The San Jose Sharks and Philadelphia Flyers made an interesting trade before the start of the 2025-26 National Hockey League season on Sunday according to Bill Meltzer of nhl.com on Monday. The Sharks traded right winger Carl Grundstrom of Umea, Sweden and defenseman Artem Guryev of Moscow, Russia to the Flyers for defenseman Ryan Ellis of Hamilton, Ontario and a conditional sixth round pick in the 2026 National Hockey League Entry Draft.
What are the conditions?
The Flyers currently have two picks in the sixth round of the 2026 NHL Entry Draft. The Flyers have their own pick and a pick from the Columbus Blue Jackets. The Sharks will get Philadelphia’s first of the two picks in the sixth round.
Why was the trade made?
The answer to this question is for financial reasons. Ellis still has two years left on a contract that he is making $6.25 million per season. The Sharks had some cap room as they are in a rebuilding mode. The reason for the deal was a lot like why the Montreal Canadiens traded goaltender Carey Price to the Sharks earlier this summer.
It is highly unlikely that Ellis will ever play hockey ever again. He suffered a serious pelvis injury in only his fourth game with the Flyers after a significant transaction with the Nashville Predators. The game where Ellis got hurt came on November 13 in a 5-2 Flyers loss to the Dallas Stars.
Ellis’s career statistics
In 11 seasons with the Predators and Flyers, Ellis had 76 goals and 199 assists for 275 points in 566 games. He was a +116 with 189 penalty minutes, 61 power-play points, eight shorthanded points, 16 game-winning goals, 1069 shots on goal, 877 blocked shots, 443 hits, 234 takeaways, and 310 giveaways.
Carl Grundstrom
Grundstrom is joining his third NHL franchise after six seasons with the Los Angeles Kings from 2018 to 2024, and one season with the San Jose Sharks from 2024 to 2025. In 56 games this past season, Grundstrom had three goals and six assists for nine points. He was a -21 with 24 penalty minutes, 88 shots on goal, three faceoff wins, 18 blocked shots, 172 hits, five takeaways and 35 giveaways.
Artem Guryev
Guryev has not yet played a NHL game. He was the Sharks’s fifth round pick, 135th overall, in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft. This past season with the Wichita Thunder of the ECHL, he had two goals and three assists for five points in 47 games.
Trade Grade
The Flyers deserve a B grade for creating cap space. This deal was indifferent for the Sharks, and made the deal to help the Flyers out.
