The NHL season is one-fourth of the way completed. Despite one of the roughest starts in the San Jose Sharks’ recent history, the team has managed to rack up a few wins. Through 21 games, they are 4-15-2 with a total of 10 points. While this is nowhere near decent, it’s much better than the 0-10-1 start they had. However, wins can come in many forms beyond the numbers alone. For a rebuilding team like the Sharks, one of the most significant ways their season could be viewed as a win would be gathering assets via trades.
So far, trades have been few and far between throughout the league. However, there is a feeling in the air that things may be brewing. For the Sharks, though, things have seemed rather quiet. Ideally, this would turn around the closer the league gets to the trade deadline. However, this may not actually be the case for the Sharks. In fact, they may have a hard time making any significant trades when the trade deadline rolls around.
Sharks Have Few Outstanding Players This Season
One issue the Sharks have struggled with substantially this season is injuries. There are a handful of players who have dealt with the injury bug throughout the season, especially in the case of their captain, Logan Couture. It was announced that Couture was going to miss the start of the season with an injury, and recent updates indicate there is no set time for his return just yet. Regardless, while he would be a good trade piece, the Sharks may have trouble moving their captain due to his significant cap hit and the years left on his contract.
Outside of Couture, the next best skater the Sharks have is Tomas Hertl. This season, Hertl has 16 points in 21 games, which leads the team by a mile. However, despite likely being the highest-value veteran the Sharks have, it is unlikely he will get moved either. He was signed to a long-term contract only a few seasons ago, so they clearly view Hertl as a staple of this organization. This leaves the Sharks with very few options to make a high-value trade at any point this season. However, they do have one decent option available.
Blackwood Could Be the Sharks’ Best Trade Piece
Despite the Sharks playing rather poorly this season, one standout has undoubtedly been Mackenzie Blackwood. Outside of Hertl, Blackwood has been the Sharks’ best player by far, which may not be easy to see based on numbers alone. In 15 games, he’s put up a .897 save percentage, which is actually pretty decent considering how rough the defense has been across the board. He may be the best option the Sharks have to make a big trade this year.
Goaltending across the league has been pretty hit or miss this year. While there are plenty of goalies who are playing fantastic, there are also a decent number who can not seem to stop a puck consistently. Some potential playoff teams who are dealing with this issue, such as the Carolina Hurricanes or the Edmonton Oilers, may be interested in spending a decent amount to get a good goaltender. While it would be tough to see Blackwood go so early into his time with San Jose, it may be the best move for the future of the team.
Related: Sharks Could Make a Big Trade with the Oilers
Although the Sharks don’t have a lot of great options for trades right now, that may not be the case forever. Players could spontaneously emerge and make themselves great trade deadline rentals at any point, especially considering how many opportunities players can get on rebuilding teams. Regardless, time will tell if the Sharks can make a high-value trade this year. For the sake of the rebuild, though, one can only hope something will pop up eventually.
