NHL: 1 bold prediction for each Pacific Division team’s offseason

San Jose Sharks make an attempt to get younger

With seven players about to become unrestricted free agents and four about to become restricted free agents, the San Jose Sharks may be inclined to get younger and acquire some draft picks in order to do so.

The Sharks currently have a few unfavorable contracts on their books, but with a still relatively young Evander Kane (27), along with Tomas Hertl (25), the Sharks could potentially try to get younger on the fly while hanging onto some of the good young pieces that they already own.

They do, however, have some tradeable assets at their disposal. Most notably, right defencemen Brent Burns and Justin Braun. A team taking on Burns’ contract would have to be wary, however, because Burns’ contract runs through the 2024-25 season with an annual average salary of $8 million. At 34, he isn’t getting any younger, but he is still one of the top defencemen in the league, and the return for a player of his caliber would likely be worthwhile for the Sharks.

Currently, the Sharks don’t have a first, second or fourth-round pick in this year’s draft. In next year’s draft, they don’t have a first, third, sixth, and seventh round pick. On top of that, if they re-sign Erik Karlsson, they will give up their second-round pick in the 2021 draft to the Senators, as the pick is a conditional second-round pick.

That’s why it would make sense to me if the Sharks made an attempt to sell their tradeable assets for picks and younger talent. This core isn’t getting it done, and with Joe Thornton about to turn 40 in less than a month, reality may be setting in for San Jose.