uh I'll take Graf, Gushchin, Smith, Cardwell, etc. over Lafferty

The Avs won't just be giving Girard away.

I like the addition of Lafferty. He and Duclair might actually sign with the Sharks. Marchy prolly not. Duclair seemed like a good role model when he was here. We definitely need some true top 4 D. Mario can't do it all. Not sure Girard is the right one. Sharks don't have much to trade that should be traded, so maybe a UFA top 4 D or two. I think we need veteran D men more than forwards. As Astovetop said we have young forwards to test/develop.

what if they ask really nicely?

Only if they put some sugar and a cherry on it lol.

I still think he's no higher up the list than 4th for possible trades:

1. Manson
2. Wood
3. Colton
4. Girard

Except Graf Smith and Cardwell might (likely won’t) not be NHL ready. I do find it hard to consistently fit 3 small offense first wingers. Guschin will be first call up if injury and will play with smith in the minors.

Would be a lot cooler if you did, would pay a third at most for him given how much the sharks need the high end picks

Keep the picks then. You aren't getting Girard for a third let alone free. Not even close.

I know you're big on G but that list is definitely tradeable. All of them for different reasons. They simply won't be just giving any of them away regardless of needing the cap space.

Exactly my point: if he's lower on the list of guys they'd consider trading, it's going to cost a lot.

Ah, I follow your meaning now. Been a long day lol.

Graf has looked great, obviously he's not guaranteed a spot next year but he's made a very good case for it. I'm not saying ALL three get into the lineup, I'm saying any one of them should be in that spot over Lafferty. Smith should not be going to the AHL, that would be a waste of a year on his ELC. He'll be back at college, but I'd still prefer him over Lafferty if he bulks up in the summer. Gushchin they need to be careful with, he deserves NHL time and has looked fantastic every call up, if they keep him there much longer he'll want out of the org. And Cardwell plays a harder game than Lafferty, even if he's not the biggest guy, he plays a Goodrow style game.

My point is more that the Sharks have had to play cap dump/expiring vets over young guys because of rules on how many vets can play in the AHL. If Hoffman and Labanc expired last year, they'd have a lot more flexibility to have integrated the younger players into the NHL this year

Nobody (forwards) got stopped from playing in the NHL this year. While I did think that Guschin should have gotten a call up he got hurt right around the time it would have happened. Graf will definitely need some time in the AHL to get bigger and adjust to the speed, which is fine he doesnt need to be ready right now. Cardwell certainly could fit in but I’d worry about relying on him in that spot all season as unfair, there is no need to rush these guys. Smith certainly could benefit from time in the AHL, play a lot more games - iron out the defensive side of his game and figure out life after Leonard and Perrault - and more time in the weight room.

In the previous post I was suggest the 3 small wingers would be Eklund bordeleau and Guschin. The sharks absolutely need to be able to play more competitive hockey next year or it will harm the development of our prospects, it’s not just about getting them minutes. And the Cuda need to make the playoffs next year and smith helps them do that. It is also worth noting that i have 6 1st or 2nd year NHLer’s in this team and that is a lot, the kids are still getting an opportunity in this team. Even more get call ups after selling at the deadline too.

I don't disagree that having Smith in the AHL would be better but why would he sign just to go to the AHL? He'll likely expect to go up right away and has control, given what we say with Cutter. So he really has the control. I think mostl likely he'll do what Beniers did and sign for the last 5-10 games (if BC doesn't go as far as this year) to play in the NHL and burn a year off his contract. I disagree about Graf, he's looked better than he did in college. Extremely composed and really tenacious on both sides of the puck. Also Bailey fits the bill of big, fast, and hard to play against, more so than Lafferty. And Gushchin is healthy now and the Sharks have injuries so they could bring him up on an emergency basis so I'm not sure why he's not

Bailey is not hard to play against lmao that guy takes plays off for sure. Sturm is hard to play against and kunin is hard to play against, eklund is hard to play against. We still have two forwards consistently missing games, but if zadina is out the last five games i think he might. I also think you are really looking at graf’s games through teal tinted glasses rn. He has been good, for someone playing straight out of college and is showing a lot to be happy with but he definitely definitely needs to adjust to the speed and he’s even admitted this. It’s okey for him to take time in the AHL to figure it out. He really could become a middle six forward that is good two ways and good on PP2 and potential pk although that has yet to be determined. But he is gonna need some time to bulk a little.

Smith might be good enough to play in the NHL right now, but I am sure he is committed to his development and if it’s the best thing for him Im sure he would see that. However he does have all the power in the world, and it wont hurt at all for him to and the sharks to let him simmer.