Confirmed Trade: [COL/SJS] Mackenzie Blackwood, Givani Smith, 2027 5th for Alexandar Georgiev (14% ret.), Nikolai Kovalenko, 2026 2nd, cond. 2025 4th

[dmcccdmn]

Fast forward to the 2025 NHL draft, and if/when the Sharks draft Schaefer/Martone/Hagens, Grier should be credited for pulling the trigger on this trade.

Bonus points if Sharks get to pick 1st overall and Grier trades down a couple of spot and still get 1 of those 3.

 

[weastern bias]

I like the work Grier has done; I really do—rooting for him and SJ.

With that said, you still need veteran talent to support the youth, especially in net. This team has a bottom-5 D; you need a goaltender who can, at the very least, provide stability so the youth doesn’t become disillusioned. Losing too much can mitigate player development.

We were losing plenty with Blackwood, he did nothing to save this team, 10 wins in 41 starts last year and 6 wins in 17 starts this year

As an expiring contract with trade value who wasn't going to re-sign at a bargain Grier had to trade him, especially given that they already have his replacement in the organization in Askarov

 

[Captain Controversy]

Is Blackwood the answer ? Stay tuned to find out.

 

[a mangy Meowth]

That might be the biggest fake news Ive seen on this site. Even if you want to rip Makar, which analytics show he is very good defensively still, you're completely ignoring Toews, who is up at the top of the list for balanced dman in the league and even more so ignoring Sam Girard, who as of typing this is the AVS (not Aves) most played defenseman 5v5. Toss in PP time, which obviously is little to no actual defense, then Makar takes the overall TOI.

Ouch, hook line and sinker on this one. @NOTENOUGHRYJOTHINGS

 

[Pinkfloyd]

I like the work Grier has done; I really do—rooting for him and SJ.

With that said, you still need veteran talent to support the youth, especially in net. This team has a bottom-5 D; you need a goaltender who can, at the very least, provide stability so the youth doesn’t become disillusioned. Losing too much can mitigate player development.

I don't think these kids you're talking about are that fragile. There's only three kids to worry about with this and two are in their rookie years. If they're mentally fragile enough to let a trade of similarly experienced and talented goalies make them disillusioned and mitigate player development, they only have themselves to blame and it would make building around them very questionable. They should already know they were going to a bad team. You don't get picked 1st, 4th, and 7th overall in most cases to go to anything but a bad team. They need to be tougher than that, show more patience than that, and show they're part of the answer moving forward.

 

[TheBeard]

I don't think these kids you're talking about are that fragile. There's only three kids to worry about with this and two are in their rookie years. If they're mentally fragile enough to let a trade of similarly experienced and talented goalies make them disillusioned and mitigate player development, they only have themselves to blame and it would make building around them very questionable. They should already know they were going to a bad team. You don't get picked 1st, 4th, and 7th overall in most cases to go to anything but a bad team. They need to be tougher than that, show more patience than that, and show they're part of the answer moving forward.

While true, Eklund was drafted 4 years ago and to me he's starting to show the frustrations of someone tired of being on a losing squad. I can't put my finger on it but he strikes me as a player who may possibly want out if things don't turn around by the end of next year. He gets frustrated, starts showing bad habits, gets reprimanded, rekindles his fire, rinse repeat...

 

[Pinkfloyd]

While true, Eklund was drafted 4 years ago and to me he's starting to show the frustrations of someone tired of being on a losing squad. I can't put my finger on it but he strikes me as a player who may possibly want out if things don't turn around by the end of next year. He gets frustrated, starts showing bad habits, gets reprimanded, rekindles his fire, rinse repeat...

I don't know how you see what you're seeing but it's possible. And if it turns out that he wants out, I would max value on him and oblige. They will need committed young players to rebuild this thing and if he's not up for that for whatever reason then get something the team can use for him. Someone who already wants out without even playing two full NHL seasons is a red flag to me when it comes to the mental side of playing in the NHL. I don't think that's what the situation is with Eklund but that's how I'd view such a situation if it were an accurate representation.

 

[S E P H]

Pretty telling that an Oilers fan wouldn’t have made this deal despite our goalie problems.

Jokes on you, Oilers believe in their goaltending.

 

[bleedgreen]

Whenever I see video of the young Sharks it looks like they’re having a blast being in the NHL. I doubt they need to shelter them from the realities of life very much at this point. They’re too busy proving they belong in the league to shed too many tears about a mediocre goalie being moved out for a lesser goalie. It’s not like Georgiev has never been a good goalie before. They didn’t think they were making the playoffs.