SAN JOSE –- While the need for a starting goalie was most obvious hole for the Sharks to fill this offseason, finding another defenseman was a pretty close second. After trading for and signing netminder Martin Jones on Tuesday, San Jose inked defenseman Paul Martin to a four-year, $19.4 million contract on the first day of free agency Wednesday.
In the immediate future, the former Devil and Penguin will be an upgrade over both Matt Irwin and Scott Hannan, who will not be back. The 34-year-old veteran has been in the playoffs for each of his 10 seasons in the league, and could serve as a steady partner for Brent Burns, whose transition back to defense last season was a bumpy ride.