San Jose Sharks (@SanJoseSharks) General Manager Mike Grier announced today that the club has re-signed defenseman Henry Thrun to a two-year contract worth $2 million ($1 million AAV).

Grier expressed, “Ever since Henry joined our organization, he has consistently proven to be a dependable asset to our defense corps. We are pleased with the progress he has made since joining San Jose and eagerly anticipate witnessing further improvement in his game as he continues with our club.”

Thrun, 23, appeared in 51 games for the Sharks, scoring 11 points (three goals, eight assists) and totaling 16 penalty minutes. The 2023-24 Sharks Rookie of the Year ranked 10^th among NHL rookie defensemen in points, sixth in average time on ice (TOI) per game (20:00), and was third in penalty kill TOI (86:07). Thrun was also one of three rookie defensemen to log at least 25 minutes of ice time in a game four or more times (Brock Faber, Minnesota Wild; Luke Hughes, Vancouver Canucks). He registered his first career NHL goal on Jan. 9, 2024 against the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Throughout his entire NHL career, exclusively with San Jose, he has participated in 59 matches and achieved 14 points, consisting of three goals and 11 assists.

Before joining the Sharks, Thrun played in 99 NCAA games for Harvard, where he accumulated 84 points (17 goals, 67 assists). In the 2022-23 season, he had an impressive performance with 33 points (seven goals, 26 assists), a plus-20 rating, and 14 penalty minutes in 33 games, leading Harvard University (ECAC) to a NCAA Tournament spot. Thrun received multiple end-of-season accolades, including being named ECAC Defensive Defenseman of the Year, First Team All-ECAC, and First Team All-Ivy. In November 2022, he earned the title of ECAC Defender of the Month for his outstanding contribution of nine points (three goals, six assists) during that month. The previous year, Thrun was recognized as a Second Team AHCA All-American, First Team All-Ivy, and Second Team All-ECAC Hockey player after achieving 32 points (seven goals and a team-leading 25 assists) and a plus-15 rating in 35 games. He ranked eighth among all NCAA defensemen and was the top scorer among ECAC Hockey defensemen with an average of .91 points per game.

During his debut season in 2019-20, he established himself as a prominent rookie defenseman in college hockey, amassing an impressive 21 points (including three goals and 18 assists) across 31 games. Among first-year blueliners in the NCAA, he ranked sixth in terms of point accumulation. Furthermore, he showcased his defensive prowess by leading Harvard with a remarkable plus-17 rating. His exceptional performance earned him a spot on the ECAC Hockey All-Rookie Team, while also securing a nomination as a finalist for the title of ECAC Hockey’s Best Defensive Defenseman.

Prior to his college career, Thrun had a significant presence in USA Hockey. He was a key player for the US NTDP U-18 Team during the 2018-19 season, where he impressively recorded 37 points (eight goals, 29 assists) in 64 games. Thrun also achieved a notable accomplishment when he won a bronze medal with the U.S. U18 team at the IIHF World U18 Championships in 2019.

Furthermore, Thrun’s talent and skills were recognized as he was chosen to participate in the prestigious 2018 All-American Prospects Game. He also experienced success on an international level, winning a gold medal at the 2017 U17 World Hockey Challenge and being part of the victorious team at the 2018 Five Nations Championship and 2017 Four Nations Championship. Thrun’s achievements continued to flourish, as he contributed to USA Hockey’s gold medal victory at the 2021 World Junior Championships, notching one assist and a plus-six rating in seven games.

The six-foot-two, 190-pound native of Southborough, Massachusetts was originally selected by Anaheim in the 2019 NHL Draft (fourth round, 101^st overall). He was acquired by San Jose from Anaheim in exchange for a third-round selection in the 2024 NHL Draft on Feb. 28, 2023.