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Nine defensemen Sharks could target in NHL free agency, trades this offseason originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

• Editor’s note: Sheng Peng is a regular contributor to NBC Sports California’s Sharks coverage. You can read more of his coverage on San Jose Hockey Now, listen to him on the San Jose Hockey Now Podcast, and follow him on Twitter at @Sheng_Peng.

It’s no secret that the Sharks need to upgrade their blue line this offseason.

They can’t count entirely on improvement from within: At the moment, veteran Dmitry Orlov and 19-year-old Sam Dickinson are the only NHL defensemen signed. Restricted free agent Shakir Mukhamadullin and a prospect like Eric Pohlkamp also could help, too. Their own unrestricted free agents, chiefly Mario Ferraro or Vincent Desharnais, might also return.

But if the Sharks want to make the Stanley Cup playoffs next year, they’ll probably need at least one or two significant additions to this group.

Here are nine of the smarter possible adds who could make the biggest impact on the Sharks’ blue line.

Let’s start with free agents.

When I say smart, keep in mind, every move is a risk.

But trying to add an impact UFA makes sense because it won’t cost the Sharks any of their prized young forward depth or cadre of picks and prospects.

Darren Raddysh

Is Raddysh for real?

That’s the big question for the 30-year-old, who pretty much doubled or tripled previous career highs with his 22 goals and 70 points during the 2025-26 NHL season.

In theory, the right-hander still is in his prime and would be the perfect addition to the Sharks’ power play.

John Carlson

The 36-year-old still is an impact player and was a go-to power-play option for two teams this season, the Washington Capitals and Anaheim Ducks.

Unlike Raddysh, Carlson’s 60 points this season are no outlier: That’s the eighth time in his illustrious NHL career that he has cleared 50.

The age is a concern, but that also means the contract commitment to the right-hander won’t be as high. Add in his leadership, and he’s probably a perfect bridge power-play quarterback for the young Sharks.

Jacob Trouba

Sharks general manager Mike Grier knows Trouba well: Both were with the New York Rangers at the same time, before Grier was tapped for San Jose’s top job.

The 32-year-old right-hander has the size and physicality that Grier craves on his blue line, and also re-discovered his offensive touch this past season in Anaheim, scoring double-digit goals for the first time since 2021-22.

The ex-Rangers captain also would provide leadership and penalty-killing chops to the Sharks’ defense.

Rasmus Andersson

There’s no reason to believe that Andersson will leave the Vegas Golden Knights.

The Golden Knights acquired Andersson from the Calgary Flames at the 2026 NHL trade deadline, the Swede has been successful in Vegas, and rumor is, the 29-year-old has had his sights set on playing in Sin City for a while.

If Andersson does hit free agency, the right-hander is not a top-flight PP1 option, but he’s a true two-way blue liner who you can count on for double-digit goals and 20-plus minutes a night.

Frankly, it’s a shallow pool for impact defensemen in free agency, so if any of Raddysh, Carlson, Trouba, or Andersson hit July 1, the market for them will be very competitive.

So, if the Sharks can’t sign one, who can they trade for that can make a difference on defense?

These might be some of the smarter deals.

Simon Nemec

Why would the New Jersey Devils trade the No. 2 pick of the 2022 NHL Draft, who appeared to be coming into his own this year?

The 22-year-old right-hander set career highs with 11 goals and 26 points.

It appeared, however, the Slovakian defenseman was headed out the door under former Devils GM Tom Fitzgerald … so what does new GM Sunny Mehta think of him?

“People are mixed on him,” Scout No. 1 said.

If the Sharks believe in Nemec, especially as a soon-to-be PP1 weapon, his age and draft pedigree could be a good gamble.

Filip Hronek

Is Hronek even available?

Considering the Vancouver Canucks were the NHL’s worst team last year, he probably should be.

He won’t come cheap, but the Czech defenseman checks a lot of boxes for the Sharks: He’s 28, relatively young. He had a career-high 49 points last year and is a physical two-way force. He’s right-handed. He’s signed long-term at a reasonable rate, $7.25 million AAV until 2032.

While he’s not a true No. 1 defenseman, he should be a credible No. 2-3 in the coming years as the Sharks climb the standings.

The Canucks acquired Hronek from the Detroit Red Wings at the 2023 trade deadline for essentially a first and a second-round draft pick. If the Sharks could get him for about the same price, it should be well worth it.

Speaking of cost, the Sharks don’t have to pay full price in a trade for a defensive upgrade, either. They can take on another team’s bad contract, assuming that the team retains some salary on the player.

These three older and overpaid blueliners should be an upgrade for the Sharks at a fraction of the acquisition cost for Nemec or Hronek.

Darnell Nurse

Nurse is 31 and has a $9.25 million AAV until 2030.

“Nurse’s only problem is he makes too much money,” Scout No. 2 said.

If the Edmonton Oilers retained a healthy amount, the big and physical minutes-munching left-hander could prove to be a bargain for the Sharks, adding some much-needed jam.

Morgan Rielly

Rielly is 32 and has a $7.5 million AAV until 2030.

“Not the high-end offensive guy which people expect [anymore],” Scout No. 1 said.

The left-hander remains a power-play asset, though his defensive game and mobility are question marks.

Dougie Hamilton

Hamilton is 32 and has a $9 million AAV until 2028.

The Devils tried to dump Hamilton’s salary on the Sharks last summer, but the right-hander blocked the trade.

Could Hamilton change his mind now, after Macklin Celebrini and the Sharks’ monumental improvement this season?

Hamilton still is a power-play asset, and after his controversial Jan. 12 healthy scratch finished the season with seven goals and 27 points in his last 36 games.

Like Nemec, question is, how much does new GM Mehta value Hamilton?

He’s definitely better offensively than defensively, but the short-term commitment to him, as opposed to Nurse and Rielly, could make Hamilton a more attractive bridge addition.

We’re still far away from the 2026 NHL Draft on June 26 and there are still some vacant GM openings, so the market for defensemen this summer is still forming.

But here are some other names who could be available to the Sharks this summer.

Roman Josi, Josh Morrissey, and Adam Fox are still No. 1 defenseman, and all are on less-than-competitive teams right now.

Left-hander Josi, 35, is a former Norris Trophy winner, making $9.059 million AAV through 2028.  He’s still a big-time offensive weapon, though he won’t come cheaply if the Nashville Predators decide to rebuild.

Left-handed Morrissey, 31, is making just $6.25 million AAV through 2028. With that bargain contract rate and relative youth, the all-around defender would cost a pretty penny if the Winnipeg Jets decide to break their team up.

Right-hander Fox, 28, is making $9.5 million AAV through 2029. His relative youth and affinity to the city of New York — he’s got a complete NMC — suggests he’s unlikely to move.

Some other top-four defensemen who could be available to monitor over the next couple months?

Could big stay-at-home left-hander Gavrikov, making $7 million AAV through 2032, want out of the cellar-dwelling Rangers?

“Gavrikov is still a steady top-four guy for me,” Scout No. 3 said.

The Seattle Kraken has been circling the drain competitively since their 2023 playoff appearance; could they look to change up their mix? Offensive defensemen Brandon Montour and Vince Dunn could be upgrades for the Sharks’ power play. Right-hander Montour, 32, is signed for $7.143 million AAV until 2031; left-hander Dunn, 29, is signed for $7.35 million AAV until 2027.

“Wouldn’t call Montour an impact top-four guy. Feel he’s declining,” Scout No. 3 said. “Dunn can be with the right partner.”

He added: “[Gavrikov] would actually be a good partner for Dunn.”

The Buffalo Sabres tried to acquire Colton Parayko from the St. Louis Blues at the trade deadline for a top prospect and a first-round pick, but the right-hander declined to waive his no-trade clause. Would the big two-way Olympian, signed until 2030 at a bargain $6.5 million AAV, be willing to go west? And would the Sharks be willing to pony up for the 32-year-old?

Speaking of the Sabres, who are still in the playoffs, they might have to make a decision between Bowen Bryam ($6.25 million AAV through 2027) and Owen Power ($8.35 million AAV through 2031) soon. Byram’s next contract projects to be very expensive, and the 24-year-old left-hander has moved ahead of Power on the depth chart.

“Still haven’t been able to figure out Power,” Scout No. 3 said.

Like Nemec, the 2021 No. 1 pick does represent untapped potential, so if the Sharks believe they can get the best out of the 23-year-old left-hander, he’d be a good gamble.

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If you had been told at the start of the playoffs that the Montreal Canadiens would beat the Tampa Bay Lightning in seven games without Cole Caufield scoring a single even-strength goal, you more than likely would have choked on your coffee. Fast forward two weeks, though, and that’s exactly what happened to pretty much everyone’s amazement. There were a few reasons why that came to be: the Habs got timely depth scoring, the defense corps played admirably in Noah Dobson’s absence, and, first and foremost, Jakub Dobes.

The Czech netminder had a solid start to the season, while Samuel Montembeault struggled out of the gate. Since the Quebecer was the established first-choice goalie, he was given every opportunity to bounce back, despite Dobes playing some stellar games. Eventually, the youngster started to struggle as well. By Christmas, the organization was forced to call up Jacob Fowler while they sent Montembeault on a conditioning stint with the Laval Rocket in the AHL.

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While it seemed to have had its impact at first, Montembeault faltered again. Eventually, the organization had to call Fowler up for good, finishing the season with two rookie goaltenders. From March 6, the two rookies shared the workload, but eventually Dobes made the net his own. That battle for winning the starter job was a great preparation for a winner-takes-all Game 7. Speaking on NHL Game Break after the Habs’ win on Sunday night, he explained how he stayed so calm with stakes so high:

I feel like every game that I played this year was kind of like a Game 7 for me. To be honest, I was playing for my life the whole season, so it’s not new to me to try to prove myself and play with passion, emotion, and a 100% effort, and it worked, so I’m really happy.

- Dobes on his season

Throughout the first-round series, the masked man posted a 2.04 goals-against average and a .923 save percentage while facing 196 shots. Meanwhile, at the other end of the ice, Vezina Trophy finalist Andrei Vasilevskiy, had a 2.18 GAA and a .897 SV while only having to face 156 shots. Dobes had 4.4 goals saved above expected according to Moneypuck, while Vasilevskiy had only 2.9, and in the end, that was the difference maker.

On Sunday, Montreal was outshot by 20 shots and still came out on top. It was the first time a team won a Game 7 after being so heavily outshot since the Canadiens did it against the Washington Capitals back in 2010 with Jaroslav Halak in net. That’s fitting, since Dobes’ performance was quite similar to what Halak did back in 2010.

Throughout the series, Dobes didn’t look like a rookie; he looked like an experienced goaltender who was used to handling the kind of pressure that comes with being the Canadiens’ goaltender. He became just the third rookie Canadiens’ netminder to win a Game 7 on the road after Jacques Plante and Ken Dryden.

When Montembeault struggled, Dobes saw an opportunity and grabbed it with both hands. The fifth-round pick at the 2020 draft doesn’t seem like he has any intention of letting go either, even if Fowler is considered by most to be the goaltender of the future. Dobes is enjoying the present, and if he has anything to say about it, Fowler and the future will have to wait their turn.

"People sometimes say that I get too emotional. But every game I play is like a Game 7."

Jakub Dobeš joins @sportsnetkyle after leading the Habs to the Second Round in the #StanleyCup Playoffs pic.twitter.com/E3R4XXnqxR

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) May 4, 2026

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In Game 3 of the Ducks’ first round matchup against the Edmonton Oilers, Jeff Viel took a cross checking penalty 200 feet from his own net, sending the Oilers to the power play. Connor McDavid would score on the ensuing power play, cutting the Ducks’ lead to one.

“Bad penalty,” Viel said after the game. “Cant take a penalty in the o-zone. I kind of felt bad, especially since they score on (the power play). Huge goal they get back after.”

But Viel would atone for his error, depositing a backhand past Connor Ingram—after some terrific work from Jackson LaCombe—to give Anaheim a much-needed insurance goal with just over three minutes left to play in the third period.

In Game 4, Mason McTavish also took an offensive zone penalty, with the Oilers scoring just four seconds into that power play. Viel would score in his second consecutive game 10 minutes later, setting the series up for its first overtime game. Again, a Ducks player would atone for his earlier error, with McTavish proving vital on Ryan Poehling’s overtime winner.

As Oilers forward Trent Frederic attempted to skate the puck out of the defensive zone, McTavish stripped him and sent the puck up to Poehling all in one motion. Poehling’s centering pass to Chris Kreider caromed off Darnell Nurse’s skate and slipped through goaltender Tristan Jarry, barely crossing the goal line. That play gave the Ducks a 3-1 series lead, a momentum swing that put them in the driver’s seat.

“I think that we have ways of whether you get scored on or you make mistakes, we expect it,” head coach Joel Quenneville said. “I think sometimes, you might miss a little of time, you might miss a shift here or there, but you're gonna be out there. 
You're gonna be right back out there. Sometimes, (there) might be some longer absences in that, whether it’s missing a part of a period and after that, you might not play games. But, for the most part, (they should) expect to be out there.

“The guys know that we're going to make mistakes, especially defensively. We’ve been trying to improve that area because we know that we battle back and we have fine ways of putting ourselves back in the game. It’s basically been the way the season has gone all year long. That’s been proven that, hey, we're not out of anything.”

“It was pretty stressful in the penalty box,” Viel said. “The confidence from Q for putting me back out there after a tough penalty was a good vote of confidence. Awesome to get rewarded.”

“We’re just gonna make mistakes,” defenseman Jacob Trouba said. “We’re still gonna continue to make mistakes. We’re learning on the fly here, but there’s no quit in the group. There’s no letdown. We believe we can score goals, we believe we can defend well enough, we believe we can win hockey games. I think that’s what it’s all about right now.”

The words ‘believe’ and ‘belief’ have been used heavily by the Ducks throughout this playoff run. Troy Terry stated how proud he was of the team after Game 1 of their series against the Oilers.

“It’s unfortunate, the result of that game, and it's going to be tough to swallow, but we got to put it behind us.” Terry said. “But I I we kind of got our feet under us. We’re into this thing now.”

“We believe in ourselves,” Captain Radko Gudas said. “We’ve been down so many times this year and we keep coming back, so there's a big belief in this group.”

“We just believe in ourselves,” Poehling echoed after his overtime winner in Game 4. “I thought we played great, honestly. 
The whole game just got off to a start where they got a few bounces, but that's the thing about our team. We've done it all year and I think it just teaches you throughout a season that, hey, you're never out of it. And the belief on the bench is something that you truly feel and you go out there with confidence and play. It’s a great way to play hockey.”

The Ducks’ self-belief, coupled with a short memory, will aid them well in a matchup against another team with plenty of playoff experience in Vegas. While the Ducks may have swept the season series, a new face is behind the bench for Vegas after Bruce Cassidy was fired with eight games remaining in the regular season. John Tortorella has the reins for the rest of the season and holds a record of 11-2-1 since becoming the new bench boss.

“Short memory, forget about it,” Cutter Gauthier said of the team’s reaction to their Game 5 loss in Edmonton.” The longer we let it linger, the longer it's going to affect our game. It’s a new day. We have a 3-2 series lead right now, and we have an opportunity to win the series tonight. 
So we're going to do everything we can to try and get that done.”

The best players at keeping a short memory are the goaltenders. Lukáš Dostál’s performances in the first round were quite up to standard, but he saved his best performance for the closeout game, stopping 25 of 27 shots and making plenty of key saves to prevent the Oilers from sending the series to seven games.

“He’s a special goalie,” defenseman Jackson LaCombe said. “He's been huge for us all year, and I think, honestly, that (the goals against) starts on us as players. I think we’ve got to be better. We knew they were gonna have a push when their backs against the wall. He’s been great for us all year, and I think those goals are on us.”

“I can turn the page right away because I don't wanna really dig too much into the past,” Dostál said. “I'm trying to take the positives, trying to take the negatives, always, from the game and just move on.”

The idea of self-belief being the driving factor for top-notch playoff performances may feel a bit whimsical, but the Ducks have shown that they can turn up another gear. Their 2-6-2 stretch to close out the regular season was nowhere to be found in the playoffs as they dispatched the Oilers in six games. They’ll need some of the same self-belief and short memory if they hope to beat the Golden Knights.

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Related:

2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs: Round 2, Game 1 - Ducks vs. Golden Knights Gameday Preview (05/04/26)

Five Key Matchups for the Ducks in the Second Round vs. Golden Knights

Five Anaheim Ducks Storylines Ahead of their Second Round Series vs the Vegas Golden Knights

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Vegas Golden Knights center William Karlsson will return for Game 1 of the team's second-round playoff series against the Anaheim Ducks after missing nearly six months with a lower-body injury.

Coach John Tortorella confirmed the news before Monday night's game.

Karlsson was hurt in the first period of Vegas’ 4-3 overtime loss against the Ducks on Nov. 8.

Karlsson had four goals and three assists early in the season before the injury. He had back-to-back 50-point seasons, but finished with only 29 in 53 games last season, when he was sidelined twice because of injuries.

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AP NHL playoffs: https://apnews.com/hub/stanley-cup and https://apnews.com/hub/nhl