The Sharks signed one of their promising prospects on Friday, announcing that they inked defenseman Leo Sahlin Wallenius to a three-year, entry-level contract. While the team didn’t reveal financial terms, the deal will carry a $940K cap hit and a $975K AAV including bonuses, per PuckPedia.
The 19-year-old was a second-round pick last June, going 53rd overall after an impressive season with Vakjo’s Under-20 team, one that saw him collect 11 goals and 31 assists in 43 games. He also briefly saw time with their Under-18 squad and represented Sweden at the World Under-18 Championship.
This season, Sahlin Wallenius bounced around a bit. He had 14 points in 8 games for Vaxjo at the Under-20 level but also saw time in Sweden’s two professional leagues as well, suiting up in 14 games for Nybro in the Allsvenskan where he had six points and 16 more appearances for Vaxjo in the SHL, where he picked up five points. In between, Sahlin Wallenius also played in seven games with TPS in Finland’s top division where he added three more points.
Sahlin Wallenius has one year left on his contract in Sweden. It wouldn’t be surprising for him to play the year there, likely at the SHL level, and then head to North America for the 2026-27 season. If that happens, his contract will slide next season and have three years remaining on it heading into that 2026-27 campaign.