San Jose Sharks: Predicting Filip Zadina’s Next Contract

The Sharks then signed him to a one-year contract worth $1.1 million. Given the rebuilding nature of the organization, he had a strong opportunity to shine in a market with low expectations. He’s been a streaky player this season, often scoring goals in bunches and then going a considerable stretch without a point. With that being said, he’s shown signs of promise and could be a player who works his way into general manager Mike Grier’s long-term plans if he’s able to become more consistent. 

Comparables for Zadina 

Now that we’ve gone over Zadina’s performance and the numbers behind his previous contracts, let’s move on to the comparables around the league. His value is going to get thrown off slightly compared to these players, mainly because of his age and potential, but at a certain point that goes out the window, and he’s very close to that point. One other factor that’s important to remember is the quality of players around the comparables. It’s much more difficult for Zadina to put up points on a team like the Sharks, who arguably have one of the worst lineups in recent memory leaguewide. 

Let’s start with a current teammate of Zadina’s, Klim Kostin. The most recent addition to the Sharks lineup is in the first year of a two-year contract which was signed on July 1, 2023 by Red Wings general manager, Steve Yzerman. During the 2022-23 season, Kostin had 11 goals and a total of 21 points in 57 games at the NHL level. He also spent part of the season in the American Hockey League which likely hurt his case in the negotiations. Kostin was rewarded with a two-year, $4 million contract by Detroit following a trade with the Edmonton Oilers and was dealt to the Sharks ahead of the trade deadline. As a 24-year-old former first-round pick, this is likely one of the strongest comparables for Zadina.

Miles Wood signed a contract with a new team as an unrestricted free agent (UFA) on July 1. The former New Jersey Devil signed a six-year contract with the Colorado Avalanche that carries an average annual value (AAV) of $2.5 million. His deal does also include some trade protection as well though, which is important to factor in as it likely brought the financial part of the deal down a bit. During the 2022-23 season, Wood had 13 goals and 14 assists for a total of 27 points in 76 games. Considering Zadina is currently sitting at 12 goals and 10 assists, his numbers will likely end up being a little higher than Wood’s in his contract year. 

With the final main comparable, we’re going back a season to a contract that was signed in July 2022. Isac Lundestrom was on an Anaheim Ducks team that wasn’t in much different of a position than where the Sharks are now. During the 2021-22 season, he set career highs in every offensive statistic. He had 16 goals, 13 assists, and a total of 29 points in 80 games. Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek opted to give him a bridge deal, two years with an AAV of $1.8 million rather than a long-term contract and it’s seemed like the right choice so far. He’s struggled to maintain that pace and has gone backward a bit in his development which certainly wasn’t helped by an Achilles injury earlier this season. 

One last note, although his production far outweighs Zadina’s on paper, his former teammate in Detroit, Michael Rasmussen, signed an extension recently as well. He currently has 13 goals and 17 assists in 68 games this season and was inked to a four-year extension with an AAV of $3.2 million. Since we know the salary cap is expected to rise this season, it could result in the contracts being signed this summer being a bit higher than we’ve seen over the past couple of seasons which is an important factor. 

Projecting an Extension

Overall, considering Zadina wouldn’t hit unrestricted free agency (UFA) until the 2027 offseason, I’d imagine the Sharks are looking for a two-year contract this summer to have one more chance to sign him as a restricted free agent. This would also keep them from buying any of his UFA years, which is often a major point of contention on long-term deals with young players.

Regarding the financial side of things, I’d picture Zadina getting slightly less than Wood. If the salary cap wasn’t expected to rise, I’d put the number around $4 million over two years, so a $2 million AAV. Given Rasmussen’s extension though, that salary will likely go up a bit and I could see the Sharks landing on a two-year, $4.6 million contract with the Czech forward. It’s team-friendly financially but also sets up the player in a position to earn a long-term deal if he’s able to perform consistently over the next two seasons. Lastly, it allows the Sharks to see how well he plays alongside top prospects including Will Smith and Filip Bystedt once they make their way to the NHL before they either commit long-term or go in a different direction.