With contention no longer a possibility, the rest of the San Jose Sharks’ 2024-25 season is mostly about the team and players gearing up for the future. The team’s main focus is closing the season with strong play to lay a foundation for next season, while the players want to perform in a way that shows they belong in the NHL, whether with the Sharks or another team. Among the current Sharks’ roster, no one is seizing their opportunity more than defenseman Lucas Carlsson. As a late-season call-up, he is making an impact on both sides of the ice, showing that he might have a place in the big leagues — even if that might not be in San Jose.
Carlsson Playing Well in Limited Games
Carlsson might not be a high-pairing NHL defenseman, but he’s made meaningful contributions. After a productive season in the American Hockey League (AHL) with the San Jose Barracuda, a series of injuries to Sharks blueliners allowed him to move up a level and he took advantage.
In his first six games with the Sharks, he scored one goal — a game-winner against the Boston Bruins — to go with two assists, using good puck movement and positioning to capitalize on opportunities offensively. He’s not a shutdown defender, but he is willing to put his body on the line, showing fearlessness when it comes to blocking shots. Most notably, he recorded a massive late block in that game against the Bruins which led to a clinching goal, capping an incredible night that was the final step of a nearly two-and-a-half year journey to return to the NHL (from ‘After tough road back to NHL, new Sharks defenseman enjoys unforgettable night,’ The Mercury News, March 23, 2025). His best games have come in wins for the Sharks, demonstrating his value — San Jose has won twice with him in the lineup, and he’s plus-4 in those games.
Shot-blocking is a tremendously valuable skill for defensemen to have, and a way that any blueliner can impact the game regardless of the rest of their defensive abilities. It’s part of why Marc-Edouard Vlasic received his now-controversial large contract, and why Mario Ferraro still has held a lot of value this season despite a difficult campaign all around. Carlsson’s efforts in this facet of defense display a team-first mentality and the kind of sacrifice that coaches love to have on their team. While he hasn’t played in many games, he’s making a lot of the right moves to break through in the NHL and expand his role.
Sharks and Carlsson Have Unsure Future Together
Most of Carlsson’s career has been a story of hanging around the fringes of the NHL, never quite getting the perfect chance to establish himself there permanently. He’s appeared in 300 AHL games but just 66 NHL games.
Even though he’s playing well right now, Carlsson could easily repeat this pattern once the season ends. The Sharks gave him an NHL look in large part due to their trade deadline moves and defenseman injuries, creating the impression that he’s more of a filler measure than a major part of their future. He has one year left on a two-way contract after this season, and the Sharks need roster spots available for their blue-line prospects and whoever they draft, sign, or trade for this offseason. With room for a maximum of seven or eight defensemen at the NHL level, San Jose could run out of room for him and make him an odd man out in the competition for playing time.
Related: Sharks Must Lean On Youth for the Rest of the Season
However, Carlsson still has options to force his way into the NHL. He could play so well in the Sharks’ remaining seven games and have such a good offseason that he leaves the team with no choice but to give him more NHL games next season. If that doesn’t prove to be a possibility, he can simply buckle down, dedicate himself to his game, and present himself as a signee for another team more willing to take a chance on him. Every team needs players like him, and some teams value his playstyle more than others.
Carlsson will likely never be a star defenseman in the NHL, but his time with the Sharks is showing he can serve a purpose as a bottom-pair or seventh defenseman. Throughout his first seven seasons in North America, he’s been on a grinding journey, battling to hold down a career and mostly succeeding. Now, he’s getting as good a chance as he’s had in years to elevate his status.
