DETROIT — The San Jose Sharks have cleared the way for Michael Misa.
The Sharks, at the maximum 50 NHL contracts, had to get rid of a contract to fit in the 2025 No. 2 pick’s contract.
They did that, trading prospect Kyle Masters, who’s played all season in the ECHL, and his NHL contract, to the Carolina Hurricanes. The San Jose Sharks added a 2026 fourth-round pick to sweeten the pot, while the Canes returned a 2027 fifth.
Misa has played nine NHL games, and when he plays his 10th on Friday night against the Detroit Red Wings, the first year of his entry-level contract will burn, and count against the maximum 50.
So the San Jose Sharks will be back to 50 contracts, but now, it’s Misa’s and not Masters’s.
“I think he’s gotten better every period. That’s a big positive,” Warsofsky said on Friday of Misa’s first two games back from World Juniors. “The pace of his game is getting better. He’s in good spots on breakouts. There’s some things defensively he needs to work on. But the more he gets comfortable with the pace, I think the more we’ll see the offensive side of his game.”