The Sharks are sending defenseman Timothy Liljegren to the Washington Capitals. The Sharks will receive a 2026 4th-round-pick originally owned by Vegas. This was the only trade the Sharks made before the 3 pm deadline.
The Sharks acquired Liljegren back in 2024 with the hopes that he could establish himself as a top-4 option that could contribute on the power play for them on a team starved for young NHL defenders. Unfortunately, things never worked out for Liljegren, who registered just 28 points in 110 games as a Shark.
Liljegren is a capable puck mover and skater, but has struggled with consistency. At times, he can show flashes of the top-4 potential he had as a prospect, but that does not show consistency enough to keep him in the lineup. Liljegren has been in and out of the lineup all season for the Sharks.
Moving Liljegren will open up a spot for Mukhamadullin to be a top-6 regular for the remainder of the season. The young defender has been in and out of the lineup, but with Liljegren out of the picture, there are currently no roadblocks stopping him from a full-time role. I expect the Sharks to recall veteran Nick Leddy to resume his role as the team's 7th defenseman for the remainder of the season.
Adding the 2026 4th will give the Sharks 8 picks in the upcoming draft, with picks in every round except the 3rd. Additionally, because the Oilers traded their 2027 first-round pick, the 2026 first-round pick they sent to the Sharks for Jake Walman at last year's deadline is now unprotected. Giving the Sharks plenty of draft capital going into this year's draft.
With the Liljegren trade, the Sharks are done for the day. The Sharks will hang on to pending UFAs Mario Ferraro, John Klingberg, and Vinny Desharnais for a potential stretch run. Grier was willing to listen to his defenders, but at the end of the day, did not find a deal to his liking to justify breaking up the room in the midst of a playoff push.
Grier on if he got calls on Mario and Klingberg.
— Curtis Pashelka (@CurtisPashelka) March 6, 2026
"we got calls on those guys over the last couple weeks. In the last couple days, there was interest in them. But the group, they've kind of scrapped and battled their way all season long, even the last few games they've played…
The Sharks were willing to swing a deal to add a younger player with control, but ultimately, nothing came together. The Sharks will still have plenty of assets in the off-season to continue hunting for players who fit their timeline.
With the deadline officially in the rear-view mirror lets see what this Sharks roster can do down the stretch in the midst of a surprisingly successful season. The Sharks will be back in action tonight as they take on the St. Louis Blues.