Heading into his fourth professional season, it's difficult to figure out a path to the NHL for San Jose Sharks prospect Ethan Cardwell. As he turns 24 years old, what does his future look like in San Jose?
In the short-term, the answer is somewhat clear. This coming season, Cardwell will likely be a key player for the San Jose Barracuda in the American Hockey League and occasionally fill in for the San Jose Sharks when needed. At least, that's the likely plan. Cardwell is now eligible for waivers, which means that the Sharks may run into some obstacles sending him to the Barracuda.
While Cardwell hasn't established himself as a reliable fourth-line forward to this point, he does have the potential to do so. At this stage, he's a useful depth forward who can contribute at the AHL level and is serviceable at the NHL in a bottom-six role temporarily. A team looking to save money on their fourth line may look at the Oshawa, Ontario native and decide to take a flier on him as a depth option via waivers. Considering he's set to become a restricted free agent next summer and is currently on a one-year, $850k contract, there's little risk to bringing him into the mix for most teams.
If the Sharks didn't have a major glut of veteran fourth line forwards like Barclay Goodrow, Adam Gaudette, and Ty Dellandrea, it's possible that a strong offseason would've let Cardwell compete for a job this season. He's been a fringe player the last few seasons, and hasn't necessarily looked out of place during his limited opportunities. With that being said, it's seeming increasingly likely that his NHL opportunity, if it ever comes, won't be in San Jose.
In the meantime though, Cardwell has established himself as a dependable member of the Barracuda who will be looking to bounce back from a season-ending injury in the 2025-26 campaign.
