SHARKS COMPLETE RUMOURED TRADE AND MORE
DARREN DREGER
6/3/2013

Back in May, I reported on a rumour where the San Jose Sharks would complete a trade that would vault the team into contender status.  It turned out the Sharks would complete not one, but two trades.  Whether or not they vault them into the SHL elite remains to be seen.

Coming to the Sharks from their California rival, the Anaheim Ducks, are centre Eric Staal and winger Troy Brouwer.  In exchange, San Jose gave up youngster Ryan O’Reilly and the rights to UFA winger Pascal Dupuis, likely the most sought-after free agent of this summer’s crop.

When reached for comment, Anaheim GM, Simon Kwok said:  “With my team doing a complete face plant in the playoffs, I was considering making some major moves in the offseason.  We are especially pleased to acquire Ryan O’Reilly, who will be a key player on our team for the next decade.  We have also dramatically increased our flexibility to retool by shedding a big chunk of salary.”

For the second trade, San Jose dialed up new Columbus GM, George Robinson, in an effort to pop his SHL cherry.  George did not disappoint, putting out Brandon Prust, a 3rd round pick in 2014, and the rights to pending UFA defenseman Niklas Kronwall, in exchange for another youngster, defenseman Tyson Barrie.

“We are thrilled,” said San Jose GM, Luc Asselin.  “We wanted upgrades at our #1 centre postition, in our top 4 dmen, and on our third line, and we accomplished it all within hours of the SHL Cup being awarded and trading reopening.  Again, we are thrilled.”

After back-to-back disappointing seasons, San Jose management and players are hoping this is the year things come together for this team.  Sharks captain, Zach Parise, has this to say:  “Not making the playoffs last year was brutal.  We felt like, had we been able to squeeze in, we could have caused some upsets.  With most of our team remaining intact, and then adding players of Staal’s, Kronwall’s and Brouwer’s caliber, we’re stoked!  It’s awesome.”

Despite trading away two of the team’s best, young players in O’Reilly and Barrie, GM Asselin has plenty of quality left in the youth department.  In addition, San Jose has eight selections in this summer’s entry draft, including three in the top 65 picks.

“We still have some work to do before the season starts.  We have to prepare for the expansion and entry drafts.  We still want to make our fourth line bigger and meaner.  But we now have a formidable top-9 forward group, a solid balance of attack, intensity, speed and defensive awareness, including probably the best third line in the league.  And it’ll be very hard for any team to match our top-4 defensemen.  We are very excited for the upcoming season and look forward to kicking some SHL ass!”

With this weekend’s trades, the Sharks’ line-up looks like this…

Andrew Ladd (78) – Eric Staal (79) – P.A. Parenteau (75)
Blake Wheeler (77) – Zach Parise (77) – Alexander Semin (76)
Milan Lucic (74) – Tomas Plekanec (75) – Troy Brouwer (74)
Mike Cammalleri (70) – David Desharnais (69) – Brian Gionta (70)

Jack Johnson (76) – P.K. Subban (80)
Niklas Kronwall* (75) – Kevin Shattenkirk (74)
Brad Stuart (70) – Grant Clitsome (72)

Carey Price (77)
Peter Budaj (70)

* indicates player will be loyalty discount UFA signing