The San Jose Sharks are a team in transition, and understanding their salary cap situation is crucial for fans who want to keep up with potential moves. On this page, we’ll dive into the San Jose Sharks salary cap, explore their Sharks cap space, and break down how it might impact the team’s future.
Decoding the Sharks’ Cap Situation
The NHL salary cap sets a limit on how much teams can spend on player salaries. The San Jose Sharks, like all NHL teams, must navigate this cap to build a competitive roster.
Key Factors Affecting Sharks Cap Space
Several things influence the Sharks’ cap space:
- Player contracts: The biggest factor is the salaries of players under contract. High-earning stars eat up a significant portion of the cap.
- Buyouts: Buyouts of underperforming contracts can offer cap relief but often come with long-term cap penalties.
- Injuries: If a player is placed on long-term injured reserve (LTIR), their cap hit can be temporarily removed, providing flexibility.
The Outlook: Navigating the Salary Cap
The San Jose Sharks’ current cap space offers insights into their roster-building options. If they have significant space, they could pursue trades or free agents. Limited space might mean standing pat or finding creative ways to shed salary.
Stay Updated on the Sharks
For the latest San Jose Sharks trade rumors and the team’s Sharks TV schedule, be sure to check out our website. We provide up-to-date news and analysis to keep you informed about your favorite team.
San Jose Sharks Salary Cap – Sharks Cap Space
San Jose Sharks
| Forwards | ||||
| Player | Pos | Age | Status | Cap Hit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Logan Couture “C” | C | 37 | M-NTC | $8,000,000 |
| Tyler Toffoli | RW | 34 | – | $6,000,000 |
| Alex Wennberg | C | 31 | – | $5,000,000 |
| TRADEPhilipp Kurashev | C | 26 | RFA | $4,125,000 |
| Barclay Goodrow | C | 33 | M-NTC | $3,641,667 |
| Kiefer Sherwood | LW | 31 | – | $1,500,000 |
| TRADERyan Reaves | RW | 39 | – | $1,350,000 |
| Ty Dellandrea | C | 25 | RFA | $1,000,000 |
| ELCMacklin Celebrini | C | 19 | ELC | $975,000 |
| ELCMichael Misa | C | 19 | ELC | $975,000 |
| ELCWill Smith | C | 21 | ELC | $950,000 |
| Collin Graf | RW | 23 | RFA | $925,000 |
| William Eklund | LW | 23 | RFA | $863,333 |
| Zack Ostapchuk | C | 23 | RFA | $825,000 |
| Adam Gaudette | C | 29 | – | $775,000 |
| TOTAL FORWARDS | $36,905,000 | |||
| Defense | ||||
| Player | Pos | Age | Status | Cap Hit |
| SIGNEDDmitry Orlov | LD | 34 | – | $6,500,000 |
| TRADENick Leddy | LD | 35 | – | $4,000,000 |
| Mario Ferraro “A” | LD | 27 | – | $3,250,000 |
| SIGNEDJohn Klingberg | RD | 33 | – | $2,000,000 |
| Vincent Desharnais | RD | 30 | – | $1,250,000 |
| ELCSam Dickinson | LD | 20 | ELC | $975,000 |
| ELCShakir Mukhamadullin | LD | 24 | ELC | $863,333 |
| TOTAL DEFENSE | $18,838,333 | |||
| Goaltenders | ||||
| Player | Pos | Age | Status | Cap Hit |
| SIGNEDAlex Nedeljkovic | G | 30 | – | $2,500,000 |
| TRADEYaroslav Askarov | G | 23 | RFA | $2,000,000 |
| TOTAL GOALIES | $4,500,000 | |||
| Dead Cap & Retained Salary Transactions | ||||
| Player / Type | Type | Notes | Cost | |
| Tomas Hertl | Retained | Salary Retained in Trade (Expires 2030) | $1,387,500 | |
| Martin Jones | Buyout | Buyout Cost (Expires 2027) | $1,666,667 | |
| TOTAL DEAD POOL | $3,054,167 | |||
2026-27 Projected Cap Space
With the NHL officially confirming the salary cap will rise to an all-time high of $104,000,000 next season, the Sharks enter the summer with immense spending power.
| Projected 2026-27 Ceiling: | $104,000,000 |
| Projected 2026-27 Cap Room: | ~$62.61 Million |
| Pending Cap Overage Penalty: | -$918,694 |
Overage Note: Even with massive room, the Sharks will carry a $918,694 overage penalty into the 2026-27 season. Because San Jose loaded up on star-caliber Entry-Level Contracts, performance bonuses were triggered rapidly. Macklin Celebrini hit his maximum $3.5M in “A” and “B” bonuses, while Will Smith ($1M), William Eklund ($450k), Sam Dickinson ($250k), and Collin Graf ($500k) also triggered bonuses that will be charged against next year’s $104M ceiling.