Blichfeld is 23 years old and was originally selected by the Sharks in the seventh round of the 2016 NHL Draft. He’s played in just eight NHL games since then but did lead the AHL’s San Jose Barracuda in both goals and points this year. Over the last three seasons, Blichfeld scored 52 goals and 99 points in 130 AHL games. He was set to become a restricted free agent.
It did seem unlikely that Blichfeld would have a long-term future with the Sharks, given how many other prospects were used this season ahead of him. That said, the organization lacks depth and moving on from a forward who’s proven he can score goals at a professional level is still less than ideal.