SAN JOSE – Longtime NHL defenseman Dmitry Orlov has been on playoff teams each of the last 10 years, including winning the Stanley Cup with the Washington Capitals in 2018 and reaching the Eastern Conference final this past season with the Carolina Hurricanes.
So why did Orlov, 33, decide to sign with the rebuilding Sharks, a team that appears years away from having the chance to reach such heights?
The opportunity to play a significant role on a younger team played a part, and becoming the Sharks’ highest-paid active player with a two-year, $13 million contract likely did not hurt. But some reassurance from former Shark Brent Burns might have helped seal the deal.
“He gave me good advice about the organization, so it kind of helped me out to understand what’s going on,” Orlov said Wednesday of Burns, his teammate with the Hurricanes the last two seasons and a Sharks mainstay from 2011 to 2022.
“Every year in your life, you have to learn something, (whether) it’s off ice, on ice, or different things in the world. For sure, I’m excited for that.”
Orlov became a free agent last week after he said he was not offered a new contract by the Hurricanes, who signed him to a two-year, $15.5 million deal in 2023. In two seasons in Carolina, Orlov had 54 points in 158 games, averaging 18:36 in ice time while finishing with 217 hits and 120 blocks.
Still, a change might have been needed for the left-shot Orlov and the Hurricanes, who the Florida Panthers smoked in five games in the East final. Orlov struggled in the series, going a minus-4 while being held off the scoresheet.
In a disastrous 6-2 loss in Game 3, Orlov, playing on the right side to accommodate rookie Alexander Nikishin, was a minus-4 with a handful of turnovers against the Panthers, who went on to win their second consecutive Stanley Cup.
Orlov, on Wednesday, didn’t want to totally rehash his Carolina experience, saying his expectations when he signed didn’t always align with reality, and he felt that perhaps the Hurricanes’ coaching staff had lost faith in him.
“When I signed in Raleigh, you expect one thing,” Orlov said. “When (your play is not) showing up or the coach is not believing you, and it’s always the bottom (pair). Everybody has their own story and own career.
“So I learned on my way, and I just need to be more focused as an older guy, more experienced. I expect one thing, but you need to just focus day by day, basically. You cannot look too far. It’s what I did, and I think it was a mistake. Right now, it’s a new chapter, a new fresh start for me with a new team, a young team too. So it’s going to be a new experience for me.”
Orlov, who has 867 games over 13 NHL seasons, said the start of free agency on July 1 was stressful for him. Thought to be one of the better defensemen available, Orlov said the Sharks reached his camp the following day to gauge his interest.
Talking with Burns, Orlov, who is married with a young child, discovered that San Jose is an ideal place for a young family.
“So when I hear (about a contract), I start talking to my wife, what’s best for us and what we’re going to do,” Orlov said. “If I’m (single), it’s a different story. But when you have a family, you have to make (a decision) for yourself and for your family. So it was our decision, and we were pretty excited to move to San Jose.”
Orlov will likely get substantial playing time with the Sharks, who could ask him to play on his right side with their surplus of left-shot blueliners.
Whatever happens, the Sharks are hoping Orlov and the other veteran defensemen they added, in John Klingberg and Nick Leddy, can help their third-period performances. This past season, when the Sharks were tied or leading going into the third period, they had a less-than-stellar 18-18-7 record.
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“It’s all about experience, all about controlling your emotions,” he said. “It comes from more games you play and the more you understand. … Make sure everybody believes in each other, help each other, block some shots, play smart. Don’t make risky plays at certain times … it’s all these little things together that make a difference.”
While the Sharks expect to improve this season, contending for a playoff spot while Orlov is in a teal jersey is another matter. But he should provide some stability while other young left-shot defensemen in the pipeline like Sam Dickinson, 19, and Luca Cagnoni, 20, continue to develop.
“I used to always play in the Eastern Conference, and moving to the West is different, and I’m actually pretty excited,” Orlov said. “We’ve got a lot of good young players. … It’s basically a new life for me, lifestyle, more travel, it’s going to be interesting, and I’m actually pretty excited for that.”
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