4. San Jose Sharks
Why they make sense: The San Jose Sharks don’t need Hayes as badly as they once did. They came into this season with some forward depth issues, but most of them have been answered. Timo Meier is having an outstanding season, showing the kind of talent the Sharks knew they were getting when they drafted him.
That said, San Jose has to be going all in this year. There’s not guarantee Erik Karlsson will re-sign with them long-term. Joe Thornton‘s trending towards the end of his career. Moreover, Joe Pavelski is on the wrong side of 30 years old. Hayes would solidify their forward group.
His versatility would make him a fit in a variety of roles. Maybe the Sharks look for a better option on their top line than Lukas Radil? Or a better second line option than Marcus Sorenson? Hayes would definitely help in either case.
Why they don’t: The Sharks aren’t entering the 2019 trade deadline with a full deck of cards. They’re already giving the Buffalo Sabres their 2019 first-round pick as a part of the Evander Kane trade. The Sharks also don’t have a very strong prospect pool.
It’ll be hard for San Jose to get Hayes if there’s a bidding war. But don’t ever count general manager Doug Wilson out. He makes things happen.