Sharks acquire Brossoit and Allan in swap with Blackhawks

San Jose made a roster ripple on Jan. 8, acquiring goaltender Laurent Brossoit, defenseman Nolan Allan and a 2028 seventh-round pick from Chicago in exchange for Ryan Ellis, Jake Furlong and San Jose’s 2028 fourth-round pick. The deal brings experienced goaltending depth and a young blueliner into the Sharks organization while sending two players and a higher draft asset to the Blackhawks.

Brossoit has been working his way back from offseason surgery and appeared in six games for the Rockford IceHogs this season, registering a 3.38 goals-against average and a .901 save percentage. Allan was also on Rockford’s roster and had been skating regularly in the AHL prior to the trade. Those immediate AHL footprints make this more than a purely NHL-level swap: the IceHogs now lose two pieces who were contributing at the AHL level, while San Jose gains options that could slide into the Barracuda lineup or provide emergency coverage at the NHL level.

For AHL fans tracking roster depth, the practical fallout is straightforward. Rockford will need to shuffle its crease options and defensive pairings in short order, opening opportunities for backups, recent call-ups or spot signings to step up. San Jose’s AHL affiliate gains a veteran netminder who can stabilize starts while recovering from surgery, plus a defender familiar with the AHL game. The draft pick swap - San Jose sending a 2028 fourth-rounder and receiving a 2028 seventh-rounder - further signals Chicago’s interest in a higher long-term asset while San Jose prioritizes immediate organizational depth.

This transaction also highlights how NHL moves reverberate down to the AHL call-up carousel. Clubs juggling cap, injuries and schedule congestion will lean on depth pieces like Brossoit and Allan to plug gaps. For fans and fantasy managers who follow the minors, tracking assignment reports and morning skates in the days after a trade is essential; who sits, who starts, and who gets called up will change quickly.

The takeaway? Watch the Barracuda and IceHogs roster sheets this week. Brossoit’s next appearances will tell you where he’s at physically, and Allan’s usage will show whether San Jose views him as immediate AHL top-pair depth or longer-term organizational insurance. Our two cents? Keep an eye on starting goalie lists and defensive pair rotations - those are the clearest, quickest signs that this trade is already reshaping lineups.