The Sharks have a chance to circle back on Simon Edvinsson, but they do not need to rush into anything.
Detroit’s mess with unhappy players has become impossible to ignore, and Edvinsson is right there in the middle of it. The 23-year-old defenseman is stuck in limbo with the Red Wings, and San Jose is among the teams watching closely because he checks a lot of boxes for Mike Grier: big, mobile and built like the kind of blue-liner the Sharks want.
Edvinsson stands 6-foot-6 and weighs 225 pounds, and his size-skating combination is exactly what makes him so appealing. The Sharks need help on defense, and on paper he looks like the kind of player who could step in and matter right away.
But the situation in Detroit is messy enough that patience may be the better play.
Edvinsson, an unrestricted free agent, has until Dec. 1 to sign a contract or he will be ineligible to play an NHL game for the rest of 2026-27. Sportsnet’s Elliott Friedman reported that he wants to be traded, while Detroit says it wants to keep him.
Darren Dreger said on TSN’s Insider Trading with Pierre LeBrun, Gino Reda and Chris Johnston that “The Red Wings have offered contracts to date of one year, two years, five years and seven years, but clearly the money isn’t there. The San Jose Sharks are most definitely interested in Simon Edvinsson, and there are upwards of 10 teams interested in this 23-year-old defenseman.”
Edvinsson came to training camp without a deal, and once preseason started without progress, the frustration grew. He returned to Sweden and has been away from the team since. He will not come back until he signs.
Friedman also reported in his 32 Thoughts column that “The talks with the Sharks are substantive, I believe, with at least one serious offer between them - an offer that was not accepted by Detroit, as the story goes.”
He added that San Jose, the Boston Bruins, Nashville Predators and Seattle Kraken were all asked about young centers as part of a possible return for Edvinsson.
If Detroit is looking at the Sharks’ system, the names that make sense are Will Smith, Michael Misa, Zack Ostapchuk and Filip Bystedt. Sheng Peng reported that his sources say San Jose has also dangled Bystedt, Igor Chernyshov and 2026 ninth-overall draft pick Keaton Verhoeff in talks for Edvinsson.
That is where the debate gets real for San Jose. Edvinsson would fill a need immediately and project as a bona fide top-four defenseman. His size, skating and defensive positioning would give the Sharks a much-needed boost on a blue line that can too often turn one chance against into a wave of danger.
Still, if Detroit is trying to squeeze maximum value out of a player it may lose anyway, the Sharks should be careful not to overpay.
The longer this drags on, the more pressure shifts toward the Red Wings. If Detroit is bluffing, San Jose can wait. If the cost drops closer to the Dec. 1 deadline and the asking price becomes more reasonable, then the Sharks can get serious.
What they should not do is gut the part of the organization they are trying to build up. Moving one of Smith, Misa or Chernyshov would take a major bite out of the forward depth San Jose wants to become a strength. After using the draft to add Ryan Lin and Verhoeff on the back end, it would not make much sense to empty out a top-six forward of the future just to solve one problem by creating another.
If the price eventually shifts toward picks and prospects, then the Sharks should absolutely stay in the conversation. Forwards in the minors like Bystedt or Quentin Musty, along with draft capital, would be the kind of package worth considering. If Detroit keeps demanding too much, San Jose can afford to wait.
In Other News...
Red Wings Icon Takes Rare Public Stand In Russia Hockey Debate
Nicklas Lidstrom has spent years as one of the most respected voices in hockey, and now the Red Wings vice president of hockey operations and Swedish Hockey Federation advisor has taken a rare public position on one of the sports most sensitive issues. In the wake of the International Court of Arbitration for Sport annulling the IIHFs ban on Russia, Lidstrom has thrown his support behind the idea of boycotting international events if Russia is allowed back into the competition mix.
The IIHF is expected to appeal the ruling, which keeps the issue very much alive across the hockey world. Adding another layer to the debate is Viacheslav Fetisov, Lidstroms former teammate and now a member of the Russian State Duma, who wants Russia returned to international play but only under its own national symbols rather than as neutral athletes. [Read more 🡒]
Red Wings Fans Should Brace For A New Twist In The Larkin Standoff
Dylan Larkins situation has moved well beyond a standard contract dispute, and the latest wrinkle only adds to the uncertainty around where this ends for Detroit. Elliotte Friedman reported that the Red Wings captains approved trade list could change within the next 24 to 48 hours, a detail that matters because Detroit has already suspended him without pay after Larkin said he would not play for the club again.
For the Red Wings, the practical challenge is sorting through a trade market that is already complicated by cap realities and the kinds of assets other teams would have to send back. Larkins current list includes 10 teams, but not every name on it is a realistic fit, which leaves Detroit navigating a moving target while the clock keeps ticking on one of the franchises most uncomfortable storylines in years. [Read more 🡒]
Red Wings Add A Scoring Option As Lineup Questions Keep Growing
With the Red Wings still sorting through their lineup picture, John Leonard is getting another NHL look after being recalled from AHL Grand Rapids. The winger will join Detroit on its upcoming road trip in Florida, giving the club an extra scoring option at a time when it could use some stability and a little more finish in the forward group.
Leonard has been productive for the Griffins early this season, scoring five goals in six games, and he was also Grand Rapids leading goal scorer a year ago. Detroit clearly sees enough there to keep him in the mix, especially after signing him to a one-year extension, but this call-up is also a chance for Leonard to show he can carry that offense into the NHL picture. [Read more 🡒]