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San Jose Sharks Assess Their Blue Line
Publish Date: January 23, 2026
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The San Jose Sharks are making roster moves, with five pending UFAs on the blue line, per David Pagnotta.
San Jose’s five pending UFA d-men are Mario Ferraro, Timothy Liljegren, John Klingberg, Vincent Desharnais, and Nick Leddy.
On Jan. 18, the Sharks placed Leddy on waivers and reinstated Vincent Desharnais from injured reserve. Leddy has four assists and a minus-9 rating in 19 games this season.
Sharks’ GM Mike Grier continued in his pattern of using draft capital to shape the roster. On Jan. 19 the team added Kiefer Sherwood from the Vancouver Canucks. In exchange, Canucks got a 2026 second-round pick, a 2027 second-round pick, and forward Cole Clayton.
Dmitry Orlov and Klingberg currently lead the Sharks’ in defensive minutes and production. Orlov averages 21:33 TOI per game, and has logged one goal and 22 assists in 49 games played. Klingberg is shortly behind, with 21:20 TOI, nine goals, and eight assists in 36 matchups. In his offensive production, 12 of Klingberg’s points have been logged during the power-play.
Both veteran blue-liners provide puck movement rather than Team Teal long-term stability.
Meanwhile, the second blue-line rotation consists of Ferraro paired with Liljegren. Ferraro remains a core part of the Sharks, providing a leadership presence to the team and culture. After debuting in 2019-20, Ferraro is the longest-tenured player on the Sharks’ roster.
Rounding out the third shift d-men are Vincent Desharnais paired with rookie Sam Dickinson. 23-year-old Vincent Iorio has also factored in here and there, recording three assists through 21 games. While currently on IR, 24-year-old Shakir Mukhamadullin has been in rotation as the team continues to develop a reliable roster. Mukhamadullin has logged six points (four assists, two goals) in 23 matchups this season.