The San Jose Sharks defense is in a very unique situation entering the 2025-26 season. Only a single defenseman, not including prospects who could earn a spot in training camp, is under contract past the 2025-26 season. That player is free agent addition Dmitry Orlov who is signed through the 2026-27 season. He also has a full no-move clause in the first season of his contract, making him almost guaranteed to return after this upcoming season. After Orlov though, the entirety of the blue line is up in the air following this coming season. In a way, the Sharks will be essentially holding season long tryouts. Whoever performs up to their standards and will be able to help the team over the long-run can be brought back, while the others will be allowed to walk next summer. With defenders like Sam Dickinson and Luca Cagnoni close to fighting for a spot in the NHL as well, this approach allows general manager Mike Grier to be selective moving forward. Now, let’s see which defensemen are most likely to be Sharks beyond this coming season. Shakir Mukhamadullin is the most obvious extension option, as at 23 years of age, he has just started showing what he can bring to the table at the NHL level. As a former first-round draft pick, his ceiling is seen as very high, and so far, he’s performed as expected. Out of everyone currently listed on the blue line, he’s essentially a lock to return for the 2026-27 season unless something were to go catastrophically wrong with the Russian defenseman this season. Jack Thompson, on the other hand, is an interesting one. Like Mukhamadullin, he’ll be a restricted free agent at the end of the 2025-26 season. However, unlike Mukhamadullin, he doesn’t seem to be a lock to make the roster this fall. He’s no longer waiver-exempt, and with how coveted right-handed defensemen are around the league, there’s a very high chance he’ll be claimed if the Sharks attempt to send him to the San Jose Barracuda. If he’s still with the organization next summer, it’s safe to say he’ll be brought back. Ensuring he’ll still be with the Sharks come next summer will be the hard part for Grier, though. Out of the unrestricted free agents, Timothy Liljegren seems the most likely to get a new contract in the Bay Area. While the Sharks didn’t give much up to get him, Grier saw something he liked from Liljegren last October, and he performed essentially as advertised. He’s a relatively young right-handed defenseman, and it appears we’ve yet to see his best in the NHL. As a result, he’ll likely earn an extension if he’s willing to stick around with a team that’s still a few years from contending. The Sharks’ only right-handed defensive addition this summer, John Klingberg, is quite a bit older than the Sharks' main core; however, he could play his way into a new deal. At his introductory press conference, the Swedish defenseman gave the impression that he’ll play the best hockey we’ve seen from him in years. If that does end up being the case, then Grier would be wise to bring him back for at least a couple of more seasons until he can add some assets who can hold down the right side of defense for the long-term future. The longest-tenured Sharks defenseman, Mario Ferraro, seems almost guaranteed to move on at some point over the next twelve months. He’s been in trade rumors for multiple years, and The Fourth Period is reporting that he’s open to a change of scenery. The main question regarding Ferraro would be whether he’s moved at the trade deadline, or if the Sharks opt to walk him to unrestricted free agency. The former seems like the most logical option for a team that is slowly starting to climb out of a rebuild, especially since Ferraro doesn’t have any trade protection in his current contract. Nick Leddy, who the Sharks claimed off waivers from the St. Louis Blues this summer, has the advantage of being able to play both sides of defense well, even though he’s left-handed. That flexibility is valuable, but currently, his cap hit is likely even more valuable for the Sharks. He likely won’t be given a big role with the team in teal, and considering he will have a much smaller contract next season, given his recent play, it’s unlikely that he’ll spend more than one season in the Bay Area; however, unlike Ferraro, Leddy will probably finish the season with the Sharks. Lastly, Vincent Desharnais is a solid depth option for the Sharks; however, it would be surprising if he makes the opening night roster, considering the amount of talent fighting for a spot. I personally left him out of my roster projection, and I think it’s unlikely he gets offered an extension by the Sharks at this point in time. The Sharks have options, and they’ll have time to sort out all of these decisions. If a player has an incredible 2025-26 season, they can certainly change their future, but it will take quite a turn of events for that to happen. Either way, the defense will be a storyline to watch through training camp up until next summer. Photo Credit: Stan Szeto-Imagn Images
