NHL News: Brief Brad Marchand teammate reportedly signs PTO with bottom-feeder but has an ace up his sleeve

A former teammate of Brad Marchand on the Boston Bruins has now set for a new chapter in the NHL. After signing a professional tryout (PTO) contract, the former member of the Spoked B reportedly has a ‘B plan’ in place.

Oliver Wahlstrom didn’t get to enjoy the life of an NHL player in Beantown for too long. Though his career with Marchand and the Bruins was short-lived, he’s now eyeing his next step in the league. According to reports, he is signing with the San Jose Sharks on a PTO deal.

However, if the 25-year-old forward fails to crack the NHL roster in San Jose, reports suggest he already has a landing spot lined up. The best part? He won’t have to travel far.

“Hearing the San Jose Sharks have signed free agent Oliver Wahlstrom to a PTO,” insider David Pagnotta reported on X. Regardless of how Wahlstrom fares with the Sharks, he already has an ace up his sleeve, in the form of an AHL deal.

Oliver Wahlstrom at Prudential Center on January 22, 2025 in Newark, New Jersey.

Staying put in Silicon Valley

“The San Jose Barracuda, AHL affiliate of the San Jose Sharks, and general manager Joe Will announced today that the club has signed forward Oliver Wahlstrom to an AHL contract for the 2025-26 season,” the Barracuda’s official statement read.

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The Barracuda are coming off a Pacific Division Semifinal run in the 2025 Calder Cup Playoffs. After knocking out the Ontario Reign in two games (best-of-three) in the opening round, San Jose fell to the Colorado Eagles in the second round by a 3–1 series score (best-of-five). If Wahlstrom joins the Barracuda for the 2025–26 AHL season, they could receive a significant boost to their offense.

Wahlstrom’s background

Selected by the New York Islanders with the 11th overall pick in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft, Wahlstrom made his debut during the 2019–20 season. After going scoreless through his nine appearances that year, the right winger bounced back with 21 points in 44 games the following season. However, he never matched that rate of production again. As a result, the Isles placed the former first-rounder on waivers, and the Bruins claimed him in December 2024.

Wahlstrom joined Marchand and the rest of the crew in Beantown for 16 games before being sent down to the minors with the Providence Bruins. There, he tallied 15 points (9 goals, 6 assists) in the AHL, showing he might be more valuable to an affiliate than at the NHL level. Regardless, he now hopes to prove his worth to the Sharks. If that plan falls through, Wahlstrom can rest assured there’s a spot waiting for him inside the Barracuda locker room.