Mike Grier faces big decisions in month ahead. Here are 5 items on Sharks' agenda
SAN JOSE – Fairly or not, the 2026-27 San Jose Sharks will likely be judged on whether they can end a painfully long seven-year postseason drought.
After missing the playoffs by just four points this past year, it's hard to imagine it being considered a successful season otherwise.
With that in mind, the work the Sharks' front office does over the next month will likely go a long way toward determining whether the team is in the best possible position to make the playoffs next April.
Sharks managers and scouts are in Buffalo, New York, this week for the NHL scouting combine as they become more familiar with the top draft-eligible players. Buffalo is also hosting the NHL draft June 26-27, with free agency starting on July 1.
It all shapes up to be an especially important few weeks for the Sharks as they, in theory, put the finishing touches on the rebuild and begin to open their competitive window.
Sharks general manager Mike Grier spoke to the players as a group after the regular season ended in April and set expectations for the future.
"What is each player going to be willing to do to make themselves better?" Grier said of his message. "What are the coaches, myself, what are we willing to do to make the next step to get better?
"It’s nice to be a young and promising upcoming team, but what are you going to do to take the next step?"
Here's a closer look at what to expect in the weeks ahead:
DRAFT COMBINE
The Sharks fortuitously beat the odds and won the second draw during last month's NHL draft lottery, and as of now, own the No. 2 overall selection. That has given them the opportunity to speak to several players expected to be drafted in the top six or seven and watch how they perform in the various testing events.
The information the Sharks gather during the combine will no doubt help them finalize their draft list.
But it's also an important time for the Sharks from a business perspective. During the combine, Grier will also get a chance to connect with his counterparts from other organizations to further discuss potential trades. He'll also likely speak with various agents as the Sharks have several players in contract years.
What will those conversations lead to in the coming days and weeks?
NHL DRAFT
Grier and the Sharks haven't had to make tough decisions in the last two years about who they were going to take with their first pick in the draft. In 2024, it was a no-brainer to select Macklin Celebrini first overall, and last year, Michael Misa was widely considered the best player available at No. 2.
It's different this year. While some outlets have wingers Gavin McKenna and Ivar Stenberg as the two best players available, the perceived gap to the third-best player isn't wide. That's why many are projecting the Sharks to take a defenseman at No. 2 to fill an organizational need for young blueliners.
The Sharks are also open to trading the No. 2 pick, most likely to move back a spot or two. There’s some risk involved, but it would ensure the Sharks still get a quality defenseman while also adding an asset from the other team.
Still, the most likely outcome for the Sharks is that they remain at No. 2 and select the player they believe is the best available at that spot.
QUALIFYING OFFER DEADLINE
Teams must provide qualifying offers to pending restricted free agents by 2 p.m. PT on June 29. If they don't, those players become unrestricted free agents.
The Sharks have several pending RFAs in forwards Philipp Kurashev, Collin Graf, and Zack Ostapchuk, and defenseman Shakir Mukhamadullin at the NHL level, and forward Ethan Cardwell, defensemen Noah Beck and Nolan Allan and goalie Gabriel Carriere in the AHL.
The Sharks will doubtless qualify Graf and Ostapchuk as a precursor to contract extensions, and it would be a surprise if Mukhamadullin, Cardwell, and Allan also did not receive QOs. However, it does not appear that Kurashev will be staying in San Jose.
FREE AGENCY
Changes are coming to the roster, most likely on defense, where four Sharks are pending UFAs, including Mario Ferraro and Vincent Desharnais. Although there is a chance those two return to San Jose, Grier will still need to add pieces, via trade or free agency, to fill out the blue line.
Right-shot defensemen Rasmus Andersson and Darren Raddysh will be sought after should they reach free agency, but the price tag on what is likely going to be a long-term deal is bound to be steep. Older right-shot defensemen like John Carlson and Jacob Trouba could be short-term solutions.
While the Sharks could also sign a forward, improving the defense is the priority.
Other Sharks pending UFAs are forwards Pavol Regenda and Ryan Reaves, and defensemen Nick Leddy and John Klingberg.
EXTENSION TIME
July 1 is also the first day on which the Sharks can sign Celebrini and Smith to contract extensions. Celebrini and Smith, the Sharks' top two scorers this past season, both said in April that they are open to getting something done this offseason.
Grier said there is no rush to sign his young stars to extensions, but the feeling is that the Sharks would like to get Celebrini done sooner rather than later. The longer the Sharks wait, the more expensive Celebrini's contract will likely become.
The upper limit of the NHL salary cap for the 2027-28 season is projected to be $113.5 million. So if Celebrini takes 15 percent of that cap number on a long-term deal, he would get a contract with an AAV of roughly $17 million.
The trend among younger players is to sign shorter contracts. If that's the case with Celebrini, expect the AAV to be lower, perhaps less than $15 million.
It may be a matter of who signs an extension first, Celebrini or Chicago Blackhawks center Connor Bedard, a pending RFA. It's possible. If not likely, that one contract will influence the other.
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This story was originally published June 3, 2026 at 1:37 PM.