Burroughs Talks Brenden Dillon, Smith on Sharks vs. Panthers Offer, Carpenter Misses La Villa

The newest San Jose Sharks were introduced yesterday.

Defenseman Kyle Burroughs, 27, was signed to a three-year, $3.3 million contract.

Winger Givani Smith, 25, was signed to a two-year, $1.6 million contract.

Center-winger Ryan Carpenter, 32, was signed to a one-year, two-way, $775,000 contract.

It was a busy day for San Jose Sharks GM Mike Grier, who also re-signed MacKenzie Blackwood and Fabian Zetterlund, and inked Scott Sabourin to a two-year, two-way contract. He also traded for scoring winger Anthony Duclair.

Grier Talks Duclair, Karlsson Trade, Plans To Keep Couture & Hertl (+)

Burroughs spoke on his friendship with Brenden Dillon, Smith shared why he took the Sharks’ offer over the Panthers’, and Carpenter has a clear sense of his role, whatever San Jose team that he’s on.

We’ll talk with Duclair, Blackwood, and Zetterlund tomorrow.

Kyle Burroughs

Kyle Burroughs, on what was enticing about the San Jose Sharks’ offer:

For me, a big reason to come down there was having a chance to play, being down there for three years, and making myself and my fiancée and our family [a home].

Burroughs, on what he brings to the Sharks:

That’s one of my main attributes that I take pride in is my compete. The game is a physical game, and those fights, they come from passion and standing up for your teammates and answering the bell. That comes with the way that I play, the edge, that I kind of pride myself in, that I’ve always had to have, not being the biggest guy.

I try to bring a simple, hard-nosed game.

Burroughs, on who he knows with the San Jose Sharks:

Yeah, I played with Jacob MacDonald and Martin Kaut from my short stint in Colorado.

I’ve known Brenden Dillon for many years, obviously, he was a well-tenured Shark. He said nothing but great things. He’s obviously loved his time down.

When the news came out, he sent me a big text and was nothing but happy for me.

Burroughs, on his relationship with Dillon:

From a young age, even obviously, when he broke into the NHL, when he was with Dallas, that’s when I first started skating with him and rubbing shoulders with him when I was in juniors. He was a person that I’ve leaned on, turning pro, taking the next steps in my career. How to be a pro, he’s been somebody that for me, on and off the ice, I look at. Obviously, I don’t have his staggering frame (laughs). But he’s somebody that I watch his details, what he puts in his craft.

Burroughs has worn No. 88 and 44 in the NHL, he says he'll probably need to get a new number

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) July 1, 2023

Givani Smith

Givani Smith, on choosing the San Jose Sharks’ offer over the Florida Panthers’:

Yeah, it came pretty quick. My agent told me there was a deal that was around, between San Jose and Florida, and we just acted on this deal.

It’s kind of a rebuilding team. It’s a new team to step into, for a longer time, to get more familiar with the guys with two years. That really spoke out more than the other deals.

Smith, on what he brings to the team:

I would add just a good forecheck, physicality. I like to stick up for my teammates. I like to put the puck down low, and hopefully, add some production.

Ryan Carpenter

Ryan Carpenter, on why he chose to come back to the San Jose Sharks organization:

A little bit comfortable here. When you start to negotiate, I know Joe Will a little bit and some of the staff still with San Jose, I thought it would be a good fit for me, a chance to come into camp and sort of prove myself and prove that I can compete for an NHL job.

I think it’d be a good spot too for my family, having three kids. If you’re a guy that’s up or a guy that’s down, you’re not switching cities [here] and you’re not going back and forth. Last year, I was driving an hour and 20 minutes to and from practice. So round trip, like two-and-a-half hours. That got old quick, going back and forth to Hartford.

Carpenter, on who he’s still good friends with in the Sharks organization:

Not many, really. (laughs) I played with [Kevin Labanc] a bit and we’ve stayed in touch over the years. But yeah, it’s been a lot of turnover.

I know [John McCarthy], who I played with, is now the head coach of the Barracuda. And there’s some other staff that are still there.

Carpenter, on what he brings to the Sharks:

My whole career, I’ve just been a bottom-six forward. I can play center or wing, be hard to play against every night. Be reliable on the PK, take important faceoffs, and chip in that way.

Carpenter, on what he brings to the San Jose Barracuda:

I’d probably play twice as many minutes a night if you’re down in the American League. (laughs) Maybe a chance to play a little more offense.

When you’re an older guy, you’re trying to be an example every day of what it takes to keep growing in your own game and what it means to be a good teammate and what it takes to win.

Carpenter, on which San Jose restaurants he’s most excited about eating again:

We were talking about Ike’s Sandwiches, that Dutch crunch bread. My wife and I were talking about that.

We like La Villa too. So there’s spots my wife and I have already been talking about, we’re excited to take our kids too.