SHARKS AVOID ARBITRATION WITH CENTER TIERNEY
SAN JOSE — The Sharks signed Tierney to a two-year contract with an average annual salary of $2.9375 million Wednesday, avoiding a potentially messy arbitration hearing with the depth center that was set for Friday.
“I’m glad that we could come to an agreement before (arbitration),” Tierney said. “San Jose is the place where I want to play and I want to be. I love the team, I love my teammates, the city. “I’m glad we could get it done.” The Tierney contract wraps up a busy offseason for the Sharks, who also re-signed Joe Thornton, Tomas Hertl and Dylan DeMelo while inking Logan Couture to an eight-year contract extension and pursuing John Tavares in unrestricted free agency.
The Sharks courtship of Tavares likely delayed Tierney’s signing. If the Sharks had landed the biggest unrestricted free agent to hit the market in the NHL’s salary-cap era, they probably wouldn’t have had the cap space or the need to re-sign the thirdline center. Tierney said talks between the Sharks and his agent kicked up after Tavares reached his decision, signing a seven-year, $77 million contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs.
“It would have been interesting to see what happened with me if that had happened,” Tierney said. “We didn’t get him and you move forward, and just worry about the team we have this year.”
After losing out on Tavares, the Sharks are still searching for a “difference maker” at forward with roughly $4.38 million available in cap space, according to capfriendly.com. But at this point, Wilson is more likely to acquire that piece through an inseason trade next winter when the market tilts in favor of teams looking to add over those seeking to unload assets.
Get Sharks news in your inbox. Sign up now for the free Sharks Report newsletter.
Nevertheless, Tierney earned a strong endorsement from the Sharks by avoiding arbitration and receiving a contract worth nearly $6 million, a significant increase from the oneyear, $735,000 contract he signed as a restricted free agent last summer.
“It was a fair number,” Tierney said. “I thought I had a good year and deserved this contract. I’m happy with it. I’m happy it’s a two-year (contract) and I’m happy with the dollar price, so everything worked out.”
Tierney, 23, went into camp on a mission last season. He had been called out by head coach Pete DeBoer after the Sharks were eliminated from the Stanley Cup playoffs the previous spring. Then, general manager Doug Wilson declined to offer him a multi-year contract in the offseason, raising questions about his value to the organization.
But after committing himself to a rigorous training program with former-400 goal scorer Gary Roberts last summer, Tierney helped the Sharks reach the playoffs for the 13th time in 14 years, leading the charge of youngsters who stepped up to help the team absorb Patrick Marleau’s loss.
“The year before, obviously, I got qualified and it was, like everybody’s been saying, a ‘show-me’ year,” Tierney said. “I really took it upon myself to go into the summer, work hard and try to prepare for (the season).
“I thought I had a good year and deserved this contract.”
Tierney made an impact almost immediately by sliding up into the thirdline center position just three games into the season. The move allowed Tomas Hertl to climb up to the second line, filling the hole opened by Marleau’s departure to the Maple Leafs.
Tierney finished the season with 17 goals and 40 points; he had surpassed his career highs by the All Star break.
His flexibility also proved to be an asset. He often moved up to the top line to skate with Evander Kane and Joe Pavelski as Joonas Donskoi battled through injuries late in the season.