San Jose Sharks sign Derrick Pouliot to one-year, $750,000 contract

San Jose Sharks general manager Mike Grier announced today that the Sharks have signed defenseman Derrick Pouliot to a one-year contract with a cap hit of $750,000 AAV according to CapFriendly. 

The 29-year-old has been playing in the American Hockey League with the San Jose Barracuda. This season, he has registered 18 points (two goals, 16 assists) and 48 penalty minutes in 26 games. 

Pouliot was originally selected 8th overall in the 2012 NHL Draft by the Pittsburgh Penguins. Prior to making his NHL debut, Pouliot was a decorated major junior defenseman who played for the Portland Winterhawks of the Western Hockey League. One year after winning a WHL Championship in 2012-13, Pouliot was named the WHL and CHL Defenseman of the Year after registering 70 points (17 goals, 53 assists) in 58 games. Over a five-year WHL career, he tallied 205 points (42 goals, 163 assists) and 251 penalty minutes in 247 games. He would tally 73 points in 85 playoff contests.

He made his NHL debut during the 2014-15 campaign, notching seven points in 34 games. The following season, he won a Stanley Cup with the Penguins, registering seven points in 22 regular season games. Following his tenure with the Penguins, he has struggled to find a place called home. In 2017, he was dealt to the Vancouver Canucks where he would spend two seasons there before being shipped off to St. Louis. Over the last few years, he’s made stops with the San Antonio Rampage (AHL), Lehigh Valley Phantoms (AHL), Henderson Silver Knights (AHL) Vegas Golden Knights and Seattle Kraken. The three-time AHL All-Star played nine games for the Kraken last season, notching three assists, and was a plus-six.