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Sharks Loan Joachim Blichfeld To Denmark

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One of San Jose’s more intriguing prospects is heading home to get in some playing time before the 2020-21 NHL season begins.  Frederikshavn of the Metal Ligaen in Denmark announced that they’ve added winger Joachim Blichfeld on a short-term loan agreement until training camps in North America get underway.

The 22-year-old was a seventh-round pick (210th overall) by San Jose back in 2016 and he looks like he’ll outperform that selection.  In 2018-19, Blichfeld was the top scorer in the WHL, putting up 53 goals and 61 assists with Portland in just 68 games.

He made his professional debut last season and spent most of it with the AHL’s San Jose Barracuda where he acquitted himself well, tallying 16 goals and 16 assists in just 44 games.  That helped earn him four separate recalls to the Sharks between December and January while he was able to get into his first three NHL contests.

As things stand, with San Jose largely standing pat this offseason, Blichfeld will be among the young players that will have a chance of carving out a regular spot in the lineup.  Accordingly, this loan takes on a bit more importance as unlike most prospects getting sent out for some development time, a good showing in his hometown could be the difference between breaking camp with the Sharks or going back to the minors.

Minor Transactions: 10/26/20

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While NHL teams continue to fill out their rosters and prepare for the 2020-21 season, minor and European leagues also are working on new contracts. We’ll keep track of some of the newsworthy minor transactions right here:

  • San Jose Sharks prospect Artemi Kniazev has signed a deal with Ak Bars in the KHL for the upcoming season, giving him a place to play as he continues his development. The 19-year-old defenseman was selected 48th overall in 2019 and has spent the last two seasons in the QMJHL. Kniazev signed his entry-level contract with the Sharks just a few weeks after he was drafted but it won’t kick in until next season given his age.
  • Former NHL forward Jack Skille has found a new home, signing with EC Salzburg in the Austrian ICEHL. Skille played 55 games for the Vancouver Canucks in 2016-17 but has bounced around the globe the last several seasons, suiting up in the KHL, NLA and DEL.
  • Phil Varone has officially signed his KHL contract, a one-year deal with Barys Nur-Sultan that was reported by his agent a few days ago. Varone has 97 games of NHL experience, most recently playing in 2018-19 with the Philadelphia Flyers.

Sharks Loan Ivan Chekhovich To The KHL

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The Sharks have loaned one of their prospects overseas as HC Torpedo of the KHL announced that they’ve added winger Ivan Chekhovich from San Jose.  Unlike a lot of the loans in recent months, this one will be for the duration of the KHL season though he’ll be eligible to return to San Jose’s system after that.

The 21-year-old was a seventh-round pick (212th overall) of the Sharks back in 2017 and signed an entry-level deal following a dominant season in the QMJHL where he finished second in the league in scoring with 43 goals and 62 assists in 66 games with Baie-Comeau.  As they were eliminated quickly in the playoffs, he was able to report to the San Jose Barracuda of the AHL and had seven points over nine contests between the end of the regular season and playoffs.

Accordingly, expectations were relatively high heading into his first full professional campaign but the results simply weren’t there.  Chekhovich managed just four goals and eight assists in 42 games this past season before the pandemic put an end to the rest of their regular season and playoffs.

With that in mind, playing back home next season makes some sense as a way for Chekhovich to reset after a tough year.  This is his first time with the Torpedo program as he was in Dynamo Moskva’s system before making his way to the major junior ranks.

Pacific Notes: Fischer, Sharks, Bowey

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With the deadline for players to accept their qualifying offers having passed earlier today, Coyotes beat writer Craig Morgan reports that the Coyotes are still working on a deal for restricted free agent forward Christian Fischer, even though there is no word on whether they requested an extension from the league. The forward does not have arbitration rights.

Fischer struggled significantly last season, seeing his playing time reduced by more than two minutes, going from 13:10 ATOI to 11:01 this season) and scored just six goals and nine points in 56 games. The 23-year-old just wrapped up his entry-level deal where he made $1.08MM.

  • The Athletic’s Kevin Kurz (subscription required) writes that the loss of center Joe Thornton will have a significant effect on the team. While his offense should be able to be replaced, the bigger effect is how the team will fare without his presence in the locker room, where the veterans had quite an effect over the years. Now with Thornton and Joe Pavelski gone, much of the leadership will fall on the shoulders of second-year captain Logan Couture, who will tough shoes to fill in the Sharks’ locker room. “You have to have a whole leadership group,” general manager Doug Wilson said. “It’s on a whole group of players, it’s not a one-person leadership mentality. … Yes, you’ve got some of the veterans that certainly know it’s their responsibility, but some of the younger guys, too — Tomas Hertl, Timo Meier, Kevin Labanc. It’s their time. They need to step up to the next level. We have to be the sum of all our parts.”
  • With Matt Benning gone and prospects Evan Bouchard and Philip Broberg still developing, the Edmonton Journal’s Kurt Leavins writes that one player that the Oilers may consider adding is former Detroit Red Wings blueliner Madison Bowey. The Red Wings opted not to give the 25-year-old a qualifying offer, making him a free-agent. However, Oilers general manager Ken Holland is familiar with Bowey, who he traded for back when he was with the Red Wings and it could be a good fit. The 6-foot-2 blueliner averaged 17:54 last season in 53 games with Detroit, posting three goals and 17 points.

San Jose Sharks Sign Ozzy Wiesblatt

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One of the best moments of the 2020 NHL Entry Draft was when the San Jose Sharks announced the first-round selection of Ozzy Wiesblatt, signing his name on the broadcast. Wiesblatt’s mother is deaf, making it an emotional moment for all involved. The young forward was doing a different kind of signing today, inking his three-year entry-level contract with the Sharks. San Jose GM Doug Wilson explained just why they picked him 31st overall:

Ozzy brings speed, playmaking, and offense to the lineup, which makes it difficult to play against a talented skater like him. His tenacity for the puck paired with his ability to retain possession and drive the offensive side of the game, along with his character on and off the ice, makes him a valuable player for our organization.

Wiesblatt, 18, has spent the last two seasons with the Prince Albert Raiders of the WHL and scored 70 points in 2019-20. The powerful skater was actually ranked 19th among North American players by NHL Central Scouting but barely made it into the first round when the Sharks took him with the pick they received from the Tampa Bay Lightning in the Barclay Goodrow deal.

One of four hockey-playing brothers (Ocean, Orca and Oasiz), and five children total, Wiesblatt’s story is an incredible one. With the prices of high-level hockey ever-increasing, his family was helped along the way by the community. That work has paid off in a big way with a first-round NHL selection and now an entry-level contract.

San Jose Sharks Sign Patrick Marleau, Matt Nieto

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The San Jose Sharks have brought back a pair of familiar faces, signing Patrick Marleau and Matt Nieto to one-year contracts. Chris Johnston of Sportsnet reports that Marleau has signed for just $700K, while Curtis Pashelka of Bay Area News Group adds that Nieto will also earn just $700K.

Marleau is obviously a franchise icon and is now just 45 games behind Gordie Howe for the all-time lead in NHL games played. He should break that this season if healthy and could eclipse 1,600 games with the Sharks. San Jose GM Doug Wilson explained why they are bringing the 41-year-old back:

Patrick is one of the most iconic players in San Jose Sharks history, as well as being one of the most respected veterans in the National Hockey League. The leadership he brings on and off the ice has been well documented over his fantastic NHL career and his competitive fire to win is still burning strong. Patrick’s lead-by-example demeanor is inspiring and continues to resonate with our group of younger players.

The veteran forward leads the Sharks in almost every record thanks to his two decades in the uniform, starting way back in 1997-98. One of the most consistent offensive players in the NHL over his years, father time has finally started to catch up with him. In 2019-20 he scored just ten goals and 20 points in 58 games for the Sharks before a deadline deal to the Pittsburgh Penguins. Marleau had two points in eight games down the stretch and was basically invisible during the Penguins’ qualification round loss.

Nieto too should be comfortable in San Jose, having played parts of four seasons there to start his NHL career. The 27-year-old actually recorded his career-high in points with San Jose back in 2014-15, scoring 27 in 72 games that season. Though he’s not a top-six contributor, Nieto does have a little scoring punch to add some depth to the lineup and now has plenty of playoff experience.

Neither player will push the needle very far for the Sharks, but come with absolutely no risk at their league-minimum salaries. Marleau does not have trade protection in his deal.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Sharks Re-Sign Kevin Labanc To A Four-Year Deal

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The Sharks have avoided salary arbitration with RFA winger Kevin Labanc, announcing that they’ve signed him to a four-year contract.  Pierre LeBrun of TSN and The Athletic reports (Twitter link) that the deal will carry an AAV of $4.725MM while TSN’s Frank Seravalli adds (via Twitter) the full breakdown:

2020-21: $3.2MM (includes a $1.5MM signing bonus)
2021-22: $3.95MM (includes a $1MM signing bonus)
2022-23: $5.875MM salary
2023-24: $5.875MM salary

There is no form of trade protection in the contract though he was only eligible for it in the final year.

GM Doug Wilson released the following statement on the signing:

Kevin brings a rare level of offensive skill and creativity to our line-up and has established himself as a top-six forward in our league. His Game 7 playoff performance last season is one of the most iconic moments in Sharks history and is a perfect example of the impact he can have on a hockey game. Kevin has shown a consistent ability to perform at a high level in both the regular season and the playoffs and he will be a big part of our club in the coming years.

The 24-year-old had a breakout year in 2018-19 that saw him pick up 17 goals and 39 assists in 82 games while chipping in with nine points in 20 postseason games including the one Wilson referenced in his statement.  However, without arbitration eligibility and San Jose being up against the cap, he opted to take a one-year, $1MM contract with an eye on getting a bigger deal this offseason.

Mission accomplished.  While Labanc took a notable step back offensively this year, he still managed to put up 14 goals and 19 assists in 70 games while logging a career-best 16:04 per game.  Clearly, the Sharks feel that he has shown enough to be a full-time part of their top six and have given a deal that buys out the rest of his arbitration eligibility along with his first UFA-eligible season.

With the signing, San Jose has its five highest-paid forwards all locked up through 2021-22 so this is their core for the next couple of years at the very least.  They have just under $3MM left in cap space per CapFriendly with no remaining free agents at the NHL level to re-sign.  That gives the Sharks a bit of wiggle room to try to add a depth player or two or hold their space for in-season moves.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

San Jose Sharks Re-Sign Stefan Noesen

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The San Jose Sharks have brought back one of their outgoing free agents, re-signing Stefan Noesen to a one-year contract. The deal is worth $925K according to Curtis Pashelka of the Mercury News.

Noesen, 27, was actually a first-round pick of the Ottawa Senators back in 2011, but took several years to make his mark in the NHL. That came in 2017-18 when he had a sneaky-good season for the New Jersey Devils, scoring 13 goals as part of an energy line with Blake Coleman. The duo rotated through linemates like Brian Gibbons, Travis Zajac and Miles Wood, creating a group of checking forwards that was a huge reason why the Devils made it to the playoffs.

Though he hasn’t been able to recapture that magic since, Noesen fit in well with the Sharks after he was claimed off waivers in December. He scored six goals in 34 games after the claim, even while playing in a bottom-six role. That included two game-winners, not something the Sharks were very used to this season.

Noesen will likely be a regular for the Sharks next year and so far he is their only signing since free agency has started. San Jose has been extremely quiet today, deciding not to jump on many of the mid-level players that have found homes.

Sharks Re-Sign Antti Suomela

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Friday: As expected, HIFK has announced that San Jose has loaned Suomela to them, permitting him to play in the SM-liiga until NHL training camps begin.

Wednesday: As part of their qualifying offer announcements, the Sharks announced that they’ve re-signed center Antti Suomela to a one-year, two-way contract.  While financial terms of the deal weren’t disclosed, CapFriendly reports that the deal is worth $700K in the NHL and $350K in the AHL.

The 26-year-old recently wrapped up his second season in North America and once again split the season between the Sharks and the Barracuda, their AHL affiliate.  In 20 games at the top level, he had a goal and six assists despite only averaging 9:41 per night of ice time.  He was more productive in the minors with five goals and four helpers in 14 games.

Earlier this week, it was reported that Suomela has started skating with HIFK in Finland but was unable to play for them due to his NHL contract situation.  Now that a deal has been done, it wouldn’t be surprising to see a loan announcement in the coming days.

Sharks Re-Sign Four Players

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San Jose’s busy day continues.  After acquiring Devan Dubnyk and Ryan Donato in separate trades from Minnesota, CapFriendly reports in a series of four tweets that they’ve re-signed center Maxim Letunov, defensemen Jacob Middleton and Nicolas Meloche, plus winger Jayden Halbgewachs.

Letunov’s one-year, two-way deal pays $700K in the NHL and $140K at the minor league level.  Middleton receives a two-year, two-way pact worth $700K in 2020-21 and $750K in 2021-22 while paying him $225K in the minors both years.  Meloche received a one-year, two-way deal worth $700K in the NHL and $100K in the minors while Halbgewachs signed for two years at the league minimum in the NHL ($700K and $750K) while getting $150K and $200K in the minors.

Letunov made his NHL debut this past season, getting into three games with the Sharks where he scored his first career goal.  He was also quite productive in the minors, leading the Barracuda in scoring with 12 goals and 28 assists in 50 games, beating his numbers from his rookie season.  The 24-year-old is still waiver-exempt but should push for more NHL ice time next year.

Middleton played in 10 games with the Sharks this season, logging just shy of 11 minutes a night on their back end.  Most of his campaign was also spent in the minors where he played in 32 games with the Barracuda, recording a goal and five assists.  With Brandon Davidson and Dalton Prout both eligible for unrestricted free agency this week, the 24-year-old should move up a couple of notches on the depth chart.

Meloche, 23, has been a stay-at-home defenseman over his three professional seasons but has yet to suit up in the NHL.  He was acquired by San Jose last September from Colorado for goaltender Antoine Bibeau and had seven assists in 41 AHL games this past season.

As for Halbgewachs, he was a dominant scorer in the WHL with seasons of 101 and 129 points and has spent the last two years with the Barracuda.  He finished only behind Letunov in scoring in the minors this past season with 19 goals and 16 assists in 55 games, equalling his rookie point total in nine fewer games.  Like Letunov, the 23-year-old also has one more year of waiver exemption but should push for a chance to be recalled at some point in 2020-21.

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