Orlov’s Surprising $13 Million Deal with Sharks: What This Means for the NHL Power Dynamics

In a move that’s shaking up the Sharks’ blue line, San Jose just inked Dmitry Orlov to a solid two-year deal worth $13 million. At 33, Orlov isn’t just any defender — he’s a seasoned, physical force who clocked 28 points last season with the Hurricanes and brings a wealth of playoff grit to the ice. Mike Grier’s got every reason to be pumped, praising Orlov’s two-way prowess and the kind of Stanley Cup cred that’s pure gold in the locker room. But that’s not all — San Jose also snatched veteran Nick Leddy off waivers from the Blues, adding even more experience to their defensive ranks. With these savvy pickups, the Sharks are clearly playing the long game — blending battle-tested vets with young talent like Sam Dickinson to craft a roster that’s ready to grind and shine. It’s fascinating to watch how these chess moves unfold on and off the ice, isn’t it? LEARN MORE.

Dmitry Orlov signed a two-year, $13 million contract with the San Jose Sharks on Thursday. It has an average annual value of $6.5 million.

The 33-year-old defenseman, who was an unrestricted free agent, had 28 points (six goals, 22 assists) in 76 regular-season games for the Carolina Hurricanes last season and four assists in 15 Stanley Cup Playoff games.

“Dmitry is a strong, two-way defenseman who brings physicality and versatility on the ice,” Sharks general manager Mike Grier said. “He has a wealth of NHL experience, both in the regular season and playoffs, and his Stanley Cup championship pedigree is a valuable addition to our team. We are happy to have him.”

Selected by the Washington Capitals in the second round (No. 55) of the 2009 NHL Draft, Orlov has 327 points (76 goals, 251 assists) in 867 regular-season games for the Capitals, Boston Bruins and Hurricanes and 41 points (four goals, 37 assists) in 107 playoff games.

Orlov won the Stanley Cup with the Capitals in 2018.

“Someone I’ve kind of always admired,” Grier said of Orlov. “He’s got some bite to him. A good puck-moving two-way, ‘D,’ they’re not easy to find, guys that can impact the game at both ends of the rink.”

The Sharks also claimed defenseman Nick Leddy off waivers from the St. Louis Blues on Thursday. The 34-year-old has one season remaining on the four-year, $16 million contract ($4 million AAV) he signed with the Blues on July 13, 2022.

Leddy had five points (two goals, three assists) in 31 regular-season games and one assist in seven playoff games last season.

“It became a numbers game,” Blues general manager Doug Armstrong said about placing Leddy on waivers. “Nick’s an experienced player, has had a very good career, will go to San Jose and do very well, but you have to create space if you want to give ice time away and that was one way to do that.

“We did [try to work out a trade]. Not just St. Louis, but no player is put on waivers without everyone knowing. … We have our inner circle, and you probably have a good feel of where everyone’s at. I contacted the teams that were his preferred destination to go to and at the end of the day, the best course of action was waivers.”

Selected by the Minnesota Wild in the first round (No. 16) of the 2009 draft, Leddy has 416 points (75 goals, 341 assists) in 1,042 regular-season games with the Chicago Blackhawks, New York Islanders, Detroit Red Wings and Blues, and 39 points (eight goals, 31 assists) in 137 playoff games.

He won the Stanley Cup with the Blackhawks in 2013.

“That was kind of a surprise,” Grier said of claiming Leddy. “He’s a good veteran ‘D.’ St. Louis is trying to do things, [and] are up against the cap a little bit. Sometimes, those are the consequences of that, and we lucked out. We really liked the player.”

Orlov and Leddy are the latest veteran additions to Sharks’ defense corps. They signed John Klingberg to a one-year, $4 million contract Tuesday.

Grier was asked how the new additions might affect the arrival of young defenseman prospects, most notably Sam Dickinson, 19, selected by the Sharks with the No. 11 pick in the 2024 NHL Draft.

“If the young guys are ready, I don’t think we’ll block them,” Grier said. “We’ve just got to make sure they’re ready.

“When you’re a young team, sometimes you’ve got to get older before you get younger. You’ve got to have some of these older vets around the League, who have had success, are professionals, and can handle the daily grind of the NHL. It’s important to have those guys around and we’ll balance it with those young guys.”

NHL.com independent correspondents Max Miller and Lou Korac contributed to this report