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Five NHL trades, free-agent acquisitions Sharks should explore 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.

How will the Sharks improve this offseason?

No doubt, the hockey hot stove is percolating with trade and free agency rumors right now.

The 2025 NHL Draft is on June 27, and free agency begins on July 1, so the market is about to explode.

But not every possible acquisition fits the Sharks and their timeline.

So, what are five possible (and realistic) ways for the Sharks to take another step?

Before we get to that, let’s talk about how the Sharks probably aren’t going to improve themselves this offseason.

Big Free Agency Swing?

One hundred-point winger Mitch Marner is the prize of this free agency class. But even if he’d consider the last-place Sharks, it doesn’t seem like San Jose is ready to offer maximum seven or eight-year contracts to a UFA.

“It’s still not something I’m excited to do — to hand out, you know, seven- or eight-year deals or anything like that,” general manager Mike Grier said at the end of the season. “I’d still like to keep it more in the short to mid-term range, if possible.”

Grier could just be being coy, but he seems the cautious type, sources indicate the same thing, and there’s no indication that he’s being pressured from above to make a big splash.

So my guess is the Sharks stay out of the high end of free agency this summer.

If so, that could rule out San Jose from the chase for UFA forwards Marner, Nikolaj Ehlers and Sam Bennett. Same goes for defensemen Aaron Ekblad, Vladislav Gavrikov and Ivan Provorov.

It doesn’t mean that the Sharks won’t invest significantly in free agency, but probably more in the range of last summer’s four-year, $24 million pact with Tyler Toffoli.

What Can Sharks Offer in Trade?

A trade takes two to tango, and what the Sharks have to offer might not be enticing to other teams.

Specifically, San Jose does have an absolute war chest of futures to offer, extra first-round picks and high-end prospect depth.

But as of now, it feels like the most active teams on the market are looking to win now, not looking for futures.

So while futures could be a part of any deal, it’s hard to see them forming the core of potential trades for top-notch acquisitions like 40-goal winger Jason Robertson, almost point-per-game winger J.J. Peterka and top-pairing caliber defensemen like Noah Dobson, Bowen Byram and Samuel Girard.

At the moment, there isn’t a franchise out there a la the 2022-23 Sharks, looking to rebuild and dangling a star like Timo Meier. That’s the kind of trade where the Sharks can outbid the rest of the league.

For what it’s worth, the Sharks do have the No. 30 pick in the 2025 Draft and the Edmonton Oilers’ top-12 protected 2026 first to offer. They also have, arguably, the deepest farm system in the NHL, especially up front.

Sharks Can Also Offer This

The Sharks also have tons of cap space, which will help them absorb short-term contracts.

What doesn’t help is being the worst team in hockey, which makes San Jose a less attractive place for quality players who have a choice of where to go, like UFAs John Tavares and Matt Duchene, and cap casualty Chris Kreider, who has a 15-team no-trade list.

Mason Marchment, another potential cap casualty, has a 10-team no-trade list. Maybe the Sharks aren’t on that list?

So, who does this leave for the Sharks?

Mikael Granlund

San Jose Hockey Now heard at the 2025 NHL Scouting Combine that the Stars were really happy with Granlund, after they acquired him from the Sharks last season, seeing him as a solid influence on the many Finns on the squad, besides being a terrific two-way forward. So they’re looking to retain the pending UFA.

But that doesn’t take away how much Granlund enjoyed it in San Jose, where he revived his career over the past year and a half.

The 33-year-old isn’t looking for a significant term, so if the Stars can’t fit him in, a San Jose reunion would be logical. The Sharks were equally happy with Granlund in his time there.

K’Andre Miller

The New York Rangers are looking to win now, so why trade a 25-year-old top-four defenseman?

He is an RFA, and the Rangers might be looking to distribute their money in better places.

There are rumors that Miller will be subject to an offer sheet at the beginning of free agency, possibly in the range of $4.68 to $7.02 million AAV, which comes at the cost of a 2026 first and third.

Draft picks used for offer sheets have to be your own, so there’s no way that the Sharks are putting up their own 2026 first for Miller. That Sharks’ 2026 first could be projected No. 1 pick Gavin McKenna.

But can San Jose beat the trade value of a 2026 first and third, assuming Miller gets offer sheets elsewhere?

They have next year’s Oilers’ first to start a trade conversation.

It’s hard to say, once again, if futures are enough to be the foundation of such a trade.

Nicolas Hague

Hague has never been a top-four defenseman for the Vegas Golden Knights, but an argument can be made that the 26-year-old has been blocked by the perennial Stanley Cup contender’s deep defensive group.

Do the Sharks believe that Hague has more to offer?

The Golden Knights are also facing a cap crunch, so the pending RFA could be an offer sheet candidate, perhaps at the high end of the $2.34 to $4.68 million AAV range. That would cost the Sharks their 2026 second-round pick.

Matt Grzelcyk

The 31-year-old defenseman had a career-high 40 points last season and could help run the Sharks’ power play. After trading Jake Walman last year, San Jose didn’t have a credible blueline presence on the man advantage.

I believe the UFA, who was coming off a down 2023-24 campaign, is looking for stability, which San Jose could certainly offer a la Toffoli.

Ilya Lyubushkin

Dallas actually has two veteran defensemen in Lyubushkin ($3.25 million AAV, two years left) and Matt Dumba ($3.75 million AAV, one year left) that they could be looking to dump to clear cap space.

Lybushkin had a tough time in the Stanley Cup Playoffs and Dumba didn’t even play as a healthy scratch, but on the Sharks, they’d both improve a thin defense.

Chances are, they won’t cost much either, especially Dumba.

So, a short or mid-term free agent signing? A hockey or cap casualty trade? A low-end offer sheet?

The likely avenues for the Sharks to improve aren’t the most exciting, but there is good news. With young stars Macklin Celebrini, Will Smith, William Eklund and Yaroslav Askarov leading the way, the big swings are coming.

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The Vancouver Canucks are starting to build a strong prospect pool. Whether through the draft, trade or free agency, there are quite a few prospects who could make an impact at the NHL level sooner rather than later. Here is a look at the top ten prospects in Vancouver's system heading into the 2025 NHL Entry Draft. 

*Note: To qualify for this list, players must be 23 or under and have played fewer than 25 combined NHL regular season and postseason games. Players are ranked based on age, position, league, and overall performance during the 2024-25 season.

Players featured on the "Post 2025 NHL Trade Deadline Edition" that are no longer eligible:

- Victor Mancini
- Elias Pettersson

Honourable Mention: Vilmer Alriksson- Abbotsford Canucks, AHL

LW, 6'6', 214 lbs- 107th Overall in 2023

Vilmer Alriksson had a tough conclusion to the 2024-25 season. The Brampton Steelheads' winger suffered a season-ending injury in early February and finished the campaign with 35 points in 43 games. With an entire off-season to train and get healthy, do not be surprised if Alriksson has a massive 2025-26 season in the OHL.

10. Josh Bloom- Abbotsford Canucks, AHL

LW, 6'2", 185 lbs- Trade With Sabres

Josh Bloom was a standout in the ECHL this season. The 22-year-old had 39 points in 43 games and was one of two players on the Kalamazoo Wings to record 20 goals. With a full year of pro hockey now under his belt, Bloom looks ready to make the jump full-time to the AHL.

9. Danila Klimovich- Abbotsford Canucks, AHL

RW, 6'2", 203 lbs- 41st Overall in 2021

This season has shown just why Danila Klimovich is such a polarizing prospect. He scored 25 goals for the Abbotsford Canucks, but has played only 10 games during the Calder Cup Playoffs. If Klimovich can find more consistency in his game, he might earn an NHL call-up before his contract expires at the end of next season. 

8. Riley Patterson- Barrie Colts, OHL

C, 6'0", 192 lbs- 125th Overall in 2024

Riley Patterson followed up his strong regular season with a productive post-season run. In 16 games, he had 12 points along with 38 shots on goal. Projected to return to the Barrie Colts in 2025-26, Patterson has the potential to surpass the point-per-game mark for the first time in his OHL career.

7. Anthony Romani- Michigan State University, NCAA

C, 6'0", 185 lbs- 162nd Overall in 2024

Anthony Romani was electric during the 2025 OHL Playoffs. In 16 games, he had 24 points, which included a team-high 12 goals. The question now is, will Romani be able to keep up his high production when he moves to the NCAA next season? 

6. Sawyer Mynio- Abbotsford Canucks, AHL

LD, 6'1", 173 lbs- 89th Overall in 2023

Sawyer Mynio had an impressive post-season in the WHL. He recorded six assists in 11 games and was used in all situations by the Calgary Hitmen. While Mynio can return to the WHL next year, it is very likely that he makes the jump to the pro level and plays the 2025-26 season in either Abbotsford or Kalamazoo. 

Latest From THN’s Vancouver Canucks Site: 

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5. Ty Young- Abbotsford Canucks, AHL

G, 6'3", 183 lbs- 144th Overall in 2022

Ty Young had a season to remember in the ECHL. He went 10-9-2 while posting two shutouts and a save percentage of .926. While there is a crowded crease in the Canucks system, it will not be shocking if Young spends the year in Abbotsford. 

4. Ty Mueller, Abbotsford Canucks, AHL

C, 5'11", 185 lbs- 105th Overall in 2023

Ty Mueller continues to impress at the AHL level. After a successful rookie campaign, he has stepped up in the post-season, recording eight points in 18 games. A key piece of the Canucks roster during the 2025 Calder Cup Playoffs, Mueller should get some call-ups to the NHL next season. 

3. Kirill Kudryavtsev- Abbotsford Canucks, AHL

LD, 5'11", 200 lbs- 208th Overall in 2022

Kirill Kudryavtsev is the definition of a late-round steal. The 21-year-old has thrived in the AHL this year and is currently tied for the post-season plus/minus lead at +13. While he may not get the spotlight on a nightly basis, Kudryavtsev's play is a big reason why Abbotsford is headed to the Calder Cup Final. 

2. Jonathan Lekkerimäki- Abbotsford Canucks, NHL

RW, 5'11", 172 lbs- 15th Overall in 2022

While Jonathan Lekkerimäki has struggled during the post-season, he is still the Canucks best forward prospect in the system. He is a potential game-breaker and has shown in the past that he can step up on the biggest stage. Projected to play in Vancouver's middle-six next season, Lekkerimäki will need to find a way to be productive both at even strength and on the power play in 2025-26.

1. Tom Willander- Vancouver Canucks, NHL

RD, 6'1", 180 lbs- 11th Overall in 2023

The Canucks top prospect heading into the 2025 NHL Entry Draft is defenceman Tom Willander. After a strong NCAA career, Willander signed his ELC in May and is expected to compete for a spot on the NHL roster. Regardless of whether he starts next season in the NHL or AHL, Willander has the potential to be an important part of this organization for years to come.

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, be sure to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum.

The Philadelphia Flyers are still well positioned to execute a blockbuster trade for a top center this summer, but one popular potential trade target on the Anaheim Ducks isn't worth all the hype.

Ducks center Mason McTavish, a 22-year-old pending restricted free agent and former No. 3 pick, has been a popular name amongst Flyers fans looking for centers the team can potentially trade for this offseason.

The Switzerland-born center just posted 22 goals and 52 points in his third full season in the NHL while winning greater than 50% of his faceoffs for the second season in a row. To this point, word on a new contract from the Ducks has been quiet, opening the door for the Flyers to strike. But is that a good idea?

If he is to sign with another team this offseason, Evolving-Hockey projects McTavish's next contract to be a six-year pact worth $6.683 million annually.

For the sake of comparison, reports have indicated that Minnesota Wild center Marco Rossi is looking for a seven-year deal worth something in the range of $7 million annually.

At 6-foot-1 and 214 pounds, McTavish is bigger and heavier than Rossi, which is the crux of his appeal to Flyers fans and, presumably, the Flyers themselves.

The 22-year-old dished out 70 hits this season and blocked 31 shots, while the smaller Rossi blocked 41 shots and made 62 hits.

Plus, Rossi has scored 45 goals and 100 points over the last two seasons, while McTavish has just 60 goals and 140 total points across his three full NHL seasons.

To be clear, both McTavish and Rossi would be upgrades on the current state of the Flyers' center depth, but preferring McTavish to Rossi for a perceived increase of physicality is just a myth.

The smaller Rossi has been just as effective and physical at effectively the same price point, and it helps that NHL teams are aware of the public struggle between the Austrian center and the Wild.

McTavish, on the other hand, may not necessarily be for sale and would cost more assets in a prospective Flyers trade on top of the salary.

Another thing to note is that the Flyers, as a rush-based team, are not the greatest fit for McTavish.

The 2021 No. 3 overall pick is one of the slowest skaters in the NHL, placing beneath the 50th percentile in top speed, 22+ MPH bursts, and 20-22 MPH bursts, according to NHL EDGE. McTavish placed in the 60th percentile in 18-20 MPH bursts.

In Philadelphia, McTavish could always be paired with players like Owen Tippett or Travis Konecny, but the differing playstyles and skillsets could supersede each other and alter the alchemy of the forward group.

Plus, adding another slow center and changing things up may take away from the chemistry Flyers captain Sean Couturier had Konecny and Matvei Michkov.

A lack of speed down the middle was already a weakness for the Flyers, and with the assets McTavish might bring in for the Ducks, Danny Briere and Co. are best suited looking elsewhere for the center of their future.

For more Flyers news and up-to-date coverage, visit The Hockey News and like our Facebook page. Follow us on 𝕏: @ByJonBailey,  @TheHockeyNews

Amazon has just completed its first season streaming NHL games in Canada when the digital giant wasted no time in unveiling plans for 2025-26 at their annual upfronts in Toronto. Entering the final year of a two-year deal with Rogers Sports & Media, to broadcast games on Monday night, a weekly live look-in show called 'Coast-To-Coast' on Thursday  and a docuseries titled 'FACEOFF: Inside The NHL', the digital giant appears poised to build off their opening year.

Ahead of the announcement, I had a chance to chat with Prime Video Canada's Mark Shopiro, to look back on Season 1 and what fans could expect in next season.

WE ARE SO BACK. 🎬

Tkachuks x 2. Flower. Sid. Season 2 of FACEOFF: Inside the NHL is coming, and it will be a movie. pic.twitter.com/sytbhUOoiZ

— Sports on Prime Canada (@SportsOnPrimeCA) May 29, 2025

Among the topics discussed:

• What was learned from Season 1
• Players and executives willingness to let the camera into their world after seeing Season 1
• Amazon's interest in hockey (if any) beyond their deal that expires at the end of 2025-26

THN: What was your general feedback after Season 1 aired?

Shopiro: We were really happy with season one. I think what fans get to see in the broadcast and day-to-day is gameplay on the ice and storylines as they're playing out. But what they don't have as much visibility to or have been historically was what it's like to be a professional athlete, both on and off the ice. And we saw a really, really positive reception in Season 1 around those off-ice moments of getting to see what it's like to be a player in the National Hockey League. And also through the perspective of the player, but also those that are most important to them in their lives, be it their family members or good friends. And really, you know, understanding the players as people and everything that they dedicate to becoming such elite athletes was something that we had, you know, great response on in season one. And I think fans can expect to see more of in season two.

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THN: Did you get more players or anyone after seeing Season 1 being like, 'Hey, I've got to be part of this, and maybe the ask to participate increased? What was that change like between Season 1 and Season 2?

Shopiro: For sure, yeah. I think with Season 1, we had never done it before. The players had never done it, obviously, in the NHL. And as we look forward to season two, people have a flavor of kind of what this was meant to be and how it showcases players. So I think that eased some of the conversations and willingness for players to participate. Obviously, everyone's different, but I think we feel good about a stacked list of players heading into Season 2 and I think that speaks to players' willingness to be involved in the series and be a part of it.

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THN: Brendan Shanahan is involved. We usually don't get executives like that in terms of the list from the previous. How did that come about?

Shopiro: You know, as we think about showcasing the game holistically, the front office is a part of it. And, you know, as you think about showing the game from different angles, that was definitely, you know, a lens that we had thought about as we went into development on the series. And obviously, you know, really happy with everybody that's come forward to be a part of Season 2.

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THN: Looking at all the other stuff that you're going to announce, obviously this is going to be Year 2 of the deal for Amazon and the NHL. What was the general feedback after Season 1 from the Canadian games you guys broadcast?

Shopiro: We were really happy. I think what we were most happy with was the fan reception to the broadcast. We got really good feedback on fans appreciating us going rink to rink, bringing the cities that we were broadcasting from as characters into the games that we were putting on television, bringing people closer to the action with innovations like Home Ice Access, which essentially, you know, let customers from their living room get a peek inside the arena before puck drop, which is, you know, so synonymous with going to a game and getting to experience the feels beforehand. So we feel, you know, first and foremost, really good about the product that we put on the screen. And I think fans recognize that. We're really happy with our viewership and growing with younger audiences, our members spending more time with the broadcast. If you think about entertainment and how people spend their time, sports is such a critical part of that. We view it as a great opportunity to be a part of everybody's Monday nights for three hours every Monday as we broadcast games from Canadian teams.

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THN: It looked like you guys were leveraging some of the technology advantages you guys have. Like I noticed, for example, just being on the home site for Amazon, there was like a little square on top, like before you were even going So even like I guess if you were just a casual shopper on the site, you would see like a little preview of the game kind of going on. Like how much of that was important in terms of the integration of using the leverage of the company, but also just kind of being able to demonstrate what you guys can do differently.

Shopiro: Our first focus was getting the game right. And I think you'll see as the season went on last year and as we start to head into Season 2 as well, it's let's get the game right as we come to one focus. And then where can we innovate and start to bring more value into the broadcast. You mentioned things like we call it like an autoplay feature o Fire TV devices where the game will just start playing versus needing to navigate. There's other pieces of innovation that we got great quality feedback on picture quality and sound quality. So, you know, with compatible devices we filmed in 1080p HDR, I know that's a little technical, but that's a new standard for hockey in Canada and really one that hasn't even been adopted too broadly yet in the U.S. Great 5.1 surround sound, and even things like new camera angles and, you know, innovation like Rapid Recap, which essentially generates like a two-minute reel if you're joining the broadcast in progress on what's happened so far in the game, and then you transition right to live. I know that's a little bit of a laundry list, but that was some of the innovation that we were really excited about, and we feel like fans have really reacted positively to.

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THN: You're in the second year of the deal, which is sublicensed from Rogers, and then Rogers renewed their deal with the NHL. Is there an appetite from Amazon to continue with the game beyond this upcoming season?

 Shopiro: I'm not going to speculate on any future deals, but we are really focused right now on Season 2. And it's hard to believe we just wrapped up Season 1 six weeks ago, and we're already full steam ahead for next fall.

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THN: The Coast-to-Coast broadcast that you guys did on Thursdays...What was the general feedback there? Obviously, that was new, but there was a version kind of like that in Canada. What did you like about it? What did you feel could be improved on?

Shopiro: NHL Coast to Coast was a newer format. It had been done, there were variations of the format, but really, you know, starting with the NHL and working on programming the schedule such that we have a great slate of games every Thursday. And, you know, many of the studios show was ran for, you know, five, five and a half hours. Oftentimes, I don't know how Andi Petrillo, who was our host, did it just going for that long. I think as NHL Coast to Coast progressed throughout the season, And we had a rotating analyst that came in, and I feel like that was well-received by audiences. And also just the ability to go from what we said from game to game, goal-to-goal. I hadn't really watched hockey like that before, and I feel like the format was well-received around bouncing between games and, you know, sometimes piping in the audio from the game that you're listening to, sometimes having it be voiced over by the analysts that were in the studio. Tried a bunch of different things in season one and feel like we landed in a good place. As we think about innovation and how we evolve the game in Canada, NHL Coast to Coast was a great example of a new format for which we're trying to bring to Canadians.

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THN: Is there anything new that you guys are going to try that will be obvious for Season 2 that we didn't see in Season 1 of the game broadcasts?

Shopiro: Yeah, we'll see. We're looking back on Season 1 right now as we evaluate how the whole season went and where we feel we can get better. And we can absolutely be better, and we'll continue to look at that. But more to come on that front as we head into Season 2 planning.

THN: Okay, and then outside of maybe even just broadcasts for this year, are there any sort of plans for maybe expanding Amazon and hockey beyond just the broadcast? Like other integrations that could be in the works between Amazon and hockey from a business development side?

Shopiro: Yeah, unfortunately, I won't speak to anything outside of Prime Video, just given that that's my remit to oversee. I would say on the content side, obviously, we have to broadcast. And then as we've spoken about at the start, we've been heavily invested in docu-series. Not only for Faceoff, but, you know, as you think about 'Saving Sakic' or 'All Or Nothing' with the Toronto Maple Leafs, we have a long relationship with the NHL and, you know, feel good about that and the role that Prime Video can play in bringing NHL content to customers.

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All season long and well before it, the Edmonton Oilers’ goaltending situation has been a subject of intense debate. 

For most of the past two seasons, the Oilers ran with Stuart Skinner and Calvin Pickard in net. Despite trade speculation suggesting the Oilers need an upgrade in net, they’ve stuck with their tandem.

But after Monday’s 6-1 debacle at the hands of the Florida Panthers in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup final, Edmonton now has a tough decision to make – whether to stick with Skinner after two consecutive subpar performances or have Pickard come in and try to even up the series. Pickard replaced Skinner in the first round and went 6-0 with an .888 save percentage before suffering an injury.

That said, it’s not really a tough decision. The Oilers should be living or dying with Skinner as their guy. While Pickard has his supporters, Skinner has done enough to earn the trust of his team as they try to dig out of a 2-1 series hole.

We’re not for a minute suggesting Skinner should be free of criticism. Giving up the first goal of the game just 56 seconds into the first period is hardly the start the Oilers were looking for from Skinner. Before he got the hook in the third period, Skinner allowed five Panthers goals on just 23 shots. His .783 save percentage in Game 3 is not ideal, nor is his .860 save percentage in the Cup final.

However, Skinner has had moments where he looked terrific this post-season. 

In three of Edmonton’s five games against Dallas in the Western Conference final, Skinner posted a save percentage of .966 or better. He also has three shutouts in these playoffs.

While there were serious doubts about his play early in the playoffs, he has since done enough for the Oilers to win more games than they lose.

Sure, they’d want him to be sharper in the past couple of games, but have you seen how poorly Edmonton has defended in front of him? There aren’t many goalies out there who could steal wins when their teammates are turnstiles, and Skinner isn’t a superhero who can stand on his head on every shot from the deep and strong Panthers. Pickard isn’t, either.

If the Oilers do go on to lose the Cup final, Skinner’s future with the team will be called into question. That’s fair. It doesn’t matter which team or player we’re talking about – if you can’t get the job done in two consecutive Cup finals, your job security will be in doubt.

While the 26-year-old Skinner is under contract next season at a very reasonable $2.6-million cap hit, you have to think Oilers GM Stan Bowman will be seeking out a different look between the pipes. Maybe that’s current Anaheim Ducks goalie John Gibson or someone else, but the status quo in net probably won’t be an option for Edmonton.

For now, though, Skinner is the best option for the Oilers. He’s battled his way through the muck for a while now, and he can still control his future in Edmonton by coming up with strong performances whenever he’s called upon. But he certainly needs a stronger effort from the players in front of him, which is why Skinner can’t be scapegoated – at least, right now.

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