The Sharks have already confirmed that netminder Alex Georgiev is not going to be returning to the club next season. This means they will likely need to find a replacement, as heading into the year with a tandem of Askarov and Romonov seems unlikely. So, who could the Sharks target in Free Agency?
Looking at the Shark's situation, Askarov is the future of the Sharks crease and will almost certainly be in the NHL next season since he is starting his first year of a four million-dollar extension signed last offseason and is set to make 2 million next season. Given his lack of experience, you would want to pair him with someone experienced who can potentially eat 30-plus games. That's a tall task to find in a free agency class that lacks quality netminders. So, who are the best options?
Jake Allen
Allen is the top prize in this year’s goaltending class, which, no offense to Allen, shows its lack of strength. Allen posted a 908% save percentage in 31 games for the Devils last year, a respectable bounce back from his previous years with the Canadians. Allen fits the bill in nearly every way for the Sharks. He is a capable tandem goalie with tons of experience at the NHL level, including a Stanley Cup with the Blues. Unfortunately, Allen will likely have a broad market this offseason due to the lack of depth in the class, and given his age, a deal with the Sharks probably isn’t very attractive for Allen, who could likely find a spot with a contender in a similar role. Still, Allen is probably the best option for the Sharks next season.
Ilya Samsonov
Samsonov is an intriguing target for the Sharks coming off a 1-year pact with Vegas; Samsonov struggled to an 891% save percentage in 29 games and, given his inconsistency throughout his career, is unlikely to earn anything significant this offseason. Still, the Russian netminder was a former top prospect and has shown flashes of strong play throughout his career. The Sharks could view him as a reclamation project similar to Mackenzie Blackwood, who they could try to fix. In addition, adding a mentor for Askarov is a good idea. He will be navigating his first full season in the NHL and could lean on Samsonov for advice, who also has experience being a top prospect in the league.
Anton Forsberg
Forsberg has spent the last five seasons with the Senators, where he has established himself as a capable NHL backup. The Swedish netminder has played at least 30 games in three of the last four seasons and compiled a 905% save percentage over 142 games for the Senators. He may not be the flashiest option, but Forsberg could be a dependable backup capable of eating games for the Sharks as they continue to develop Askarov. He also won't break the bank on his next contract.
There isn’t an obvious name for the Sharks to target in net this offseason, and each option comes with some risk. However, the Sharks know from experience that poor goaltending can deflate a team, and it is vital that a young team has some stability in the crease. The Sharks need to make sure they properly address goaltending in free agency so they have a capable tandem going into next season.