The NHL free agent frenzy has begun, and there have been many players that signed new deals today, whether it be with new teams or to stay with their current teams. Some trades were sprinkled in as well.
Plenty of transactions took place around the NHL on the first day of free agency, but I will just cover the ones involving the Sharks and former Sharks players in this post. Let's begin:
- The Sharks signed forward Nick Bonino to a two-year contract with a $2.05 million AAV. Bonino last played with the Minnesota Wild last season and is expected to fill the role of third-line center during his tenure with the Sharks starting next season. He scored ten goals and 16 assists for 26 points in 55 games with the Minnesota Wild during the 2021 season. His point totals from last season are tied for sixth on the Wild. Bonino also led the Wild in faceoff percentage (52.8%) and blocked shots among their forwards (50). He was initially drafted by the Sharks in the sixth round in 2007 but never previously played a game for San Jose. So far in his NHL career, Bonino has played 12 seasons with the Ducks, Canucks, Penguins, Predators, and Wild, recording 132 goals, 176 assists, 308 points, and 197 penalty minutes. He has appeared in the Stanley Cup Playoffs 10 of those 12 seasons, scoring 19 goals and 29 assists for 48 points in 105 playoff games. Bonino won the Stanley Cup twice in 2016 and 2017 with the Penguins and has been in the top 15 in Selke Trophy voting twice in his career (2018-19, 2019-20).
- The Sharks added another depth forward via free agency in Andrew Cogliano to a one-year, $1 million deal. Cogliano recorded five goals, six assists, 11 points, and 24 penalty minutes in 54 games with the Dallas Stars last season. He was third among Dallas forwards in short-handed ice time and fifth among Dallas forwards in blocked shots (24) during the 2021 season. So far in his NHL career, Cogliano has scored 240 goals, 170 assists, 410 points, and 371 penalty minutes in 1,066 games with the Oilers, Ducks, and Stars. He has also played in 100 Stanley Cup Playoff games and recorded 10 goals and 18 assists for 28 points with the Ducks and Stars, including the 2020 Cup Final with the Stars. Cogliano has the the sixth-longest consecutive games streak in NHL history with 830 games from October 4, 2007 to January 13, 2018 and played in 99.2% of his team's games that he's been able to play in.
- The Sharks found their 1A goalie in free agency via James Reimer, signing him to a two-year contract with an AAV of $2.25 million. Reimer previously had a stint with the Sharks as the backup to Martin Jones during the 2015-16 season when he was acquired from the Maple Leafs at the trade deadline. He was solid during the limited time he saw in net with the Sharks that season when they made their first-ever Cup Final appearance, earning a 6-2-0 record with a 1.62 record, .938 SV%, and three shutouts. Last season with the Hurricanes, Reimer had a 15-5-2 record with a 2.66 GAA and a .906 SV% in 22 games. In his two seasons in Carolina, James Reimer had a 2.66 GAA and a .910 SV%. In addition, Reimer has earned at least a .910 SV% or better in seven of his eleven seasons in the NHL. Over the course of his NHL career, Reimer has earned a 173-131-43 record, 2.79 GAA, and a .913 SV% with the Maple Leafs, Sharks, Panthers, and Hurricanes, along with a 5-5-0 record, 2.70 GAA, and a .925 SV% in 11 playoff games. Heading into next season, the Sharks' goaltending tandem will consist of Reimer and Adin Hill, which is already an upgrade over any combination of Martin Jones, Devan Dubnyk, Josef Korenar, and/or Alexei Melnichuk from last season.
- In addition to the free agency additions, the Sharks made a minor trade with the Coyotes by acquiring forward Lane Pederson for a 2024 fourth-round pick. Pederson recorded one goal and two assists for three points in 15 games with the Coyotes last season. He made his NHL debut on April 2 against the Ducks and scored his first NHL goal in his debut. Pederson also scored seven goals and 10 assists for 17 points with the Tucson Roadrunners of the AHL last season.
- It didn't take long for recently bought-out Martin Jones to find a new team, as he signed a one-year, $2 million deal with the Philadelphia Flyers to become the backup to Carter Hart next season.
- Former Sharks forward Kurtis Gabriel signed a one-year, $750k league minimum deal to join the Toronto Maple Leafs. Last season with the Sharks, Gabriel appeared in 11 games with the Sharks and recorded 55 penalty minutes, having invigorated the Sharks during a portion of the season with his increased physical presence. He was also a King Clancy Memorial Trophy finalist this past season, having raised awareness and stood up for the LGBTQ+ community throughout his time off the ice.
- The Sharks also signed defenseman Jaycob Megna and recently-acquired forward Nick Merkley to new one-year contracts. Megna spent last season as the captain of the AHL Barracuda.
- Former Sharks goalie Aaron Dell signs a one-year, $750k deal with the Buffalo Sabres. Dell spent much of last season with the New Jersey Devils.
The Sharks' free agent signings on the first day of free agency were great as they filled immediate needs on their roster, which were in goaltending and center depth. All three of the Sharks' newest free agent players were signed for under $5 million combined, which looks awesome against the salary cap. I am most excited about the Bonino and Reimer signings as both are great fits in San Jose.
Lastly, I read a report confirming that Patrick Marleau will not return to the Sharks next season, and I have no idea what's next for him. We will find out soon.
I wouldn't be shocked if the Sharks either make only minor moves or don't make any more moves until the start of next season in October. With the improvements the Sharks have made so far this offseason, I am already excited for what's in store for them this coming season, and truly believe that they can compete for a playoff spot in 2022.
Sources: Sharks + SAP Center App, NHL Discussion via Instagram
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