Confirmed with Link: TRADE: Sharks trade G Mackenzie Blackwood, F Givani Smith, 2027 5th to COL for G Alexandar Georgiev, F Nikolai Kovalenko, '26 2nd, Cond'l '25 5th

[Barrie22]

To be honest, I’d take that with a grain of salt. Sheng’s regular scout interviews are used to justify whatever the Sharks want the message to be. They’ve talked up how good Ferraro and Kunin is too.

But both of them are the greatest thing since sliced bread, just got to know which part of the ice and which team to be watching to see there greatness.

 

[Chinaski89]

Askarov isn't getting called up. It's Georgiev/Vanecek in net until one of them gets injured.

The worst goalie tandem in the NHL assuredly. Getting the tank train back on track.

 

[mogambomoroo]

I think it's easy to forget how Blackwood performed before coming to the Sharks, and started playing respectful hockey after coming here (even though the team was bad)

Not saying Georgiev will do that, but I think without the pressure of a must win/playoff team, it could help Georgiev relax into this team and start playing better.

Good trade, will miss Blackwood but at this stage Sharks need to get every single asset they can.

 

[gaucholoco3]

I think it's easy to forget how Blackwood performed before coming to the Sharks, and started playing respectful hockey after coming here (even though the team was bad)

Not saying Georgiev will do that, but I think without the pressure of a must win/playoff team, it could help Georgiev relax into this team and start playing better.

Good trade, will miss Blackwood but at this stage Sharks need to get every single asset they can.

I can see Blackwood struggling with Colorado. He is at his best when he sees a high volume of shots which he won’t get in Colorado. This could also potentially explain some of Georgiev’s issues this season.

This trade is excellent value.

 

[OrrNumber4]

I think it's easy to forget how Blackwood performed before coming to the Sharks, and started playing respectful hockey after coming here (even though the team was bad)

It took him a while to rebound. The Sharks with have that luxury if they want to extract value from Georgiev.

 

[Crewouse]

Georgiev won't sleep until Schaefer is secured

 

[timorous me]

To be honest, I’d take that with a grain of salt. Sheng’s regular scout interviews are used to justify whatever the Sharks want the message to be. They’ve talked up how good Ferraro and Kunin is too.

Sheng does point out that the scouts he talks to don't work for the Sharks. I think more than anything it's just that gritty guys like Kunin and Ferraro hold appeal for a certain type of old-school hockey guys--the kind that often end up sticking around as scouts.

 

[STL Shark]

The timeline sounds great, but it would be a tough pill to swallow being bad without tanking next year with Gavin McKenna looking like the best prospect since McDavid. Seems like the worst year to draft 9th.

Celebrini has shown to be plenty good. At some point, you can't sit scared and looking at the next rookie stud. #1 picks happen literally every year. As the old adage in baseball goes, prospects are cool but parades are cooler.

The law of diminishing marginal utility applies here. Value of tanking for the next "guy" when you've already been at the bottom is less and less because it gets you closer to ruining the stud prospect you've already drafted or have them wanting out. That's how you become Buffalo.

With our cap space, Celebrini, Smith, Eklund, Dickinson, Askarov, etc. there is no reason to sit and continue tanking as it would be a damning referendum on the process to date. It's time to start being aggressive to build around our group now before they get too comfy losing.

 

[matt trick]

We can’t become Buffalo, we have palm trees!

Right outside the rink even!

 

[Jargon]

To be honest, I’d take that with a grain of salt. Sheng’s regular scout interviews are used to justify whatever the Sharks want the message to be. They’ve talked up how good Ferraro and Kunin is too.

I don’t really agree with that? I’ve seen plenty of scouts pan prospects and generally downplay players we and/or the org is obviously high on, including Ferraro.

 

[Munnyro]

We'll see what Thomas Speer can do. He has really done some solid work since joining the org.

 

[LadyStanley]

 

[OrrNumber4]

Sheng does point out that the scouts he talks to don't work for the Sharks. I think more than anything it's just that gritty guys like Kunin and Ferraro hold appeal for a certain type of old-school hockey guys--the kind that often end up sticking around as scouts.

I think it's simply that Kunin is a proven, established NHLer and scouts will always prefer that over a shiny prospect who could be an NHLer.

The scouts have been overestimating Ferraro, but I wonder if that's because their data is out of date.

As the old adage in baseball goes, prospects are cool but parades are cooler.

That's a good one!

 

[TheBeard]

How did this thread turn into another Ferraro roast? Amazing.

 

[Lebanezer]

How did this thread turn into another Ferraro roast? Amazing.

What page are you reading?

 

[sampler]

I'm surprised how excited grier is about kovalenko and how he describes him so physically for a guy of his stature.

Its clear that Grier considers this guy a major part of the trade, not just a throw in. I understand that the 2nd rounder in '26 is a historically high return for a goalie, but its rare to see a clear cup contender so desperate, so I think Kovalenko is what put this trade in motion. I dont think grier does it for just a 2nd in two years.

Obviously, based on the interview, Grier understood his leverage. COL came calling and grier had no rush to pull the trigger. But the "offer I cant refuse" is the right type of mindset. If Kovalenko becomes anything remotely close to what Zetterlund has become, then this is indeed a super steal.

Like all of you, I loved the interview as well. Im warming to the return and excited to see what kovalenko can do. He's definitely the right age to make a big impact in the next 5 years, just like zetterlund.

 

[Hodge]

I don’t know anything about Kovalenko other than him being Andrei’s kid but our pro scouting has rarely missed under GMMG.

 

[OversKy]

the unfortunate thing is that there's always going to be a big shiny prospect on the horizon. McKenna next year, Dupont the year after that... If the Sharks were to constantly wait for the crest of the "next big thing" wave before they start looking up they'd be stuck in the basement forever.

McKenna and Dupont look like game breakers at this point. Schaefer looks great but not on that level, the other 3 top prospects this year aren't even close. I really hope we can grab either McKenna or Dupont. Otherwise I could see us being stuck as a middle ranking team for years to come.

 

[TheBeard]

McKenna and Dupont look like game breakers at this point. Schaefer looks great but not on that level, the other 3 top prospects this year aren't even close. I really hope we can grab either McKenna or Dupont. Otherwise I could see us being stuck as a middle ranking team for years to come.

That little faith in Celebrini, eh?

 

[Boy Hedican]

I actually see it differently. I think Grier was going to trade one and re-sign the other, depending on who came knocking. This to me tells me Granny is sticking around.

Interesting. Granny “could” come back in the off season.

The timeline sounds great, but it would be a tough pill to swallow being bad without tanking next year with Gavin McKenna looking like the best prospect since McDavid. Seems like the worst year to draft 9th.

That's getting greedy. We already got Mack. Not every tanking team get to pick up a player like him in their bear phase. We dipped low and perfectly timed our catch. Very rare. We'll be a bottom 5 team again this season. But next season will be tough to keep us at the floor. I expect Asky to be our #1 next season.

I also expect the Pens to sell off and get the #1 next year

 

[Cas]

McKenna and Dupont look like game breakers at this point. Schaefer looks great but not on that level, the other 3 top prospects this year aren't even close. I really hope we can grab either McKenna or Dupont. Otherwise I could see us being stuck as a middle ranking team for years to come.

If we can't build a team better than "middle ranking" with what we currently have, plus what we will draft in seven months, then we should just close up shop.

 

[Hodge]

That little faith in Celebrini, eh?

Avs should have tanked for Dahlin and Jack Hughes. It was so stupid of them to try and win the Cup.

 

[OversKy]

That little faith in Celebrini, eh?

I think he can be a solid first line center but he's one guy and I dont think our forward group is very deep now or going into the future. McKenna is an offensive dynamo and Dupont is looking like a bigger better Makar albeit too early to tell.

 

[The Nemesis]

I don’t know anything about Kovalenko other than him being Andrei’s kid but our pro scouting has rarely missed under GMMG.

Everything instead yesterday suggests he's a mildly discount version of his dad. Not quite as powerfully built and not quite the offensive peak (Andrei was a 25-30 goal guy in his best years), but still a high energy, rugged winger who can forecheck hard, compete, and pop in a few goals in a middle 6 role. If he comes in now and can replace Kunin/Goodrow as the guy who elevates into a scoring line because we don't have 6 top 6 forwards but eventually settles into a 3rd line role where he can notch 15-18 goals a year and maybe 20-25 in a good year I'll be happy

 

[Jargon]

Everything instead yesterday suggests he's a mildly discount version of his dad. Not quite as powerfully built and not quite the offensive peak (Andrei was a 25-30 goal guy in his best years), but still a high energy, rugged winger who can forecheck hard, compete, and pop in a few goals in a middle 6 role. If he comes in now and can replace Kunin/Goodrow as the guy who elevates into a scoring line because we don't have 6 top 6 forwards but eventually settles into a 3rd line role where he can notch 15-18 goals a year and maybe 20-25 in a good year I'll be happy

That would be a huge win, frankly.