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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