Michael Kesselring just got a three-year, $13.5 million deal from the San Jose Sharks, and yeah, the money is nice. But what really has him pumped? Being able to wear flip-flops to the rink.
That’s not a joke. The defenseman, acquired from Buffalo on June 17, told reporter Max Miller that he’s genuinely fired up about the California climate. “I’m just really excited to wear my flip-flops to the rink,” Kesselring said. It’s the kind of quote that makes you wonder if anyone ever warned him about Buffalo winters before he got traded.
The Trade That Made It Happen
The Sharks landed Kesselring in a draft-day swap where Buffalo moved up to the 20th overall pick and grabbed center Ilia Morozov. San Jose initially got pick No. 27 in that deal, then packaged it with the 62nd and 120th selections to move up to No. 21 with the Flyers, eventually taking defenseman Ryan Lin. So the Sharks essentially turned one asset into two players and a long-term commitment to Kesselring.
That commitment is a three-year extension worth $4.5 million against the cap annually. Not bad for a 6-foot-5, 215-pound blue-liner who hasn’t exactly set the league on fire yet but clearly has believers in the Sharks front office.
What Grier Sees in Him
Sharks general manager Mike Grier didn’t mince words when explaining why San Jose went after Kesselring. “Michael has a big frame with solid two-way ability,” Grier said. “He is a responsible player in the defensive zone with a well-rounded offensive game and will be a good upgrade for us patrolling the blue line. We’re happy to have him a part of the organization.”
Kesselring, for his part, seems to understand the weight of that vote of confidence. “It’s a big responsibility on me,” he said. “I want to thank the Sharks and Mike Grier and everybody involved. I’m extremely confident that I’m going to get back to that level and exceed that level, and the extension shows that they believe in me.”
The Sharks are in a weird spot. They’ve got Macklin Celebrini, the No. 1 overall pick from 2024, as their franchise cornerstone. But they’re also trying to build a roster around him that doesn’t get embarrassed every night. Kesselring isn’t going to be the guy who turns San Jose into a contender overnight. But a big, mobile defenseman who can play in both zones and genuinely enjoys the weather? That’s not nothing.
Sometimes the little things matter. Like not scraping ice off your car windshield at 6 a.m. in January. Or, you know, wearing flip-flops to work.
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