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

[Hodge]

Ultimately the 2022 Avs were arguably the best team of the cap era. It's unreasonable to expect any team to build a comparable roster and you don't need to in order to win the Cup.

 

[weastern bias]

This is perfectly true and accurate, but it's like telling a new parent not to get so anxious since it has been done billions of times before.

Besides, without anxiety HFboards would cease to exist...

It's more like telling a new aunt/uncle not to be so anxious because they're not the one making the decisions

Just enjoy the cute new baby and be ready to tell your dumb sister/brother "I told you so" when they have to repeat the 4th grade and it was clearly because they were allowed to watch TV at too young of an age

 

[Lebanezer]

~30 games in the 2025 regular season are not the 2022 playoffs.

Oh I know, it’s just funny that he posted it right after you said that about Makar.

 

[Cas]

You're right for some reason EP has very little playoff stats for the 2022 Avs. None for Landeskog. I still think it's a huge reach and we need both McKenna and Dupont to get us to that level. That or we'll have to see if we can get our hands on top 5 picks of quality in those same coming years.

You're using EP for NHL-level stats?

 

[Patty Ice]

We need a Makar and Schaefer could be that guy. Nobody expected Makar to turn into what he is today in his draft year.

Even better, we have a Cagnoni

 

[Hangemhigh]

I noticed that a Mack and a Smith were traded from the Sharks. Maybe this is the new rebuild already?

 

[jMoneyBrah]

I noticed that a Mack and a Smith were traded from the Sharks. Maybe this is the new rebuild already?

For all those accusing Shen of clickbait titles, let’s at least credit him for not using “Sharks trade Mack and Smith for a 2026 2nd and some loose change; Grier explains”

 

[LadyStanley]

Apparently 4 teams were interested in Blackwood.

 

[Jargon]

Apparently 4 teams were interested in Blackwood.

Can we interest them in a slightly used Vanacek? It’ll cost them a 2nd and a prospect…

 

[TheBeard]

Apparently 4 teams were interested in Blackwood.

If this is the case I’m disappointed in the return.

 

[jMoneyBrah]

If this is the case I’m disappointed in the return.

Why? A 2nd + NHL middle 6 winger seems to be among the best returns for a UFA goalie in the last decade. Probably the fact there were multiple teams bidding is how Grier got that offer from the Avs.

 

[timorous me]

If this is the case I’m disappointed in the return.

Was it possible to get above a second round pick? I'm highly skeptical of that. Which means what else can you get--and I feel like Kovalenko was probably better than anything else on the table (like even if someone else was offering a mid-round pick in addition to a second, I'd rather have Kovalenko).

 

[OrrNumber4]

You have to trust in management's player evaluation. They seemed to target Kovalenko. They liked Kunin, Dellandrea, Blackwood, Vanecek, Zetterlund, Makiniemi, and Thompson. Make of that what you will.

 

[Juxtaposer]

If someone were offering more than a 2nd for Blackwood, then he would have been traded to that team instead of Colorado. So do the math.

 

[LadyStanley]

 

[TheBeard]

Was it possible to get above a second round pick? I'm highly skeptical of that. Which means what else can you get--and I feel like Kovalenko was probably better than anything else on the table (like even if someone else was offering a mid-round pick in addition to a second, I'd rather have Kovalenko).

I think you’re underestimating
the cost to take Igor off their hands.

If someone were offering more than a 2nd for Blackwood, then he would have been traded to that team instead of Colorado. So do the math.

Then I would have waited.

 

[weastern bias]

I think you’re underestimating
the cost to take Igor off their hands.


Then I would have waited.

No rental goalie has returned a 1st round pick in a trade for over a decade, your expectations aren't realistic here

Georgiev is an expiring goalie contract, that's always going to come back when you trade away a goalie, the quality of the player is immaterial, they even retained salary on him, it's like expecting that we should have spent assets for the Leafs to take Stalock from us when we traded for James Reimer, taking back a bad goalie is just part of the cost of doing business when your trade away a good goalie

 

[The Nemesis]

Then I would have waited.

Then the price would've dropped.

 

[Munnyro]

I can't believe we got a 2nd plus for a UFA goalie mid season. This almost never happens.

 

[jMoneyBrah]

I think you’re underestimating
the cost to take Igor off their hands.


Then I would have waited.

Out of curiosity what is the delta between what was traded and what you’d now be happy with? Are we talking about a 1st instead of a 2nd? Another 2nd? An extra 5th?

 

[TheBeard]

Then the price would've dropped.

I doubt that. Prices always go up as the season goes on. It's not like Blackwood was competing against anyone else. Gibson had term. There's at least 5 teams in desperate need including Carolina, LA, Edmonton... hell Boston probably would have done something desperate with the way Sway has been playing.

There was zero chance his value would have decreased.

 

[Star Platinum]

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.

I think our forward prospects group is pretty deep, but there's a fair question about how many of the guys not already in the NHL are top 6 guys. Sucks that Musty and Chernyshov aren't healthy so that we can get a bead on how where they're at.

 

[TheBeard]

Out of curiosity what is the delta between what was traded and what you’d now be happy with? Are we talking about a 1st instead of a 2nd? Another 2nd? An extra 5th?

Probably an extra third or a more prominent non-roster D man. I suppose the value wouldn't have increased that much. I don't hate the return. Don't get me wrong.

 

[TheBeard]

No rental goalie has returned a 1st round pick in a trade for over a decade, your expectations aren't realistic here

Georgiev is an expiring goalie contract, that's always going to come back when you trade away a goalie, the quality of the player is immaterial, they even retained salary on him, it's like expecting that we should have spent assets for the Leafs to take Stalock from us when we traded for James Reimer, taking back a bad goalie is just part of the cost of doing business when your trade away a good goalie

Rental? No. But teams are beginning to get desperate as shown by the Devils trade for Markstrom. Granted he had another year left, but they didn't have to send a camp dump back and Markstrom makes significantly more money (nixed by the retention). And frankly, Blackwood has been a better goaltender recently and is 6 years younger.

 

[Star Platinum]

Can we interest them in a slightly used Vanacek? It’ll cost them a 2nd and a prospect…

Once a Vanecek loses that new goalie smell, it just isn't the same