Sharks Pitched to Take Big Swing for Game-Changing Defenseman

The San Jose Sharks are one of the most exciting up-and-coming teams in the NHL, led by Macklin Celebrini with Will Smith, William Eklund, and soon Michael Misa alongside him.

That young nucleus is already starting to make its mark as one of the more dangerous core groups in hockey, though what stands out is they’re all forwards. San Jose’s defense corps is still a work in progress, and while Sam Dickinson and Shakir Mukhamadullin, among others, are promising pieces on the back end, one analyst believes the Sharks should consider a major move to bolster their blue line — with a certain superstar in mind.

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During a recent episode of The Sheet with Jeff Marek, ESPN’s Greg Wyshynski floated the idea of the Sharks targeting Roman Josi, should the Predators stumble moving forward and embrace a full rebuild.

Wyshynski said:

“Like, do they go knock knock knocking on Nashville’s door and see if there’s a way, if they fall apart, for the Predators to get Roman Josi out of there? Like, do they have to go find that guy, do you think, in order to really, really level up as a contender in the West?”

The 35-year-old Josi is in the sixth year of the eight-year, $72.472 million extension he signed with the Predators back in 2019. He’s having another productive season in Nashville, with 30 points (eight goals, 22 assists) tallied across 39 games.

Could San Jose Really Land Roman Josi?

While a Josi trade to San Jose is very much a pie-in-the-sky scenario right now, it isn’t impossible that the conversation could surface in the future, and GM Mike Grier has shown he’s willing to be aggressive when the right opportunity comes around.

Even though Nashville has turned its season around to get back into the playoff hunt, making it will still be an uphill climb. If the Predators miss again this year and then stumble early in 2026-27, these talks could grow louder. Josi will be in the second-to-last year of his contract next season and extension-eligible at the end of it — the exact same situation we just saw with Quinn Hughes, who was traded as the Vancouver Canucks began their rebuild.

Of course, all of this depends on the success of the Predators and their direction as a franchise, though if Josi becomes available, it’s hard to imagine a better landing spot than San Jose. Not to mention, Grier is equipped with the draft capital, prospects, and young players to almost certainly be able to meet GM Barry Trotz’s potential asking price.

A Norris Trophy winner and one of the best defensemen in the world, joining a team with more high-end talent than he’s ever played with before is undoubtedly a tantalizing proposition.

Next: Report: Sharks May Flip Kiefer Sherwood in Deadline Trade