Sharks re-sign Ethan Cardwell, keep Barracuda forward in system

What exactly are the Sharks still trying to learn about Ethan Cardwell? By re-signing the 23-year-old forward to a one-year, two-way contract on June 25, San Jose kept a useful Barracuda piece in place while preserving the option to move him up when the NHL roster needs help.

Cardwell spent most of the 2025-26 season with the San Jose Barracuda, and the numbers show why the organization is still interested in him. He played 24 games and produced 15 points, scoring seven goals and adding eight assists in his third season with the club. For a player selected by San Jose in the fourth round of the 2021 NHL Draft, that is a profile the Sharks can still shape, not a finished product they have already sorted out.

The real question is role. Cardwell has shown enough offense to suggest he can be more than emergency depth, but not enough yet to force a permanent NHL job. He has played seven games for San Jose in the NHL and scored one goal last season, after making his debut the year before with six appearances and another goal. Across 155 AHL games with the Barracuda, he has posted 41 goals and 65 assists, production that points to a forward who can handle touches and finish chances, even if the next step is proving he can do it against NHL pace over a longer stretch.

That is why a one-year, two-way deal matters. It keeps Cardwell in the system as a scorer who can be recalled if injuries hit or if the Sharks need a short-term spark, but it also leaves open the possibility that his long-term value comes as a call-up option rather than a locked-in top-nine piece. In an organization still sorting out which young forwards can become part of a winning support cast, that distinction matters.

The move also fit a busy late-June stretch for San Jose. One day after the Cardwell signing, the club announced its 2026 development camp schedule, which opens June 30 at Sharks Ice at San Jose. Public practices are set for June 30 and July 1, and the camp finishes with a prospect scrimmage July 2 at Tech CU Arena. The Sharks also released a four-game preseason slate for 2026-27, opening Sept. 20 at the Anaheim Ducks, then hosting Vegas on Sept. 22 and Anaheim on Sept. 24 before closing Sept. 26 at Vegas.

Cardwell was one part of a broader run of roster moves that also included the re-signing of defenseman Nolan Allan, the signing of Jimmy Huntington to a one-year, two-way contract, the addition of Carson Wetsch on an entry-level deal, and a June 23 trade that brought San Jose the ninth overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft.