Modifié 13 avr. 2021 à 1 h 51
I personally don't see how management does not view the team in disarray.
Kane - Good but getting old
Couture - Good but getting old
Burns - Already declining but still good (but STILL OLD)
Karlsson - Shell of his former self with flashes of brilliance and flashes of horror (and getting old)
Hertl - Great but doesn't fit a timeline to be utilized fully
Meier - Young but not a gamebreaker
Labanc - Young but not a gamebreaker
All these mentioned pieces above are movable assets (with Karlsson and Couture unlikely to ever be moved for differing reasons). Kane is still tradeable, Burns could be on Seattle - if not we could part with incentives (like Donato and a pick (like a 2nd)). Now all things considered;
Kane, Karlsson, Meier, Couture stay with the Sharks.
Sell Hertl high - as this past TDL; he would have been sold for high. A basically blue chip prospect and a first maybe a small add too (maybe even MORE) would easily have been returned at 50% retention for two playoff runs with Hertl at a 2.6m AAV. I will die on this hill.
Sell Labanc - additionally at this past TDL or coming Draft day I see him fetching either a pair of 2nds and a prospect. If not, a first and a prospect of value (but nothing crazy special).
Next you send Burns, Donato, a 2nd, and maybe an additional asset or a conditional asset to Seattle. Shoot me if you want; but I'd think Burns, Gregor, Donato, 2022 2nd would have Burns as a Kraken.
This leaves you with (simplified):
2021 Firsts = 2 (ours plus Hertls) =
Let's just assume we draft Owen Powers early, and Sillinger/ Lambos mid round.
2021 2nd and a 2022 2nd = Labanc trade =
Lets say we get Corson Ceulemans with the 2021 pick.
A New Top Prospect
(lets use Boldy or Newhook as prospect type value for this scenario, Hertl Trade)
A New Good Prospect
(lets use Bellows or Logan Brown prospect type as an example from the Labanc Trade)
Sprinkle in the other moves plus those for mid round picks and you have 5 QUALITY new prospect invigorating the Sharks Prospect Pool. Even being modest (reducing Labanc + Hertl returns), make it only Ceulemans and Bellows for Labanc & Newhook and Lambos for Hertl no other adds. Thats still quality. Add those pieces too Bordeleau, Merkley, Melnichuk, Korenar, Ferraro, Leonard, Knyzhov, Hatakka, Kniazev, Guschin, Balcers, and Gambrell and that is a supringsly bright team in 2 seasons assuming things just go well (if things went amazing than it honestly could be much brighter) + Meier in his prime with Couture and Kane still usable and Karlsson still playing. Add in our 2022 Pick likely being early (Lambert, Lavoie, or Wright) - and thats quite literally a successful transition within this seasons TDL -> start of 2022-23.
I do not want to hate on the Sharks - as the reason were in this situation was because as a franchise, the Sharks competed for basically 20 years straight - being a cup contender for a major amount of time. Doug Wilson has the most wins as a GM since 2003 (over 750). They did all they could and more to field a dominate team. Even near the end; as we all can hate it - the Karlsson trade was to WIN a cup. Not to be winning a Norris is 2022. But to win the cup when he was acquired. So even until the very end the team did all they could (and STILL ARE BECAUSE WE ARENT REBUILDING) to give the Sharks a chance to win.
But its about time to call it quits. Because rebuilding now may hurt for a little bit - but being forced to rebuild in 2 years or so when its way too late is going to hurt for YEARS.