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Players to Watch During San Jose Barracuda's Playoff Run
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- Players to Watch During San Jose Barracuda's Playoff Run
The San Jose Barracuda, the American Hockey League affiliate of the San Jose Sharks , start the postseason tonight in Henderson, NV as they face the Henderson Silver Knights. Let's take a look at some of the most interesting players to watch heading into the playoffs.
Kasper Halttunen
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During his time with the London Knights of the Ontario Hockey League, Kasper Halttunen's offensive production always found a higher gear in the playoffs. Halttunen, the Sharks' second-round pick in the 2023 NHL Draft, had a respectable rookie season in the AHL, scoring 16 goals and 35 points in 69 games with the Barracuda.
Back in November, Elite Prospects scout David St-Louis wrote , "Kasper Halttunen is taking steps toward becoming more of a complete power forward in the AHL, forechecking with more intensity, using his body, and helping defensively. He's winning battles and making short passes to the middle." Although he had a few dry spells throughout the season, his goal scoring was picking up when the regular season came to an end as well, with three goals in his last five games.
This one seems a bit obvious, but Igor Chernyshov can be a game-changer for the Barracuda in the playoffs. He was playing very well for the Barracuda during his time in the AHL this season, but Chernyshov seemed to really find another level during the last month of the season when he was playing in the NHL.
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With the Barracuda, he scored 13 goals and 33 points in 41 games this season. Meanwhile, with the Sharks, he scored nine goals and 19 points in just 28 games. Given his performances to close out the 2025-26 regular season with the Sharks, this will likely be the last time we see Chernyshov in the AHL.
During Sharks general manager Mike Grier's exit interview, one player he mentioned by name when discussing the future of their blue line was Nolan Allan. The 22-year-old defenseman is known for his strong skating ability and defensive play, plus he already has some NHL experience under his belt as well.
As a member of the Chicago Blackhawks organization, Allan played 43 games in the NHL during the 2024-25 season. During that time, he scored a goal and seven assists while being a -13. While he's not a player that should be expected to contribute a lot of offense at any level, the Sharks need to figure out a way to keep the puck out of their own net, which means Allan could be on the shortlist for an NHL job as soon as next season. He's not the flashiest player in the world by any means, but he's a player to keep an eye on this postseason.
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The Barracuda's leading scorer this season, Filip Bystedt, was a player who needed to take a major step forward this season. Entering the 2025-26 season, his production during his limited time in the AHL was a bit disappointing for a prospect of his caliber, but he seems to have adapted to the North American game fairly well at this stage in his career.
The Sharks' 27th overall pick in 2022, Bystedt finished the regular season with 22 goals and 60 points in 65 games. Despite his strong play this season, he's a player who still hasn't gotten a look at the NHL level, but a strong playoff performance could help him out when training camp comes around in the fall. As a 22-year-old, there's still time for Bystedt to break into the NHL and be an impact player, but it's starting to reach the point where questions can start to arise in the near future if he doesn't earn a spot on the Sharks.
Luca Cagnoni
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It seems like there's a high chance that Luca Cagnoni will be on the Sharks' opening night roster for the 2026-27 season unless Mike Grier makes some major additions to the blue line over the summer. Grier has expressed his desire for a puck-moving defenseman on the Sharks, and internally, Cagnoni would be the option that makes sense to fill that role. He earned a "tryout" with the Sharks, so to speak, at the end of the NHL season, appearing in their final three games of the season.
Despite not recording a point in his three games with the Sharks this season, Cagnoni certainly didn't look out of place and showed some signs that he's on the verge of being NHL-ready. Much like Chernyshov, there's a good chance that this postseason could be the last time we see Cagnoni in the AHL, but it seems like less of a sure thing at this stage.
Honorable Mention: Leo Sahlin Wallenius
Leo Sahlin Wallenius was the Sharks' most recent addition to the Barracuda, as he was loaned to the AHL on Wednesday afternoon. It's unknown when he'll join their lineup, but it's hard to imagine he'd play in Game 1 against the Silver Knights tonight.
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As another puck-moving defenseman, Sahlin Wallenius would be an intriguing player to watch at the AHL level. He'll be learning to adapt to North American ice on the fly, and his physicality is one of the biggest concerns surrounding his game. As a result, the playoffs will be a difficult place for him to learn the intricacies of North American hockey, but it would certainly be interesting to see how well he can adapt.
