BREAKING: Thrun Signs With Sharks

That was fast.

A day after San Jose Sharks prospect Henry Thrun’s Harvard side was eliminated in the NCAA tournament, ending the Crimson’s season, the senior captain has signed a two-year entry-level contract with the San Jose Sharks.

Thrun's contract has a base AAV of $912.5k, w/225k in performance bonuses

— Curtis Pashelka (@CurtisPashelka) March 25, 2023

According to the Sharks, the 6-foot-2 defenseman will join the team’s roster immediately. The left-hander could figure into the line-up as soon as this Tuesday against the Winnipeg Jets.

Thrun’s addition is a part of much upheaval in the San Jose Sharks’ blueline this past week. Radim Simek and Jacob MacDonald have both returned from week-to-week injuries, and Derrick Pouliot and Nikolai Knyzhov have been sent back to the San Jose Barracuda.

The Sharks acquired Thrun’s rights for a 2024 third-round pick on Feb. 28 from the Anaheim Ducks. The Ducks had drafted Thrun in the fourth round of the 2019 Draft, but facing an Aug. 15 deadline to sign him, they got what they could for the fast-rising prospect after the NCAA star declined to sign with them.

There was some concern that Thrun could pass on the Sharks too, but from the beginning, San Jose Hockey Now was confident that Thrun would sign and reported as much:

I’m hearing that Thrun is indeed intrigued with opportunity with #SJSharks.

My guess is, Sharks aren’t sending out a 3rd-rounder for someone who won’t sign with them, so I think he’ll sign

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) February 28, 2023

As for what Thrun could add to the San Jose Sharks, SJHN has spoken with multiple NHL sources from outside the Sharks organization who were full of praise:

Scouts on What Thrun, Peterson, Henrikson Offer Sharks (+)

SJHN ranked Thrun No. 6 in our post-Trade Deadline Sharks’ top-10 prospects list.

SJHN’s Top-10 Sharks Prospects: Post-Trade Deadline Edition