Ben Shelley: Examining the Sharks’ cap situation

The sharks need to move at least 2 big contracts to free up cap space.. ideally Jones and Vlasic but those 2 are most likely un movable due to cap situations. At this point the sharks should be willing to trade anyone on the roster.. the team needs a shake up and moving a couple core pieces might do some good

When a team has as bad a season as the Sharks had last season they have to make big changes. Expecting the same roster to suddenly become a cup contender would be unwise. Try and dump $ and older players for draft choices and prospects to make room for a younger, cheaper team.

Exactly.. only problem is 2/3rds of the team has some sort of no trade or no movement clause.. can't move most of them.. and the teams they would want to go to most likely won't have the cap room

I understand why people might want the Sharks to blow it up but they can't. The only big money contract they can trade is Meier, and that's the only one they absolutely shouldn't. They've committed to Couture, Kane, Meier, Hertl, EK65, Burns and Vlasic. They're also stuck with Jones unless they buy him out.

Assuming they resign Lebanc between 4M-5M AAV, this is a good time to have $10M of cap space. The only problem is they don't have a lot of trade equity so they'll be looking at UFAs and non-tendered RFAs to fill out the lineup.

They need a middle six winger: A guy like Frolik or Granlund who will have to take a major pay cut to stay in the league.

They need a shut down center: Don't count out the Milkman here. But also look at Nate Thompson, Brad Richardson or anyone who will sign for under 2M.

They need a 3rd pairing RHD: Everything from bringing back Demelo to pursuing someone with some jam like Radko Gudas

They need a backup goalie with enough experience to take over the number 1 job should Jones either fail to regain form or get bought out: Kinkaid, Talbot, Elliott, (Crow?) etc.

Doug Wilson has been in the game a long time and the Sharks have been a playoff team for most of the last 20 years. I think he finds a way to get them back to the dance next season.

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I could see a trade involving Burns, maybe Toronto for Nylander. The Sharks have been looking into Vantanen, another offensive RHD, and remember that Merkley is about a year away. That would coincide with the expansion draft for Seattle, which also opens up some possibilities. We could also give our college guys, Leonard and Palischuck (I know I spelled that wrong) and Handemark a shot to round out the bottom 6 and 3D without breaking the bank. Then we'd have enough for a solid goalie.