Équipe: 2023-24 Sharks de San Jose

Date de création initiale: 27 avr. 2023

Publié: 27 avr. 2023

Mode - plafond salarial: Basique

Disclaimer: I don't actually want to trade EK65 or Hertl, just running with the rumor mill for a bit.

Most of this hinges on winning the lottery and getting Bedard or Fanitilli. The only way trading our #1 center makes sense is if our center depth is solid for the future. It does mean that we are weak down the middle for a while though.

Rational for the trades:
Edmonton - This is really 2 trades in one. Bouchard, Holloway + 2nd for EK65 and Yammamoto + 1st for taking on Campbell's contract and eating 2.5m of Karlsson's.

Its a big package from Edmonton but gets them a Norris caliber offensive D in a deal that's mostly a wash on cap hit (even more when you take into account Bouchard's coming raise). They still have to sign quite a few other players though so San Jose might have to eat a bit more EK65 cap to make it viable, and possibly send back a right D prospect like Laroque (that will cost Edmonton more though). We could also potentially take on Foegel or Cici's cap. EK65 + Ekholm would be pretty special to see.

Boston - This one is a lot. Hertl is a legit #1 center (this was a bit of a down year) and they don't become available often without some external factor (like a trade request). Boston has a lot of depth down the middle but that rests a lot on Krejci and Bergeron who are not young. Boston needs someone who is at least somewhat closer in age to Pasta who can play with him for a long time. Previous elite center trades that didn't involve some kind of drama (like Eichel) moved multiple high picks and prospects. We also have a few young players that could fit in well on a contender's bottom six (Zetterlund, Peterson, Kaut, Lorentz, Kunin, Macdonald) if more value is needed. I doubt Ulmark waive's to come to SJ even if Boston would be more willing to part with him than swayman.

Boston needs a top center for the future and could stand to gain some draft capital. Sharks get Swayman, Carlo and Debrusk and the cap hit is a wash (not even including Swayman's raise). Debrusk is a big risk for SJ since he might not resign in a year, but he will get a boost from a lot of playing time at least.

Not insignificant bit of additional value is that Hertl is Czech and Boston already has a good number of Czech players.

The other trades are just to represent those players departing for draft picks, and aren't meant to be taken at face value.

Finally the FA signings
- Engvall - 4m x 3 modeled on Trevor Moore's
- Bouchard - 4m x 4 modeled on Dobson
- Swayman - 4.5m x 4 modeled on Knight

All their next contracts would come after most of the Sharks cap headaches are gone. Campbell can even be comfortably bought out after 2 years.

With the exception of Campbell, every player added here is younger than Hertl.

Sharks center depth at the end of the day is Bedard/Fantilli, Couture, Holloway, Bystedt, Bordelau, Sturm, Lorentz. Not bad, but it is a big risk to trade away 5 well liked roster players.

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