The Sharks didn’t draft Nolan Allan, but they did find a way to add exactly the kind of defenseman teams need when the games get heavy.
That matters here. Allan checks in at No. 20 on the club’s prospect list, and his path to San Jose came through trade in January, when the Sharks sent defenseman Jake Furlong, Ryan Ellis’ contract and a 2028 fourth-round pick to the Chicago Blackhawks for goaltender Laurent Brossoit, Allan and a 2028 seventh-round pick.
Allan spent most of last season in the AHL, splitting time between the Rockford IceHogs and the San Jose Barracuda. Across 64 games between the two teams, he posted 20 points with six goals, 16 assists and 67 penalty minutes.
What stands out first is the style. The Athletic’s Scott Wheeler described him as a “strong, sturdy, defense-first” player, and that fits the profile neatly.
Wheeler wrote, “He skates well, he has length, he defends through neutral ice effectively and he plays hard. Those are desirable qualities,” and also called him a “strong and physical defender who fits as a low-fuss No.
6-8 NHL D alongside a busier, more offensively inclined player.”
That’s the lane Allan appears headed for. He’s the kind of defender who can sit back while a partner joins the rush, then step in and clean up the mess if the play turns the other way.
In time, the Sharks could use him in that exact role alongside a Ryan Lin or Keaton Verhoeff. He’ll play back, cover space and punish mistakes with a hit when the chance is there.
He also brings a physical edge that should play well with fans. Allan isn’t shy about mixing it up, and he’ll stick up for teammates when needed.
The offensive upside is limited, and that’s not really the point with him. Allan isn’t going to be in Norris Trophy conversations. He’s a keep-it-simple, keep-it-out type of defenseman, the sort of player every roster needs but not every highlight reel celebrates.
The bigger question is refinement. Allan still needs more polish and consistency, even if he’s close.
He’s probably the first left-side defenseman the Sharks would turn to in the event of an injury, but he’s unlikely to crack the opening-night lineup unless it’s as the seventh defenseman. In that kind of role, he’d likely spend more time watching from the press box than playing.
Still, he’s close to NHL-ready.
This summer, Allan signed a two-year deal that runs through the end of the 2027-28 season. He’ll be 25 and a restricted free agent after that. Right now, the Sharks don’t have a clear opening for him, but that could shift as players like Lin, Verhoeff and Eric Pohlkamp move closer to the system.
For now, the expectation is that Allan will spend most of the season with the Barracuda and get the call if the Sharks need help because of an injury to someone like Jacob Trouba or Dmitry Orlov. If the injury is to a different type of player, such as Darnell Nurse, Luca Cagnoni or Sam Dickinson, San Jose could look in another direction.
One catch: Allan is not waivers exempt, so every time the Sharks send him back to the Barracuda, he has to clear waivers. That creates real risk, since another team could try to claim him at the wrong time.
And if you want a quick snapshot of what he brings, there’s already a moment that sums it up. Less than a month after joining the Sharks, Allan dropped the gloves in defense of his partner Luca Cagnoni after Cagnoni took a hard hit.
Luca Cagnoni took a hard hit, and his new defensive partner, Nolan Allan, took exception.
Allan vs Parker Bell pic.twitter.com/jBG9t3BfpI
- JD Young (@MyFryHole) February 1, 2026
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