When the San Jose Sharks traded Timo Meier to the New Jersey Devils at the 2023 trade deadline, Fabian Zetterlund was a slight after thought in the deal. He was overshadowed by a 2023 first-round pick (that eventually became Quentin Musty) and the potential for another first-round pick in 2024, as well as intriguing defensive prospect Shakir Mukhamadullin. While Zetterlund was known to be a gritty forward with offensive upside, he wasn’t expected to be a star.
This seemed to prove true during the latter part of the 2022-23 season. Zetterlund wasn’t terrific when he joined the Sharks after the trade deadline, but he wasn’t bad either. He was another depth forward.
Zetterlund’s 2023-24 production
Zetterlund was one of the few Sharks forwards to play all 82 games this season, and he was more impactful as the season wore on.
| Games Played | G | A | Pts | +/- | TOI/G |
| 82 | 24 | 20 | 44 | -34 | 18:51 |
This was a career season for Zetterlund. He broke the 20-goal mark for the first time in his career, and his 44 points for the season nearly doubled his career best of 23 points in the 2022-23 season.
Zetterlund’s ice time also shot up this season. He averaged 18:51 of ice time per game. Prior to this season, he averaged less than 14 minutes per game.
The 24-year-old was rightfully in contention for the Sharks’ MVP.
Zetterlund rose to the challenge
Stats aside, I think the biggest highlight of the season for Zetterlund was the way he rose to the challenge. The transition from the East Coast to the West Coast at the 2023 trade deadline was tough on the young forward. He wasn’t prepared for the upheaval and uncertainty, and it showed in his play.
But former head coach David Quinn remained steadfast in his confidence in Zetterlund. Say what you want about Quinn, but his work with the young forward was certainly a bright spot in his short tenure with San Jose. He defended Zetterlund at the end of the 2022-23 season and stood by him at the start of training camp for the 2023-24 season. He understood that transitions can be difficult for young players.
What’s more, Quinn challenged Zetterlund. He was clear in his messaging about what the young forward needed to do to earn top-six minutes. The start of the season was tough, with Zetterlund looking as though he might be a bust. However, Quinn was once again steadfast in his support and his guidance. Zetterlund, for his part, rose to the occasion.
As you can see from the Evolving-Hockey chart, which looks at the goals above replacement (GAR) for all of the forwards who played 500 minutes or more for the Sharks this season, Zetterlund was one of the more impactful players.
Zetterlund’s linemates matter
Zetterlund found chemistry with Mikael Granlund this season and was deployed with him more often than not. However, it was the third player on the trio that seemed to truly make or break the line at even-strength.
| Line | Total Ice Time (in minutes) | Goals For % |
| Zetterlund-Granlund-Duclair | 307.6 | 53.33% |
| Zetterlund-Granlund-Eklund | 121.6 | 43.75% |
| Zetterlund-Granlund-Kostin | 112.6 | 37.5% |
| Zetterlund-Hertl-Eklund | 99.4 | 57.14% |
| *Zetterlund-Granlund-Hoffman | 50.8 | 100% |
Looking at Zetterlund’s linemates at even-strength, you can see that in almost all instances, he was paired with Granlund. It was the third player that helped create or stifle chemistry on the line. When they were paired with a speedy winger with finishing power like Anthony Duclair, the line was able to score more and allowed fewer goals.
However, pairings with players like William Eklund and Klim Kostin had a negative impact on the line’s effectiveness. Eklund seemed to work well with Zetterlund but not well with Zetterlund and Granlund combined.
I added the line with Mike Hoffman even though it was a combination that had less ice time than other lines because it appears to offer some insight into any line combination that includes Granlund and Zetterlund. Notice that in more than 50 minutes of ice time together, the trio of Granlund-Zetterlund-Hoffman was never scored on. It’s a small sampling size, but it offers some insight into the potential best forward for a Granlund-Zetterlund pairing next season.
If the two forwards are once again lined up with one another, adding a forward with finishing ability in the same vein as Duclair or Hoffman would be the best addition to the line.
Zetterlund’s defense needs improvement
One of the concerns for Zetterlund this offseason and with whoever takes the helm with the Sharks will be the player’s defensive responsibility.
Zetterlund, for the most part, was able to out offense his problems, but looking at his GAR on the above chart, you see that defensively, he was one of the worst players on the team. You can see that in the Evolving-Hockey RAPM chart. Zetterlund’s expected goals against per 60 minutes (xGA/60) was in the lower echelon of the league.
Some of this might be attributed to matchups. Zetterlund and Granlund were often the Sharks’ top line, and so they often faced an opponent’s most difficult matchups. While Zetterlund will need to improve his defensive game as he moves into the next season, more favorable matchups might also help improve his numbers. He’s better suited for a second-line role than one on the first line.
Zetterlund’s future with the Sharks
Zetterlund is entering the final year of a contract that pays him $1.45 million. If he performs close to the way he did this past season, then the Sharks will have to offer him a raise. Luckily for General Manager Mike Grier and the Sharks, Zetterlund will be a restricted free agent (RFA) at the end of next season. So, while other teams would love to have Zetterlund’s services, the Sharks have some team control.
Look for Zetterlund to play top-six minutes, likely alongside Granlund at least to start next season. He will earn that new contract and it’s hard to see Grier refusing to pay it. It would not be a surprise if Zetterlund inks a new deal before the final game of next season.
Editor’s Note: Over the next few weeks, we will be rolling out the player reviews for the San Jose Sharks. We realize there were a lot of guys rotating into and out of the lineup and some of the key depth players were traded. As a result, Fear the Fin plans to focus on the players who are 1) still with the Sharks and 2) played 20 or more games for San Jose this season.
