With NHL Free Agency less than a month away and one of the headliners being John Tavares, it's a good time to look back seven years to when the San Jose Sharks came close to landing the biggest fish of the 2018 free agent class. Of course, we all remember that he chose his hometown team, the Toronto Maple Leafs. But the Sharks weren’t far off from agreeing to terms with him. Ultimately, it led to the organization heading into a rebuild that they’re still working their way out of seven years later. At the time, the Sharks had just come off a second-round loss to the Vegas Golden Knights, and they were desperately trying to add someone to help them get over the hump. Brent Burns led the team in points with 67, and Joe Pavelski was second with 66. Joe Thornton was on a steady decline with only 36 points in 47 games, and Patrick Marleau was a member of the aforementioned Maple Leafs. The rumored amount that former GM Doug Wilson offered was somewhere between $12–13 million over seven years. Unfortunately, despite a hard push at Tavares in free agency, he opted to go home and play for the Maple Leafs on a seven-year deal with an $11 million AAV. The Sharks were forced to pivot. On Sept. 13, 2018, the Sharks completed a blockbuster deal with the Ottawa Senators to acquire Erik Karlsson for a package of picks and assets. They missed out on one star forward in Tavares but landed another superstar in Karlsson. The only issue was, Karlsson wasn’t exactly what they needed. He didn’t fit overly well with Burns and the rest of the blue line. Although he had a 101-point season in 2022–23, his time in San Jose wasn’t nearly what the fans or organization had hoped for. San Jose Sharks' 2025 Draft Target: Michael Misa [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/79a4010a-b226-4c59-865e-23b0dd2c3d0c.jpeg] San Jose Sharks' 2025 Draft Target: Michael Misa The 2025 NHL Draft is only 21 days away and the San Jose Sharks have some big decisions. There have been some reports suggesting that the Sharks are looking for wants to try and move up to #1 in the draft. Unfortunately, that doesn't appear likely, so now they will need to shift their focus to who they will take at #2 in the Draft. [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/san-jose-sharks/latest-news/san-jose-sharks-2025-draft-target-michael-misa] In the 2018–19 season, the Sharks made it to the Western Conference Final but lost to the St. Louis Blues. Karlsson finished with 45 points in 53 games. As for Tavares, he ended that season with 88 points in 82 games, including 47 goals. After that 2019 playoff run, the Sharks never made the playoffs again and are now in the thick of a rebuild, led by GM Mike Grier. Karlsson’s stint in San Jose officially ended in 2023–24 when he was traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins. Interestingly enough, Kyle Dubas—who was the GM that signed Tavares in Toronto—had since been fired by the Leafs and wanted to make a splash in Pittsburgh. His first big move? Acquiring Karlsson. As for Tavares and the Maple Leafs, they made the playoffs in all seven seasons he was there. Unfortunately, they didn’t have much playoff success, winning only two rounds in that time. With Tavares set to hit free agency, it appears likely he re-signs in Toronto to finish his career. But if he doesn’t, should the Sharks finally bring him to San Jose as a mentor to their young core? Could The Sharks Find A Way To Land Both Robertson Brothers? [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/0514e73f-516b-4fa2-95ce-b51f74a5cf3a.jpeg] Could The Sharks Find A Way To Land Both Robertson Brothers? With all the buzz around the possibility of Dallas Stars forward Jason Robertson <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/news/latest-news/nhl-rumor-roundup-could-the-dallas-stars-trade-jason-robertson">hitting the trade market</a>—and his brother, Nick Robertson, a pending restricted free agent from the Toronto Maple Leafs—it raises a fun question: [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/san-jose-sharks/latest-news/could-the-sharks-find-a-way-to-land-both-robertson-brothers] Former Shark Marco Sturm Officially Named Bruins’ 30th Head Coach [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/dda97c04-7912-4848-bd8a-1db9c936cfa8.jpeg] Former Shark Marco Sturm Officially Named Bruins’ 30th Head Coach As my colleague Jesse Courville-Lynch<a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/san-jose-sharks/latest-news/former-sharks-forward-reportedly-hired-as-new-bruins-bench-boss" target="_blank"> reported on May 28</a>, the Boston Bruins have officially named Marco Sturm as the 30th head coach in franchise history. [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/san-jose-sharks/latest-news/former-shark-marco-sturm-officially-named-bruins-30th-head-coach] Sharks Reveal “Tyler Tofurry” For 2025 Stanley Pup Competition [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/21c6f3de-e318-4a6d-ab8c-388e9f9238d0.jpeg] Sharks Reveal “Tyler Tofurry” For 2025 Stanley Pup Competition The San Jose Sharks have revealed their representative for the 2025 Stanley “Pup” Competition, and the pup's name is Tyler Tofurry. [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/san-jose-sharks/latest-news/sharks-reveal-tyler-tofurry-for-2025-stanley-pup-competition] Sharks Should Target Jamie Benn If He Hits Free Agency [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/b5b2b4a4-da9f-4b87-8d9f-97e914629a13.jpeg] Sharks Should Target Jamie Benn If He Hits Free Agency The San Jose Sharks are expected to become active heading toward the 2025 NHL Entry Draft, and one thing they may look to do this summer is add some veteran depth to their lineup. While they will likely gauge the trade market, they may be big spenders when free agency opens up, and one veteran forward they should target if he tests the open market is Jamie Benn. [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/san-jose-sharks/players/sharks-should-target-jamie-benn-if-he-hits-free-agency] Elias Pettersson Shouldn’t Be On The Sharks’ Radar [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/eabb617f-2501-4cc4-85b4-021cada70f2c.jpeg] Elias Pettersson Shouldn’t Be On The Sharks’ Radar There has been a ton of rumours this season about Vancouver Canucks forward Elias Pettersson and whether or not he’ll be traded. After the deadline passed and they moved on from J.T. Miller, it felt like Pettersson was going to stick around. But over the last few days, reports have come up that the Canucks could look to move him before his full no-movement clause kicks in on July 1. [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/san-jose-sharks/latest-news/elias-pettersson-shouldn-t-be-on-the-sharks-radar] Sharks Insider Suggests William Eklund Could Fetch $52.5 Million Contract Extension [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/cc6a7419-23ed-46cd-a649-8920a0ee384d.jpeg] Sharks Insider Suggests William Eklund Could Fetch $52.5 Million Contract Extension The San Jose Sharks are going to look a little different next season, and despite what changes they plan to make this summer, one of their own players is eligible for an extension and could be looking at a massive extension, according to a trusted Sharks insider. [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/san-jose-sharks/latest-news/sharks-insider-suggests-william-eklund-could-fetch-52-5-million-contract-extension]
