Identifying Proper Sharks Player Depth Chart Placement on an Average NHL Team

If I were Grier, I would seriously consider going to Hertl/Couture and tell them this team isn't getting better next year or potentially the year after. Want to stick around or no? Then trade them each with 50% retention. Just get the max amount of picks you can.

They can only retain on one more guy but also retaining 50% (or anything) on Hertl would be absolutely foolish. 6 more years is a very long time, and 8.137M isn't too crazy for a 2C, so just need to find a team that needs a 1 or 2C. They should be calling Boston if Hertl is willing to waive (if he likes Pastrnak, then maybe he would). The fact that Boston is up against the cap means that they will probably get a good roster player or two that they can keep/flip.

Forgot about Burns. He'd obviously be less preferable than Couture, but consider it. Whatever return you can get is more important than $4M of cap space. They're not going to the playoffs the next 5 years. It's THAT bad. This SJS team will has a really good chance to be the worst in the history of the NHL.

Let's rephrase...Yzerman is a good GM making good moves. He's on year 5...let's see if he makes the playoffs?

Yeah, I think if they can dump either all of Hertl's cap hit or half of Couture's that's the move they should make. With Couture being 34, probably better to move him. They probably should buy out Vlasic next year too. If they are trading Hertl at 50%, they better be getting a massive package.

I feel for the Sharks fans. Having been a Canucks Fan for 40 years, I know what this is like. I would say as a small consolation, getting Couture, Barabanov and Benning back can only help. Also, some reasonable flexibility heading into off season and the UFA market.