The Blues are coming into cap trouble and may be looking to ship out some of their core group of players – including TJ Oshie.

The Sharks top six is 8-19-X and 12-39-X. There’s nothing set in stone for either open spot on the top two lines for San Jose. Now, you could put a bucket on the Thornton/Pavelski line and it would do well, but that doesn’t mean you should.

Is Goldobin ready for the NHL next year? Not likely, so that rules him out. I really think Tomas Hertl should be placed back in the top six with Thornton and Pavelski because of the ceiling he has offensively. So, for arguments sake, if the Sharks acquired Oshie they could run a top six of 8-19-48 and 12-39-Oshie.

Oshie is almost always a positive possession player and a guy who consistently meets or exceeds expectations in a given role. That sounds like a pretty good player to stick with Logan Couture, who struggled mightily to function as a respectable possession guy playing with shutdown responsibility. It also helps the Sharks should Patrick Marleau have another poor season and need to be relocated to the third line.

The Marleau situation might be the biggest reason to look into a trade like this. Without a functional Marleau the Sharks weaponry is depleted in the top six. Running Tommy Wingels and Matt Nieto as second line forwards in the NHL is not a good backup plan.

If the Blues want to trade Oshie, the Sharks should be listening. Is a top six forward the main priority for the Sharks this offseason? No, but it shouldn’t be ignored if options arise. St. Louis isn’t going to want cap space back so we’re talking a young(er) player and a draft pick(s). Matt Nieto or, if they plan to forever make him a bottom six player, Tomas Hertl maybe? Oshie isn't going to fall on his face any time soon, so giving away a player with bottom six destiny doesn't really bother me.

A San Jose Sharks team with an UFA defender signing, Oshie acquisition and any upgrade at all over Niemi would be a much different scene than the 2014-2015 comedy show that was on display.

What say you? Would you want Oshie? What would your deal look like?

Thanks for reading.

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