The San Jose Sharks are 6-6-1 early in the season, placing them in fourth in the Pacific Division, but within striking distance of a playoff spot. The Sharks made plenty of moves to help the defense in the offseason. Still, there is concern that those moves may not have been enough to get the Sharks over the hump.
The Sharks have been building towards becoming contenders for some time now. They last made the playoffs in 2019, reaching the Western Conference Finals. Since then, the team has struggled. They finished sixth or worse in the division every season from 2019-20 through 2024-25. Last year was better, though. The Sharks finished at 39-35-8, placing them fifth in the division, and just four points outside of a playoff spot.
This has all been led by a young core of superstars. Macklin Celebrini leads the way. He is just 20 years old. Meanwhile, his linemates, Will Smith and Igor Chernyshov, are 21 and 20 years old, respectively. The depth of young talent goes beyond the top line of forwards. Ivar Stenberg and Michael Misa are both just 19, while Collin Graf is an old man at 24. Still, the young and impactful players are mostly on the offensive end of the ice.
On defense, the team has Sam Dickinson, the 20-year-old, but then it is Michael Kesselring at 26. Much of the rest of the regular rotation is well into their 30s. Now, they have a chance to go out and get Simon Edvinsson. Edvinsson is a restricted free agent whose rights are still owned by the Detroit Red Wings. Still, they have not come to an agreement on a contract, and the Wings may need to move him.
Edvinsson was the sixth overall pick of the 2021 NHL Draft out of Sweden. After time in the SHL with Frolunda HC, he went to camp with the Red Wings ahead of the 2022-23 campaign. He was then assigned to the AHL Grand Rapids Griffins, but would play nine games at the NHL level in 2022-23. He played 16 more the next season, before two full campaigns in the NHL over the past two years. Overall, the blueliner has played in 175 games with 19 goals and 41 assists for the Wings.
Without a contract, Edvinsson is back in Sweden, still training with Frolunda. The 23-year-old has already made an impact at the NHL level and could be a massive addition to the future for the Sharks.
The Sharks trade a young surplus player
The Sharks have a glut of young stars on their roster. Currently, of their 16 forwards at the NHL level, including three on IR, six of them are 22 years old or younger. Meanwhile, they have a 23-year-old, a 24-year-old, and a 26-year-old. Over half of their primary forwards are 26 or younger. This does not include a loaded roster at the AHL level as well. There are multiple players in the pipeline that would be attractive for the Red Wings.
The first is Filip Bystedt. He was the 27th overall selection of the 2022 NHL Draft by the Sharks out of Sweden. He moved over to the NHL system in 2023-24, playing eight games with the San Jose Barracuda. So far, he has only played at the AHL level, but has shown some promise. Last year, in 65 games, he found the back of the net 22 times while adding 38 assists. This year, he has played just eight games with the Barracuda, scoring four times and adding four helpers. Due to a recent rash of injuries, including the injury to Igor Chernyshov, Bystedt just got the call-up to the NHL and will be making his NHL debut soon.
While there has been some inconsistency in his game, which has led to a delayed NHL debut, there is one very attractive aspect to Bystedt. He is a young and growing center. With the fact that Dylan Larkin has requested a trade and has not backed off of that, bringing in a young center to be the center of the future could be attractive for the Red Wings.
Still, the Sharks may not want to move from a young center. They could instead send Quentin Musty. The profile for Musty looks better than the one of Bystedt, but he is also less proven and could be more of a wild card. Musty was the 26th pick in the 2023 NHL Draft by the Sharks. He has spent the last two seasons with the Barracuda, racking up 21 goals and 24 assists in 64 games. Musty has not played this year after being injured in the preseason, but could still be an attractive winger for the Red Wings.
San Jose sends defensive reinforcements for the Red Wings
Article Continues BelowThe Red Wings would not only be giving up a defender, but a young one with a promising future. The Sharks need to do something to replace that. One option could be Luca Cagnoni. He has already made team history in his short NHL career, becoming the first player in Sharks history to have their first career goal be a game-winner in overtime. He did that on October 1 against the Florida Panthers.
Cagnoni was the 123rd selection in the 2023 NHL draft, but has already proven to be an NHL-level defensive player. While he has spent much of the last two seasons in the AHL ranks, he has gotten NHL time each year. Overall, he has played 18 games with the Sharks, with one goal and three assists. Cagnoni has been applauded for his puck-moving ability out of the defensive zone. Further, he is a solid on-puck defender. While it is not a direct replacement for Edvinsson, he could be in the long term. Add that with other prospects and a potential draft pick, and it is a solid trade offer.
Draft capital will be involved
The Red Wings invested the sixth overall pick in the 2021 NHL Draft in Edvinsson. This is the same draft with Owen Power, Matt Beniers, Mason McTavish, Luke Hughes, and Kent Johnson going before Edvinsson. Meanwhile, players such as Dylan Guenther, Wyatt Johnston, and Mackie Samoskevich went after Edvinsson in the first round. Further, Olen Zellweger went in the second round. To punt on a 2021 draft pick, especially considering the depth of the 2021 class, without a major return would be seen as a disaster. While Steve Yzerman is no longer the GM in Detroit, he is still with the organization. It would be seen as a failure on both Yzerman and the organization to not get a ton in return for the defenseman.
Shawn Horcoff is the interim GM for the Red Wings. The way he handles situations like Edvinsson and Larkin could decide if he gets the full-time job, or, if the Red Wings have decided to go outside the organization, he has a chance at a GM job elsewhere. Giving up a former first-rounder early in his career could be seen as a bad mark, but if he can spin the narrative, he could win without trashing Yzerman in the process. It is simple. Edvinsson did not want to re-sign, and the team brought in two top-level prospects and a first-round pick. The Sharks will want to make it a protected pick, possibly a top-ten or even top-15 protected, but regardless, he needs some draft capital in return, which the Sharks have little use for right now.