Veteran defenseman Dmitry Orlov is heading to the San Jose Sharks, a team that has been notably active during the NHL free agency period and recently made a move off the waiver wire on Thursday to meet the league`s salary floor requirement.
Orlov, who will turn 34 later this month, has agreed to a two-year contract valued at $13 million. A player who previously won the Stanley Cup with Washington and spent the last two seasons with Carolina, the experienced defenseman will carry a salary cap hit of $6.5 million through the 2026-27 season.
His signing is the latest addition for the Sharks, who were required to increase their player payroll by $20 million to reach the minimum threshold of $70.6 million for player salaries. This figure includes money owed to team captain Logan Couture, whose playing career has reportedly ended due to a severe injury.
San Jose also reinforced their blue line by claiming Nick Leddy off waivers from St. Louis. Their revamped defense now includes veteran John Klingberg, who was recently signed to a $4 million deal for the upcoming season.
Sharks General Manager Mike Grier commented on the acquisition of Klingberg earlier in the week, stating, “Klingberg was someone we had targeted for a little while now. We need someone who can run a power play. We think, as he showed he was getting healthier and healthier this year and another year out from his hip (surgery), I think he’ll be even better.”
Leddy`s contract has one year remaining, carrying a cap hit of $4 million, which includes $3 million in actual money owed. Currently, Orlov is the only experienced defenseman on the Sharks roster signed beyond the 2026 season.
Brent Burns, who was Orlov`s teammate for a short time, reached an agreement with Colorado on Wednesday night for a one-year deal. That contract is reportedly worth $1 million, with the potential for up to $3 million more in performance bonuses.
Grier indicated that given the Sharks` focus on youth development and their rebuilding phase, he did not anticipate pursuing any of the high-priced free agents this summer. Notably, Danish winger Nikolaj Ehlers, considered one of the top available players, remained unsigned 72 hours after the free agency period commenced on Tuesday at noon ET.
Last season with the Hurricanes, Orlov recorded six goals and 22 assists. Over his entire NHL career, the veteran blue-liner has accumulated 327 points (76 goals, 251 assists) in 867 regular-season games.
The 33-year-old also possesses significant playoff experience. He has registered four goals and 37 assists in 107 career postseason contests and has appeared in the playoffs every season since 2015-16.
Last season, San Jose finished at the bottom of the NHL standings with a record of 20-50-12, totaling 52 points. This placed them nine points behind the 31st-place Chicago Blackhawks.
In addition to their free agency signings, the Sharks also acquired goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic through a trade with the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Furthermore, San Jose selected forward Michael Misa with the second overall pick in the recent NHL Entry Draft.
