Yardbarker
x
NHL Notebook: Sharks looking to extend Will Smith
Sergei Belski-USA TODAY Sports

NHL Notebook: Sharks looking to extend Will Smith

Originally posted on Flamesnation  |  By Ryley Delaney  |  Last updated Jul 30, 2026 9:15 PM ET
Google Add us as a preferred source on Google

It doesn’t look like the San Jose Sharks are done locking down their young core.

On Wednesday, the team announced that they signed Macklin Celebrini to a five-year deal with an annual cap hit of $18.8. When that contract kicks in for the 2027-28 season, there’s a good chance it’ll be the highest cap hit in National Hockey League history.

Well there’s another young player eligible for an extension, Will Smith. Sharks’ general manager Mike Grier spoke to reporters following Celebrini’s extension, and noted that they would like to extend Smith as well.

Smith, drafted fourth overall by the Sharks in 2023, won’t get nearly as much as Celebrini did. However, the Boston product had a productive season, scoring 24 goals and 59 points in 69 games to set a new career-high.

The 21-year-old is set to earn $950,000 in the final season of his entry-level contract. Barring an extension, Smith will become a restricted free agent at the end of the 2026-27 season.

Devils sign two

The New Jersey Devils added some organizational depth in the past two days, signing Topias Vilen on Wednesday and Colin White on Thursday.

Vilen, a 23-year-old left-shot defenceman, was drafted by the Devils in the fifth round of the 2021 draft. The Finn has spent parts of his last four seasons with the American Hockey League’s Utica Comets since coming to North America. Last season, he scored four goals and 27 points in 61 games, and even earned a cup of tea in the NHL, playing two games.

White was drafted 21st overall in the 2015 draft by the Ottawa Senators, but spent the entirety of the 2025-26 season with the San Jose Sharks’ AHL team. Over 46 games, the Boston product scored 21 goals and 48 points in 46 games.

He has spent some time in the NHL, playing 323 games with several organizations, including the Senators, Florida Panthers, Pittsburgh Penguins, Montréal Canadiens, and Sharks. Overall, he has 44 goals and 113 points in the NHL.

No Russia or Belarus in most international tournaments in 2026-27

On Thursday, the IIHF announced that both Russia and Belarus will be ineligible for most major international tournaments this coming year.

Following the IIHF Disciplinary Board reversing the IIHF Council’s blanket ban on Russia and Belarus, the council re-reviewed each country’s eligibility for 2026-27 tournaments. Russia’s eligibility for the Women’s World Championship in 2027 will be reviewed separately in November. There’ll be no Russia in the 2027 Men’s World Championship, the World Junior Championship, and the Men’s and Women’s Under-18 World Championships.

Belarus remains barred from the 2027 Men’s World Championship and World Junior Championship. They will be eligible for the Women’s World Championship (Division IV) and the Men’s and Women’s (Division III) Under-18 Worlds.

Both countries remain active in the invasion of Ukraine.

This article first appeared on Flamesnation and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads:

Customize Your Newsletter

Yardbarker +

Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA.