Rutta logged an assist and blocked six shots in Thursday's 5-4 overtime loss to the Blues.
Rutta is more of a shutdown defenseman, but he's likely to fill a top-four role this season, so he could still make an impact on offense. The 34-year-old blueliner had 19 points in 69 appearances in 2023-24, his highest total since 2017-18. Rutta also had a minus-21 rating in his first year with the Sharks, and that's an area that will be difficult for him to improve as the team remains in its rebuilding phase.