Confirmed with Link: Sharks trade 20th pick to Sabres for 27th and D Michael Kesselring (RFA)

[Emperor Joe Thornton]

27th, Kesselring, and LSW for future considerations and Walman playing 50 games for us is a helluva deal.

 

[TheBeard]

I looked on the Perry pick value thing, it looks like a late second and early third or a mid second.

I would have preferred giving up the Colorado 2nd but I doubt Buffalo wanted it.

 

[TheBeard]

Wow! what a Great move by grier. move back 7 spots (who cares) and get a 6'5, right shot, 26 year old Dman coming off a year where he was stuck behind a clear top 4, and thus a serious "buy low" candidate.... Well played.

Just the year before, he put up nearly 30 pts in limited ice with Utah. I'll be interested to see waht grier signs him for, but given that he was a #6/7 last year, the number will not be high.

massive low risk, high reward move, and for virtually no cost.

Well done, Mike.

I wouldn't say it's a low risk. May be Mike's only move to bring in a current NHLer to play RD.

 

[SJSharksfan4life]

Haha, wow, Jason Demers is...connected? A sage?

Interesting move—I think I like it!

Daddy also mentioned that Kesselring wanted to play here. That can’t be overlooked.

 

[jMoneyBrah]

Absolutely love this trade. He was solid before he was traded by Utah and would much rather have him with some upside than Durzi. Welcome to San Jose the "King" and his cats

Inb4 27th + 4th for Durzi

In all seriousness, a trade idea I’ve seen that I like is Bystedt for Lamoreux straight-up, as two guys ready to break into the NHL but currently blocked by their team’s roster makeup. Thoughts?

 

[SJSharksfan4life]

I wouldn't say it's a low risk. May be Mike's only move to bring in a current NHLer to play RD.

Better risk than Schneider who would’ve cost more.

 

[LadyStanley]

Why Sabres traded Michael Kesselring to Sharks, and what draft pick upgrade they got in return

Buffalo has decided to move on from the defenseman.

sports.yahoo.com

Didn't get utilized much with Buffalo. Only 4:25 in playoffs.

 

[sampler]

You know what, I bet this move was driven Warso wanting this player. Warso coached him on team USA and he played a solid role in bringing home the gold, so he is not a foreign player to the sharks. Warso knows him well and knows what he can do at both ends. I see this as much of a Warso target acquisition as a Grier one. I like that Grier and Warso are on the same page, and the price being so low is a testament to Grier.

This move is the kind of move that, looking back, may be a genuine stroke of absolute genius, especially if they sign him to a 4 yr, 10M (2.5M per) deal and he goes on to be a clear top 4 RHD for us eating over 20 mins/gm.

 

[STL Shark]

Curious what the contract looks like. Mostly on term as he's a year away from UFA but not quite established yet in what he is going to be medium to long term. Guessing something like 2-3 years at $3-$3.5M?

 

[coooldude]

According to Perri pick values, the value of trading back from 20 to 27 is the 45th overall. So a mid-2nd. I’d say that is about what had been tacitly agreed on between Sharks and Sabres fans on the Puckpedia AGM boards; COL 2nd+4th for Kesselring was the sorta automatic inclusion in many Sharks AGMs

Also it's in context. If they don't love this draft past the first 15 or so players and couldn't trade up, then the difference between 20 and 27 is less in their perception.

 

[timorous me]

The more I think about this, the more I like it. Just thinking about all the debate in the #20 pick mock draft thread, the lack of consensus (or even real appeal) about any player, moving down seven spots feels like a lighter cost than it might in other years.

And while there is some risk because of Kesselring's down/injury-prone season in Buffalo, I don't think there was any way a player like him, at 26, with his size and skill and coming off a promising couple of seasons with Utah, was going to be a giveaway after just the one off year.

I've been going back and reading analysis of the trade last summer and what folks were saying about Kesselring then, and it was quite glowing. Here's what the usually-excellent Shayna Goldman had to say in The Athletic:

As for the Sabres, Kesselring is an ideal fit who addresses a major need on the right side of the blue line. He showed the chops to play a top-four role in Utah when the team was dealing with key injuries. His zone-entry defense was solid, along with with his puck-moving ability. That should add more two-way stability to Owen Power’s right and solidify the second pair — if his skill translates in Buffalo.

Some of Kesselring’s top comps, Marcus Pettersson and Matt Niskanen, show a promising future in the top-four. But there are dicier paths that he could take, such as those of Kyle Quincey and Carson Soucy. It’s all about whether the Sabres can channel the best of his abilities.

Let's hope he can get back on the better path this year!

 

[Pavelski2112]

Big Money Mike does it again

Great trade

 

[Hodge]

The EA Sports prophecy is coming to fruition

 

[LadyStanley]

 

[STL Shark]

Also it's in context. If they don't love this draft past the first 15 or so players and couldn't trade up, then the difference between 20 and 27 is less in their perception.

My guess is this pick along with something else gets packaged to either move further back or for a roster player. That and there is also the idea that we move back 2 spots, get 4, 34, 37 and either a 2027 1st or 2027 2nd which gives Grier ammo to move back up the draft board too.

 

[Sendhelplease]

I really like this move. I would re-sign Desharnais and then I think we are one RHD away from an NHL defense

 

[SjMilhouse]

Inb4 27th + 4th for Durzi

In all seriousness, a trade idea I’ve seen that I like is Bystedt for Lamoreux straight-up, as two guys ready to break into the NHL but currently blocked by their team’s roster makeup. Thoughts?

I'd do this from the Sharks POV. I don't know that Utah needs Bystedt though. It really comes down to what Utah does with Stenlund and Hayton while keeping in mind they need space for CoBo, Desnoyers, and Tij (assuming he sticks at C) in the next 2 years. I assume they'll look to resign Hayton as a 3C and add a vet 4C.

 

[BaileyMacTavish]

Good trade!

 

[coooldude]

My guess is this pick along with something else gets packaged to either move further back or for a roster player. That and there is also the idea that we move back 2 spots, get 4, 34, 37 and either a 2027 1st or 2027 2nd which gives Grier ammo to move back up the draft board too.

I would love it if he chains moves like this. We will see.

 

[TheBigDrunkPanda]

Good Tier Grier, one of the few trades he’s done that I’d consider solid

 

[Chainshot]

Kesselring had a high ankle sprain in training camp that he aggravated around New Years after coming back a bit early and a knee sprain this year. The local beat guy with the Athletic talked about how much he was pressing to get into the lineup and contribute. With some of his mobility impinged, he wasn't as effective and pressed hard which lead to some mistakes that pushed him into the coach's doghouse and out of the lineup.

Big player, when healthy excellent mobility and a heavy shot. He is arbitration eligible and if he gets a single year he'll be UFA. I would figure Grier is going to get a decent extension signed, MK has solid mid-pairing skills. Best of luck to him in San Jose, felt like this whole year was a write-off with his injuries and he'll get plenty of opportunity with an up-and-coming team now.

 

[TheBeard]

Guess this marks the end of any potential Byram move.

 

[sampler]

I wouldn't say it's a low risk. May be Mike's only move to bring in a current NHLer to play RD.

Whats the risk? He stinks, ends up a healthy scratch, and the sharks lose 7 draft spots in a draft in which that is unlikely to matter much.

The upside here is a 6'5, top 4 RHD who can put up 40+ pts if given the chance, signed at a pittance (very likely under 3M per given his last season).

The down side: hes Desharnais 2.0.

Obviously, with Kesselring the variability is massive. but for the price paid, that lotto ticket is well worth it. The upside potential on this player (6'5, 40 pt, top 4 RHD) is ginormous.

 

[TheBeard]

Kesselring had a high ankle sprain in training camp that he aggravated around New Years after coming back a bit early and a knee sprain this year. The local beat guy with the Athletic talked about how much he was pressing to get into the lineup and contribute. With some of his mobility impinged, he wasn't as effective and pressed hard which lead to some mistakes that pushed him into the coach's doghouse and out of the lineup.

Big player, when healthy excellent mobility and a heavy shot. He is arbitration eligible and if he gets a single year he'll be UFA. I would figure Grier is going to get a decent extension signed, MK has solid mid-pairing skills.

I do expect Mike is going to try and get something done now instead of waiting, but I don't know why MK would unless the deal is too sexy to pass up.

 

[TheBeard]

Whats the risk? He stinks, ends up a healthy scratch, and the sharks lose 7 draft spots in a draft in which that is unlikely to matter much.

The upside here is a 6'5, top 4 RHD who can put up 40+ pts if given the chance, signed at a pittance (very likely under 3M per given his last season).

The down side: hes Desharnais 2.0.

Obviously, with Kesselring the variability is massive. but for the price paid, that lotto ticket is well worth it. The upside potential on this player (6'5, 40 pt, top 4 RHD) is ginormous.

The other downside is continuing to have the worst defense in the league depending on what else Mike has up his sleeve. Also may block Pohlkamp. There is some risk.