Dmitry Orlov is heading to the spend-happy San Jose Sharks, who have been active in NHL free agency and made a pickup off the waiver wire Thursday to reach the salary floor.
Orlov, who turns 34 later this month, signed a two-year contract worth $13 million. A Stanley Cup champion from his time in Washington who spent the past two seasons in Carolina, the veteran defenseman will count $6.5 million against the cap through 2026-27.
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“Dmitry is a strong, two-way defenseman who brings physicality and versatility on the ice,” Sharks general manager Mike Grier said in a statement. “He has a wealth of NHL experience, both in the regular season and playoffs, and his Stanley Cup championship pedigree is a valuable addition to our team. We are happy to have him.”
Last season, before Carolina’s playoff run to the Eastern Conference finals, Orlov posted just six goals and 28 points, but he averaged 19:59 of on-ice per game and landed with a plus-19 rating on the season. He stayed healthy and proved reliable during his two-year run in Raleigh, following up an 82-game season in 2023-204 by playing in 76 games this past season for the Canes.
Orlov has appeared in 867 games over the course of his career, recording 327 points (76 goals, 251 assists). He has also made 10 consecutive trips to the playoffs dating back to the 2015-16 season.
Orlov is the latest addition for the Sharks, who needed to add $20 million somehow to get to the $70.6 million minimum for player salaries. That counts money owed to captain Logan Couture, whose playing career is over because of a debilitating injury.
San Jose also claimed Nick Leddy off waivers from St. Louis to add to its new-look blue line that includes recently signed veteran John Klingberg, who got $4 million for next season.
“Klingberg was someone we had targeted for a little while now,” Grier said earlier this week. “We need someone who can run a power play. We think, as he showed he was getting healthier and healthier this year and another year out from his hip (surgery), I think he’ll be even better”
Leddy also has a year left on his contract at a cap hit of $4 million, with $3 million in actual dollars owed. Orlov is the only experienced defenseman San Jose has signed beyond 2026.
Grier said, based on the Sharks’ youth movement and building process, he did not expect to be involved in any of the big-money free agents this summer.
Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.
