The San Jose Sharks have acquired defenseman Michael Kesselring and the 27th overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft from the Buffalo Sabres in exchange for the 20th overall selection. Kesselring, 26, is currently set to become a restricted free agent on July 1 and can become an unrestricted free agent on July 1, 2027, if he only signs a one-year contract with the Sharks. The Florence, South Carolina native spent just one season with the Sabres, which certainly didn’t go the way either side had planned. In 34 games, he had just two points, both of which were assists, 50 penalty minutes, and just 25 hits. “Michael has a big frame with solid two-way ability,” Sharks General Manager Mike Grier said in the official press release. “He is a responsible player in the defensive zone with a well rounded offensive game, and will be a good upgrade for us patrolling the blueline. We’re happy to have him a part of the organization.” Known mainly for his defensive play during college and early in his professional career, Kesselring established himself as a solid two-way presence in Utah. In 82 games with the then Utah Hockey Club, he set career highs in goals (7), assists (22), points (29), penalty minutes (89), takeaways (22), and time on ice (17:41). Looking back at 2024-25, Kesselring had one of the hardest shots in the NHL. His 103.77 miles per hour rocket against the Colorado Avalanche was the third-fastest shot in the entire league that season, trailing just Tage Thompson and Gustav Forsling, both of whom were over 105 MPH. Although his skating speed fell off a bit in Buffalo under Lindy Ruff, Kesselring was also pretty quick during his only season in Salt Lake City. He had a max skating speed of 22.39 MPH, which placed him in the 77th percentile. In San Jose, it seems likely that Kesselring will slot onto the second or third defensive pairing, assuming the Sharks are able to add another right-handed defenseman to play top-pairing minutes. He should be a good complement for a young, offensive-minded defenseman like Luca Cagnoni or Sam Dickinson, as he’ll provide a steady safety net alongside them. Kesselring can provide some offense, but he shouldn’t be used primarily as a puckmover or on the power play. He mainly thrives in 5-on-5 play, focusing on the defensive end of the ice. Historically, he hasn’t gotten much usage on the penalty kill, but he could be an interesting candidate for the Sharks in that regard as well. The Sharks have started to address their holes on the blue line. While they still have quite a bit more to get done before the season starts in September, the defense looks considerably better than it did just 24 hours ago.
