Sharks add Trouba, Nurse to fortify defense, seek offense from Marchment

After the NHL Draft, free agency and other offseason moves, NHL.com is examining where each team stands in preparation for the 2026-27 regular season, which starts Sept. 29. Today, the San Jose Sharks:

2025-26 season: 39-35-8, fifth in Pacific Division; missed Stanley Cup Playoffs

Key arrivals

Jacob Trouba, D: The 32-year-old signed a four-year contract July 1 and could skate on the right side of the Sharks' top defense pair this season. He scored 10 goals in 81 games with the Anaheim Ducks last season, the most he has had in a season since scoring 11 with the New York Rangers in 2021-22, and had 35 points. He also scored one goal in 12 playoff games. ... Darnell Nurse, D: The 31-year-old was acquired in a trade with the Edmonton Oilers on July 1 for defenseman Shakir Mukhamadullin and defenseman prospect Zachary Sharp. Nurse had 24 points (seven goals, 17 assists) in 82 regular-season games, led the Oilers with 167 blocked shots and was first among Edmonton defensemen with 137 hits. He could play the left side on San Jose's second defense pair. ... Mason Marchment, F: The 31-year-old signed a five-year contract July 1 and should provide a secondary scoring option. He had 45 points (19 goals, 26 assists) in 68 games with the Seattle Kraken and Columbus Blue Jackets last season, after scoring 22 goals each of the previous two seasons with the Dallas Stars. ... Ivar Stenberg, F: Selected with the No. 2 pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, he signed a three-year, entry-level contract July 2. The 18-year-old could have a chance to play left wing on the top line alongside Macklin Celebrini. Stenberg had 33 points (11 goals, 22 assists) in 43 games with Frolunda of the Swedish Hockey League, the fifth-most points ever by an 18-year-old SHL player. He also had eight points (four goals, four assists) for Sweden at the 2026 IIHF World Championship and was voted one of his team's three best players. ... Michael Kesselring, D: The 26-year-old was acquired in a trade with the Buffalo Sabres on June 17 along with a first-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft (No. 26) for a 2026 first-round pick (No. 20) and signed a three-year contract June 29 rather than become a free agent. Injuries limited him to 34 games last season but in 2024-25 with the Utah Hockey Club, he had 29 points (seven goals, 22 assists) in 82 games. ... Eric Comrie, G: The 31-year-old signed a two-year contract July 1 and will compete with Alex Nedeljkovic for ice time behind starter Yaroslav Askarov. He was 12-11-1 with a 3.13 goals-against average and .890 save percentage in 25 games (24 starts) for the Winnipeg Jets last season.

Key departures

William Eklund, F: Was traded to the Ottawa Senators, along with forward prospects Kasper Halttunen and Brandon Svoboda, for the No. 9 pick in the 2026 draft on June 23. He had 53 points (15 goals, 38 assists) in 78 games. ... Shakir Mukhamadullin, D: Was traded to the Edmonton Oilers as part of the package for Nurse on July 1. He had 12 points (five goals, seven assists) and averaged 17:09 of ice time in 50 games. ... Mario Ferraro, D: Signed a three-year contract with the Winnipeg Jets on July 1. He had 23 points (seven goals, 16 assists) and led the Sharks with 150 blocked shots in 82 games. He spent the first seven seasons of his NHL career with San Jose, and his 490 games played are seventh all-time among Sharks defensemen. ... Vincent Desharnais, D: Signed a four-year contract with the Washington Capitals on July 1. He had seven points (one goal, six assists) and averaged an NHL career-best 18:11 of ice time in 53 games. ... Ryan Reaves, F: The unrestricted free agent scored three goals in 50 games. ... Philipp Kurashev, F: He had 20 points (seven goals, 13 assists) in 43 games but was not given a qualifying offer, making him an unrestricted free agent.

On the cusp

Igor Chernyshov, F: The 20-year-old made his NHL debut Dec. 16 and had 19 points (nine goals, 10 assists) in 28 games and 33 points (13 goals, 20 assists) in 41 games with San Jose of the American Hockey League. Selected by the Sharks in the second round (No. 33) of the 2024 NHL Draft, Chernyshov could be ready for a full-time NHL spot this season, possibly on one of the top two lines. ... Quentin Musty, F: The 21-year-old tied for fourth among AHL rookies last season with 21 goals and tied for eighth with 45 points in 61 games. Selected with the No. 26 pick in the 2023 NHL Draft, he'll push for a spot in the top nine during training camp, and if he doesn't make it likely would be in line for an early season call-up if there's an injury or an underperforming player. ... Luca Cagnoni, D: The 21-year-old did not have a point in three NHL games and had 43 points (eight goals, 35 assists) in 67 games with San Jose of the AHL. The left-handed shot, selected in the fourth round (No. 123) of the 2023 draft, has a dynamic, offensive element to his game that could help on the power play.

What they still need

Consistent offensive production from someone other than Celebrini, whose 115 points (45 goals, 70 assists) were more than the Sharks' next two top scorers combined, forwards Will Smith (59 points) and Alexander Wennberg (55 points), and his 45 goals matched the Sharks' next two top scorers, Smith (24 goals) and forward Collin Graf (21 goals). Smith could be ready for a breakout season; the 21-year-old made a solid jump from his rookie season (45 points; 18 goals, 27 assists) to last season, and his points per 60 minutes of ice time at 5-on-5 (2.30, from 2.00) and goals per 60 (0.93, from 0.75) went up significantly. But whether it's big steps from Smith, Stenberg or forward Michael Misa, or bigger contributions from Graf, Wennberg, Marchment, forward Kiefer Sherwood or forward Tyler Toffoli, the Sharks' best chance of reaching the playoffs will be with someone else carrying the scoring load alongside Celebrini.

They said it

"I think we're a better team than we were last year. If that gets us in the playoffs, great. You never know how the season is going to go. But it is a step in the right direction where we were able to address some of the things we wanted to address." -- Sharks general manager Mike Grier, on his team's offseason additions

EDGE stat to watch

Celebrini, who became the third teenager in NHL history to finish among the top four in the League in scoring (Sidney Crosby, 2006-07; Wayne Gretzky, 1979-80), ranked second among forwards and eighth among all players in total skating distance (293.72 miles). Celebrini led the NHL in midrange shots on goal (159) and midrange goals (25), while ranking seventh among forwards in hardest shot (97.89 mph). Though the Sharks ranked third worst in average shot attempts differential at minus-3.9 per game, the additions of defensemen Trouba, Nurse and Kesselring could help the Sharks spend less time in the defensive zone and take their offense to another level. -- Troy Perlowitz

Fantasy spin

After being traded to the Blue Jackets on Dec. 19, 2025, Marchment scored 15 goals in 39 games, putting him on an 82-game pace of 31.5 goals. Marchment, who frequently played on Columbus' top line with Adam Fantilli and Kirill Marchenko last season, has a high fantasy ceiling, considering he could see time on the Sharks' top line with their high-scoring duo of Celebrini and Smith. Marchment also covers hits (84 in 68 games with the Blue Jackets and Kraken last season), giving San Jose the luxury of having him and Sherwood (career-high 23 goals last season; second in NHL with 339 hits) on separate lines surrounding their elite young talent. -- Pete Jensen

Projected lineup

Collin Graf -- Macklin Celebrini -- Will Smith

Igor Chernyshov -- Michael Misa -- Mason Marchment

Ivar Stenberg -- Alexander Wennberg -- Kiefer Sherwood

Tyler Toffoli -- Zack Ostapchuk -- Ty Dellandrea

Sam Dickinson -- Jacob Trouba

Darnell Nurse -- Dmitry Orlov

Luca Cagnoni -- Michael Kesselring

Yaroslav Askarov

Alex Nedeljkovic