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San Jose Sharks acquire defenseman Michael Kesselring from Buffalo Sabres amid pick swap

BUFFALO (AP) — The are moving on from defenseman Michael Kesselring.

Buffalo sent the 26-year-old Kesselring and the 27th overall pick in the upcoming NHL draft to on Wednesday for the 20th overall selection.

The Sabres acquired Kesselring in a trade with Utah in June 2025, hoping the 6-foot-5 blueliner would provide some physicality and grit to Buffalo’s defensive core.

Injuries, however, intervened. Kesselring had just two assists in 34 games with the Atlantic Division-winning Sabres. He appeared in just one playoff game, seeing a scant 4 minutes, 25 seconds of ice time.

“Michael has a big frame with solid two-way ability,” Sharks general manager Mike Grier said in a statement. “He is a responsible player in the defensive zone with a well-rounded offensive game, and will be a good upgrade for us patrolling the blueline.”

Kesselring, a sixth-round pick in the 2018 draft, has 12 goals and 43 assists in 190 career games with Arizona, Utah and Buffalo.

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