The NHL’s trade deadline is still a month away, but why use that as an excuse to avoid everyone’s favorite subject? Of course, the Fish Tank Podcast will examine trade possibilities for the Sharks much closer come the deadline, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t wet our beaks now!
Currently tied with the Calgary Flames for second in the Pacific Division with 54 points, the Sharks will likely be buyers at this year’s trade deadline. However, while they’re probably playoff-bound, Peter DeBoer’s squad is still a skater or two away from joining Nashville, Winnipeg, and St. Louis as true contenders to come out of the Western Conference. They aren’t exactly the fastest team in the league and struggle against quick teams that stretch the ice. Speed in general is a position of need for them, and on the surface, it would make sense for the Sharks to target a speedy forward.
The Sharks are going to have a difficult time acquiring almost anybody of value. They don’t have a second or third round pick in this upcoming draft. And according to an article from The Hockey Writers Brett Slawson, the Sharks are dead last, 31 of 31 in the NHL when it comes to their farm system. They are very thin in assets and organizational depth which is something most teams look for when making deals. Their best asset as of right now is probably back up goal tender Aaron Dell whom they cannot afford to trade as he will be needed down the stretch. And former first round pick Timo Meier who’s played well on the first line with the Joe’s, and is showing promise as a young player. I just cannot see GM Doug Wilson parting with those guys, unless he gets an offer he can’t refuse (i.e Max Pacioretty or Islanders Captian John Tavares).
It is going to be very expensive for the Sharks to go out and acquire any top six forward, and it will still cost them quite a bit to even settle for second tier guys like Canadian’s Forward Alex Galchenyuck, or Michael Grabner of the New York Rangers. Those are still very good players and are going to command a large return.
Trading for one of those players essentially means punting on this year’s draft. They are going to cost a first round pick, and probably more. And for the team with the worst farm system in all of hockey this would be shortsighted. But, if it means contending for Lord Stanley’s Cup, then I’m alright with short-sightedness.
There is one other option for the San Jose Sharks. It means switching course all together and targeting their strength rather than their weaknesses. The Sharks are a defensive hockey team, and own two of the top five D-men in the NHL in Brent Burns and Marc Edouard Vlasic albeit two very different players. They play a possession style offense and rely on their defensemen like Burns to create offense from the blue line down, rather than creating off of odd man rushes, or in transition.
Where the Sharks have struggled with that is with Burns’ defensive partner. Brent Burns is such a unique player. He is fourth in the NHL in total shots with 183, top among defensemen by far. The next closest is Columbus D-man Seth Jones with 143. Burns plays a risky, freewheeling offensive style which often results in turnovers, or odd man rushes the other way. Don’t get me wrong. Burns is the Norris Trophy winner, and needs to keep doing what he is doing, but I think it would behoove the Sharks to pivot towards acquiring a stay at home, shot suppressing defensive defenseman who can make up for Burns’ shortcomings on the defensive side.
Again, this is not a position of need for this team. In fact, they are already one of the best defensive units in the sport, and trading for another defenseman would strengthen that. And while it is still going to cost the Sharks, I do think a defensive defenseman with less flash than some of the other players mentioned here would be slightly cheaper.
The perfect player to pair with Burns is Arizona Coyote’s defenseman Niklas Hjalmarsson (Jal-Mar-Son). He’s an elite shot suppressor, and a veteran who’s won multiple cups during his run with the Chicago Blackhawks. He can “stay at home” while allowing Burns to forecheck without worrying about getting back on defense. He’s a guy the Sharks have had their eye on in the past. They signed Hjalmarsson to a 4 year 14 million dollar offer sheet when he was a restricted free agent in Chicago in 2010, one which the Blackhawks matched. So he’s someone who’s been in the back of Doug Wilson’s mind for a long time. Hjalmarsson turned out to be a key piece in the Blackhawks dynasty, and left the Sharks thinking about what could have been. While he’s older now, and has been banged up, now could be the time to revisit the idea of the veteran defenseman donning a Teal sweater.
The Sharks are going to be one of the most interesting teams at this trade deadline. They’re going to have to get creative to acquire the right player to vault this team over the top and put them in contention with Nashville and other top teams in the Western Conference. They are right there. They just need that one more skater who I believe can get them on the road to the greatest trophy in all of sports. The Stanley Cup.