San Jose Shakes Up Bottom Six on Deadline Day

Feb 19, 2015; Dallas, TX, USA; San Jose Sharks center Andrew Desjardins (10) prepares to face the Dallas Stars during the second period at the American Airlines Center. Desjardins scores two goals in the second .Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

If you’re a pending free agent for the San Jose Sharks, be on alert that your days in teal may be over.

The San Jose Sharks have made a couple of reported minor transactions in an attempt to reshape the third and fourth lines. San Jose has sent Andrew Desjardins to the Chicago Blackhawks in exchange for forward Ben Smith and a conditional seventh round pick in the 2017 NHL Draft. The Sharks are also retaining half of Desjardins’ salary in the acquisition.

A short time after that news broke, General Manager Doug Wilson remained active in sending forward Tyler Kennedy to the New York Islanders in exchange for a conditional 2016 third round draft pick.  

Desjardins has been a mainstay as the fourth line center for San Jose since he made his debut for the Sharks during the 2010-11 season. He has scored a career-high five goals this season to go along with three assists and 50 penalty minutes. Desjardins was originally signed as a free agent by San Jose on June 26, 2010. He scored 15 goals and 33 assists, with 248 penalty minutes in 272 games for the Sharks.

Smith, who also made his debut during the 2010-112 season, should offer more scoring potential than Desjardins. Smith has five goals and four assists in 61 games for the Blackhawks this season, but broke out for Chicago a season ago. Smith tallied career highs with 14 goals and 12 assists and was a plus-three in 75 games for the Blackhawks last season.

Kennedy struggled to gain any traction in San Jose as he was often in-and-out of the lineup with either injury concerns or by coaches decision. Kennedy was acquired from the Pittsburgh Penguins for a second round pick in 2013. Kennedy appeared in only 92 games for San Jose posting eight goals and 18 assists and a minus-nine rating.

Many felt that Kennedy was under-utilized in San Jose, but he was not a consistent enough performer. While the complaints are valid, it’s telling that Kennedy did not appear in one playoff game during his tenure for the Sharks.

In a smaller acquisition, the Sharks announced that they traded Freddie Hamilton to the Colorado Avalanche in exchange for defenseman Karl Stollery.

Stollery, a left-handed defenseman, has appeared in only five games for Colorado this season, posting zero points and a plus-three rating. In 68 games last season for the Lake Eerie Monsters of the AHL, Stollery posted seven goals and 23 assists with 42 penalty minutes and a plus-one rating.

Hamilton, a fifth round pick by San Jose in 2010, never could crack the lineup for the Sharks. Hamilton posted 35 goals and 34 assists, but he was a minus-23 in 140 games with the Worcester Sharks of the AHL. He appeared in 12 games for San Jose with zero points and a minus-six rating.

These moves come on the heels of last night’s news that the Sharks traded James Sheppard to the New York Rangers in exchange for a 2016 fourth round pick.

San Jose does have an actual important game tonight as they host the Eastern Conference leading Montreal Canadiens at 7 p.m.