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Offseason Checklist: Chicago Blackhawks

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The offseason has arrived for half of the league’s teams that aren’t taking part in the playoffs.  Accordingly, it’s now time to examine what they will need to accomplish over the coming months.  Next up is a look at Chicago.

The Blackhawks had a rough 2022-23 season but were big winners in the lottery, allowing them to get a franchise piece in Connor Bedard.  However, GM Kyle Davidson stayed the course with the end result being another rough season in the standings.  Regardless of whether the ping pong balls fall their way on May 7th, Chicago will need to focus more on the near-term future this summer compared to the long-term future.  Here’s what should be on their checklist in the coming months.

Start Building Up: Frankly, this could be the only item on their checklist this summer.  The Blackhawks have only made the playoffs once in the last seven years, really leaning into a longer-term rebuild under Davidson.  In that time, they’ve amassed a strong group of prospects that should form the nucleus of a long-term core.

But playing them all at the NHL level at once is a recipe for trouble.  It’s a mistake that other teams have made as well, not providing enough veteran support.  To his credit, Davidson attempted to hedge against that this past season with the additions of Taylor Hall, Corey Perry, and Nick Foligno, moves that had varying degrees of success.

Is the time right to throw caution to the wind and make some big splashes this summer?  Probably not.  But they can follow the path they took last summer, adding some shorter-term veterans to allow their core prospects to have ample time to develop properly.  Ideally, this wouldn’t just be with forwards this time around but also a quality veteran defender.

In his end-of-season presser, Davidson indicated that the Blackhawks need to start taking some steps forward in the win-loss column but was quick to indicate that he doesn’t want to take on some big contracts and lose long-term flexibility.  Accordingly, it would make sense to look to see if there’s another Hall-type trade available to take on a shorter-term deal while adding a future asset (for relieving the other team of a contract they can no longer afford).  Failing that, turning to free agency to add a handful of pieces to up the level of competitiveness will need to happen.

These moves, which likely will be the bulk of their offseason activity, won’t get them back into the playoffs but it would be a step toward playing more competitive games later into the season while allowing some prospects more time to develop in lower roles.  If they do that, they’ll be better off for it down the road.

Decide On Reichel’s Future: On the free agent front, most of the heavy lifting has been done.  The team re-signed several veterans in-season while Alex Vlasic inked a six-year contract earlier this week, taking their most prominent RFA off the table.

Among the ones that remain, Lukas Reichel stands out.  He has been viewed for a while now as one of the pieces of their long-term core.  A first-round pick in 2020 (17th overall), the Blackhawks were patient with him in his first two seasons in North America, giving him 50-plus games with AHL Rockford each time.  He was quite productive in those appearances, averaging just shy of a point per game.

However, NHL success has been harder to come by.  He impressed in a late-season stint in 2022-23, cementing a spot on Chicago’s roster to start this season.  However, Reichel struggled mightily in the NHL this season, notching just five goals and 11 assists in 65 games.  Along the way, that has caused some to wonder if he’s more of a trade chip over being part of their long-term plans.

It’s a question that Davidson and the Blackhawks will have to ponder as well.  It’s not a matter of signing him to a long-term deal like Vlasic, that’s clearly off the table.  It’s a given that he’s getting a short-term bridge contract.  But are they better off giving him another chance on what should be a deeper roster or moving him while his value should still be relatively high?  There are quite a few teams who would be willing to take a flyer on the idea that a change of scenery will get him going.

It might seem a bit early to have this thought but Reichel is waiver-eligible heading into next season so there’s no opportunity to have him playing big minutes with the IceHogs if he struggles out of the gate.  And if he has another season like this one in 2024-25, his value will drop considerably.  While Chicago can certainly kick this decision down the road, there’s some risk to doing so if they’re not convinced that Reichel can rebound.  Accordingly, this is something they’re likely to be deciding on, particularly closer to the draft in June.

To Tender Or Non-Tender: This time last year, to say that the Blackhawks would have any sort of thinking to do when it comes to tendering Taylor Raddysh would have seemed crazy.  After all, he was coming off a breakout year, notching 20 goals in his first full season with Chicago.  At a minimum, it looked like they had a capable middle-six winger on their hands and that he’d be heading for a nice raise for 2024-25.

But this season, things didn’t go as well.  He stayed in that middle-six role pretty much all season, even spending some time on the top line.  But this time, Raddysh scored just five goals and added only nine assists in 73 games.  A shooting percentage of 4.2% is certainly one that stands out as an outlier but that alone isn’t enough to say he can get back to his 2022-23 form.

The value of Raddysh’s qualifying offer itself isn’t an issue – it’s a little under $815K.  However, he’s arbitration-eligible this time around and that 20-goal campaign will be a factor.  If it goes to a hearing, it’s quite possible that he gets somewhere around the $2.25MM teammate Philipp Kurashev received from an arbitrator last year; more than that is a real possibility.  Is it worth giving him a one-year deal in that neighborhood to see if he can rebound?

Or, would they be better off using someone like Frank Nazar in that role for around 16 minutes a night?  Failing that, is that a lineup spot that could be earmarked for a veteran addition, one who can be a bit more of a contributor offensively?  But on the flip side, is walking away from a 26-year-old who’s one year removed from a 20-goal season the right course of action for a rebuilding team?  These are questions they’ll have to ponder before the tender deadline two months from now.

Add A Veteran Goalie: This is something that don’t necessarily have to do but they could certainly benefit from doing so.  Yes, Petr Mrazek made a career-high 53 starts this past season but he also has a long track record of injuries.  Meanwhile, backup Arvid Soderblom’s first full NHL campaign was one to forget.  He’s young enough to still be a part of their future plans if he can turn things around though so they’re probably not inclined to walk away from him now.

However, it would be beneficial to perhaps add some competition for that backup spot or at least a capable option if Mrazek’s injury woes return.  We’ve seen some teams become open to the idea of carrying three goalies and perhaps the Blackhawks could be one of them.

There will be several free agent netminders who are in that ‘tweener’ area where they might not quite be full-time NHL material but would be strong starters in the minors, serving as capable depth.  The acquisition of a player like that would help allow Drew Commesso to keep playing big minutes with Rockford while working with a quality veteran.  If the veteran stays up with Chicago in a full-time third-string role, then there’s still a spot for Jaxson Stauber, another pending RFA, to stick around.

Between the four that are either signed or under club control, the Blackhawks have enough goalies that they don’t need to add another veteran to the mix.  However, when you factor in the player-specific circumstances, they could certainly stand to add one over the coming months.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Metropolitan Notes: Capitals Defensemen, Martin, Ciernik

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The Capitals lost another defenseman yesterday when Trevor van Riemsdyk sustained an upper-body injury.  Head coach Spencer Carbery told reporters including Sammi Silber of The Hockey News that the veteran won’t be available for a must-win Game Four with Washington now on the brink of elimination.  While Vincent Iorio skated today, he was in a non-contact jersey and won’t be available tomorrow either.  However, Rasmus Sandin and Nick Jensen both took part in practice and haven’t been ruled out yet for Sunday’s contest.  If one of them can’t play, Hardy Haman Aktell will make his NHL playoff debut.  Carbery indicated that, for now, the team isn’t planning to recall Chase Priskie, the only defenseman left on an NHL contract, from AHL Hershey.

More from the Metropolitan:

  • The Islanders will be making a lineup change today up front as they look to stay alive versus Carolina. The team announced (Twitter link) that winger Matt Martin is unavailable due to a lower-body injury so winger Ruslan Iskhakov will make his NHL playoff debut.  Martin has been a long-time mainstay on New York’s fourth line but saw his production wane this season as he was limited to just eight points in 57 games.  Iskhakov, meanwhile, was a quality producer in the minors for the second straight year, notching 50 points in 69 games while recording an assist in his NHL debut earlier this month.  While the team will be missing some physicality with Martin out, Iskhakov might give them a better shot at scoring, an area of concern as they’re averaging just two goals per game through the first three games of the series.
  • Flyers prospect Alex Ciernik has inked a one-year deal with Nybro of Sweden’s Allsvenskan, per a team release. The 19-year-old was a fourth-round pick by Philadelphia last June, going 120th overall.  Ciernik had a decent showing this season in his first full professional campaign, notching 14 points in 26 games with Vasterviks along with three assists in six contests in a relegation series.  The Flyers hold Ciernik’s rights through June 1st, 2027 so they have plenty of time still before they need to sign him.

Jets Recall Axel Jonsson-Fjallby

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Following a third-period collapse in Friday’s loss to Colorado which saw the Jets allow five unanswered goals, they’ve opted to make a roster move.  The team announced today (Twitter link) that they’ve recalled winger Axel Jonsson-Fjallby from AHL Manitoba.

The 26-year-old split the regular season between the Jets and Moose.  Jonsson-Fjallby started the season in the minors after clearing waivers in training camp but after coming up on emergency recall in mid-November, he wound up sticking around for nearly three months.  He played in 26 games along the way, picking up two goals and three assists plus 30 hits while averaging a little over eight minutes a night.

While he wasn’t much of an offensive threat in Winnipeg, Jonsson-Fjallby was one at the AHL level, tallying a dozen goals and 18 assists in 41 regular season contests.  He also played in both playoff contests but Manitoba was eliminated by Texas in the opening round.  Accordingly, Jonsson-Fjallby might not be the only player coming up to the big club in the coming days as the Jets will likely put together a ‘Black Aces’ squad to keep skating through the playoffs.

Examining The 2024 International Free Agent Market

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With the college free agent market pretty much wrapped up, it’s time to take a look at the international market.  Unlike college free agency, most of these players are older and have multiple professional campaigns overseas under their belts, allowing for the possibility that they’ll be able to have a bigger impact with their new teams next season.  Several players have already found an NHL organization to join; here’s a rundown of some of the remaining names of note that could garner NHL interest in the days and weeks ahead.

F Andrei Chivilyov

Chivilyov joined powerhouse SKA St. Petersburg in the KHL midseason so his minutes were limited after that and his offensive numbers were relatively low as a result.  However, he’s a year removed from a 28-point campaign and brings a strong defensive game to the table.  His ceiling is probably a little lower than some others on this list but the 24-year-old profiles as a depth center which could be appealing to teams looking to add options down the middle.

G Christian Heljanko

Smaller goaltenders tend to get looked over and at 6’0, that’s a concern for the 27-year-old.  However, he was one of the top goalies in Finland this season and statistically, was the top netminder in the playoffs in the Liiga.  Considering there are some teams who will be looking for cheap goaltender depth, this is the type of player that’s worth a one-year flyer.  He’ll be capped at a one-year contract as he remains eligible for an entry-level deal.

G Filip Larsson

If the name sounds familiar, Larsson was a Detroit prospect until 2022 when he was non-tendered.  He spent most of his entry-level deal on loans overseas and simply didn’t play well.  However, the 25-year-old moved up to the SHL level this season and posted a 1.93 GAA and a .920 SV% in 28 games, good for a tie for second league-wide in save percentage.  Larsson has another year on his deal so it’s possible he stays in Sweden but if an NHL team comes calling, he could opt to give playing in North America a second look.

D Atro Leppanen

File this one under the late-bloomer category.  Leppanen played in Finland’s second-tier Mestis level until this season, when he made the jump to Liiga with Sport after lighting it up the year before.  The 25-year-old was pretty productive in his first taste at the top level, finishing 11th in league scoring by defensemen with a dozen goals and 16 assists in 55 games, earning him some EHT appearances for the first time.  That should get him on the NHL radar this time around.

F Juuso Maenpaa

The 21-year-old was tied for 11th in Liiga scoring this season with 12 goals and 37 assists and tied for the lead in playoff points with two goals and 12 helpers in just 13 games.  That type of production stands out.  However, so too does a 5’7 frame which is what likely had him go undrafted.  Will that continue to scare teams away or will a team take a chance on his playmaking abilities?

F Adam Najman

Another strong playmaker, Najman was tied for 11th in Extraliga scoring this season with a dozen goals and 33 assists in 49 games, a small improvement on the 38 points he put up a year ago.  The 23-year-old isn’t the biggest (6’0) but plays bigger than his size and is willing to get to the dirty areas which should appeal to scouts.  There’s a question as to if his playmaking is NHL-caliber or more AHL-caliber but either way, he should be worthy of a look.  However, he recently signed in Finland so that look could wind up waiting until next year.

F Jakub Rychlovsky

Until this season, Rychlovsky had been more of a depth scorer but the 22-year-old broke out this year, notching 26 goals and 20 assists in 51 games in the Extraliga.  For context, he had 34 points in 138 games over parts of five seasons heading into this one.  A strong shooter, there should be teams willing to take a flyer on him and get Rychlovsky into their farm system to see if the improvement was a one-off or a sign of things to come.  He’s not a true free agent – he’s signed overseas through 2025-26 – but the transfer agreement will allow an NHL team to sign him now.

F Justin Schutz

The former Florida prospect hadn’t been much of an impactful offensive player in his first few years in the DEL; his career-high in goals was 11 coming into this season.  However, a move to Kolner Haie jumpstarted that offensive game as he collected 27 goals and 16 assists in 52 games.  Schutz turns 24 in June but with the Panthers previously feeling he was worth being drafted, the offensive breakout alone might help him get a second opportunity.

F Marcus Sylvegard

Last season, Sylvegard had a breakout year and this season, he showed that it wasn’t a fluke.  The 24-year-old winger recorded 41 points for the second straight time while surpassing the 20-goal mark for the first time.  That said, he’s likely to be more of an energy player in North America but has enough of a scoring touch that makes him one of the better players on this list.  Florida, Colorado, and Calgary were among the teams known to be interested in signing him as of last month.

F Maxim Tsyplakov

We end with the most notable name in this year’s class.  The 25-year-old had a breakout campaign with KHL Spartak, notching 31 goals in 65 games this season.  He also plays a physical style, one that should lend itself well to the smaller North American ice surfaces.  It’s unlikely that he will have the same time of impact Andrei Kuzmenko did when he signed with Vancouver but with a high number of teams interested in signing him, Tsyplakov should be in an NHL lineup when the puck drops on the 2024-25 campaign in the fall.

Central Notes: Yurov, Stastney, Hayes

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Wild prospect Danila Yurov won’t be making the jump to North America next season after all, at least at the start.  Championnat’s Pavel Novikov reports that the 20-year-old has inked a one-year extension with Magnitogorsk Metallurg of the KHL, keeping him signed through next season.  Yurov was the 24th overall selection back in 2022 and had a particularly impressive showing this year, notching 21 goals and 28 assists in 62 games, good for the team lead in scoring while finishing 17th in points league-wide.  Countryman Marat Khusnutdinov went to the NHL after his KHL campaign ended back in February and since Minnesota hasn’t signed Yurov to an entry-level deal yet, it’s possible that he follows that path next season.

More from the Central:

  • The Predators lost Friday’s third game against Vancouver and also lost a blueliner in the process with the team announcing (Twitter link) that Spencer Stastney suffered an upper-body injury. The injury occurred early in the first period on a hit from Dakota Joshua; a major penalty for boarding was initially assessed before being dropped to a minor.  Postgame, head coach Andrew Brunette didn’t have an update on Stastney’s condition.  The 24-year-old only played in 20 games during the regular season but has suited up in all three postseason games so far.
  • The Blackhawks have re-assigned prospect Gavin Hayes to the minors, per an announcement from their AHL affiliate in Rockford. The winger was a third-round pick in 2022 (66th overall) and split the season between OHL Flint and Soo, combining for 37 goals and 39 assists in 55 games along with 16 points in 11 postseason contests for the Greyhounds.  Hayes has already signed his entry-level deal and will now get a taste of professional hockey before playing there full-time next season.

Injury Updates: Demko, van Riemsdyk, Girard

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To say there has been a lot of speculation about Thatcher Demko’s injury would be a considerable understatement.  After playing the series opener against Nashville, Demko was ruled as out day-to-day and then week-to-week soon after, fueling plenty of theories about the nature of the injury.  Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports (Twitter link) that the best way to qualify this injury is that it’s a unique one.  The Canucks are hopeful that it’s not as bad as they initially feared and it might not be something that surgery can ultimately fix.  Accordingly, they don’t have an idea of the true timeframe for a return other than he’s not going to be back within the next week or two.

Other injury news from around the postseason:

  • It has been a rough playoff on the injury front for Washington’s back end. Already missing Rasmus Sandin and Nick Jensen to injury, Ethan Bear (Player Assistance Program), and injury recall Vincent Iorio, the team announced (Twitter link) that rearguard Trevor van Riemsdyk sustained an upper-body injury in the first period and did not return.  He was injured on a hit from Matt Rempe who received a minor penalty for interference on the play.  Now down 3-0 in the series, the Capitals will have to turn to Hardy Haman Aktell if none of Sandin, Jensen, Iorio, or van Riemsdyk can return for Sunday’s fourth game.
  • The Avalanche welcomed back defenseman Samuel Girard tonight against Winnipeg as NHL.com’s Tracey Myers relayed (Twitter link). The 25-year-old suffered a concussion late in the regular season against the Jets and hadn’t played since then.  Girard had a bit of a down year for Colorado as he was limited to 18 points in 59 games, the lowest output of his career while his ATOI dipped to 19:23, the lowest since his rookie season.  Still, as a top-four blueliner, his return was certainly a welcome one.

Atlantic Notes: Sabres, True, Forbort, Brazeau

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The Sabres dealt from their center depth at the trade deadline, moving Casey Mittelstadt to Colorado for Bowen Byram.  Now it appears that they’ll be on the hunt for more help down the middle as David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period relays that Buffalo will be looking for a reliable two-way third-line center next season.  Internally, they were hoping that Peyton Krebs would have some success in that role but he struggled this season, notching just 17 points in 80 games.  Zemgus Girgensons has played down the middle regularly in the past but is a pending UFA and better suited for a spot on the fourth line so it makes sense that GM Kevyn Adams will be looking outside the organization to try to fill that spot.

More from the Atlantic:

  • Panthers minor leaguer Alexander True is expected to sign with Modo of the SHL next season, report SportExpressen’s Johan Svensson and Adam Johansson. The 26-year-old was once viewed as a possible part of San Jose’s plans but moved on after four years with the organization and hasn’t seen NHL action since 2021-22.  True, who has five assists in 27 career NHL appearances, has spent the full season with AHL Charlotte, notching 19 points in 55 regular season games.  A pending restricted free agent, it looks like he has decided to try his hand elsewhere instead of sticking around for another year in the minors.
  • Bruins defenseman Derek Forbort and winger Justin Brazeau both skated with the team today as they work their way back from their respective injuries but aren’t expected to play on Saturday, notes Steve Conroy of the Boston Herald. Forbort is believed to be a little ahead of Brazeau in terms of their potential game readiness so it’s possible that Boston could have another option available to them on their back end at some point this round.  Forbort was limited to just 35 games this season where he had four assists while Brazeau picked up five goals and two helpers in just 19 appearances after having his contract converted to an NHL deal back in February.

Kraken Re-Assign Eduard Sale To AHL

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In recent days, Seattle has been signing some of their junior prospects and then assigning them to the AHL to keep their seasons going.  When it comes to Eduard Sale, he was already under contract but he will also continue his 2023-24 campaign as the Kraken have re-assigned him to AHL Coachella Valley, per the AHL’s transactions log.

The 19-year-old was a first-round pick by the Kraken last year, going 20th overall.  He was rated considerably higher than that heading into the season but a quiet season with HC Kometa Brno of the Czech Extraliga hurt his stock despite good showings playing against his own age group in the World Juniors and World Under-18s.

This season, Sale decided to try his hand in North America, coming to the OHL where Barrie held his rights.  He was a bit quieter than expected offensively, collecting 20 points in 25 games with them before being moved to Kitchener at the trade deadline where his output dipped a bit more to 18 points in 24 contests.  In between, he did well again at the World Juniors, averaging a point per game.  Sale finished up his junior campaign on a high note, notching 12 points in 10 games before Kitchener was swept in the second round.

Now, Sale will join the Firebirds for his first taste of North American professional hockey.  Having been drafted out of his native Czechia, he’s not subject to the usual NHL/CHL transfer restrictions.  Accordingly, Sale will be eligible to play in the minors full-time next season if Seattle decides they want to test him at a higher level so a good showing in the coming weeks could certainly make a difference in their plans for him.

11 Teams Face Cap Overage Penalties Next Season

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With the salary cap largely being flat the last few years, more teams have had to dip into LTIR when injuries have come up.  Accordingly, the number of teams facing bonus overage penalties has also risen.  This year is no exception as Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli reports in collaboration with CapFriendly that 11 teams are currently facing cap overage penalties for 2024-25 as a result of bonuses achieved this season.

When a team finishes up the season using LTIR to stay cap-compliant, they don’t have any regular cap space to which bonuses can be applied against.  Accordingly, that results in LTIR teams that have incentives that are met finishing over the cap, yielding overage penalties.  Whatever amount they finished 2023-24 over by is then deducted off the Upper Limit for next season.

The teams that are confirmed to have bonus overage penalties are as follows:

Edmonton Oilers: $3.45MM*
Dallas Stars: $2,595,407
Washington Capitals: $2.2525MM
Los Angeles Kings: $1.85MM
New Jersey Devils: $1,538,897
Montreal Canadiens: $1.0225MM
Ottawa Senators: $850K
New York Rangers: $512.5K*
Minnesota Wild: $425K*
Philadelphia Flyers: $245K
Boston Bruins $50K*

Teams denoted with an asterisk could see their bonus overage increase if the following happens:

Edmonton: Corey Perry’s contract calls for $50K if the Oilers make the Western Conference Final and another $50K if they reach the Stanley Cup Final.

New York: Theirs would increase by $25K if they win the Stanley Cup, a bonus in Jonathan Quick’s deal.

Minnesota: Marco Rossi can make $212.5K if he makes the All-Rookie Team which would then be added to the Wild’s carryover penalty.

Boston: Milan Lucic will receive $200K if the Bruins win the Stanley Cup as part of his contract.

In addition to the above, Carolina and Florida also have the potential for an overage contingent on the playoffs.  The Hurricanes would have a $50.45K penalty if Jackson Blake plays in 20 games between the regular season and playoffs.  Meanwhile, the Panthers would take a $500K hit if they win the Stanley Cup to cover that bonus in Kyle Okposo’s contract.

Team-by-team details with specifics on how each one got to the point of an overage were covered separately by PuckPedia.

It’s the first time that multiple teams will carry overage penalties of more than $2MM into the following season.  With the cap expected to go up by closer to $4MM this summer, that could in theory take some pressure off from the bonus overage perspective but only if teams leave themselves a bit more wiggle room to work with.  There’s a good chance that won’t happen so we’re quite likely to see these penalties again next season though with perhaps fewer teams getting the hit next time around.

Offseason Checklist: San Jose Sharks

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The offseason has arrived for half of the league’s teams that aren’t taking part in the playoffs.  Accordingly, it’s now time to examine what they will need to accomplish over the coming months.  First up is a look at San Jose.

Following a summer where the Sharks moved their best player in Erik Karlsson, expectations were quite low heading into the season.  That said, some might argue that they still underachieved as they were run out of the rink a lot of nights while not many of their younger players wound up in prominent roles.  GM Mike Grier won’t be looking to make this group a playoff team for 2024-25 but they will be looking to add some pieces while deciding the future of a franchise fixture as well.  Here’s what should be on their checklist in the coming months.

Hire A Head Coach: When meeting with reporters at locker clean-out day recently, Grier expressed an intention to evaluate his head coach David Quinn.  That evaluation came to a head earlier today with the decision to fire the bench boss, adding themselves to the list of teams looking for someone else to lead the team.

While some teams have some appeal in terms of where they are from a competitive standpoint, that will quite likely be a tougher sell for Grier.  Quinn led the Sharks to a 41-98-25 record over two years and it could be argued that they didn’t underachieve all that much.  With San Jose embracing a full-scale long-term rebuild, the team has been stripped of the majority of its veteran core in recent years and no immediate impact replacements are on the horizon as the focus is on player development.  In other words, things aren’t exactly looking up from a short-term competitive standpoint.

Accordingly, it wouldn’t be surprising if a first-time NHL bench boss is brought in, one with a history of working with younger players and having some success.  Several teams have tried that in recent years with Anaheim’s Greg Cronin, Chicago’s Luke Richardson, and Montreal’s Martin St. Louis among them.  Someone along those lines who can help key youngsters continue to develop while also developing as a coach would make a lot of sense for the Sharks at the moment.

Determine Vlasic’s Future: It’s a moment that has been coming for a couple of years now but the Sharks might now be at the proverbial crossroads with long-time blueliner Marc-Edouard Vlasic.  When he signed his current eight-year, $56MM extension back in 2017, there was an expectation that the final couple of seasons could be rough but if San Jose was a contender for the first half of the deal or longer, it might still work out somewhat well in the end.  Instead, the Sharks have struggled for most of this contract, missing the playoffs in five straight years.  Meanwhile, Vlasic’s usefulness dropped sharply only a couple of years into the contract and has been a highly-paid sixth defender the last few seasons.

This past season, the Sharks made Vlasic a healthy scratch on numerous occasions and while they could simply opt to do so for two more years, that’s not necessarily the way they want to treat someone who was a pillar on their back end for so long.  But that is one option that Grier can consider.

The other is a buyout.  Such a move wouldn’t necessarily save them much cap space or money but would open up a roster spot and a contract slot while giving Vlasic a chance to try to catch on elsewhere if he wants to.  Instead of a $7MM cap charge for the next two years, a buyout would cost $3.833MM next season, $4.833MM in 2025-26, and $1.333MM in 2026-27 and 2027-28.

In theory, there’s always the possibility of a trade but unless they’re taking another high-priced underachieving contract back, that seems quite unlikely to happen.  The same can be said about waiving him and sending him to AHL San Jose; that doesn’t seem like something they’d want to do to Vlasic.

Can the Sharks keep doing what they’ve been doing with Vlasic for the last couple of years, using him in a very limited role?  Or do they give him a chance to move on?  Grier will have a couple of months to decide as the first buyout window doesn’t close until close to the start of the new league year which starts July 1st.

Cash In On Granlund: As part of the Karlsson trade, the Sharks had to take back Mikael Granlund to help make the money work.  At the time, the center’s value was at arguably an all-time low; a late-season trade to Pittsburgh at the deadline in 2023 was ill-fated as Granlund managed just one goal and four assists in 21 games.  That type of production for $5MM for two more seasons wasn’t of particular value to any team last summer.

But a strange thing happened this season.  At a time when pretty much every Sharks player had a rough year offensively, Granlund somehow had one of his best.  He led the team in scoring, notching 12 goals and 48 assists (a career-high) in 69 games.  He had a hand in 33% of San Jose’s goals on the season.  That’s solid production for anyone let alone someone who was thrown into a trade as a salary cap dump.

This summer, teams will take a run at signing some impact free agents but those who come up short will have to look for a fallback option.  Now on an expiring contract and coming off a 60-point year, Granlund should have some positive value for a team looking for a short-term upgrade up front.  That should give Grier a chance to get some extra future value, a scenario that didn’t seem likely back in the fall.

Granted, one challenge Grier will face is that he can’t pay down any of Granlund’s deal as his three retention slots are already all used up for next season.  However, if he’s willing to take another pricey contract back, they should be able to make something happen.  Speaking of which…

Leverage Cap Space: One thing that the Sharks have an abundance of is cap space, a by-product of selling off most of their core and having four of their five highest-paid forwards on expiring contracts.  Three of those four are UFAs and the fourth – Luke Kunin – could be as he’s owed a $3MM qualifying offer and is coming off an 18-point campaign so he’s not a guarantee to be tendered in June.  Suffice it to say, San Jose will have to add to their roster one way or the other.

They could elect to be aggressive in free agency but from a longer-term standpoint, they might be better off being one of the clearinghouses for unwanted contracts this summer.  Utilizing some of that cap space to take on a pricey deal or two would also net the Sharks some extra draft picks or prospects for their troubles.  That’s not an option when they sign free agents, unless it’s a one-year agreement with the possibility of flipping him in-season.

They’re at the point where a good chunk of their roster is either untradeable due to being part of the rebuild plans or not having enough value to bring back a return of significance.  They have a few exceptions – Granlund among them as noted earlier – but there aren’t a lot of true trade chips remaining.  As a result, there may not be many opportunities to add those future assets in-season or at the trade deadline.  With that in mind, taking on those bad deals now could be their best bet to add pieces.  Considering how many teams will be looking to open up flexibility this summer, Grier and the Sharks could be quite popular in the weeks to come.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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