The San Jose Sharks won their first game on Tuesday night, defeating the Philadelphia Flyers 2-1. On Wednesday, general manager Mike Grier made an early season addition to his roster. The Sharks acquired defenseman Calen Addison from the Minnesota Wild in exchange for forward Adam Raska and a 2026 fifth-round draft pick.

Grier released a brief statement following the trade on Wednesday. “Calen is a talented young defenseman who sees the ice well and moves the puck well,” said Grier, via the team's official website. “He is a very good player on the power play, and we are excited to add him to our group.”

Addison has five assists through his first 12 games this season. He played his first full season in the NHL last season, but things didn't work out in Minnesota. The Wild made him a healthy scratch 20 times. The 23-year-old managed to finish with three goals and 29 points in 62 games, regardless.

“Listen, Calen Addison is a good player. He’s an NHL player. I’ve had a long history with him,” Wild general manager Bill Guerin said after the trade, via NHL.com. “You know, and sometimes you just need a change, a better opportunity, and I think he’s going to get that.

The Sharks needed a spark to their team, even when accounting for the team. Furthermore, they needed a defenseman. Jacob MacDonald was placed on injured reserve on Wednesday after the Addison trade was completed.

Addison has fine vision in the offensive end of the ice. He can help facilitate puck movement, allowing his team to open holes in the defense and pick out their scoring chances. San Jose desperately needs an offensive spark, as they have the worst offense in the entire league.

The Sharks are in action on Thursday when they take on their Pacific Division rival Edmonton Oilers. San Jose certainly hopes to come away from that game with their second victory of the season. Let's see if Addison can make his team debut against the Oilers.