The San Jose Sharks now have an open retention spot with the Brent Burns contract off the books. Which is something general manager Mike Grier could use this season, especially at the 2026 NHL Trade Deadline.

The Burns retention spot was created in the trade that sent him to the Carolina Hurricanes back in 2022. The Sharks retained 34% of his cap hit, and now that contract is over and he’s moved on to a new one. San Jose now has an additional spot open, but who could they use it on?

While there isn’t anyone on their current roster that they would likely need to retain salary to move, there’s a chance Grier could help facilitate a three-team trade. In a deal like that, he could retain up to 50% of someone’s contract and be compensated with some extra draft capital in return.

With how Grier is building this roster, it’s pretty clear that draft capital is important to him. They have a very strong prospect pool and as they continue to progress out of this rebuild, if they can keep adding to that pool, it’ll extend their window to win and allow them to rely on more players on ELCs, which will help them manage the cap more efficiently.

It wouldn’t be surprising if they opt to take on a contract just to retain. But it would be surprising if they took on a deal that lasts longer than one year.

Five Former Sharks Still Looking For A New Home In Free Agency There are quite a few former members of the San Jose Sharks still waiting to find their new home as unrestricted free agents. Many were with the team as recently as last season, while others departed the Bay Area a few years ago. Let’s take a look at those still awaiting their next contract.

Sharks General Manager Grier Discusses New Acquisitions, Sets Expectations For Next Season Mike Grier spoke with the media after the San Jose Sharks acquired Ryan Reaves and Jeff Skinner earlier this week. The Sharks’ general manager has high expectations for both of the acquisitions, but also for the team as a whole this coming season.

Report: Former Sharks Forward Signs With CSKA In The KHL Former San Jose Sharks forward Nikolai Kovalenko's time in the NHL appears to be over for the time being. The 25-year-old winger has reportedly signed a two-year contract with CSKA Moscow of the Kontinental Hockey League.

Sharks' Ryan Reaves Excited For New Opportunity In San Jose The San Jose Sharks acquired Ryan Reaves from the <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/toronto-maple-leafs">Toronto Maple Leafs</a> in exchange for Henry Thrun. While the move was a bit perplexing to <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/toronto-maple-leafs/latest-news/why-the-maple-leafs-traded-ryan-reaves-to-the-sharks-for-defenseman-henry-thrun">both fan bases </a>at first, especially for Sharks fans, it helped clear an obvious logjam and added some needed toughness to the forward group.

BREAKING: Sharks Sign Veteran Forward Jeff Skinner The San Jose Sharks have signed veteran forward Jeff Skinner to a one-year, $3 million contract.

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Sharks Could Use Open Retention Spot This Season