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Sharks add depth at the trade deadline

February 27, 2012, 8:14 PM ET [24 Comments]
Cam Gore
San Jose Sharks Blogger • RSSArchiveCONTACT
Sharks add depth at the trade deadline

The San Jose Sharks have acquired forwards Daniel Winnik and T.J Galiardi from the Colorado Avalanche in exchange for Jamie McGinn and prospects Mike Connolly and Michael Sgarbossa.

The deal was made about an hour before the deadline and adds depth to the thin third and fourth lines for San Jose.

Winnik is a strong penalty killer and can help with some of the physical duties, which after viewing last game are clearly lacking in San Jose. He will be an unrestricted free agent at the end of this season.

T.J Galiardi has more potential to put the puck in the net and is only twenty-three years young. Some people think his confidence took a dive in Colorado and with the right positive reinforcement he can become that productive player that he was projected to be when he was drafted 55th overall in the second round of the 2007 draft. He will be a restricted free agent at the end of this season.

The Sharks had been mentioned as one of the teams involved in the potential Rick Nash deal. As it turned out Nash didn’t go anywhere and I am happy he didn’t become a Shark.

For starters the asking price was Logan Couture plus plus. The Sharks are in no position to mortgage the future which is pretty thin right now. The number of prospects in the system is quite weak compared to other NHL teams.

The other player who was involved in the rumor was Joe Pavelski plus plus. Even if now is the time and selling the future is worth it I don’t believe Nash would be the player to bring this team to the Cup.

Nash is good and big and strong, but he is a 7.8 million dollar cap hit which of course limits the team elsewhere. He is a career minus – 75 and this team needs more help keeping the puck out of the net rather than scoring. The word was that he and Joe Thornton had great chemistry playing together at the international level. Had Pavelski gone the other way that would have taken away the right handed shot that Thornton loves playing with and there is nobody else on the roster that shoots right handed who is worthy of top line minutes. Pavs is one of the best in the NHL on the draws and knows how to up his game in the post-season. Nash has played four career playoff games and lost them all.

The Sharks did what they could on deadline day and for what they gave up I give GM Wilson a B + for his efforts. There weren’t nearly as many deals done as people thought and there were a lot of players who were rumored to be traded, that weren’t. So many teams are still in the chase for a playoff spot in both divisions which is why there weren’t as many deals; there just weren’t that many sellers this year.

In the next couple of weeks the Sharks should get Douglas Murray, Dominic Moore, and Martin Havlat back from injury. Add the two newest Sharks and that is a pretty solid looking line-up going into the post-season. If the goaltending can improve and hold up their end of the bargain the Sharks will be a tough team to face in the spring tournament once again this year.

Keep your sticks on the ice,
Cam Gore
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