Canes blockbuster

Seems like just a bunch of stuff.

I honestly don’t think the return for Hertl is going to be huge due to his age and contract.

This package nets the Sharks a young NHL center with potential, a 1st, and a decent prospect in Gunler. Everything else is to make the money work.

Kotkaniemi stinks and has one of the worst contracts (when factoring term) in the league.

Teams usually get assets for "making the money work"

Kotkaniemi isn't a good value contract but it isn't even close to the worst contracts... He's had an awful run of puck luck but he's been okay. There are about 4 or 5 long-term contracts off the top of my head that I can think of that are worse value than KK.

I disagree with your assessment on Kotkaniemi. I still think there’s good middle 6 center upside there. He’s only 23.

Go look at the Karlsson trade. The Sharks had to retain and take on a bunch of “ bad” contracts to make the money work and then all they got was a 1st.