NHL Trade Deadline Won't Save San Jose Sharks

The San Jose Sharks promised big changes coming into the season, remember? Well they are poised to deliver by missing the playoffs.

The San Jose Sharks contributed to NHL history last season by becoming the fourth team to blow a 3-0 series lead against the Los Angeles Kings last year. GM Doug Wilson promised a major shakeup of the franchise which turned out to be trading Brad Stuart to the Colorado Avalanche and signing John Scott. Stripping the “C” off Joe Thornton also happened which was a head scratcher. The team may largely be intact, but the streak of playoff appearances is ready to break.

The San Jose Sharks are stuck with the same core in NHL purgatory. With only one point to make up on a wild card spot the San Jose Sharks could be buyers in the days leading up to the trade deadline. At this point why would they? Players like Patrick Marleau, Joe Pavelski and Thornton are still very good but the San Jose Sharks know what they are going to get out of this group; good to great regular season results and postseason heartbreak.

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If the San Jose Sharks finish with a wild card spot they would earn the opportunity to be whacked in the first round by either the Nashville Predators or Anaheim Ducks. Wilson can then dissect his roster with eight players signed for $2.4 million or more for the next two years or longer, according to spotrac.com, and figure out what he can do to reshape the roster. Cap hits to most of the top players on the team with term left on their deal force the San Jose Sharks to take salary back to balance the deal. That’s not impossible as the Buffalo Sabres and Winnipeg Jets showed but it is difficult to do, particularly against the backdrop of an uncertain salary cap next season.

Instead of making a run at the playoffs the San Jose Sharks could start trading away some players and improve their draft position in a deep class. Start with Antti Niemi whom is an unrestricted free agent at season’s end. With an injured Steve Mason the Philadelphia Flyers would be a good fit to go with Ray Emery as they continue to charge toward an Eastern Conference wild card birth. Get something for Niemi instead of just letting him walk and turning the crease over to Alex Stalock, himself an unrestricted free agent after next season.

Trade Joe Thornton away too but not because he is the sole scapegoat for the San Jose Sharks playoff failures. Trade Thornton because it’s time to make adjustment to the core of a team and it’s clear when you take a letter off the sweater that a player isn’t a part of your long-term plans. Get what you can get for him and allow him to continue his stellar NHL career in a different uniform. Use the pieces and cap space to shape the future of the San Jose Sharks.

Instead Wilson seems intent on doing just enough to show San Jose Sharks fans they want to make the playoffs. Because Wilson will believe that if they get in the Sharks can win it all. But this group has failed to rebound after an epic playoff collapse and can’t be expected to forget it should they earn a wild card birth. The best thing for the San Jose Sharks this trade deadline would be committing to trading away players, allowing the streak of playoff appearances to end at ten, and building toward a more competitive future. It’s been a great run but all good things must come to an end and that time is now for the San Jose Sharks.

Next: The First NHL Mock Draft of 2015

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