The San Jose Sharks are expected to be aggressive this offseason, and while almost nobody expects them to be a playoff contender next season, the expectation is that they start to make some moves that prove they want to start making a push for the playoffs as soon as the 2026-27 season.
Some big names are available this summer, including Mitchell Marner, Nikolaj Ehlers, Aaron Ekblad, and Brock Boeser, and while the Sharks have the money to make an enticing offer to any of those players, they could turn to another league to see if there is some interest in coming to North America.
The Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) in Russia has produced some solid hockey players over the years, and that continues to be the case. In this article, we take a look at two potential targets for the Sharks this summer, both of which would be coming over from the KHL.
Vitali Kravtsov – Traktor Chelyabinsk
The first potential target is 25-year-old forward Vitali Kravtsov, who played the last two seasons with Traktor Chelyabinsk in the KHL. There are rumors that he is open to returning to the NHL next season, and while he would be a solid target for the Sharks, there are some obstacles they face before they would be able to bring him in.
The Vancouver Canucks still own Kravtsov’s rights, so if he was open to coming back, he would rejoin the Canucks. However, if he isn’t interested in playing with them, he could easily request a trade, and the Sharks could swoop in at that point.
Over parts of two previous seasons in the NHL, split between the Canucks and the New York Rangers, Kravtsov scored six goals and added six assists for 12 points through 64 games, which comes out to a 0.19 points-per-game average.
He has exploded offensively over the past two seasons in the KHL. In the 2023-24 campaign, he scored 18 goals and added 16 assists for 34 points through 55 games. This past season, he scored 27 goals and added 31 assists for 58 points through 66 games.
The Canucks will see the potential that Kravtsov has and may ask for at least a mid-round pick in return, but considering he would be playing a top-six forward role with the Sharks, that’s something they should be all over.
Maxim Shabanov – Traktor Chelyabinsk
The second enticing option is another player from Traktor Chelyabinsk, Maxim Shabanov. He is a 24-year-old, left-handed forward who stands 5-foot-8, 157 pounds, and has been in rumors all summer as a potential target for several NHL teams when free agency opens.
Known for his flashy style of play, Shabanov took the KHL by storm offensively and dominated. Last season, he scored 23 goals and added 44 assists for 67 points through 65 games, maintaining just over a point-per-game average.
Over parts of four seasons in the KHL, Shabanov has scored 67 goals and added 83 assists for 150 points through 207 games, which comes out to a 0.72 points-per-game average. During his time in their development league, the MHL, he played 144 games, scoring 50 goals and adding 68 assists for 118 points, which comes out to a 0.82 points-per-game average.
His rights aren’t owned by anyone in the NHL, making it free for any team to come in and make him a solid offer to bring him onto their team. There will likely be a slight bidding war for his services, and considering what he may be looking for, whether it be playing time or money, the Sharks should have enough to try and convince him to join their team.
There will be plenty of options for the Sharks this summer as they try to fill out their roster and get themselves out of the bottom of the league standings, but they should consider all options when trying to improve their team. Both Kravtsov and Shabanov have proven their worth as offensive-minded forwards who can dominate with the puck on their stick, but there is always a risk when they try to translate their game to another league on another continent.
Andrei Kuzmenko is a perfect example of a player who came over from the KHL after dominating offensively and was able to translate his game to the NHL level. There have been plenty of players who have tried to make the jump and failed, but with how much the Sharks have struggled over the past several campaigns, they should be willing to take a risk.
Time will tell what the Sharks end up doing with their cap space, and they will have their full focus on the upcoming 2025 NHL Draft as they try to select a future superstar at second overall, but once July 1st comes around and free agency opens, they need to get a little aggressive.
Sharks Should Consider Following Ducks’ Trade StrategyThe San Jose Sharks are in the middle of a rebuild, and while Mike Grier is taking a slower, more patient approach to set the team up for long-term success, there are still some smart deals he could make to insulate the young core with experienced veterans.
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