Sharks remain wild card of NHL Draft

The 2026 NHL Entry Draft really begins when the San Jose Sharks are put on the clock. The Toronto Maple Leafs are expected to select Gavin McKenna first overall. What Mike Grier and the Sharks do with the second pick will send ripples down the rest of the first round and affect what the Chicago Blackhawks will do with the fourth pick.

The Sharks need to add another dynamic defenseman to their prospect pool. They have Sam Dickinson, who had a solid rookie season, but there isn’t much organizational depth behind him. Selecting Chase Reid at two makes all the sense in the world, but the temptation of adding another star forward like Ivar Stenberg might be too good to pass up.

Trade Doesn’t Change Trade Plans

On Wednesday, the Sharks acquired defenseman Michael Kesselring from the Buffalo Sabres. The teams also swapped their first-round picks in the trade, with the Sabres moving from 27th overall to 20th.

“Michael has a big frame with solid two-way ability,” Grier told the Sharks' official website. “He is a responsible player in the defensive zone with a well-rounded offensive game, and will be a good upgrade for us patrolling the blueline. We’re happy to have him a part of the organization.” 

Some Blackhawks fans immediately meant that this trade meant the Sharks would not go for a defenseman at No. 2. However, this acquisition should have zero impact on their draft plans. If the Sharks do take Stenberg, that was the plan all along. Kesselring is a nice depth defenseman, but you don’t pass on a player like Reid because you acquired him. That would be like the Edmonton Oilers saying they no longer needed Evan Bouchard after bringing in Connor Murphy. If anything, this trade likely takes the Sharks out of the Darnell Nurse conversations.

Kesselring is a nice addition, no doubt. The Sharks are losing some of their defensive depth this summer, so he will be a nice replacement for Mario Ferraro, who is becoming a free agent. He’s not a top-pairing defender, and he should not change Grier’s mind from drafting a blueliner, if that’s his plan.

The Sharks are Kesselring’s third team after being a sixth-round pick of the Oilers in 2018. He was traded to the Arizona Coyotes in 2023 as part of the trade that sent Nick Bjugstad to Edmonton. He had a breakout season in Utah before he was sent to Buffalo with Josh Doan for J.J. Peterka last summer.

Kesselring’s season with the Sabres was a disappointment. He dealt with a pair of injuries early in the season, which caused him to play down in the lineup once he was healthy. The organization clearly didn’t have much faith in him, as they acquired Luke Schenn and Logan Stanley at the trade deadline, while Kesselring only dressed for one playoff game. He reportedly wanted a change of scenery, and he was granted that. He still needs to sign a new contract, but he should be a staple on the Sharks' blue line for the next few years.

Let’s Make a Deal

If you’re still not convinced the Sharks are leaning towards a defenseman at the draft, Elliotte Friedman’s report should help. Earlier this week, he told Bob Stauffer on Oilers Now that he thinks the Sharks are willing to move down a pick or two, but not a lot. That tells me they know they can still get a top defensive prospect in the top five. So, if I’m Kyle Davidson, I’m working with Greer to move up to the second spot and secure the Stenberg pick.

The Blackhawks could give the Sharks the fourth pick, one of the two extra first-round picks next season, and their third-round pick this year. Then they can guarantee getting Stenberg, while the Sharks still get a prized blueliner at four. Even if the Vancouver Canucks go with a defender with the third pick, they’d still get one of the top prospects. A pick swap like this doesn’t happen very often, but it makes sense for both sides. If the Blackhawks can’t get a deal done, they will just have to sit back and wait to see how the chips fall.

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