Should the San Jose Sharks Sign Another Veteran Defenseman? – Hockey Writers – San Jose Sharks

The San Jose Sharks roster looks set at this point, but management may try to strengthen and strengthen their depth. Specifically, they could consider adding another veteran defense. They have already made reasonable moves to acquire experienced players, but most of them have been forwards. A green line may benefit from a type of presence for very similar reasons. However, this offseason may not be the right time to pick up such a player, leaving the Sharks with a tough decision to make.

Sharks Young Defensemen Could Use Veteran Help

San Jose has a strong, mostly NHL-ready power forward, but plenty of defensemen are on the way. Shakir Mukhamadullin may or may not start 2024-25 in the NHL after three games last season, but he will likely have a spot on the roster at some point during the year. Newly signed Sam Dickinson will soon reach the big leagues, and Luca Cagnoni's NHL debut is coming. Even experienced blueliners, like Henry Thrun and Ty Emberson, could use some veteran protection and coaching.

Veteran defenders can play an important role, even if their best playing days are behind them. They can step up in difficult situations, take over from smaller players to shut down the opposition's attack or help run the team's offense from the point. They are vocal leaders, using their knowledge to step up to the locker room and provide pointers for up-and-coming blueliners. The Sharks have applied this philosophy to many of their forwards, and it would make sense for them to do the same on defense. The Jake Walman trade is a step in this direction, but they could choose to go even further.

If the Sharks front office is looking to add veterans, which defenseman should they sign? Of the remaining free agents, the immediate exit is Kevin Shattenkirk. At 35 years old, he played 14 NHL seasons, including almost 100 playoff games. He spent the 2023-24 season with the Boston Bruins, and although he appeared in only 61 games in the regular season, he was highly praised by members of the organization for his team-first attitude, culminating in his speech before Boston's first opener. -round Game 7 win for the Toronto Maple Leafs. His leadership and experience could be a huge asset to the Sharks as they develop their next defensive core.

If Shattenkirk is unavailable, San Jose could sign other blueliners such as Justin Schultz and Tyson Barrie. Like Shattenkirk, they are both in their 30s and have a lot of experience and should command contracts that the Sharks can afford. All three offer the qualities the Sharks were looking for in free agents this offseason, and all three could welcome the opportunity to be leaders on a team that will benefit greatly from veterans.

Sharks May Want to Wait for Another Defenseman

While the Sharks could use some veteran help on the blue line, the issue is whether they should add him this offseason or wait another year. Considering the NHL readiness of their top forwards like Will Smith and Macklin Celebrini, the decision to add veteran skaters up front was a no-brainer. Defense is the worst case scenario.

Related: Sharks Make Big Decision to Trade Sam Dickinson

Mukhamadullin, Cagnoni, and Dickinson are all promising, but – barring any major injuries – only Mukhamadullin is guaranteed to make an NHL appearance this season. Thrun and Emberson's spots are pretty much secure, but the Sharks have filled their needs by hiring Ryan Warsofsky, who worked with them extensively last season, as head coach.

In addition, being able to dress only six or seven defenders in any given game, as opposed to 11 or 12 players, gives San Jose less flexibility in defensive acquisitions. Veteran defensemen already on the roster include Marc-Edouard Vlasic, Jan Rutta, and Matt Benning, and the Sharks may want to let them lead at least one more season. Then, the front office can reassess their needs based on how close their defense prospects are to reaching the NHL and sign someone if necessary.

The rebuilding Sharks will need young players and veterans, but they don't want to be stuck with bad or unnecessary contracts. Signing another defenseman this offseason may not serve its purpose, and they could look to the 2025 offseason to make a move instead.

Sharks Defense Shows Promise But Needs Improvement

The Sharks' blue line prospects have plenty of potential, but they have a long way to go with their prospects moving forward. Right now, one of the biggest risks of rebuilding San Jose is that they will be a tough team that doesn't provide enough support at the back. For this reason, they could explore adding a veteran defenseman to teach the younger defensemen and help ease their transition to the NHL. But for many of those young players, their journey is just beginning, and it may be too early to add those veterans. If the Sharks are to return to contention, or at least relevance, their defense must include both prospects and veterans. Whether that starts this offseason remains to be seen.