SAN JOSE — The Sharks locked up two of their biggest pending unrestricted free agents, signing both forward Alexander Barabanov and defenseman Jaycob Megna to two-year contracts.
Barabanov’s deal is worth $5 million with an average annual value of $2.5 million. Per a source, the contract contains a $1 million signing bonus for next season and a $500,000 signing bonus for 2023-2024.
Per CapFriendly, Barabanov’s deal also contains a modified no-trade clause in which he submits a list of 10 teams he cannot be traded to in the next two years.
Megna’s deal is worth $750,000 next season and $775,000 in 2023-2024, a source said. The deals were announced Monday morning.
It’s a sizeable raise for Barabanov, 27, who signed a one-year, $1 million extension with the Sharks last May, one month after he was acquired from the Toronto Maple Leafs for forward Antti Suomela.
But Barabanov played in a top-six forward role for the Sharks all of this season, remaining mostly alongside No. 1 center Tomas Hertl as he set a career-high with 39 points, including 29 assists, in 70 games. Barabanov also averaged 17:11 of ice time per game, fourth-most among all Sharks forwards.
“Alexander had a very good first full year in the NHL, showing that he is a consistent point producer and playmaker,” Sharks interim general manager Joe Will said in a statement. “Paired with his grit and hard work, he has the potential to improve upon his success this past year.”
Megna, 29, had eight points in 44 games for the Sharks this season. He didn’t make the team out of training camp and was later named the captain of the Barracuda, but played six NHL games in the fall after four Sharks defensemen tested positive for COVID-19.
Megna then got another chance to play with the big club in early January after Mario Ferraro tested positive for COVID. Megna remained with the Sharks for the rest of the season, averaging over 19 minutes per game. Before the all-star break, he played a handful of games with a broken ankle that would later require surgery.
Megna, and Sharks forwards Sasha Chmelevski and Thomas Bordeleau will all play for Team USA at the IIHF World Championships that begin later this month in Finland.
“Jaycob is a reliable player that defends well. He is a high-character person that was recently recognized by Team USA and will be playing for his country at the World Championship,” Will said.
The deals, per CapFriendly, leave the Sharks with about $5.6 million in cap space for next season, as they already have a projected cap hit of $76.8 million.
The Sharks other pending UFA’s are forwards Ryan Dzingel and Jayden Halbgewachs, defenseman Anthony Bitetto and goalie Alex Stalock. Halbgewachs, 25, played in three Sharks games this season and was second on the Barracuda with 41 points in 59 games.
The Sharks have several restricted free agents, including forwards Chmelevski, Noah Gregor, John Leonard, Jonah Gadjovich, and Jonathan Dahlen, defensemen Mario Ferraro and Nicolas Meloche, and goalie Kaapo Kahkonen.
Leonard, Dahlen, Meloche and Kahkonen all have arbitration rights.
Islanders fire coach Trotz after missing playoffs
The New York Islanders have fired coach Barry Trotz after missing the playoffs in his fourth season with the team.
General manager Lou Lamoriello made the surprising announcement Monday, more than a week after the regular season ended. Trotz had one year left on his five-year contract.
Trotz coached the Islanders to playoff appearances in each of his first three years with them, reaching the Eastern Conference final in 2020 and 2021 before losing to the eventual Stanley Cup-champion Tampa Bay Lightning.
Sharks lock up pending UFAs Alexander Barabanov, Jaycob Megna two two-year contracts - The Santa Rosa Press Democrat
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