Speculation: 2023-24-25 Sharks Roster Discussion

[LadyStanley]

 

[one2gamble]

I honestly think they have to trade him but if he is tired of moving around and is willing ot sign a reasonable deal, I am good with it.

The issue is hes 32, there is no way he maintains this productivity moving forward.

 

[pappaf2]

I think so much just hinges on what the sharks can get for him. If the best offer is a 2nd round pick, is that worth more than Granny signed for a few more year here (assuming a reasonable contract $$$)? I’m not sure.

 

[STL Shark]

My guess is we deal him to WPG for a 1st. Will likely be a very late 1st and I'd imagine that we use that to trade for some NHL help this offseason.

 

[Celly4Celebrini]

My guess is we deal him to WPG for a 1st. Will likely be a very late 1st and I'd imagine that we use that to trade for some NHL help this offseason.

i would say a WPG 1st is likely 26-28th, but if paired with another pick, is that enough to move up for Hensler. Maybe Jackson Smith if paired with additional assets? Blake Fiddler maybe is in that range?

J. Smith would likely require additional additional picks, similar to when we dropped from 12 in 2022 for the plethora of 2nds. But im not sure id be against it as we dont need so many lotto tickets as much as we need viable contributors on the blue line in the next few years

 

[weastern bias]

Mikael Granlund is not worth a 1st round pick, if you can't get him to commit to an extention at a reasonable cap hit/term before the deadline you trade him for literally whatever the best offer is on the table for him

You can't let him walk for nothing, we are too asset poor to let a 32 year old pending UFA who has built his trade value from nothing to something just leave for no return for "culture" reasons, that's a bad way to run a last-place caliber team

 

[TheBeard]

I remember people thought Barabanov could fetch a 2nd

I really don’t think the trade value for Granlund is higher than that.

 

[coooldude]

My guess is we deal him to WPG for a 1st. Will likely be a very late 1st and I'd imagine that we use that to trade for some NHL help this offseason.

I think the "consensus" on the boards is that a 1st is an immediate yes, so if this is possible, absolutely, but I think we use it to try to trade up in the 1st round for...

i would say a WPG 1st is likely 26-28th, but if paired with another pick, is that enough to move up for Hensler. Maybe Jackson Smith if paired with additional assets? Blake Fiddler maybe is in that range?

J. Smith would likely require additional additional picks, similar to when we dropped from 12 in 2022 for the plethora of 2nds. But im not sure id be against it as we dont need so many lotto tickets as much as we need viable contributors on the blue line in the next few years

Exactly, although J. Smith almost certainly not possible as I think he'll go 5-7. But Hensler, Fiddler, Mrtka all RD's and one of them may slip into a 15-25 range.

Mikael Granlund is not worth a 1st round pick, if you can't get him to commit to an extention at a reasonable cap hit/term before the deadline you trade him for literally whatever the best offer is on the table for him

You can't let him walk for nothing, we are too asset poor to let a 32 year old pending UFA who has built his trade value from nothing to something just leave for no return for "culture" reasons, that's a bad way to run a last-place caliber team

You're probably right, but if he's not worth a 1st, then he's probably also not going to get paid in FA and his agent would be smart to get like a 3x6 contract with the Sharks and ride into the sunset. (speculative contract SWAG, plz do not critique or hold me to account)

 

[matt trick]

Moving Granlund is a big question. If he’s willing to sign a deal for 4 years or less, you couldn’t realistically ask for a better veteran to help bring your young forwards along.

Granlund is the best or second best UFA available at the deadline. If Vancouver moves a center that guy jumps to top of the list, same for Kadri, but I doubt any are moved at the deadline. I think Granlund is straight up better than Nelson, but Nelson’s size and goal scoring is more valued at the deadline. I do think Granlund will be valued at a first, unless guys with term are moved.

Id love to leave the draft with one of the top 4 and a mid-1st RHD (Mrtak/Hensler/Fiddler). At that point our young core would lave a single piece (top D or F we didn’t get top 4) that we still needed. Similarly, a mid-late 1st could be the asset that brings in the top dman moved this offseason (similar to Sergachev last year). Do we need either of these more than we need Granlund to help our young forwards?

Unfortunately, I think the likelihood you can move Granlund and replace him this offseason with a similar player is low. Can we get Ehlers, Nelson, Tavares, or Granny as a UFA? Marner and Rantanen are completely unrealistic. If not, our top 6 looks like Celebrini, Eklund, Tofolli, Smith, Zetts, and a guy like Smith/Fabbri/Hall (or failing that, Kovalenko). Third line would be Kovalenko, Wennberg, and a rookie like Graf or Bystedt (or both with no UFA). Maybe Kunin is back, but maybe not.

 

[JoeThorntonsRooster]

I remember people thought Barabanov could fetch a 2nd

I really don’t think the trade value for Granlund is higher than that.

Sean Monahan got a 1st at the deadline last year.

 

[TheBeard]

Sean Monahan got a 1st at the deadline last year.

He was also making less than 40% of what Granlund is.

 

[STL Shark]

Mikael Granlund is not worth a 1st round pick, if you can't get him to commit to an extention at a reasonable cap hit/term before the deadline you trade him for literally whatever the best offer is on the table for him

You can't let him walk for nothing, we are too asset poor to let a 32 year old pending UFA who has built his trade value from nothing to something just leave for no return for "culture" reasons, that's a bad way to run a last-place caliber team

1st round picks are not created equal. He's not worth a top 15 pick, no. Pick 26-28 and the chance at gambling on a Bystedt, Goldobin, etc. is a lot different than picking inside the top 10-15. Getting a pick in the 60's isn't going to move the needle at all for SJ.

WPG is currently icing Vladislav Namestnikov as their 2C. They need help in that spot in a bad way. Granlund is probably the 2nd best rental center available behind Brock Nelson (who I doubt waives for WPG anyway).

 

[weastern bias]

Sean Monahan got a 1st at the deadline last year.

He was also the best center traded at last year's deadline until Hertl got snuck in at the last moment, the only others who moved were Dewar and Wennberg

This year the market has a lot more possibilities between Pettersson/Miller, Nelson, Gourde and maybe O'Reilly, Granlund isn't necessarily any team's biggest target depending on what elements they're looking to add

Just take what you can get for him, if he's gonna walk in the summer barring an overpay I'd rather have a 3rd round pick (if it comes to that) than nothing

 

[Pinkfloyd]

Moving Granlund is a big question. If he’s willing to sign a deal for 4 years or less, you couldn’t realistically ask for a better veteran to help bring your young forwards along.

Granlund is the best or second best UFA available at the deadline. If Vancouver moves a center that guy jumps to top of the list, same for Kadri, but I doubt any are moved at the deadline. I think Granlund is straight up better than Nelson, but Nelson’s size and goal scoring is more valued at the deadline. I do think Granlund will be valued at a first, unless guys with term are moved.

Id love to leave the draft with one of the top 4 and a mid-1st RHD (Mrtak/Hensler/Fiddler). At that point our young core would lave a single piece (top D or F we didn’t get top 4) that we still needed. Similarly, a mid-late 1st could be the asset that brings in the top dman moved this offseason (similar to Sergachev last year). Do we need either of these more than we need Granlund to help our young forwards?

Unfortunately, I think the likelihood you can move Granlund and replace him this offseason with a similar player is low. Can we get Ehlers, Nelson, Tavares, or Granny as a UFA? Marner and Rantanen are completely unrealistic. If not, our top 6 looks like Celebrini, Eklund, Tofolli, Smith, Zetts, and a guy like Smith/Fabbri/Hall (or failing that, Kovalenko). Third line would be Kovalenko, Wennberg, and a rookie like Graf or Bystedt (or both with no UFA). Maybe Kunin is back, but maybe not.

I think the team needs a lot more time developing the young players they've been bringing in before worrying about replacing a specific role that Granlund fills currently. If Grier's statements about the team being far off are genuine then it should apply to Granlund like it did to Blackwood in terms of getting value for an expiring contract and continuing to invest into the team's future. We still need to develop a few forwards, especially a 2C, and we still need to develop an entire crop of defensemen and we don't have an RHD in the fold of this nature. A lot of these spots will require time and opportunity. We should just rent out what we can, give openings to developing young players where it makes sense, and fill any extra spots with free agents. I think it's reasonable to slot Wennberg into 2C if nobody else is able to take that spot then find a 3C to backfill if Bystedt isn't ready. I think we can get away with putting Vlasic on his final year on the 3RD if Thompson isn't ready or if Pohlkamp needs time. There's enough wiggle room to look at different solutions for Granlund's potential vacancy than a one for one veteran top six center swap.

 

[Hodge]

I think the team needs a lot more time developing the young players they've been bringing in before worrying about replacing a specific role that Granlund fills currently. If Grier's statements about the team being far off are genuine then it should apply to Granlund like it did to Blackwood in terms of getting value for an expiring contract and continuing to invest into the team's future. We still need to develop a few forwards, especially a 2C, and we still need to develop an entire crop of defensemen and we don't have an RHD in the fold of this nature. A lot of these spots will require time and opportunity. We should just rent out what we can, give openings to developing young players where it makes sense, and fill any extra spots with free agents. I think it's reasonable to slot Wennberg into 2C if nobody else is able to take that spot then find a 3C to backfill if Bystedt isn't ready. I think we can get away with putting Vlasic on his final year on the 3RD if Thompson isn't ready or if Pohlkamp needs time. There's enough wiggle room to look at different solutions for Granlund's potential vacancy than a one for one veteran top six center swap.

I agree with all of this, especially that Wennberg can be the 2C next year since he's essentially playing that role already. It's kinda funny that Wennberg is putting up identical numbers to Elias Lindholm this season even though we gave him $10M and the Bruins gave Lindholm $54M.

 

[TheBeard]

I agree with all of this, especially that Wennberg can be the 2C next year since he's essentially playing that role already. It's kinda funny that Wennberg is putting up identical numbers to Elias Lindholm this season even though we gave him $10M and the Bruins gave Lindholm $54M.

Wennberg at 2C would be awful. Dude has only topped 40 points once in over a decade and you want him to be the guy centering the second line on a team already desperate for offense? I'd rather just overpay for Matt Duchene

 

[Juxtaposer]

I personally am in favor of trading Granlund, whatever the return is. Even if it's just a 2nd and 3rd or whatever, those are assets that can be used this summer to get a defenseman.

More than likely, our 2025 1st is Hagens or Misa, who are both centers. Smith needs to move back to C eventually as well if not. Do we want 35 year old Granlund to be our 3C in a couple years? Do we want Bystedt to be stuck at 4C?

I'm only interested in keeping Granlund if he wants high AAV for two years.

 

[Hodge]

Wennberg at 2C would be awful. Dude has only topped 40 points once in over a decade and you want him to be the guy centering the second line on a team already desperate for offense? I'd rather just overpay for Matt Duchene

If we're trading Granlund because he's too old to fit the rebuild timeline, why would we sign an even older player like Duchene? Wennberg is an adequate 2C for a team that isn't trying to make the playoffs.

 

[Mr Fahrenheit]

I personally am in favor of trading Granlund, whatever the return is. Even if it's just a 2nd and 3rd or whatever, those are assets that can be used this summer to get a defenseman.

More than likely, our 2025 1st is Hagens or Misa, who are both centers. Smith needs to move back to C eventually as well if not. Do we want 35 year old Granlund to be our 3C in a couple years? Do we want Bystedt to be stuck at 4C?

I'm only interested in keeping Granlund if he wants high AAV for two years.

I'd think Granlund would be allowed to move to wing in a couple years

 

[Juxtaposer]

I'd think Granlund would be allowed to move to wing in a couple years

He's not very good at wing.

He's been a good soldier and I greatly appreciate everything he's done here, both for the kids and for making the on-ice product watchable. But he's shown time and time again that he's not a player you give a term to.

 

[JoeThorntonsRooster]

I didn’t read the article but if Granlund didn’t say anything beyond “I’ve liked my time here” then it really doesn’t sound like he wants to re-sign anyways. And moving him is probably best for all parties involved. I’m not convinced we could get a 1st but I’d still take a 2nd for him rather than keep him.

 

[STL Shark]

If we're trading Granlund because he's too old to fit the rebuild timeline, why would we sign an even older player like Duchene? Wennberg is an adequate 2C for a team that isn't trying to make the playoffs.

It would also boost his trade value for the 2026 TDL by inflating his point totals as a 2C.

Gives Smith the chance to earn a job, and if he doesn't then you at least have options. Issue with going into the season with that group is just what happens when an injury occurs. It's going to happen to one of our centers, so thins the group a bit more than I'd like.

Be nice to have another Granlund type guy that can do both, but is more W than C as the primary position as opposed to Granlund being a C more than W as his primary position.

 

[Hodge]

It would also boost his trade value for the 2026 TDL by inflating his point totals as a 2C.

Gives Smith the chance to earn a job, and if he doesn't then you at least have options. Issue with going into the season with that group is just what happens when an injury occurs. It's going to happen to one of our centers, so thins the group a bit more than I'd like.

Be nice to have another Granlund type guy that can do both, but is more W than C as the primary position as opposed to Granlund being a C more than W as his primary position.

Exactly, it's just a stopgap solution until Smith (or Hagens/Misa I guess) is ready to take over. Wouldn't hurt our chances at Gavin McKenna either.