Evaluating Sharks' Trade For Defenseman Michael Kesselring: ‘a Very Good Gamble'

Evaluating Sharks' trade for defenseman Michael Kesselring: ‘A very good gamble' originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Editor’s note: Sheng Peng is a regular contributor to NBC Sports California’s Sharks coverage. You can read more of his coverage on San Jose Hockey Now, listen to him on the San Jose Hockey Now Podcast, and follow him on Twitter at @Sheng_Peng.

DETROIT — Everybody agrees that Michael Kesselring had a tough season.

But what’s Kesselring at his best? Three NHL scouts couldn’t quite agree.

The Sharks acquired the 26-year-old defenseman from the Buffalo Sabres on Wednesday, along with the No. 27 pick in the 2026 Draft, in exchange for the No. 20.

According to Puckpedia’s Perri Pick Value Calculator, the value difference between those seven first-round draft spots is roughly a mid-second rounder, meaning that Kesselring did not come cheaply to the Sharks.

This, despite just two assists in 34 games and many healthy scratches for Kesselring this past season.

But Kesselring is just 26, enjoyed a breakout 2024-25 campaign with the Utah Mammoth, and is a mobile 6-foot-5 right-hander. There’s not a lot of those in the NHL. That season, Kesselring saw the equivalent of second-unit power play usage and notched seven goals and 29 points, averaging 17:41 a night.

Can he return to that form…or be better for the Sharks?

“Has top-four potential,” Scout No. 1 said. “Good size, moves well, has some upside.”

There’s a reason why the Sabres wanted Kesselring, along with winger Josh Doan from the Mammoth, in a 2-for-1 swap last summer for point-per-game winger JJ Peterka.

Scout No. 2, however, isn’t as enamored with Kesselring: “Long. Third-pairing, certainly not second-pairing potential. Maybe he kills penalties?”

Per Stathletes, Kesselring had some turnover issues with the Mammoth in 2024-25, sporting a team defense-worst 5-on-5 Neutral Zone Turnovers Per 60. His Pass Completion percentage was also position-worst.

Those numbers were worse in Buffalo.

“Offensive vision is very average,” Scout No. 3 said. “He can get busy with the puck sometimes but wouldn’t consider him careless.”

This scout came in on the middle about Kesselring: “Ideally, he’s a bottom-pairing guy, but there is upside.”

What does he like?

“Big, mobile, and has a decent puck game with a heavy shot,” Scout No. 3 said. “Two-way guy for me. Can play on a second power play unit.”

Kesselring did lead Utah blueliners with 150 shots in 2024-25. And according to Stathletes, he paced this position in 5-on-5 Stretch Carries Per 60, which are puck carries of 30-or-more feet, along with Carries Leading to Shots, his or off his pass.

So Kesselring has clear ability with lugging and distributing the puck, but also must learn to be more reliable with it.

Defensively, Kesselring did lead that Mammoth defense in 5-on-5 Puck Battles Won Per 60, so he’s effective with his size.

All three scouts agree that Kesselring should be an improvement for what was a below-average Sharks defensive corps last season.

“He’s a clear upgrade over what they had last year,” Scout No. 3 said. “Makes them better, for sure.”

How much better?

Scout No. 3 thinks that Kesselring circa 2024-25 would’ve been San Jose’s third-best defenseman last year, behind Dmitry Orlov and Mario Ferraro, and ahead of John Klingberg, Vincent Desharnais, Sam Dickinson, Shakir Mukhamadullin, and company.

That’s faint praise.

But the Sharks have just two blueliners signed right now, Orlov and Dickinson, and now, a pair of RFA’s in Kesselring and Mukhamadullin.

So this is Kesselring’s chance to establish himself as an everyday NHL player…or not. Just don’t expect him to change the complexion of a San Jose defense that needs lots more help. He’s a very good gamble, that’s all.

“Like the player. Fills a need for the Sharks,” Scout No. 3 said. “Still has a good amount of upside.”

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