It looks like a young defenseman might be available this offseason.
During his pre-draft media availability, San Jose Sharks general manager Mike Grier stated that defenseman Calen Addison will not be re-signed.
Grier mentioned that the team has had conversations with other pending restricted free agents Luke Kunin and Filip Zadina, but that the team will be moving on from Addison.
Sharks GM Mike Grier said there have been conversations with regard to re-signing RFAs Luke Kunin and Filip Zadina. Said both are still in their mix. Grier did confirm that they'll move on from Calen Addison and won't re-sign the defenseman. Addison is an arb-eligible RFA.
— Eric Stephens (@icemancometh) June 24, 2024
Addison is a restricted free agent with arbitration rights.
The 24-year-old came to San Jose after being traded by the Minnesota Wild for Adam Raska and a draft pick back in November, less than two months after he was signed to a one-year contract. In 60 games with the Sharks, Addison scored a goal and 11 assists, as the team finished with the worst record in the NHL. Combined with 12 games in Minnesota, Addison posted 17 points in a full 82-game campaign, the first time the has hit that mark in his NHL career.
This was just the second season Addison was a full-time NHLer. In three-plus seasons with the Wild organization, the Brandon, Manitoba native played 92 games with Minnesota, spending some time with the team’s American Hockey League affiliate, the Iowa Wild.
Addison was originally taken by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the second round of the 2018 NHL Draft. He ended up playing just three games with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins of the AHL before he was dealt to the Wild in the trade that saw Pittsburgh acquire Alex Galchenyuk in February 2020, with Jason Zucker and Addison heading to the Twin Cities.
In 152 NHL games, he has notched six goals and 44 assists, appearing in three playoff games during the 2021 postseason.
Addison’s cap hit this past season was $825,000. According to CapFriendly, his qualifying offer is $866,250.