Our player reviews have wrapped up. Over the past few weeks, Fear the Fin looked at every player in teal who played more than 20 games in the 2022-23 season and is still a member of the Sharks organization as of today.
Some players need a new contract, while others are set to be with the Sharks organization for much longer.
Below is a complete breakdown of all of Fear the Fin’s player reviews for the 2023 season.
Needs a new contract
Evgeny Svechnikov – Svechnikov is a restricted free agent that needs a new contract if he plays for the Sharks next season. The trouble is, he may be the odd man out in this crop of forwards.
Fabian Zetterlund – Another restricted free agent, Zetterlund is young and may still have room to develop into a middle six forward with upside.
Jonah Gadjovich – Gadjovich is a restricted free agent. An injury knocked him out of the lineup for most of the season, so he never had the chance to show he deserves more than a one to two year deal.
James Reimer – Reimer was the Sharks’ starting goaltender for the majority of this season, but he did not even meet league average standards.
Noah Gregor – The young forward has had plenty of chances to make that jump to the next level and become a permanent fixture in the Sharks’ lineup but still hasn’t earned a spot.
Contract expires after 2023-24 season
Jacob MacDonald – MacDonald filled a role that the Sharks desperately needed to fill this season, but as younger players develop, it’s hard to envision a future in teal for the defenseman.
Luke Kunin – An ACL injury followed by surgery hampered Kunin’s first season with the Sharks, but he’s on the mend, and he’s getting ready for this season.
Steven Lorentz – Lorentz performed well on the fourth line and could be a depth solution for the Sharks for the next few years.
Oskar Lindblom – While Lindblom says he’s feeling good, he’s still trying to regain his confidence.
Kaapo Kahkonen – Goaltender Kahkonen was among the worst in the league this season in several areas. He’ll spend the offseason working on adjustments he recently made to his game.
Radim Simek – Simek continues to fall down the Sharks’ depth chart as younger players with larger upsides begin to find their game. Is this the final year for Simek in teal?
Kevin Labanc – Labanc has never seemed to live up to his contract despite all the success he had before signing it. In his final season, it will be interesting to see if he earns another go-around with the Sharks.
Alexander Barabanov – Of the Sharks’ forwards, Barabanov was one of the only players that could truly be called a success this season.
Signed to a longer term deal
Matt Benning – The defenseman won’t wow you, but Benning’s a solid depth defenseman on a team that’s light on defense. Plus, he’s signed to a team-friendly deal.
Nico Sturm – Grier was smart to take advantage of the Colorado Avalanche’s cap issues and lock Sturm in at a good price. He adds nicely to the team’s depth at the forward position.
Mario Ferraro – On defense, Ferraro was not as good as he had been in seasons past. In fact, the young defender’s game has steadily dropped off since he broke into the league.
Logan Couture – Being healthy helped Couture have a bounce back season on the ice. The Captain had 67 points while centering the team’s second line.
Marc-Edouard Vlasic – Vlasic looked better this season, but he’s still not the defenseman he was in his prime. The question is, how long can he keep it up?
Tomas Hertl – The franchise made a choice when it signed Hertl to a long term deal and then recommitted to Hertl when it traded Timo Meier before the trade deadline. However, Hertl has yet to live up to his new contract.
Erik Karlsson – A Norris Trophy-worthy season. Is now the time to sell the defenseman?
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