While the San Jose Sharks were awaiting their first pick on day two of the 2026 NHL Draft, Mike Grier got some other business taken care of. On Saturday, the Sharks announced that they had signed forward Zack Ostapchuk to a four-year contract extension with an average annual value of $2.35 million.

Ostapchuk, who was originally drafted by the Ottawa Senators in the second round of the 2021 NHL Draft, has quickly carved out a role for himself as a bottom-six center of the future for the Sharks since being acquired from the Senators as a part of the Fabian Zetterlund trade. 

During the 2025-26 season, Ostapchuk started the campaign with the Sharks' American Hockey League affiliate, the San Jose Barracuda. After 11 games with the Sharks' farm team, Ostapchuk earned a call up in the middle of November and never looked back.

In 59 games with the Sharks, Ostapchuk scored four goals and seven total points. With that being said, he's more regarded for his play on the defensive side of the puck and on the penalty kill. He's lining up to be the Sharks' long-term fourth-line center, a role that often goes under-appreciated, but makes a massive difference.