the Western Hockey League. He is projected to be a complementary piece to the Sharks blue line of the future. Last season with Vancouver in the WHL, Lin recorded 14 goals, 43 assists, and 57 points in 53 games, leading Vancouver blueliners in assists and ranking second in points and fourth in goals among this group. He is committed to playing for the University of Denver next season. 

NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman brought out PWHL San Jose’s 4th overall pick and Olympic Gold medalist Laila Edwards to announce the Sharks’ selections at 2nd and 9th overall. I love all three of these selections made by the Sharks in the first round of this year’s draft. I especially see the selections of Stenberg and Verhoeff as absolute no-brainers. No matter what the Sharks do for the rest of this year’s draft, they have already earned a grade of A++ in my and the rest of the hockey world’s eyes. The NHL is about to have a San Jose problem in the next few years, and the rest of the league should be terrified. I was greatly looking forward to the Sharks taking the next step towards playoff contention next season at the end of last season and the start of this offseason, and I am even more thrilled for them now. 

The 2026 NHL Draft resumes tomorrow morning with rounds 2-7, and the Sharks now have three picks remaining this year, with their next selection at 127th overall in round 4. It will be interesting to see if the Sharks potentially trade back up or down the draft board or use their remaining draft capital to acquire another defenseman that can improve their roster immediately tomorrow morning. Watch this space for my recap of the rest of this year’s NHL Draft from the Sharks’ perspective coming sometime tomorrow after the entire draft is complete. 

In other news, yesterday the Sharks announced that they re-signed restricted free agent forward Ethan Cardwell to a one-year, two-way contract, which carries a cap hit of $850k at the NHL level. He spent most of the 2025-26 season in the AHL with the Barracuda, recording seven goals, eight assists, and 15 points in 24 games. He also had a brief stint with the Sharks in November, scoring one goal in seven NHL games. However, Cardwell's 2025-26 season was unfortunately cut short due to injury. I can definitely see Ethan Cardwell bouncing back next season and potentially receiving more opportunities to earn a bottom-six NHL role as well. 

Sources: ESPN, Sharks + SAP Center App 

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Sharks Trade William Eklund + Prospects to Senators for 9th Overall Pick

 The Sharks pulled off a big trade this afternoon, sending forwards William Eklund, Kasper Halttunen, and Brandon Svoboda to the Ottawa Senators for the 9th overall pick in Friday's NHL Draft. 

The biggest piece in this deal that is departing the Sharks is William Eklund, who has been a great forward for San Jose the past few seasons. Most recently during the 2025-26 campaign, Eklund compiled 15 goals, 38 assists, and 53 points, which were good for seventh, second, and fourth on the team in each respective category. His Sharks tenure concludes with a total of 50 goals, 113 assists, and 163 points in 252 games. As for the prospects involved in this trade, Kasper Halttunen completed his first full season in the AHL with the Barracuda last season, recording 16 goals, 19 assists, and 35 points in 69 games, along with one assist in two Calder Cup playoff games. Brandon Svoboda appeared in 35 games for Boston University last season, scoring six goals, nine assists, and 15 points. The Sharks now have three picks (2, 9, 27) in the first round of Friday's draft. 

In other news, earlier today, the Sharks re-signed defenseman Nolan Allan to a two-year contract. It carries a cap hit of $875k at the NHL level next season and then becomes a one-way deal worth $900k in year 2 of the contract. Ever since he was acquired by the Sharks from the Blackhawks in the midst of last season, Allan recorded two goals, 12 assists, and 14 points in 35 AHL games for the Barracuda. He is aiming to compete for a spot on the Sharks' NHL roster next season and potentially slot into a bottom-pairing role on the blue line. 

Overall, William Eklund has been one of my favorite Sharks players during his five-year tenure in San Jose, and I am sad to see him leave to join another team. However, on the flip side, Eklund gets to reunite with his best friend Fabian Zetterlund in Ottawa, and this trade all but guarantees that the Sharks will select Ivar Stenberg with the second pick and a top defenseman with the ninth pick on Friday. Another aspect worth mentioning here is that since William Eklund was originally a draft pick made by previous Sharks GM Doug Wilson, Mike Grier was more willing to part ways with Eklund in order to make further improvements to his roster. By letting go of William Eklund now, and if their draft strategy on Friday goes to plan, the Sharks should be better off in the long run regarding their top six forward core and blue line. 

Sources: Sharks + SAP Center App, Locked on Sharks

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Sharks Acquire Andre Gasseau from Bruins

 The Sharks made another trade following the one involving Michael Kesselring, acquiring the rights to unsigned forward Andre Gasseau and the 120th overall pick in this year's draft from the Boston Bruins in exchange for picks 104 and 157 in this year's draft. 

A former seventh-round selection of the Bruins in 2021, Gasseau is a Southern California native and a former teammate of Will Smith at Boston College. He recently completed his senior season at Boston College, serving as Team Captain and recording six goals, 17 assists, and 23 points in 23 games. These stats were good for fourth among Boston College skaters in scoring this past season. In total, Gasseau has compiled 43 goals, 68 assists, and 111 points in 135 NCAA games to complete his collegiate career. Both Gasseau and Smith were members of the Boston College team that advanced to the NCAA national championship game during the 2023-24 season. He has until August 15 to sign with the Sharks before he becomes an unrestricted free agent, which should not be an issue for Team Teal. Overall, this is a relatively minor deal as of now but could become an underrated pickup down the road if all goes to plan. 

Sources: Sharks + SAP Center App, Curtis Pashelka via X 

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Sharks Acquire Michael Kesselring from Sabres

 The Sharks have made their first trade of the 2026 offseason, acquiring veteran defenseman Michael Kesselring and the 27th overall pick in this year's draft from the Buffalo Sabres in exchange for the 20th overall pick in this year's draft. 

The big fish in this deal is Kesselring, who is a 26-year-old, big-body, right-shot blueliner with a decent two-way ability. Last season with the Sabres, Kesselring recorded two assists in 34 games and appeared in one Stanley Cup Playoff game. Despite his 2025-26 season being hampered by injuries, Michael Kesselring ranked third among Buffalo skaters in blocked shots per 60 (5.00). In total, Kesselring has 12 goals, 43 assists, and 55 points in 190 career games with the Arizona Coyotes, Utah Mammoth, and Buffalo Sabres. His best season to date was his second full NHL season with Utah, in which he scored seven goals, 22 assists, and 29 points in all 82 games. Kesselring has some familiarity with Sharks head coach Ryan Warsofsky, as Warsofsky coached Kesselring on Team USA during last year's IIHF World Championships and led them to a gold medal in that tournament. 

Overall, this first trade of the offseason for the Sharks is a big step in the right direction in helping revamp their defense. Kesselring fits the bill in the type of defenseman the Sharks are looking to add this offseason, and I believe he can bounce back and potentially thrive on a new, up-and-coming team and system like the Sharks. I had a feeling that after seeing the initial notification about this trade that the later of the Sharks' two first-round picks would be involved, and trading back a bit in the first round of this year's draft should not be a big deal for the Sharks in this scenario. I also wonder how this trade impacts the other moves the Sharks might make this offseason, and I am looking forward to hearing how else San Jose improves its roster before next season. 

Source: Sjsharks.com 

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