Quoting: TheEmphatic1
Now flip Ryan Johansen for Jack Eichel because all of this makes perfect sense.
I'm not sure why some Sharks fans are so committed to being liked by other fanbases... I mean, Heaven forbid we stick together, but I digress. Yes, this trade not only makes sense, but there is actual recent precedent to prove it so.
For ex: Ghost, a player who's being paid top-pair money while putting up 2nd-pair results, was just traded to ARI which included a 2nd and a 7th Rd pick, and with nothing going back to PHI. He has $9M left on his contract.
According to the trade above, RyJo would have $24M left on his contract, therefore he would cost more for a team to take on the majority of his remaining contract. He is, in effect, a middle-six forward being paid 1C money.
Sharks take a leap of faith on having him in a support role for Cooch, Preds lighten their cap load without having to wait him out, or buy him out and without losing any 1st Rd picks to do so. This is a fair trade.