The San Jose Sharks’ busy offseason continues, as on Sunday morning, the organization announced that they had re-signed pending restricted free agent Luke Kunin to a one-year deal. The 26-year-old’s new contract is worth $2.75 million and will take him to unrestricted free agency next summer.
Locking Up Leadership
On the ice, Kunin isn’t the type of player who is seen as a game-changer. His style of game fits a bottom-six role very well, but he’s stepped up and become a leader in the locker room since being acquired by the Sharks during the 2022-23 season. After the departure of Tomas Hertl at the trade deadline this past spring, Kunin stepped up and became an alternate captain toward the end of the season. During the 2023-24 season, he scored 11 goals and tallied seven assists for a total of 18 points in 77 games. He also recorded 83 penalty minutes as the result of an occasional fight.
![Luke Kunin San Jose Sharks](https://s3951.pcdn.co/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Luke-Kunin-Sharks-1200x900.jpg)
Kunin is entering his eighth NHL season and has played with two other organizations before joining the Sharks. He was a member of the Minnesota Wild from the 2017-18 season until he was traded to the Nashville Predators ahead of the 2020-21 season. The Sharks brought him into the mix nearly two years ago, as they acquired him on July 8, 2022, in exchange for John Leonard and a 2023 third-round draft pick.
Related: THW’s 2024 Free Agent Tracker
Kunin isn’t the type of player who is going to push the Sharks up the standings on his own; however, he’s a very useful depth player who can provide quite a bit of leadership in the locker room. He brings a strong work ethic every time he takes the ice and can certainly help mentor the young players who will be making the Sharks roster out of training camp this fall.