Sharks strong offseason brings hope on the horizon

It was not a quiet offseason for the San Jose Sharks, who, like most teams, took advantage of an increase in the salary cap.

For a team that has finished at or near the bottom in each of the past three seasons, this summer marks the first signs that general manager Mike Grier may be looking to move out of the tanking phase of the rebuild and into a period of more competitive hockey—one that doesn’t leave the team out of playoff contention by Christmas.

The additions to the roster include veteran defenseman Dmitry Orlov, center Jeff Skinner, and netminder Alex Nedeljkovic, who arrived in a trade from Pittsburgh on July 1. In another semi-surprising move, San Jose also acquired veteran enforcer Ryan Reaves to add a physical presence to a team that often lacked it last season.

Is this the year the Sharks’ offseason moves pay off and lead to a magical Cup run? Probably not—unless this is some fantastic video game scenario where San Jose gets to play the rest of the league on rookie difficulty. But it’s worth taking a closer look at each position group to assess the full impact of these summer moves.

Big Additions at Forward: Jeff Skinner, Philipp Kurashev, Adam Gaudette, and Ryan Reaves

Though Skinner is a couple of years removed from some of his best seasons in Buffalo—where he scored more than 30 goals in back-to-back years—the 33-year-old winger should still provide an upgrade in the goal-scoring department compared to what San Jose had at the end of last season. In Edmonton, where Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl dominated the spotlight, Skinner’s role was clearly reduced, with his average ice time per game dropping to the lowest point of his career. After signing, he admitted the obvious: with so much top-end talent in Edmonton, it was hard to find scoring opportunities. He’s hoping to get back to his game in San Jose.

“Having gone through the season I did last year, my offensive production wasn’t up to my standard. I’d like to improve on that production and try to help the team any way I can,” Skinner said.

Skinner will likely slot in on the second line, possibly with Will Smith or William Eklund, depending on head coach Ryan Warsofsky’s lineup choices. Excluding players traded at last year’s deadline, Skinner’s 16 goals would have ranked fifth on the Sharks, just behind Eklund. With more ice time and young talent around him, look for Skinner to improve on his 29-point season from last year.

Kurashev is a more uncertain case. At 25, there’s still some promise that he could reach his potential in the right situation. He showed playmaking ability in 2023–24 with 36 assists and 18 goals, but last season he managed only 14 points in 51 games on a struggling Chicago team. The Sharks will be hoping a change of scenery brings him back to form. His exact spot in the lineup is tough to project—he could center the third or fourth line or shift to the wing alongside Alex Wennberg. He’s a bit of a wildcard, but his speed and athleticism should keep him in the lineup, even if he doesn’t break into the top six.

Gaudette is another intriguing addition. With the salary cap increase, the Sharks still need to spend wisely, and Gaudette looks like a calculated gamble. His most encouraging stat wasn’t his point total but his efficiency: 19 goals in limited ice time, averaging just 10:25 a night. On a two-year, $4 million deal, the Sharks are betting he can surpass his 26 points from last season if given more minutes.

For his part, Gaudette admitted he may have been called up to the NHL too quickly and now feels his game is in a more mature place. “Early in my career, I was called up pretty quick, whereas maybe I should have stayed in the AHL a little longer,” he said. “Going back down there and putting the work boots on to become an everyday NHL player—that was my main focus.”

If he can build on last year’s success with more ice time, a 20-goal season isn’t out of the question.

As for Reaves, it’s unclear how much he’ll play. At 38, and with his primary role being to enforce physically, his minutes will likely be limited. Still, on the nights he does dress, the Sharks will benefit from his physical presence—something Eklund shouldn’t be tasked with providing. The trade for Reaves raised eyebrows given San Jose’s defensive struggles, but the front office clearly sees value in him as a role player. Expect him to appear occasionally, adding toughness and intimidation, even if his best years are behind him.

Orlov was perhaps the most surprising move of the summer and San Jose’s biggest free-agent splash in years. A stay-at-home defenseman with offensive upside, he brings much-needed stability to a blue line that has lacked direction. Orlov hinted that conflicts with Carolina’s front office pushed him to seek a change, and Brent Burns’ positive words about San Jose helped seal the decision.

“With the last two years it wasn’t easy for me mentally, so I kind of just tried to move far away [from that],” Orlov said.

The Sharks’ forward prospects have drawn plenty of attention, but their defensive pipeline is less certain. With no clear successor to Marc-Édouard Vlasic and a young goalie expected to see regular time, Orlov’s simple, defensively responsible style will be crucial.

Big Additions at Defense: Dmitry Orlov and John Klingberg

“With the last two years it wasn’t easy for me mentally, so I kind of just tried to move far away [from that],” Orlov said.

Klingberg, if healthy, should provide stability as Orlov’s partner. He was limited to just 11 games last season due to a lower-body injury but contributed to Edmonton’s Stanley Cup Final run once recovered. This offseason, Klingberg finally had a chance to train normally instead of rehabbing.

“With a full, healthy summer of workouts instead of rehab, I feel like it’s just going to get better and better,” he said.

If he stays healthy, Klingberg and Orlov should form San Jose’s top pairing, logging heavy minutes against opponents’ best forwards. Pairing Klingberg with a younger defenseman like Shakir Mukhamadullin is an option, but the Sharks will likely need their two veterans playing together as much as possible.

Big Addition in Net: Alex Nedeljkovic

Nedeljkovic is expected to split time with Yaroslav Askarov, though the plan seems to be for Askarov to get the majority of starts. That could change depending on how camp and the season unfold, but the last thing the Sharks want is to overwhelm a young goalie behind a developing defense.

Nedeljkovic fits perfectly as a reliable backup—good enough to step in when needed, but not threatening enough to block Askarov’s path. With Mackenzie Blackwood and Alexandar Georgiev in the fold last season, the crease was too crowded to promote Askarov. Now, Nedeljkovic represents the “Goldilocks Zone”: just right for supporting a developing starter.

What It All Means

So, what do these moves mean for the Sharks’ playoff hopes? In the short term—not much. Despite clear improvements, San Jose is still far from being a true contender. That’s okay. The goal shouldn’t be to make the playoffs this season but to stay out of the draft lottery conversation.

Fans have been told to be patient and look toward the future, and that remains true. Still, this year should provide a “proof of concept” for the rebuild. Even if the Sharks don’t go on a run, the expectation is that they’ll be competitive, energetic, and not a pushover against stronger teams.

The roster now has enough talent to avoid being a doormat and to prove that the rebuild is moving in the right direction.