Sharks will prioritize defensive upgrades this summer — The Fourth Period

The San Jose Sharks fell short of their goal of making the playoffs this season, but the team took strides and are on the incline moving forward, led by rising superstar Macklin Celebrini.

Sharks GM Mike Grier will be looking to bolster his roster for next season and one area the team plan on focusing on is its defensive corps.

Mario Ferraro, Vincent Desharnais, John Klingberg and Nick Leddy are all set to become unrestricted free agents July 1 and the Sharks will have an opportunity to augment their defence over the course of the off-season.

With approximately $42.5 million in salary cap space next season, the Sharks will have plenty of financial wiggle room to add to their roster and upgrade their blueline.

During Wednesday’s episode of the DFO Rundown: Insider Edition with Irfaan Gaffar and David Pagnotta, Pagnotta noted San Jose’s desire to make additions to its defence and could go after both a veteran and young, NHL-proven player for the backend.

“They’re going to look to, exactly as you said, focus on D and regroup that D corps,” Pagnotta said in conversation with Gaffar. “And we know last off-season they tried getting Dougie Hamilton out of New Jersey; he didn’t waive, it didn’t work. They’re looking at that caliber veteran type of piece to add to their blueline.

“We talked about Morgan Riley earlier, I wonder if that’s a fit, potentially, with four more years left on his deal – because they want a veteran piece that’s controllable. They also want somebody in his early-to-mid 20s, also controllable, that is going to help grow with this young core, as well.”

It is unclear if the Sharks plan on bringing any of their pending UFA defencemen back, though the belief is Ferraro is interested in staying in San Jose. However, according to Pagnotta, Ferraro wants a long-term deal and the Sharks have not been willing to oblige, to date.

“There is a possibility Mario Ferraro stays, if he’s willing to take a shorter-term deal in San Jose,” Pagnotta stated. “They haven’t been willing, to this point, to give him a long-term extension. If that changes, he would absolutely be open to it. He would like to stay. But given the marketplace and given where things are at, there’s an opportunity for him to maximize a contract as an unrestricted free agent.”

Watch the full segment in its entirety here.