The rebuild is over.<\/p>\n
The San Jose Sharks are now, without a doubt, Mike Grier\u2019s team.<\/p>\n
On the first day of free agency, the Sharks signed winger Mason Marchment to a five-year, $33.75 million contract ($6.75 million AAV) and defenseman Jacob Trouba to a four-year, $33 million contract. Then, they acquired defenseman Darnell Nurse from the Edmonton Oilers for young blueliner Shakir Mukhamadullin and prospect Zack Sharp.<\/p>\n
But were these the right moves?<\/p>\n
On the same day, Grier allowed the last continuous holdover of the Doug Wilson era, defenseman Mario Ferraro, walk in free agency. Ferraro inked a three-year, $12 million contract with the Winnipeg Jets. This came on the heels of trading 2021 first-round pick William Eklund to the Ottawa Senators last week.<\/p>\n
Grier, for better or worse, put his stamp on the San Jose Sharks today.<\/p>\n
And face it, the Sharks had to get better right now.<\/p>\n
Grier served the Sharks\u2019 future with what an NHL scout called \u201can insane haul\u201d at the 2026 draft, highlighted by first-round picks Ivar Stenberg, Keaton Verhoeff, and Ryan Lin.<\/p>\n
But the San Jose Sharks, just four points out of the playoff this past season with a frankly patchwork defense, needed to improve the team around 20-year-old superstar Macklin Celebrini.<\/p>\n
With loads of cap space at his disposal, these are the players that Grier chose to help take his team to the playoffs.<\/p>\n
I\u2019m open-minded to it: Nurse, Trouba, and Marchment do improve the Sharks right now.<\/p>\n