The San Jose Sharks just made their biggest splash of the offseason, and it comes with a heavy dose of family history. Mason Marchment is signing a five-year contract worth $7 million per season, according to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman. The deal brings the 29-year-old forward to a place that knows his last name well.
Marchment’s father, Bryan, played 334 games for the Sharks across parts of seven seasons — more than he played for any other franchise in his 17-year NHL career. After retiring, Bryan stayed with the organization as a scout. He passed away suddenly in 2022 at age 53. Now his son heads to Northern California, where the Sharks are trying to accelerate a rebuild that just got a major injection of young talent.
“Mason Marchment sounds like he’s headed to San Jose…long-time home of father Bryan in both an on- and off-ice role. Word is 5 years, approx $7M AAV,” Friedman reported.
From Florida to Dallas to Seattle to Columbus to San Jose
Marchment’s path to this payday has been anything but straight. He broke out with the Florida Panthers in 2021-22, putting up 47 points in 67 games and looking like a power forward finally putting it together. But he left in free agency for Dallas, where he had some strong stretches but never fully locked in as a core piece.
Then came the weird Seattle year. The Stars traded him to the Kraken before last season, and it just never clicked. Marchment managed only 13 points in 29 games with Seattle, which shipped him to Columbus at the deadline. That kind of production doesn’t usually earn you a $35 million contract. But the Sharks are betting they know something.
Maybe they’re banking on the version of Marchment that closed the 2025-26 season on fire in Columbus. He found something late, playing bigger and faster than he had all year. Teams notice that. Especially teams that need veteran forwards who can play off young skill guys.
Why the Sharks Are Spending Now
San Jose just ran one of the best drafts in the league, making three first-round picks. The prospect pool is suddenly deep. But prospects need time, and the Sharks need to surround them with NHL players who won’t drown. Marchment is 6-foot-4, plays a heavy game, and can slot anywhere in the top nine.
There’s also the emotional piece. Bryan Marchment was a fixture in the Sharks organization long after his playing days ended. His presence around the rink, the weight room, the scouting meetings — that stuff matters to people who were there. Bringing his son home feels like more than a hockey transaction.
Whether Marchment can consistently produce at a $7 million level is the real question. He’s never topped 47 points in a season. But the Sharks had cap space to burn, and the price for middle-six forwards keeps climbing. If he gives them 20 goals and 25 assists while playing with an edge, nobody in San Jose will complain about the number.
Friedman will likely have more details on the contract structure soon. Marchment’s official signing can’t happen until free agency opens, but the handshake deal is done.
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