San Jose Sharks’ 2022 NHL Free Agency Preview

The San Jose Sharks have been struggling for salary cap space for a long time. Since Erik Karlsson signed his eight-year contract in 2019, the Sharks have been near the cap ceiling. Then, in a nearly poetic twist, the team began losing games at an alarming rate the following season. With a dwindling number of wins and many poor contracts, general manager Doug Wilson began a semi-retool.

With the 2021-22 season halfway complete, questions on the Sharks’ plans for the offseason are being asked more and more. Luckily, Wilson opened some cap space through his moves, but there is still a lot of salary being thrown in the wrong directions. So, with a large number of expiring contracts starting to pile up, what will the Sharks do to give themselves more wiggle room?

Restricted Free Agents

Jonah Gadjovich and Lane Pederson will both be restricted free agents (RFA) at the end of the season. Both players have struggled to find their game with the Sharks this year. Gadjovich has two points in 25 games, and Pederson has two points in 23 games. Neither player is very old, so the Sharks will likely re-sign them to small contracts to see if they can potentially turn things around.

Alongside Pederson and Gadjovich, Johnathan Dahlen will be a RFA in the summer. However, he has had a decent rookie season with the Sharks, unlike those two. He was acquired from the Vancouver Canucks on Feb. 25, 2019, for Linus Karlsson. This season, Dahlen has put up 20 points in 41 games. Of his 20 points, 11 are goals. His scoring presence has been incredibly welcome on a mediocre Sharks team.

The Sharks would be making a grave mistake by not bringing back Dahlen. He found a comfortable spot on the team’s top line, and he provides a young presence that counteracts the many old faces. However, it is no question that Dahlen is going to be receiving a raise this offseason. Therefore, some of the Sharks’ valuable cap space will need to be devoted to keeping him around for a while.

The most significant talking point of this offseason for the Sharks is their plan for Tomas Hertl. Hertl has been one of the best players the team has had for years. He was the voice of hope that brought the Sharks back in the first round of the 2019 Playoffs with his high energy and spirit. He constantly wears a smile on his face despite the Sharks’ challenges. If any Shark has future captain potential, it’s Hertl.

Losing Hertl would be the most significant blow the Sharks could face in their current state. Losing him in free agency would be soul-crushing. His point totals are decent this year, with 38 in 46 games, but his value is more than his scoring. He is a leader on the ice. If he wants out of San Jose, he could be worth many assets. However, if the Sharks can keep Hertl from leaving, they should do anything they can to keep him around.

What moves do you think the Sharks should make with their pending RFAs and UFAs? Should the Sharks try to get assets out of Hertl through a trade? Let us know in the comments!