Sharks sign Leo Sahlin Wallenius to entry-level contract

The San Jose Sharks have announced that the club has signed defenseman Leo Sahlin Wallenius to a three-year, entry-level contract. Sahlin Wallenius was originally chosen 53rd overall by the Sharks in the 2024 NHL Draft.

This season, Sahlin Wallenius saw playing time with four clubs. With the Vaxjo Lakers HC of the top-tier Swedish league, the budding blue-liner scored once and added four assists for five points through 16 appearances, while in eight outings with the Lakers junior squad he tallied three goals and 11 assists for 14 points. In all, through four seasons and 86 career contests with the junior squad, Sahlin Wallenius registered 16 goals and 50 assists for 66 points.

Last season, Sahlin Wallenius also saw 14 games with the Nybro Vikings IF of the second-tier Swedish league in which he collected one goal and five assists for six points. The 19-year-old Swedish native also took part in seven games with TPS of the top-ranked Finnish league in which he registered three points counting one goal and two assists.

Sahlin Wallenius has also seen success in international competition highlighted by a bronze medal win at the 2024 IIHF Under-18 World Championship where through seven games he picked up three assists coupled with a plus-two rating and 12 penalty minutes. Sahlin Wallenius also joined Sweden at the 2023 Hlinka Gretzky Cup where he impressed with one goal and four assists for five points through four outings.

Sahlin Wallenius is the fourth player to sign his entry-level contract with the Sharks in recent weeks, joining goaltender Gabriel Carriere, a graduate of the Vermont Catamounts, as well as Northeastern Huskies forward Cameron Lund, and Arizona Sun Devils defenseman Noah Beck.

The Sharks closed out the 2024-25 season with a 20-50-12 record and 52 points, providing the club with a 25.5 percent chance of selecting first overall in the upcoming NHL Draft.