This would be a fun team to watch.

If you're adding Barabanov at 50% retained you best be adding Stanky boy. He's a top six guy for a 1.25 cap hit. He'd easily get a 1st by himself with no retention, and the EK return isn't all that great for the Sharks even if you took Barabanov out.

Maybe if you removed the retention on him and made the EK retention 3.5, and then switched out Bourque for Stankoven Sharks would say yes.

As much as I like Barabonov, I don't think he is worth a 1st without retention. He's a top 6 guy in San Jose, probably a top 9 guy on a contender. He's also a year away from needing a raise. I do agree that the return isn't enough for both guys with retention, though.

He was on a nearly 60 pt pace last year playing on a very bad offensive team with a very low cap hit. That's very easily a 1st at the deadline.
Also he has better production than Dadanov over the past 3 years, who is on the 2nd line (Granted anyone on that 3rd line could very easily be on the 2nd line, but that's just the product on a deep team).

SJ or any team is not tying up all their retention slots. barbonov gets moved non retention