San Jose Sharks<\/a> GM said in early July. \u201cWe made the deals we made, and we\u2019re happy with it.\u201d<\/p>\nSo what will the Sharks\u2019 cap in 2028-29 look like?<\/p>\n
In three seasons, Logan Couture\u2019s contract will be done. Also, Dmitry Orlov, Tyler Toffoli, and Barclay Goodrow are among the significant cap hits that should be off the books.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s about $24 million freed up on what\u2019s projected to rise to a $123 million salary cap in 2028-29.<\/p>\n
But also by this time, Misa, Chernyshov, and Dickinson\u2019s extensions will kick in, and the Sharks will have a better idea of what they have in Askarov.<\/p>\n
Here\u2019s what I predict up front, including projections for current extension-eligible Macklin Celebrini and Will Smith, and RFA Collin Graf. I\u2019ve also included contract comps for all seven Sharks youngsters.<\/p>\n
Forwards<\/p>\n
\tFORWARDS (projected in all caps)2028-29 AAV (in millions)<\/p>\n
\tMACKLIN CELEBRINI18.5<\/p>\n
\tMICHAEL MISA12<\/p>\n
\tWILL SMITH10<\/p>\n
\tIGOR CHERNYSHOV9.5<\/p>\n
\tMason Marchment6.75<\/p>\n
\tCOLLIN GRAF6<\/p>\n
\tAlex Wennberg6<\/p>\n
\tKiefer Sherwood5.75<\/p>\n
\tZack Ostapchuk2.35<\/p>\n
\tIvar Stenberg1.075<\/p>\n
\tForward #11?<\/p>\n
\tForward #12?<\/p>\n
\tForward #13?<\/p>\n
\tTOTAL77.925<\/p>\n
Superstar Celebrini gets a blank check, as Hart Levine of Puckpedia predicted on the San Jose Hockey Now Podcast last week.<\/p>\n
I have Celebrini for $18.5 million AAV for five years, a discount, but still higher than current league AAV leader, Leo Carlsson\u2019s $18 million AAV.<\/p>\n
Will the Sharks get ahead of the curve on Smith? I say they do, inking him this off-season to a five-year, $50 million pact, instead of risking him having a breakout campaign next year, and becoming even more expensive.<\/p>\n
I\u2019m comparing Smith to Ivan Demidov\u2019s eight-year, $73.2 million extension, signed in early July, before Carlsson\u2019s offer sheet. Demidov got a $9.15 million AAV, 8.06 percent of the cap in the first year of the extension. I\u2019m going a little higher on Smith, acknowledging the effect of Carlsson on prospective offer sheet candidates around the NHL.<\/p>\n
That $10 million AAV is 8.8 percent of 2027-28\u2019s $113.5 million salary cap.<\/p>\n
If the Sharks invest in RFA Graf, I\u2019m guessing a five-year, $30 million contract. That\u2019s a $6 million AAV, 5.8 percent of 2026-27\u2019s $104 million salary cap, buying out one UFA year.<\/p>\n
Two-way winger Joel Farabee signed a six-year, $30 million contract in the summer of 2021, buying out two UFA years. That $5 million AAV was 6.06 of the cap back then.<\/p>\n
The Sharks can also choose to go shorter term and lower AAV for Smith and Graf, too, which will give them more cap space in 2028-29. If they\u2019re not sure about both or either, that could be wise.<\/p>\n
I believe Michael Misa will be a top two-way second-line center sooner than later, so I have the Sharks inking him to a six-year, $72 million contract when they can.<\/p>\n
That $12 million AAV is 9.8 percent of 2028-29\u2019s cap.<\/p>\n
Logan Cooley\u2019s eight-year, $80 million agreement, signed in Oct. 2025, is the comp. That $10 million AAV was 9.62 percent of 2026-27\u2019s cap.<\/p>\n
Chernyshov should be a future 30-goal scorer: That\u2019s another five-year deal, this time for $47.5 million.<\/p>\n
That $9.5 million AAV is 7.7 percent of the 2028-29 cap.<\/p>\n
Matthew Knies\u2019s six-year, $46.5 million deal, signed in summer 2025, is the comp. That $7.75 million AAV was 8.1 percent of the cap.<\/p>\n
Defensemen<\/p>\n
\tDEFENSEMEN (projected in all caps)2028-29 AAV (in millions)<\/p>\n
\tDarnell Nurse9.25<\/p>\n
\tSAM DICKINSON8.5<\/p>\n
\tJacob Trouba8.25<\/p>\n
\tMichael Kesselring4.5<\/p>\n
\tDefenseman #5?<\/p>\n
\tDefenseman #6?<\/p>\n
\tDefenseman #7?<\/p>\n
\tTOTAL30.5<\/p>\n
Dickinson should continue to show his promise next year, but considering how difficult it is to learn to be a solid \u00a0defenseman in the NHL, the Sharks may still be paying for potential on his next contract.<\/p>\n
That could mean five years and 42.5 million for Dickinson?<\/p>\n
That $8.5 million AAV is 6.9 percent of 2028-29\u2019s cap, based on Simon Nemec\u2019s just-signed five-year, $36.25 million contract. Nemec\u2019s $7.25 million AAV is 6.97 percent of next year\u2019s cap.<\/p>\n
Goaltending<\/p>\n
\tGOALTENDING (projected in all caps)2028-29 AAV (in millions)<\/p>\n
\tYAROSLAV ASKAROV7.5<\/p>\n
\tGoaltender #2?<\/p>\n
\tTOTAL7.5<\/p>\n
If the Sharks make the playoffs next year, chances are, Askarov will be a big part of it.<\/p>\n
Assuming Askarov does that, that could net him a six-year, $45 million commitment.<\/p>\n
That $7.5 million AAV is 6.6 percent of 2027-28\u2019s cap, based on Lukas Dostal\u2019s five-year, $32.5 million contract, signed last summer. Dostal\u2019s $6.5 million AAV is 6.8 percent of last year\u2019s cap.<\/p>\n
Summary<\/p>\n
\tFORWARDS (projected in all caps)2028-29 AAV (in millions)<\/p>\n
\tMACKLIN CELEBRINI18.5<\/p>\n
\tMICHAEL MISA12<\/p>\n
\tWILL SMITH10<\/p>\n
\tIGOR CHERNYSHOV9.5<\/p>\n
\tMason Marchment6.75<\/p>\n
\tCOLLIN GRAF6<\/p>\n
\tAlex Wennberg6<\/p>\n
\tKiefer Sherwood5.75<\/p>\n
\tZack Ostapchuk2.35<\/p>\n
\tIvar Stenberg1.075<\/p>\n
\tForward #11?<\/p>\n
\tForward #12?<\/p>\n
\tForward #13?<\/p>\n
\tTOTAL77.925<\/p>\n
\tDEFENSEMEN (projected in all caps)2028-29 AAV (in millions)<\/p>\n
\tDarnell Nurse9.25<\/p>\n
\tSAM DICKINSON8.5<\/p>\n
\tJacob Trouba8.25<\/p>\n
\tMichael Kesselring4.5<\/p>\n
\tDefenseman #5?<\/p>\n
\tDefenseman #6?<\/p>\n
\tDefenseman #7?<\/p>\n
\tTOTAL30.5<\/p>\n
\tGOALTENDING (projected in all caps)2028-29 AAV (in millions)<\/p>\n
\tYAROSLAV ASKAROV7.5<\/p>\n
\tGoaltender #2?<\/p>\n
\tTOTAL7.5<\/p>\n
\tOVERALL2028-29 AAV (in millions)<\/p>\n
\t115.925<\/p>\n
That leaves roughly $7 million of cap space for seven players, three forwards, three defensemen, and one goalie. That doesn\u2019t look good for the San Jose Sharks in 2028-29, but once again, it\u2019s a good problem to have.<\/p>\n
And once again, the Sharks can go shorter term and lower AAV on any of these deals for more immediate cap space, though they could pay for this frugality later.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s also naive to assume that Marchment, Wennberg, Sherwood, Nurse, Kesselring, and Trouba will all still be on the books for 2028-29. San Jose might move them, though it could cost them an asset on top of it. That\u2019s not ideal, but acceptable if this is the veteran core that helps get you into the playoffs immediately.<\/p>\n
For what it\u2019s worth, Marchment, Wennberg, Sherwood, Trouba, and Kesselring don\u2019t have No-Movement Clauses for 2028-29. The first four have partial No-Trade Lists, while Kesselring has no protections.<\/p>\n
On the flipside, 2029 UFA Kesselring could also be in line for a significant raise.<\/p>\n
Of course, it\u2019s also na\u00efve to assume that all of Misa, Chernyshov, Dickinson, and Askarov will all be stars. And you never know, maybe one emerges as a superstar, which will cost the San Jose Sharks even more.<\/p>\n
Either way, the Sharks\u2019 salary cap will be something to watch in the coming years. Fans are right to worry, but 2028-29 is a long way away, and lots can happen between now and then.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Are the San Jose Sharks going to be in salary cap hell in a couple years? It\u2019ll be…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":414997,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[29],"tags":[10375,3524,90987,5400,3517,10370,532,1035,55945,66125,3259,4401,1037,88,90,89,98,4254,3809,3578,3516],"class_list":["post-414996","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-san-jose","tag-barclay-goodrow","tag-collin-graf","tag-darnell-nurse","tag-dmitry-orlov","tag-igor-chernyshov","tag-jacob-trouba","tag-logan-couture","tag-macklin-celebrini","tag-mason-marchment","tag-michael-kesselring","tag-michael-misa","tag-mike-grier","tag-sam-dickinson","tag-san-jose","tag-san-jose-headlines","tag-san-jose-news","tag-san-jose-sharks","tag-sjhn","tag-tyler-toffoli","tag-will-smith","tag-yaroslav-askarov"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/414996","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=414996"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/414996\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/414997"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=414996"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=414996"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=414996"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}