The Sharks have struck a deal before officially finalizing their roster for opening night. The Sharks are trading forward Carl Grundstrom and defenseman Artem Guryev to the Philadelphia Flyers for defenseman Ryan Ellis and a Conditional 2026 6th-round pick.
The Sharks were long expected to make a trade to clear a contract spot. Before the trade, the Sharks were sitting at 49 standard contracts, not including slide-eligible deals like Sam Dickinson and Michael Misa. Should the Sharks keep both past the 9-game mark, they would be unable to do so due to the 50-contract slot limit. This trade clears a slot, making it possible to keep both past 9 games.
Carl Grundstrom was likely the odd man out. I mentioned earlier that he might be the casualty for the extra slot, and I was right. He was passed over in the preseason and lacked a clear role with the Sharks or Barracuda. As for Artem Guryev, the former 5th-round pick in 2021, he never developed in pro hockey, spending the majority of his career in the ECHL, and was not in line to contribute to the Barracuda this season, making him an obvious contract dump candidate for the Sharks.
In return, the Sharks get a Conditional 6th-round pick in this year's draft; the pick will be the highest of Philadelphia’s two 6th-round picks. They are also taking on the Ryan Ellis contract. Ellis has two years left at 6.25 AAV and has not played a game since the 2021-22 season. While on the surface, this contract may seem like a lot to take on for just a 6th-round pick. Carl Grundstrum himself is not a positive asset; his 1.8 million dollar cap hit is high for a player who is earmarked for the AHL, and unlike Ryan Ellis, he can’t be buried on LTIR. The Sharks will also need to hit the cap floor next season, and Ellis should help accomplish that while giving the Sharks plenty of space to work with.
This is a win-win trade for both sides. Philadelphia saves some cash in the long term, and the Sharks get some much-needed roster flexibility. This is also a sign that the Sharks are committed to keeping both Misa and Dickinson past the 9-game trial.