Justin Braun Announces Retirement
Veteran defenseman Justin Braun has officially announced his retirement from the NHL after 13 seasons, the NHL Alumni Association said today.
A seventh-round draft pick of the San Jose Sharks in 2007, Braun would go on to play over 800 games, 607 of which came in a Sharks uniform. Braun would spend nine seasons with the Sharks, where he established himself as a reliable stay-at-home defenseman. He was then traded to the Philadelphia Flyers in 2019, where he spent the next three seasons before a short stint with the New York Rangers in the 2021-22 season. However, Braun would return to Philadelphia to finish his career.
Over his 13-year career, Braun scored 199 points and played in over 100 playoff games with San Jose. He was known for his strong defensive play, physicality, and leadership qualities, which made him a valuable asset during his time in San Jose.
Braun would routinely average over 20 minutes per game in San Jose but saw a decreased role during his time in Philadelphia. Things evaporated for Braun this season, unfortunately, as he registered just two assists in 51 games and played under 15 minutes per game. With his role decreasing quickly, the writing was on the wall for the 36-year-old Minnesota product.
His best season undoubtedly came at the age of 30 in 2017-18, recording career highs in assists (28), points (33), average time on ice (21:20), and hits (143).
Despite his late selection, Braun currently ranks third in games played among defensemen from the 2007 draft, sitting only behind Kevin Shattenkirk and Ryan McDonagh. He provided incredible value for the Sharks throughout his career and would likely go in the first round of most redrafts.
Latest On Sharks Goalies, Kevin Labanc
Despite benefitting from a historic offensive performance from number-one defenseman Erik Karlsson and strong production from Logan Couture and Tomas Hertl, the San Jose Sharks finished the 2022-23 season with the NHL’s fourth-worst record. Their 22-44-16 record in the first year of their David Quinn era put them in a prime position for next month’s draft lottery, but not exactly in a place to help their veteran players win a Stanley Cup. A significant factor contributing to the Sharks’ struggles this season was their goaltending, as neither of their regular netminders posted above an .890 save percentage.
Sharks fans, then, might be pleased to hear word from general manager Mike Grier, via The Athletic’s Corey Masisiak, that the team does not plan on bringing the same goalie tandem (James Reimer and Kaapo Kahkonen) into next season. Reimer, 35, will be an unrestricted free agent this summer, while Kahkonen has another year left on his deal at a $2.75MM cap hit. Finding an experienced, capable partner for Kahkonen (.883 save percentage in 37 games) could be one of Grier’s top priorities for the summer.
- Another Shark whose status is uncertain heading into the summer is winger Kevin Labanc, who scored 15 goals and 33 points this season and is making $4.75MM against the cap next season. Bay Area News Group’s Curtis Pashelka relays comments from Grier on Labanc’s future, with Grier saying “I can’t say whether he’ll be here. We’ll see what happens in the summer and what presents itself.” Labanc’s production has declined sharply since his 56-point 2018-19 season, and it’s worth noting that the Sharks could save nearly $4MM against the cap by buying out Labanc this summer, at the cost of nearly $2MM against the cap in 2024-25.
Updates On Markus Nutivaara, Eetu Makiniemi
Veteran defenseman Markus Nutivaara didn’t end up playing a single game with the San Jose Sharks this season, despite signing a one-year, $1.5MM deal to be a blueline regular. Injury trouble was the reason, and it’s issues staying healthy that cost Nutivaara the 2021-22 campaign as well, as he played just one game for the Florida Panthers that season. Today, Sharks general manager Mike Grier gave the media, including The Athletic’s Corey Masisiak, a clearer look at Nutivaara’s situation. According to Grier, it was a hip injury that kept Nutivaara out for the whole season, and Masisiak adds that it could be a career-ending injury for the 275-game veteran.
- Grier also updated the media (via Bay Area News Group’s Curtis Pashelka) on the status of another player: Eetu Makiniemi. Makiniemi suffered a labrum tear, and was shut down for the season instead of making a comeback attempt in order to help him get ready for fall training camp. Makiniemi last played on February 11th, stopping 27 of 31 shots in a shootout loss to the Calgary Wranglers. The 2017 fourth-round pick was acquired by the Sharks in last summer’s Brent Burns trade and posted a .900 save percentage in 22 contests for the AHL’s San Jose Barracuda.
Hertl Won't Play At Worlds But Sturm Will
- Sharks winger Tomas Hertl won’t be suiting up at the Worlds next month, notes Curtis Pashelka of The Mercury News (Twitter link). The 29-year-old struggled defensively in what he called a challenging season but reached the 60-point mark for the second straight year and third time in his career while winning nearly 55% of his faceoffs. His 63 points placed Hertl third on the team in scoring. Meanwhile, in a separate tweet, Pashelka notes that center Nico Sturm will play for Germany in the tournament, his first time representing his home country. The 27-year-old had a career year this season, collecting 14 goals and 12 assists in 74 games.
San Jose Sharks Sign Artem Guryev
The San Jose Sharks have signed a second 2021 draft pick to his entry-level deal today: fifth-rounder Artem Guryev.
Like today’s other signing, Ethan Cardwell, the Sharks’ exclusive rights to sign Guryev were set to expire on June 1st. After taking nearly all their allotted time to evaluate Guryev and determine whether to extend him an entry-level contract offer, the Sharks have ultimately decided he had earned the invitation to join their organization.
Sharks general manager Mike Grier had the following to say about the signing:
Artem is a gritty and competitive defender. He showed continuous improvement in the OHL and uses his size to his advantage against opponents.
Guryev, a Moscow native, will turn 20 in May. He’s a big six-foot-four, 215-pound defenseman and that size makes him an intriguing project player for the Sharks’ developmental staff. Guryev was included in the Flint Firebird’s blockbuster OHL trade alongside New York Rangers first-rounder Brennan Othmann, and ended up scoring 15 points in 38 games.
While Guryev’s offensive game is still a work in progress, he is, as Grier alluded to, an imposing physical presence. That will help him make an early impression in professional hockey, and likely make him an exciting player to watch for Barracuda fans.
His ultimate NHL upside is still an unknown, but now with this entry-level deal in hand, Guryev can either return to Flint for a final OHL season or turn pro with the Barracuda next year, looking to help them improve on what has been a disappointing 2022-23 campaign.
Sharks Reassign Thomas Bordeleau, Tristen Robins
- The San Jose Sharks reassigned forwards Thomas Bordeleau and Tristen Robins, two of the team’s top forward prospects, back to the San Jose Barracuda. The Barracuda are eliminated from postseason contention and have two games left in their season, each against the Tucson Roadrunners. Both players have had productive years, with Bordeleau scoring 22 goals and 41 points in 64 games and Robins netting 17 goals and 38 points.
San Jose Sharks Sign Ethan Cardwell
The San Jose Sharks have announced the signing of prospect forward Ethan Cardwell to a three-year entry-level contract.
The Sharks’ exclusive rights to sign Cardwell were set to expire on June 1st, which would have allowed him to re-enter the draft. That won’t happen now, though, as he’s earned the right to make his pro debut with the organization that selected him 121st overall at the 2021 draft.
San Jose general manager Mike Grier had the following to say about the signing:
Ethan had a significant improvement in his OHL career this past year being one of the go-to players for his team in nearly all situations. He has the ability to produce offensively and has helped be a driving force on a quality team as Barrie continues their postseason play.
Cardwell is a right-shot center who will turn 21 years old in late August. As an OHLer playing for the Barrie Colts, Cardwell’s junior career was disrupted by the pandemic-related cancellation of the 2020-21 OHL season.
Instead of getting the chance to be a leading player on an OHL franchise in the lead-up to the draft, Cardwell, like many other OHLers, went overseas. He played for Surahammars IF, a club in HockeyEttan, which is the third level of Swedish hockey below HockeyAllsvenskan.
His time in Sweden went well, and he scored 27 points in just 18 games, but without an OHL season his chance to truly rise on draft boards had been lost. He was selected in the fourth round, and went back to Barrie to play two more seasons.
Last year, Cardwell scored 23 goals and 58 points in 49 games, and then this season his production ramped up quite a bit to the tune of 43 goals and 90 points in 62 games. Cardwell’s strong OHL performances earned him recognition as the Sharks organization’s Prospect of the Year, and is likely what has earned him this entry-level deal.
With such a major offensive explosion last season, it’s likely that Cardwell is best served developmentally by turning pro in the fall. Playing in the AHL is quite a bit of a step up from the OHL in terms of competition, but Cardwell has risen to the occasion throughout his junior career and will be a prospect to watch for Sharks fans moving forward.
Marc-Édouard Vlasic Won’t Require Surgery
NBC Sports reporter Sheng Peng tweeted today that San Jose Sharks defenseman Marc-Édouard Vlasic won’t require surgery for his lower body injury. Peng had reported earlier in the week that Vlasic would be sidelined for the remainder of the year and that he wouldn’t accompany the Sharks on their final road trip. Little is known about what is ailing Vlasic, but Peng also mentioned that the injury is a shorter-term issue.
Vlasic and the Sharks have had a forgettable few seasons. San Jose is 22-42-16 on the season and haven’t qualified for the playoffs since the 2018-19 season when they went to the Western Conference Finals. That playoff push capped off a run of the Sharks making the playoffs in 19 out of 21 seasons. Since that time, they have missed the postseason four years in a row. Unheard of for a franchise that had become accustomed to playoff hockey every spring.
For his part, Vlasic hasn’t topped 25 points since the 2018-19 season and has transitioned into more of a depth role. This season Vlasic had just a single goal and 18 points while taking up $7MM in cap space. The past couple of summers have seen talk of Vlasic being a buyout candidate, and with three years left on his contract and a partial no-movement clause, it seems unlikely that San Jose would find a taker for the 36-year-old.
The Sharks are sure to have an interesting summer as they move deeper into a rebuild. They have a middle of the pack farm system, a few desirable NHL assets, but have yet to build up much in the way of draft capital. They are at the beginning of what could be a very long and painful rebuild, but could jump start things if they choose to move defenseman Erik Karlsson.
Marc-Edouard Vlasic Won't Return This Season
- Sharks defenseman Marc-Edouard Vlasic did not accompany the team on their season-ending road trip, notes Curtis Pashelka of The Mercury News, meaning his campaign has come to an early end. The 36-year-old suffered a lower-body injury in their home finale against Edmonton over the weekend. Vlasic saw his playing time increase by more than two minutes per game this season to 17:28 but with a $7MM AAV for three more years after this one, San Jose still didn’t get a great return on this contract this season.
San Jose Sharks Reassign Adam Raska
April 11: San Jose reassigned Raska to the Barracuda today, per the team, ending his five-day stint with the team. The 21-year-old recorded blanks across the board in three games, including an even plus/minus rating, while registering just one shot on goal and 13 hits.
April 6: The San Jose Sharks have added another young forward to their group, recalling Adam Raska from the AHL. He’ll join them ahead of tonight’s game against the Colorado Avalanche, with four more matches following it before the end of the season.
Raska, 21, is not your standard late-season call-up. While these games are often filled with high-scoring youngsters, trying to get their feet wet at the professional level, Raska is an in-your-face bottom-sixer that has shown very little offensive upside in the AHL.
Through 53 games for the San Jose Barracuda this season, he has just four goals and 11 points, while racking up 121 penalty minutes. That includes six fighting majors, as the young forward never backs down from a confrontation.
An easy player to root for, Raska was a seventh-round pick in 2020 that plays with unlimited energy. During his five-game stint with the Sharks last season, he racked up 15 hits and fought veteran defenseman, Mark Giordano.
While the likes of William Eklund and Thomas Bordeleau may be the future of the team’s offense, Raska could have a role as a fourth-liner soon.