After reports that the San Jose Sharks were set to sign center Fredrik Handemark and goaltender Alexei Melnichuk, both signings became official today.
Melnichuk signed a two-year entry-level contract with an AAV of $925,000 per year, while Handemark signed a one-year deal with the same AAV (including bonuses). I did an article on each player, which I’ll link below. They’re both solid additions to the organization, though Melnichuk seems to have the higher ceiling. As a quick recap:
Melnichuk has put up strong numbers in Russia over the last few seasons and could potentially help to solve San Jose’s issues in goal. He’s just 21 years old and is likely to start in the AHL but it wouldn’t be surprising to see him get into NHL action at some point this season.
Handemark, on the other hand, is a 6-foot-4 center who’s likely to play in San Jose’s bottom-six and I’d say there’s a good chance he could center the Sharks’ fourth line next season. He’s unlikely to become an impact player but did produce at a decent rate in Sweden.
It’s nice to see San Jose attracting players from Europe and each will provide depth in a different area for the Sharks.
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