Latest San Jose Sharks trade rumors
The Score: After losing the in Western Conference Final, it’s possible San Jose Sharks roster could undergo a dramatic transformation this offseason, leaving in the dust the organization’s best chance at a Stanley Cup.
The Sharks are projected to enter the offseason with $24.7 million in cap space, but they have a bevy of both unrestricted and restricted free agents in need of new contracts:
| PLAYER | POS. | AGE | EXPIRY STATUS | PREVIOUS CAP HIT |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joe Pavelski | F | 34 | UFA | $6M |
| Joe Thornton | F | 39 | UFA | $5M |
| Gustav Nyquist | F | 29 | UFA | $4.75M |
| Joonas Donskoi | F | 27 | UFA | $1.9M |
| Micheal Haley | F | 33 | UFA | $825K |
| Timo Meier | F | 22 | RFA | $894K |
| Kevin Labanc | F | 23 | RFA | $718K |
| Dylan Gambrell | F | 22 | RFA | $925K |
| Erik Karlsson | D | 28 | UFA | $6.5M |
| Tim Heed | D | 28 | UFA | $650K |
| Joakim Ryan | D | 25 | RFA | $650K |
Joe Thornton will likely retire with the bad knees that he has. Timo Meier and Kevin Labanc will be in line for the team’s most significant salary increases. Both youngsters enjoyed breakout seasons, and it’s possible they’ll combine for an annual cap hit close to $10 million, putting a dent in San Jose’s spending flexibility.
Joe Pavelski will likely seek a 3-year deal in the $7 million per year range.
That leaves Erik Karlsson. Can the Sharks re-sign him or will Karlsson test free agency? After a nagging groin injury cost him a chunk of the regular season and ultimately ended his postseason prematurely, there are questions about his health moving forward.
Karlsson will likely seek $11 million per season; there will be more than one team willing to open the vault for the two-time Norris Trophy winner. And one of the teams will be the New York Rangers.
What will the Carolina Hurricanes do this off-season?
The Score: It could be a very busy offseason in Carolina. The Hurricanes have more than $28 million in expected cap space, according to Cap Friendly, but star forward Sebastian Aho’s projected new deal will likely eat up a large chunk of that.
The Hurricanes will likely buyout goalie Scott Darling and re-sign Petr Mrazek and Curtis McElhinney to contract extensions.
GM Don Waddell is looking to extend defenseman Justin Faulk, who will hit unrestricted free agency after next season.
The Hurricanes will also be testing the trade market by dangling one of their young defenceman for a skilled scoring forward.
