January 4, 2026<\/a><\/p>\nOne of several potential unrestricted free agents in San Jose, Wennberg has been very useful in filling a hole as the Sharks\u2019 second-line center while 2025 No. 2 draft pick Michael Misa continues to develop. Misa, 18, played in seven games with the Sharks early and is competing for Canada as it takes on Czechia on Sunday in the World Juniors semifinals.<\/p>\n
While the Sharks could have explored what the return would be for trading Wennberg by the March 6 deadline, the Swedish pivot has value to a team currently holding one of the two wild-card spots in the Western Conference. Wennberg is at a price point at which his $6 million AAV or three-year term isn\u2019t onerous, even if he slides to a 3C role if Misa is ready by next season or Will Smith is moved to center behind Macklin Celebrini.<\/p>\n
Wennberg has been a deadline piece before; he was dealt by the Seattle Kraken to the New York Rangers for the Blueshirts\u2019 2024 playoff push. He has a big role for the Sharks as he\u2019s playing a career-high 20:34 in ice time, just four seconds on average behind Celebrini among San Jose\u2019s forwards. While he\u2019s just 45.3 percent on faceoffs, Wennberg\u2019s net-front presence has been highly effective on the power play and in five-on-five situations.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m an older guy, but I still have a lot of hockey left in me,\u201d Wennberg said. \u201cAnd to be part of this, what we\u2019re building with the young guys, yeah, I\u2019m excited about it too. For sure.\u201d<\/p>\n
The extension provides some stability for a veteran now on his fifth NHL team. He\u2019s played in 830 games and has 108 goals and 390 points with Columbus, Florida, Seattle, New York and San Jose. He likes the trajectory of the Sharks and the opportunity to continue playing with Celebrini, an ascendant 19-year-old superstar.<\/p>\n
\u201cHonestly for me, the plan was always for me to be a part of this one,\u201d Wennberg told The Athletic last week. \u201cEven when I signed here, I said I really look forward to be part of this building (stage). I went through it. I came to Seattle and started with a new organization and I feel like I can be a great asset to it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Named to Sweden\u2019s Olympic team<\/a> on Friday, Wennberg called it an \u201camazing week\u201d on Sunday.<\/p>\n\u201cI\u2019m super excited,\u201d Wennberg said. \u201cWe loved San Jose from the first second we got here. To be a part of this and the future as well, make it our second home from Sweden, we couldn\u2019t be happier. Everything with this organization, what we\u2019re doing here, what we\u2019re building for, I\u2019m just super excited.<\/p>\n
\u201cHard to keep in the emotions because it\u2019s just something that I always wanted so I\u2019m just happy to (have it) happen. Been a good week and I couldn\u2019t end it better.\u201d<\/p>\n
Wennberg called it a \u201cwin-win\u201d when it came to negotiating the three-year term. He said the commitment allows him, his wife Felicia and their two young children to entrench themselves further in the San Jose community. The Sharks have a known commodity as they move into a contention arc, but also retain some added flexibility with the center\u2019s NTC going away in the final year of the new deal.<\/p>\n
\u201cObviously, the trust from them, showing that they want me around and like what I\u2019m doing,\u201d Wennberg said. \u201cI feel so honored to get that deal as well and for us as a team as well to move forward here. Showing that we want to be a playoff team. We want to push for it. We want to go and win the Stanley Cup.\u201d<\/p>\n