Jets acquire Kniazev from Sharks for fellow defenceman Gawanke

The Winnipeg Jets are trading the rights to restricted free agent defenceman Leon Gawanke to the San Jose Sharks for defenceman Artemi Kniazev, the teams announced Sunday.

The Russian-born Kniazev, 22, has played with the AHL’s San Jose Barracuda the past two seasons. He had five goals and 23 assists in 61 games this past season.

Kniazev played one game with the Sharks in 2021-22. The Sharks selected the five-foot-11 Kniazev in the second round (48th overall) of the 2019 NHL Draft.

The goals, the cellys, the memories.

Thanks for all of it, Leon! pic.twitter.com/UfdkXXZVD8

— Manitoba Moose (@ManitobaMoose) July 2, 2023

Gawanke, 24, has spent the past four seasons with the AHL’s Manitoba Moose and has not played an NHL game. He had 20 goals and 25 assists in 68 games last season.

The Jets picked the Berlin native in the fifth round (136th overall) of the 2017 NHL Draft.

Kniazev, chosen by the #SJSharks in the second round (48th overall) in the 2019 NHL Draft, is a left-shot D-man who had 5G, 28 P in 61 GP last season. He's going into the final year of his entry-level contract. He played three seasons for Chicoutimi of the #QMJHL)

— Ken Wiebe (@WiebesWorld) July 2, 2023