Sharks Sign Defenseman Leon Gawanke

San Jose Sharks (

) General Manager Mike Grier announced today that the club has signed defenseman Leon Gawanke to a one-year, two-way contract.

Gawanke, 24, appeared in 68 games for the Manitoba Moose of the American Hockey League (AHL) last season, recording a career-best 45 points (20 goals, 25 assists). He led all Moose defensemen in goals and points and was third among the group in assists. Gawanke also led AHL defensemen in power-play goals (seven), co-led in goals and finished tied for ninth in points.

From March 7 to April 15, the defenseman recorded 20 points (seven goals, 13 assists) in 18 games and closed the season on a four-game point streak (four goals, three assists).

Gawanke has played in 207 AHL games across four seasons (2019-20 through 2022-23) with Manitoba, totaling 114 points (35 goals, 79 assists), 12 power-play goals and 98 penalty minutes. In the 2020-21 season, Gawanke appeared in six games for Eisbaren Berlin of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga, Germany's top professional league, logging two assists.

Internationally, Gawanke has represented Germany at the junior and senior levels, most recently competing alongside current Shark Nico Sturm at the 2023 Men's World Championships, where he registered three assists in eight games to help lead Germany to a Silver Medal. He was a member of the German national team at the 2021 and 2022 World Championships, 2017, 2018 and 2019 World Junior Championships (Division 1A) and 2016 Men's U18 World Championship (Division 1A).

The six-foot-two, 193-pound defenseman was acquired by the Sharks from the Winnipeg Jets in exchange for Artemi Kniazev on July 2, 2023. He was originally selected by Winnipeg in the 2017 NHL Draft (fifth round, 136th overall).