Quoting: Rob32sjsharks
I said everyone but the Meier deal Declines.
Yes you take the best player available.. within reason! if the best player available is a RD and you are stacked on the position you opt for the 2nd best that fill a weakness.
Robins, Bordeleau, Gushin, and Eklund are all skilled forwards with top 6 potential.... but all are under 6' and on the smaller side. Adding Michkov or Bedard further exasperates this where Fantilli gives you a power forward unseen in the draft int he last 10 years. and the drop from those 2 to Fantilli is minor enough that it isn't a drastic fall. I highly doubt we get 1st OA so really its between Michkov who is 5'9 and who we don't even get to see in SJ til 26 because of his KHL contract, or Fantilli who could be in our lineup as early as 23/24. and even if we got 1OA what kind of deal could we get to trade that 1st OA for say the 2nd or 3OA? another 1st or high 2nd and Adam Fantilli! even that sound appealing to me.
The only prospect in the Sharks system anywhere near the level of even Fantilli is Eklund. One of them can be shipped off in exchange for help elsehwere, instead. Look at NJ, trading Ty Smith after drafting Nemec. Being stacked in prospects at any position is a moot point because the Sharks have been good enough to compete for a while. They don't really have an excess anywhere.
As for Michkov's KHL contract, I don't think it's much of an issue for San Jose. They have new coach and GM that don't have much in the way of expectations, and they aren't very far into a rebuild - I'd argue they aren't willing to tear it down yet. If they're going to go through a full rebuild, it's going to take a while to draft and develop a future core. Fantilli could be ready by 23/24, but will the Sharks be ready for him by then?
It might come down to whether they want to go for a rebuild or a retool. If it's a retool, Fantilli might be a better option to start competing again immediately. If it's a full rebuild, Michkov has the higher ceiling, and will arrive just in time for some of the other high Sharks picks between now and then to develop. And considering this particular ACGM is selling off Couture, Meier, and Hertl, it's taking the full rebuild option - an option that I think is the best choice for the Sharks.