With the San Jose Sharks' recent moves bringing in Dmitry Orlov, John Klingberg, and Nick Leddy, it has opened the door for the organization to make some of their defensemen available on the open market. That’s a lot of NHL contracts on the back end, and something probably has to give.
According to Elliotte Friedman on his 32 Thoughts the Podcast, he talked about a few names that could be available on the Sharks' blue line.
“Whether it’s Thrun, Thompson, Liljegren, or Ferraro, something is going to have to give here,” Friedman said.
This was a follow-up report from David Pagnotta, who was the first to report that San Jose would likely be shopping a blue liner and pointed to Thrun, Liljegren, and Ferraro as potential options.
"The expectation is at least one defenceman will be moved out of San Jose after this week’s adds, with both Timothy Liljegren and Henry Thrun available, per sources."
If that’s the case, and the Sharks are actively shopping some of their defensemen, let’s look at which one makes the most sense.
First up, the obvious one, Mario Ferraro. The defenseman on the list that would likely fetch the biggest return, he would fit for a lot of teams. At just 26, his cap hit is extremely low at $3.25 million for the 2024-25 season, which will attract at least a dozen teams across the league. In 78 games last season, he had five goals and 12 assists for 17 points. His career high came in 2023-24 when he scored 21 points in 78 games. Ferraro’s style of play would also be something that gets teams calling. He can typically rack up 150 blocks and shots in a season. He will be a great addition to a playoff team, especially if the Sharks can hold off until the 2026 Trade Deadline to move him.
Next up, Timothy Liljegren. This one doesn’t make a ton of sense. He is a right-handed shooting defenseman who has carved out a role on the Sharks' blue line as a reliable defender. After spending six years with the Toronto Maple Leafs, he finally got the chance to be an everyday NHL player who plays higher in the lineup and made the most of it. In 67 games with the Sharks, he had six goals and 11 assists for 17 points. His career high came back in 2021-22 when he scored 23 points in 61 games, and he was able to hit that total again in 2023-24 with Toronto. He will be another player that is sought after at the deadline if the Sharks decide to move him. He is 26 years old, signed for one more year at $3 million before he hits UFA status. It wouldn’t be shocking if playoff teams with weak right sides inquire. Given where the Sharks are at in their rebuild and the type of trade value Liljegren could have. If they decide to not extend him, it seems like he would be the player that they'd ask for a forward in return.
For Jack Thompson and Henry Thrun, they will be players that teams target for depth adds. Thompson is 23 and is an RFA needing a new contract. As for Thrun, he is 24 and signed to a one-year deal worth $1 million. Since they’re still so early in their careers, there will likely be teams like the Chicago Blackhawks or Pittsburgh Penguins that could be interested in them. However, there also could be a chance that the Edmonton Oilers or other playoff-bound teams who are tight to the cap could call on them.
Although he isn’t named, it wouldn’t be overly surprising if they also took calls on Vincent Desharnais this summer. He is a right-handed shooting defenseman signed for one more year at $2 million and brings a very physical presence. During the 2023-24 season with the Oilers, he had one goal and 10 assists for 11 points, along with 122 blocks and 135 hits. If they decide to hang on to him until the deadline, there could be at least half a dozen teams that come calling to acquire his services.
In all the talk about the Sharks looking to move out a defenseman or two, Pagnotta also reported that they are looking for another top-six forward.
"The Sharks, meanwhile, have also been trying to add a top-six winger to their roster but have come up empty, even with a willingness to overspend. They poked around on the bigger free agents, including Nikolaj Ehlers, but their current rebuild state isn’t overly attractive to them."
If that’s the case, could there be a chance that they try and move a defenseman out for a forward since the free agent market is getting very thin? Only time will tell, but the Sharks could be a busy team in the next few months leading up to the start of the regular season.
