The Buffalo Sabres are moving up seven spots in the 2026 NHL Draft after trading defenseman Michael Kesselring to the San Jose Sharks on Wednesday.
The Sabres dealt Kesselring and the 27th overall pick to the Sharks for the No. 20 selection, the teams announced.
Buffalo acquired Kesselring and Josh Doan from the Utah Mammoth last offseason in exchange for JJ Peterka. Kesselring was widely considered the centerpiece of the return at the time, but his lone season with the Sabres didn't go as planned.
Kesselring tallied two assists in 34 regular-season games with the Sabres in 2025-26 while averaging a career-low 13:24 per contest. He was a healthy scratch for all but one of Buffalo's 13 playoff games.
However, he's a coveted right-shot defenseman who stands at 6-foot-5 and 215 pounds. The 26-year-old is a pending restricted free agent and can become an unrestricted free agent in 2027.
Kesselring registered 29 points in 82 games with the Mammoth in 2024-25, averaging a career-high 17:41 per contest.
He should have a chance to compete for playing time on a Sharks blue line that's expected to be overhauled this offseason. San Jose has four defensemen who are pending UFAs: Mario Ferraro, John Klingberg, Nick Leddy, and Vincent Desharnais. Dmitry Orlov, Shakir Mukhamadullin, and Sam Dickinson are seemingly the only locks for full-time roles next season.
