The San Jose Sharks’ busy offseason continues, as on Sunday morning, the organization announced that they had re-signed pending restricted free agent Luke Kunin to a one-year deal. The 26-year-old’s new contract is worth $2.75 million and will take him to unrestricted free agency next summer.
Locking Up Leadership
On the ice, Kunin isn’t the type of player who is seen as a game-changer. His style of game fits a bottom-six role very well, but he’s stepped up and become a leader in the locker room since being acquired by the Sharks during the 2022-23 season. After the departure of Tomas Hertl at the trade deadline this past spring, Kunin stepped up and became an alternate captain toward the end of the season. During the 2023-24 season, he scored 11 goals and tallied seven assists for a total of 18 points in 77 games. He also recorded 83 penalty minutes as the result of an occasional fight.
Kunin is entering his eighth NHL season and has played with two other organizations before joining the Sharks. He was a member of the Minnesota Wild from the 2017-18 season until he was traded to the Nashville Predators ahead of the 2020-21 season. The Sharks brought him into the mix nearly two years ago, as they acquired him on July 8, 2022, in exchange for John Leonard and a 2023 third-round draft pick.
Related: THW’s 2024 Free Agent Tracker
Kunin isn’t the type of player who is going to push the Sharks up the standings on his own; however, he’s a very useful depth player who can provide quite a bit of leadership in the locker room. He brings a strong work ethic every time he takes the ice and can certainly help mentor the young players who will be making the Sharks roster out of training camp this fall.
