The San Jose Sharks announced last week that they had reached an agreement with restricted free agent Ty Emberson on a one-year deal. The defensive defenseman was a waiver claim this past September. Although he didn’t have much of an opportunity to make an impression on fans during the 2023-24 season, he has the potential to be a very good value for the Sharks this coming season.
Emberson’s new contract is a risky one for the Sharks, as although they got a good salary number on the deal, with it only being worth $900,000, it does walk the defenseman to unrestricted free agency.
An Undervalued Role
Defensive defensemen often don’t get the respect they deserve. Chris Tanev, who recently signed with the Toronto Maple Leafs, makes that very clear. Even though he’s often touted as the best in the league at what he does, he has consistently had a salary of around $4.5 million which is much less than defensemen who contribute offensively. Sharks fans have seen historically how important a shutdown defenseman can be, as Marc-Edouard Vlasic was a key part of their peak years. Although that did lead to the signing of one of the worst contracts in recent memory, at the time he was a key part of their blue line. Emberson isn’t at that level, but he could become a very good second or third-pairing defenseman for the Sharks if he’s able to stay healthy this coming season.
Emberson doesn’t have the flashiest game, and he’s certainly not going to be the Erik Karlsson replacement that the Sharks are trying to find, but he can easily fill the hole that Vlasic will eventually leave. If the team decides to move on from Mario Ferraro as well, having a player like Emberson on the roster could be even more important. He isn’t a liability in the offensive zone either, recording a goal and nine assists for the Sharks in his first 30 games with the team. For the time being though, those two can be phenomenal mentors for the 24-year-old defenseman as he looks to reach his full potential in the NHL.
Difficult Road Ahead
Based on the performances we saw last season, earning a contract with the Sharks likely won’t be the most difficult task around the NHL for the next couple of seasons, but it’s still not guaranteed. Emberson is going to need to make an impact if he wants to get another NHL contract, whether it be in San Jose or elsewhere following the 2024-25 season. A majority of the Sharks’ top prospects are forwards, which makes earning a roster spot out of the gate much easier for some of the fringe players including Emberson. With that being said, even with the departure of Calen Addison after he wasn’t tendered a qualifying offer, there are going to be six returning NHL defensemen on the roster. That doesn’t even include the addition of Jake Walman or prospects like Shakir Mukhamadullin and Sam Dickinson who are going to do whatever they can to earn a spot in the lineup come training camp.
Matt Benning, who was included in that count, will be returning after a significant injury last season and will try to earn as much ice time as possible. Essentially, all of this means that playing time isn’t guaranteed for anyone on the Sharks’ blue line this coming season. New head coach Ryan Warsofsky is going to have a lot of options, and although he already has relationships with most of these players from last season, it’s a fresh start for all of them with David Quinn out of the picture.
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Emberson is going to have a great opportunity this season if he works hard and outperforms those around him. With the way the Sharks’ defense is currently constructed, the sky is the limit for any of the young blueliners. With that being said, someone will need to break through and grab the brass ring dangling above them and if anybody, including Emberson, lets off the gas at any point during the 2024-25 season, they’re quickly going to lose their spot.
