Sharks Place Brett Leason On Waivers

According to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, the San Jose Sharks have placed forward Brett Leason on waivers. The transaction suggests that forward Adam Gaudette, who began the season on the Sharks’ injured reserve, is nearing a return.

Leason, 27, joined San Jose this past summer after a one-year stint with the Washington Capitals, his second time with the club. He signed a one-year, two-way contract worth $850K at the NHL level, with a minors salary of half that.

Before his second stint with the Capitals, Leason enjoyed two quality years with the Anaheim Ducks. In the 2023-24 and 2024-25 campaigns, Leason became a decent tertiary for the Ducks, registering 16 goals and 39 points in 130 games with a -9 rating, averaging 13:00 of ice time per game. Unfortunately, he didn’t get similar playing time in Washington.

He spent most of the 2025-26 campaign with the AHL’s Hershey Bears, his first time playing for the club since the 2021-22 season. It was a successful year by all accounts; Leason finished fourth on the team in scoring with 14 goals and 44 points in 56 games with a +7 rating.

Despite making the Sharks’ opening night roster, Leason hasn’t appeared in any of San Jose’s first three games of the year. Assuming he goes unclaimed, he’ll begin his 2026-27 season with the AHL’s San Jose Barracuda in a few days.

Meanwhile, Gaudette continues to recover from an upper-body injury suffered in training camp. Gaudette’s recovery has taken longer than expected, but he should reprise his middle-six role with the Sharks relatively soon. The eight-year veteran scored 17 goals and 25 points in 66 games with San Jose last year.