Sharks Rumors: Alexander Barabanov Linked to Contender

The San Jose Sharks are preparing to be sellers at the 2024 NHL Trade Deadline, as they are one of the worst teams in the NHL and are in the middle of a major rebuild. Due to this, forward Alexander Barabanov is generating plenty of buzz in the rumor. This is understandable, as he is a pending unrestricted free agent and could be a decent addition to a playoff team looking to add more scoring to their bottom six.

Barabanov has been picking up some trade interest around the league, as the Colorado Avalanche, Edmonton Oilers, and Tampa Bay Lightning have been connected to him. However, another contender now has him on his radar, as The Fourth Period reported that the Florida Panthers are linked to him as well.

The Panthers are in a position to add to their forward group before the deadline. While they are one of the top teams in the entire NHL, adding a little more secondary scoring to their lineup would be big as they look to go on a big run this postseason. That is something Barabanov can provide if he heats back up with the change of scenery. While he has struggled this season, he had 47 points in 68 games just last season.

We will need to wait and see if the Panthers end up landing Barabanov from here. On paper, it looks like there could be a decent match here.