Source: Sharks Will Not Qualify Zadina, Studnicka

LAS VEGAS — It looks like the San Jose Sharks will not qualify RFAs Filip Zadina and Jack Studnicka.

That’s what a source tells San Jose Hockey Now.

The qualifying offer deadline is actually Sunday, so we’ll know for sure then who the Sharks will or won’t qualify. If San Jose doesn’t qualify Zadina and Studnicka, they will become unrestricted free agents on Jul. 1.

San Jose Sharks GM Mike Grier had said on Monday that Zadina was “in the mix” to come back, but he went short of guaranteeing it.

In the meanwhile, the Sharks acquired forwards Barclay Goodrow, Ty Dellandrea, Carl Grundstrom, and Egor Afanasyev.

There’s only so much playing time to go around, and three of those four forwards represent a different type of skater than Zadina and Studnicka. Goodrow, Dellandrea, and Grundstrom seem to be the embodiment of a “hard to play against” style that Grier is trying to build around untested phenoms Macklin Celebrini and Will Smith.

Zadina, the Detroit Red Wings’ sixth-overall pick of the 2018 Draft, was signed by the San Jose Sharks to a one-year, $1.1 million contract last summer. He had walked away from a guaranteed $4.56 million to bet on himself in free agency.

Zadina, however, couldn’t find his scoring touch or a consistent B-game in San Jose, finishing with 13 goals on the season.

Studnicka, a Boston Bruins’ 2017 second-round pick, was acquired by the Sharks at mid-season in a trade for prospect Nick Cicek and a 2024 sixth-round pick.

Studnicka bounced around the Sharks and Barracuda, trying to play a harder-edged game, but it looks like that won’t happen in San Jose.

It’s assumed that the San Jose Sharks will qualify top prospects Henry Thrun and Thomas Bordeleau. Luke Kunin was also said to be “in the mix” to return for the Sharks, we’ll see what happens there. Grier said he would be qualifying Ty Emberson, but would not be qualifying Calen Addison.

Sources told SJHN earlier this month that they would be qualifying RFA Brandon Coe.

Grundstrom, Afanasyev, and Dellandrea are RFAs, and as new acquisitions, are likely to be qualified.