SAN JOSE – A slow start to the first day of NHL free agency for the San Jose Sharks on Tuesday later turned into a signing spree as the team added veteran forwards Adam Gaudette and Philipp Kurashev and defenseman John Klingberg to short-term contracts.
The Sharks also acquired goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic from the Pittsburgh Penguins for a 2028 third-round selection. Nedeljkovic is entering the final year of a two-year, $5 million contract that carries a cap hit of $2.5 million. He is set to become an unrestricted free agent when the contract expires.
Gaudette, who will be entering his eighth NHL season, signed a two-year, $4 million contract with the Sharks, and Kurashev is coming to San Jose on a one-year, $1.2 million contract.
Klingberg’s deal with the Sharks is for one year and $4 million.
Kurashev, drafted by Chicago in 2018, spent five seasons with the Blackhawks and had 130 points in 317 games. Last season, Kurashev had 14 points in 51 games but was not given a qualifying offer by Chicago as a pending restricted free agent and became an unrestricted free agent on Tuesday.
Klingberg, 32, is a right-shot defenseman entering his 12th NHL season. After he recovered from hip surgery, Klingberg signed a one-year deal with the Oilers in January, had four points in 11 regular-season games with Edmonton, which advanced to the Stanley Cup Final for a second straight year.
In the Oilers’ Cup run, Klingberg had four points in 19 games and played an average of 19:08 per night.
The Sharks entered the day with tens of millions of dollars in available cap space to play with and several needs to try and address after finishing in last place in the NHL’s overall standings for a second straight year.
It was just a matter of who the Sharks could sign on Tuesday once unrestricted free agency began at 9 a.m. Pacific, and news of any free agent signing by San Jose didn’t happen until hours later.
The Sharks, per PuckPedia, entered Tuesday with just over $44 million in cap space, with just 15 players set to be on the 23-man NHL roster next season. By the time the Sharks begin the regular season in October, their total cap hit has to rise from its present total of $51.4 million to the cap floor of $70.6 million.
The Sharks were not interested in signing players in their late 20s or early 30s to long-term contracts, but were hoping to add a goalie who could compete with Yaroslav Askarov for playing time and bolster their defense corps, particularly on the right side.
The Sharks made two major signings on the first day of free agency last summer, bringing in winger Tyler Toffoli on a four-year, $24 million contract and center Alexander Wennberg on a two-year, $10 million deal.
Originally Published: July 1, 2025 at 1:24 PM PDT