A number of former San Jose Sharks were on the move on Wednesday, with some others still remaining on the free agent list. Some players were departing the Sharks for the first time this summer, while some had stints with the team in teal in years past.

Leaving San Jose

There were five players whose contracts with the San Jose Sharks ended on July 1 that have already found a new home for the 2026-27 season and beyond. 

The longest-tenured Shark to move on was Mario Ferraro, who had spent his entire career up to this point in the Bay Area. Now, he'll be heading north of the border. The 27-year-old defenseman signed a three-year contract with the Winnipeg Jets with an average annual value of $4 million, well below what many expected him to get on the open market. 

Another departing blue liner, Vincent Desharnais, was a player that the Sharks were looking into potentially keeping, but instead he's heading to the nation's capital. The 30-year-old defenseman received a four-year contract from the Washington Capitals, with an average annual value of $4.2 million, slightly higher than Ferraro's figure.

While those were the only two NHL-caliber Sharks to find a new home on the first day of free agency, there were a number of San Jose Barracuda also on the move. Egor Afanasyev returned to North America last season with the hopes of carving out an NHL role for himself, instead he spent the entirety of the season in the American Hockey League with the Barracuda. Now, he's heading back to his native Russia, as he's signed with Avangard Omsk for the 2026-27 season.

A pair of Barracuda players opted to remain in California, as Jett Woo and Laurent Brossoit both signed with the Anaheim Ducks and are expected to report to their AHL affiliate, the San Diego Gulls. 

Sharks of Yesteryear on the Move

Former San Jose Sharks netminder Vitek Vanecek found himself a new home after a less than stellar season with the Utah Mammoth. The 30-year-old joined the New York Islanders on a one-year deal worth $1 million.

Former Sharks forward Lane Pederson is returning to California, as he signed a two-year contract with the Los Angeles Kings worth $1.75 million that carries a cap hit of $875k.

The Sharks' 60th overall selection in the 2016 NHL Draft, Dylan Gambrell, has also earned himself another NHL contract, as he signed a one-year deal with the Minnesota Wild worth $850k.

Former Sharks forward Jack Studnicka earned himself a two-year contract with the Philadelphia Flyers with the same financial terms as the aforementioned Pederson. 

The previously mentioned Ferraro won't be the only former Shark heading to Winnipeg, as he'll be joined by Noah Gregor who signed a one-year contract with the Jets worth $850k.

Enforcer Jeffrey Viel earned himself the most term of any former Shark, signing a five-year contract with the Tampa Bay Lightning worth $12.5 million.

Kaapo Kahkonen will be staying in Montreal after a short stint as an unrestricted free agent. He signed a one-year contract worth $1 million to serve as a depth goaltender option.

While Mike Grier was busy doing business of his own, a number of former Sharks were finding themselves a new home and there will certainly be more to come in the coming days. 

The Vancouver Canucks have continued to make depth signings after the first day of free-agency, signing 25-year-old forward Matthew Stienburg to a one-year, two-way contract. 

Formerly selected in the third-round of the 2019 NHL Entry Draft by the Colorado Avalanche, Stienburg spent his collegiate career with Cornell University before making the jump to professional hockey in the 2022–23 season. His most offensively-productive college season came in 2021–22, when he put together 13 goals and 16 assists in 27 games. 

After wrapping up his tenure at Cornell, Stienburg played in his first pro game with the Colorado Eagles of the AHL in 2022–23. His first full AHL season came the year after, during which he tallied five goals and eight assists in 54 games. 

Stienburg made his NHL debut as a member of the Avalanche on October 16, 2024 against the Boston Bruins. He skated in a total of eight games through the month of October before being sent back to the Eagles after sustaining an injury. 

Since then, injuries have resulted in Stienburg playing in a total of 13 games for the Eagles during both the 2024–25 and 2025–26 seasons. Through that span, he has put together three goals and three assists. 

Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.

Latest From THN’s Vancouver Canucks Site:

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It's officially over: the Philadelphia Flyers aren't signing John Carlson, or any of the other big fish in NHL free agency this year.

That isn't necessarily a bad thing, though, at this point in time.

Carlson, 36, signed a two-year, $17 million ($8.5 million AAV) deal with the Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday, taking him off the market for the Flyers, Carolina Hurricanes, and other playoff hopefuls around the NHL.

Even though the Flyers needed Carlson's services to improve the dreadful power play, they would be best suited giving those minutes to younger players with the potential to develop that kind of impact.

This is especially important, seeing that the Flyers have regularly failed to recruit elite talent to their cause over the course of this rebuild to date.

The one prospect who will undoubtedly benefit the most from the Flyers' miss on Carlson is defenseman David Jiricek, who was acquired from the Minnesota Wild for Bobby Brink at the NHL trade deadline.

Jiricek, 22, has all the makings of a future NHL power play quarterback with his poise, creativity, vision, and booming shot. His defending, decision-making, and mobility all need to come along, but the Flyers went out of their way to trade for him knowing that.

Flyers Miss Out On Top Forward Trade TargetMavrik Bourque is officially no longer an option for the Flyers.

The 2022 No. 6 overall pick will need to pass through waivers to be assigned to the AHL by the Flyers next season, which effectively guarantees him an NHL roster spot to start the year.

By getting regular high-leverage minutes at the NHL level, Jiricek will continue to hone his hockey brain and defending, learning his opponents' tendencies and better understanding himself, his strengths, and his weaknesses.

"He proved that he's ready for the next level. For him, it's gonna be a battle for ice time. It's going to be up to him. Big summer for him. Yeah, he needs waivers. We're aware of that, and he's going to get a good look, and we hope that he's ready for it. We feel he's ready for it, but he's going to have to show it on the ice," Flyers general manager Danny Briere said of Jiricek in a recent Q&A with The Hockey News. "We know the offense is there, the big shot is there, the size is there, and that's just for him to round out his game, where he becomes a player that the coaches trust every night."

Now that the Flyers won't be getting Carlson, they are likely to pivot and sign former captain Claude Giroux, which would undoubtedly give Jiricek's ability to produce at even strength and on the power play a big boost.

Other decisions the team has made, like re-signing Dan Vladar and Christian Dvorak, say otherwise, but it is objectively the right choice for the Flyers to continue prioritizing the development of their young players over results.

In the long run, the Flyers may be better off missing out on John Carlson.

The Belleville Senators coaching staff for the 2026-27 AHL season is now complete. 

Last week, the B-Sens announced that interim head coach Andrew Campbell would return to the job in a full-time capacity after signing a three-year contract with the club. Campbell took over mid-season this year after the departure of David Bell.

Campbell has retained assistant coaches Stefan Legein and goaltending coach Paul Gibson for their third seasons with the B-Sens.

But new to the staff this year is longtime NHL defenseman Joe Cirella, a veteran of 828 NHL games, most of them with the New Jersey Devils back in the 1980s. Cirella also played for Florida, the New York Rangers, Quebec Nordiques, and Colorado Rockies before winding up his career with a very brief stint in Ottawa in 1995-96.

For old schoolers, Cirella is the answer to a fine hockey trivia question: Name the last former member of the defunct Colorado Rockies to retire from the NHL.

Cirella played for the Rockies during their final season in Denver before the team relocated and became the New Jersey Devils. One of his teammates with the Rockies was former Sens head coach Dave Cameron, now the Ottawa 67s head coach. 

Now 63, Cirella brings a wealth of coaching experience to Belleville's table, spending the past eight seasons with the Calgary Wranglers, the AHL affiliate of the Flames. He spent one season under rookie Wranglers head coach Brett Sutter before parting ways with the club at the end of the season.

Cirella was replaced on the staff last month by former Soo Greyhounds head coach John Dean.

Cirella's assistant coaching career also includes 13 seasons in the OHL with the Soo Greyhounds, Peterborough Petes, and Oshawa Generals. His only NHL coaching experience was his first season as a coach, shortly after retiring as a player, when he joined Florida's staff in 1997-98.

As a player, Cirella was a fifth-overall pick by the Rockies in 1981, right behind future Hall of Famers like Dale Hawerchuk and Ron Francis.

By Steve Warne
The Hockey News 

This article was first published on The Hockey News Ottawa Senators site. For full coverage of the Senators, check out one of the latest headlines below:

Free Agency: Senators Officially Sign Samuel Ersson As Their Backup Goalie
The Senators May Have Just Chosen Burakovsky Over Giroux
Senators Walk Away From AHL's Top Goal Scorer
Meet The Future: Senators Draft Offensive Skill With Two First-Round Picks
At A Glance, Senators' Draft Day Trades Are Head Scratchers
Brady Tkachuk Had a Chance to Write His Own Story. He Chose Matthew's

Washington Capitals star Alex Ovechkin will continue to play in the NHL, giving him a chance to add to his record goal total and chase another Stanley Cup.

Ovechkin, who will turn 41 in September, signed a one-year contract Thursday, July 2. He will earn $1 million in salary, a $4.75 million games-played bonus (10 games) and a $3.25 million signing bonus. Ovechkin’s contract will carry an average annual value of $4.25 million.

He holds the NHL record with 929 goals. He had passed Wayne Gretzky's 894 goal mark in the 2024-25 season and hit 900 goals in 2025-26.

"I’m back!" said Ovechkin. "Thank you to everyone for giving me and my family the time to make this decision. I’m healthy. I love playing hockey and competing to win. I’m excited to come back and join my teammates so we can fight for a playoff spot and have a chance to win. See you in September, DC!”

NHL free agency live tracker: Latest signings, trades, news, rumors on Day 2

🐐👍 pic.twitter.com/xbrUt2WHJ5

— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) July 2, 2026

Ovechkin, who scored 32 goals last season at age 40, will join Sidney Crosby, Gordie Howe, Alex Delvecchio, Stan Mikita and Steve Yzerman as the only players in NHL history to play 22 seasons with one franchise. Ovechkin will also surpass Walter Johnson (21 seasons with the Washington Senators: 1907-1927) as the city's longest-tenured athlete.

"Our entire organization is thrilled that Alex has decided to continue playing," Capitals general manager Craig Patrick said. "Alex has proven year after year that he can produce offensively and that he is still the driving force of our team."

What went into Alex Ovechkin's decision

After the season and the final year of his previous contract, Ovechkin said he hadn't made up his mind about his future, but he did leave some hints.

First, he waved off the Pittsburgh Penguins when they came over to shake his hand after their final meeting of the regular season.

He also said in end-of-season media availability that his two sons wanted him to return.

"They're excited," he said. "They want me to come back because they love the city, they love the team, they love the boys."

After missing the playoffs for just the fifth time, he wanted to make sure the Capitals could be a contender.

The Capitals did their part, trading for Jordan Kyrou and then acquiring Alex Tuch in a sign-and-trade. When free agency began, they signed Boone Jenner and Vincent Desharnais.

"We are excited about the additions we made this offseason to bolster our lineup and make our group more competitive," Patrick said. "We believe that our roster is well balanced and will help create more opportunities for Alex to create offense and score goals. In addition, his presence in our locker room – especially with our young players – will continue to be an enormous boost for our organization and will help shape our team culture for years to come."

Everything came together and now Ovechkin is back to add to his records and chase others.

Alex Ovechkin records

• Total goals: 929
• Power play: 331
• Empty net: 72
• Game winners: 141
• Overtime goals: 27
• Goalies scored on: 189,
• 30-goal seasons: 20
• 40-goal seasons: 14
• 50-goal seasons: 9, tied for first

Records Alex Ovechkin still chasing

• 20-goal seasons: He's at 21 seasons, one behind Gordie Howe
• Combined regular-season/playoff goals: He's at 1,006, 10 behind Gretzky.
• Even-strength goals: He's at 593, 24 behind Gretzky.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Capitals' Alex Ovechkin returning for 22nd NHL season

ST. PAUL, Minn. — The Minnesota Wild has acquired forward Blake Coleman and defenseman Olli Maatta from the Calgary Flames for defenseman Jake Middleton.

After a quiet first day, the Wild have made a big splash.

The move creates another significant change on Minnesota's blue line. Middleton was entering the second season of a four-year contract carrying a $4.35 million cap hit. 

Coleman has one year left at $4.9 million, but the Flames are also retaining half of that contract. Maatta has two-years left at $3.5 million.

This trade came not even a full day after Guerin said, "We've been involved in a lot of different things. Some didn't work out. Some we backed out of. Some we don't know yet."

BREAKING: Wild Trade Defenseman Jake Middleton To CalgaryMinnesota ships the rugged top-pairing blueliner to the Flames, shedding significant salary and ending a fan-favorite tenure to accelerate a defensive overhaul during this transformative NHL offseason.

Coleman, 34, had 20 goals last year and 35 points in 69 games for the Flames. He has recorded 170 goals, 155 assists and 325 points in 693 career NHL games.

He was with the Tampa Bay Lightning for two seasons and won back-to-back Stanley Cups. In his career, Coleman has four 20-goal seasons and has a career-high of 30 in 2023-24 with the Flames.

His first four NHL seasons was in New Jersey under current Wild head coach John Hynes. He coached Coleman for all four years.

Maatta, 31, was drafted by the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2012. Not only was Hynes around him for rookie camps and development camps, but Bill Guerin had him for five years when he was in Pittsburgh.

The 6-foot-2 defenseman had two goals, 12 assists and 14 points in 22 games with the Flames last year after he was traded from Utah in the MacKenzie Weegar trade.

He is a stud defensivly. This proves to be a tremendous trade by Guerin and the Wild.

The final trade:

To Minnesota: Blake Coleman and Olli Maata

To Calgary: Jake Middleton, 2027 third round pick, 2028 fourth round pick and a 2029 second round pick.

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SAINT PAUL, Minn. — The Minnesota Wild appear to have quietly added another intriguing forward.

After one season in the NHL, Maxim Shabanov became a free agent. The Wild have agreed to a contract with the winger.

Shabanov, 25, arrives after spending last season with the New York Islanders, where he recorded five goals and 13 assists for 18 points in 44 NHL games.

Before making the jump to North America, the 5-foot-8 winger starred in the KHL with Traktor Chelyabinsk, posting 23 goals and 44 assists for 67 points in 65 games during the 2024-25 season, establishing himself as one of the league's most dynamic offensive players.

The Islanders declined to extend Shabanov a qualifying offer earlier this week, making him an unrestricted free agent. It didn't take long for him to seemingly find a new home.

If finalized, the addition gives the Wild another skilled, creative forward following the departures of Mats Zuccarello, Vladimir Tarasenko and Marcus Johansson earlier this offseason.

While Shabanov isn't the biggest player, he has built a reputation for his elite puck skills, vision and offensive creativity. Perfect guy for Kirill Kaprizov and Danilla Yurov.

The contract is a one-year deal at $1.6 million.

See more of The Hockey News on Google — Save us as Preferred Source

For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.

Rasmus Andersson’s future is officially in Las Vegas.

After joining the Golden Knights in a midseason trade from the Calgary Flames, the veteran defenceman has signed a seven-year contract worth $59.5 million, carrying an average annual value of $8.5 million. The agreement ensures Andersson will remain a key part of Vegas’ blue line for years to come.

The 29-year-old was acquired by the Golden Knights on Jan. 18 in one of Calgary’s biggest moves of the season. In return, the Flames received defenceman Zach Whitecloud, University of North Dakota prospect Abram Wiebe, a 2027 first-round draft pick, and a conditional second-round selection in 2028. Calgary also agreed to retain 50 percent of Andersson’s salary as part of the transaction.

Andersson made his impact felt after arriving in Vegas, notching 17 points (7 goals, 10 assists) in 33 regular-season games. Between the Flames and Golden Knights, he finished the 2025-26 campaign with 47 points, including 17 goals and 30 assists, in 81 games.

He also played an important role during Vegas’ playoff run, contributing six assists in 22 games.

Andersson is one of the most productive defencemen in franchise history. Over 584 games with the Flames, he recorded 261 points, ranking sixth among blueliners in team history in scoring. He also sits seventh among Calgary defencemen in games played and ranks 15th overall in franchise history.

The long-term extension gives the Golden Knights stability on their back end while closing the book on Andersson’s successful tenure with the Flames. 

Nashville Predators general manager Chris MacFarland has put a lot of stock in Colorado Avalanche center Jack Drury early on. 

On June 24, the Predators sent Zach L'Heureux and Fedor Svechkov to Colorado for Drury, Chase Bradley and a 2029 third-round draft pick.

Four days later, Drury was signed to a five-year, $22.5 million contract, with a AAV of $4.5 million. 

While the contract came under some criticism for its size and length, MacFarland defended it, saying that Drury would be an important player, supplementing the middle of the ice and building on the established culture. 

"Jack (Drury) is a guy that is not a 25-goal, 60-point guy, but he is elite defensively," MacFarland said ahead of the NHL Draft. "That ability for a coach to throw out a center against the other teams' top players and feel comfortable doing so on the road is massive.

"Then what Jack does off the ice and what he'll do for the young players. I believe it is really, really important long term." 

Nashville Predators Sign Jack Drury To 5-year, $22.5 Million ContractGeneral manager Chris MacFarland secures a defensive anchor for his new roster, betting big on the former Avalanche center’s elite shutdown capabilities and veteran locker room presence.

On Thursday, Drury spoke to the media for the first time, saying he wants to continue doing what he does best on the ice, adding a defensive element down the middle and showing he can be utilized up and down the ice. 

"Hopefully I can take on a bit more responsibility in general (than in Colorado), but be good defensively and help offensively when I can," Drury said. "Be good on the penalty kill, and just play a solid 200-foot game. That's kind of who I've been since I've joined the league. I can take my game to another level, but at the same time I want to stick with what makes me good and do what I can within my role." 

Last season in Denver, Drury scored 27 points off of 10 goals and 17 assists in 82 games, giving Colorado a depth boost from the middle six. He's expected to play in that same role this season in Nashville, forecasted to center Ross Colton and Matthew Wood. 

When it comes to the leadership aspect off the ice, MacFarland made it clear that Drury will be an important player in bringing in the next generation of Predators.

Drury said he isn't looking to drastically change anything but wants to help expand the already established culture built by guys like Roman Josi, Filip Forsberg, Ryan O'Reilly, and others. 

"It means a lot here, and it comes from CMAC," Drury said on MacFarland's leadership comments. "He's someone I respect so much, and I'm glad he sees that in me. As far as what I can bring, I think they've already got a great leadership corps there...It's just continuing to do what I do every day.

And less than a minute later, it's Jack Drury!!

📺: @NHL_On_TNT, @Sportsnet, @TVASportspic.twitter.com/wl4xELgbyD

— NHL (@NHL) May 4, 2026

"It's just kind of about the habits, being a profession and being consistent doing things day in and day out the right way." 

"We'll continue to build that culture in Nashville, as I'm sure the guys have already laid a great foundation." 

As for what he'd seen from Nashville before his arrival, he was surprised by where the Predators were in the standings last season, as Colorado was put to the test in all four meetings. 

The Predators picked up two wins over the Avalanche last season, one in a 4-3 shootout result on Dec. 9 in Nashville and the other a 7-3 blowout in Denver on Jan. 16, which was Colorado's first regulation loss at home. 

"I was always kind of surprised by where they were at the standings whenever we played them because, quite frankly, they dominated us," Drury said. "I know it's a fast team. It's a really good mix of some veteran guys who have been superstars in the league for a long time and some young guys who bring a lot of speed, energy and skills. 
They've got the depth now and obviously, incredible goaltenders." 

Day 1 of NHL free agency is in the books and Day 2 is underway.

Stanley Cup-winning goalies Frederik Andersen and Sergei Bobrovsky moved to the Edmonton Oilers and Toronto Maple Leafs, respectively, on the opening day.

The New York Rangers traded Vincent Trocheck to the Utah Mammoth, getting back defenseman Sean Durzi as part of the deal. They later traded for defenseman Marcus Pettersson to boost their blue line. The San Jose Sharks added Jacob Trouba and Darnell Nurse to their defense.

Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski made clear he wanted to stay in Columbus. Rasmus Andersson got a seven-year deal to stay with the Vegas Golden Knights and the Chicago Blackhawksgave Bowen Byram got a six-year extension that makes him the top-paid defenseman.

Follow along on Thursday, July 2 for Day 2 of NHL free agency with signings, trades, news and rumors:

NHL free agency: Winners and losers from Day 1

Toronto Maple Leafs sign Brandon Duhaime

He gets three years. The Maple Leafs continue remaking their bottom six after adding Nick Paul, Jack Roslovic, Colton Sissons and Teddy Blueger Duhaime totaled 324 hits in his two seasons with the Capitals and has topped 200 twice.

Colorado Avalanche sign Jaden Schwartz

He gets a three-year deal. After moving out some depth scoring in Ross Colton and Jack Drury, the Avalanche add back. Schwartz is a six-time 20-goal scorer and had 26 goals in 2024-25 with the Kraken.

Who are the best remaining free agents?

Claude Giroux, Patrick Kane, Anthony Mantha, Vladimir Tarasenko, Michael Bunting, John Klingberg, Logan Stanley and others are still out there.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NHL free agency live tracker: Latest signings, trades, news, rumors on Day 2

As NHL free agency continues to unfold, three former members of the Calgary Flames have found new opportunities heading into the 2026-27 season.

Veteran winger Victor Olofsson is joining the Vegas Golden Knights after splitting last season between the Colorado Avalanche and the Flames. The 30-year-old appeared in 78 games during the 2025-26 campaign, recording 13 goals and 18 assists for 31 points. He now adds experienced scoring depth to a Golden Knights team with Stanley Cup aspirations.

Forward John Beecher is also on the move, signing a one-year, two-way contract with the Florida Panthers. Beecher, 25, suited up for 35 NHL games between the Boston Bruins and Calgary last season, collecting three goals and four assists while providing versatility and size down the middle.

Another fan favourite in Calgary, Justin Kirkland, has also secured a new deal in free agency. The 29-year-old has signed a one-year, two-way contract worth $850,000. Kirkland appeared in 20 games with Calgary during the 2025-26 season, contributing one goal and one assist while earning an opportunity to establish himself at the NHL level.