Sharks issue qualifying offers to three players

Doug Wilson and the San Jose Sharks announced today that they have issued qualifying offers to three pending restricted free agents and will retain their negotiating rights.

Kevin Labanc, F

A surprise breakout season in 2017-18 has made Kevin Labanc a surprising asset for being a sixth-round pick back in 2014. Last year, Labanc signed a notoriously cheap one-year, $1 million contract extension with the Sharks. He’ll be looking for a pay raise that was assumed to be the unofficial agreement on taking a short-term discount.

Jonathan Dahlen, F

I truly hope the 22-year-old Dahlen wants to work with the Sharks on giving it another go in North America. He tried seven games with the Barracuda shortly after being acquired from the Vancouver Canucks in 2019, quickly putting up four assists. He joined the Swedish club Timrå IK in the HockeyAllsvenskan last season, immediately returning to star form. Over 51 games, his 77 (36 goals, 41 assists) points led the team and fell short of league-best by just two points. He’s a special talent and he deserves a shot at the big league.

Tony Sund, D

It’s no surprise given everything that’s happened with the Sharks since May 2019 that I forgot (and don’t lie, you probably did too) that the team signed Finnish defender Tony Sund to a one-year contract. After four seasons with the Finnish Liiga, Sund is currently play for the Dinamo Riga of the KHL.

Roy, Shortridge released

The Sharks have declined to qualify pending RFAs Jeremy Roy and Andrew Shortridge.

Once a high-end defensive prospect (drafted 31st overall in 2015), injuries have made Roy’s battle to get the NHL a strictly uphill one. He’s still just 23 years old, so perhaps the writing isn’t a hundred percent on the wall, but it’s difficult to imagine otherwise.

Shortridge, a now 25-year-old and once decorated ECAC goaltender, offered some potential hope to the Sharks when he joined the organization in 2019, but failed to impress with the Barracuda in 14 games the following season and ended up on loan to the ECHL Allen Americans, where he played ten games.