San Jose Sharks plan on shaking up goaltending situation

Despite benefiting from an historic offensive performance from number-one defenseman Erik Karlsson, as well as strong production from Logan Couture and Tomas Hertl, the San Jose Sharks finished the 2022-23 season with the NHL’s fourth-worst record. Their 22-44-16 record in the first year of the David Quinn era put them in a prime position for next month’s draft lottery, if not exactly in a place to help their veteran players win a Stanley Cup. A significant factor contributing to the Sharks’ struggles this season was their goaltending, as neither of their regular netminders posted above an .890 save percentage.

Sharks fans, then, might be pleased to hear word from general manager Mike Grier, via The Athletic’s Corey Masisiak, that the team does not plan on bringing the same goalie tandem (James Reimer and Kaapo Kahkonen) into next season. Reimer, 35, will be an unrestricted free agent this summer, while Kahkonen has another year left on his contract ($2.75M cap hit). Finding an experienced, capable partner for Kahkonen (.883 save percentage in 37 games) could be one of Grier’s top priorities this offseason.

Other Pacific Division notes:

• Another Shark whose status is uncertain heading into the summer is winger Kevin Labanc, who scored 15 goals and 33 points this season and is making $4.75M against the cap for the 2023-24 campaign. Bay Area News Group’s Curtis Pashelka relays that when addressing Labanc’s future with the organization, Grier said, “I can’t say whether he’ll be here. We’ll see what happens in the summer and what presents itself.” Labanc’s production has declined sharply since his 56-point 2018-19 showing and it is worth noting that the Sharks could save nearly $4M against the cap by buying out Labanc this summer, for the cost of almost $2M against the cap in 2024-25.
• Vegas Golden Knights winger William Carrier was a surprise performer this season, flying past previous career highs to score 16 goals and 25 points in just 56 games. The 28-year-old has been with the Golden Knights since the franchise’s expansion draft and is under contract for $1.4M through next season. He last played in a March 3rd contest against the New Jersey Devils, but could be nearing a return. Golden Knights head coach Bruce Cassidy told the media, including The Athletic’s Jesse Granger, that Carrier could return during the team's first-round series against the Winnipeg Jets. That would be a significant addition to Vegas’ bottom six and would add some useful depth for an organization hoping to make another deep playoff run.