Free Agents Who Can Help The Blueline
The San Jose Sharks defense needs some help.
This isn't a stretch to say after the Sharks finished with a -150 goal differential in the 2023-24 season. This isn't to say the offense was anywhere near good enough, but the Sharks spent too much time in the defensive zone.
Much of this occurred because the Sharks struggled to get the puck out of their own zone. Struggled might be too kind. They were horrendous at getting the puck out of the defensive zone.
As General Manager Mike Grier looks to upgrade the roster this offseason with the arrivals of Will Smith (and presumably) Macklin Celebrini, finding a bona fide puck-moving defenseman should be high on Grier's list. While Shakir Mukhamadullin is on his way to being one, it's too much to ask him to do it as a rookie. Grier needs an NHL-caliber player this year.
Alexandre Carrier
5'11" 174 pounds
Right Handed
2015 4th Round Pick (Nashville)
If the Sharks are looking for someone who can help to get the puck moving, Carrier is that guy. He excels at retrieving the puck and getting the play going the other way. While not the biggest player, the Sharks have plenty of defensemen who can make up in that department.
Carrier would provide the Sharks with something they lack: a player who can successfully move the puck. While Carrier's production (4 goals, 16 assists) does not scream offense, Roman Josi rightfully commands the bulk of the offense for Nashville. Carrier's skills should translate to a larger offensive production in a new situation.
Carrier, who will be 28 at the start of the 2024-25 season, could be the perfect bridge while Mukhamadullin, Luca Cagnoni, and a defensive prospect yet to be selected prepare for the rigors of the NHL. Carrier can help the 2024-25 Sharks start the building process.
Oliver Kylington
6'0" 183 pounds
Left Handed
2015 2nd Round Pick (Calgary)
If you want to bet big, Oliver Kylington is your guy. Before taking the 2022-23 season off dealing with mental health issues, Kylington was on his way to being a breakout star. Kylington could be the biggest steal in the 2024 free agency class if he can return to that form.
The big question is, can Kylington return to the player he was after missing 18 months of hockey? He played 33 games this season and posted 3 goals and 5 assists on a Flames team that was packing it in. His time on ice was a touch over 17 minutes a game, but Calgary was also easing him into action. By the end of the season, he was logging an average of 20 minutes a night.
Kylington is a monster at creating offense from his own defensive zone. While the Sharks already have a lot of left-handed defenders on the team and in the pipeline, Kylington is too good of a player to pass up.
If the Sharks can get Kylington on a short-term deal and allow him to rediscover his game, this could be an easy win for Grier. Kylington would be the best defenseman on the Sharks, as he would rack up big minutes on the power play and have an opportunity to reestablish himself before getting a big contract with either the Sharks or somewhere else.