Report: San Jose Sharks Trade For Kevin Bieksa Falls Apart
Apr 21, 2015; Calgary, Alberta, CAN; Calgary Flames center Sam Bennett (63) and Vancouver Canucks defenseman Kevin Bieksa (3) chase the puck in game four of the first round of the 2015 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Scotiabank Saddledome. Flames won 3-1. Mandatory Credit: Candice Ward-USA TODAY Sports
In a hotly discussed rumor for most of the day leading up to the 2015 NHL Draft, it appeared all but certain that Kevin Bieksa would be heading to the San Jose Sharks. However, nothing is official until it actually happens and in this case, nothing ever did.
Talks between the Sharks and Vancovuer Canucks fell apart after the two teams couldn’t come to an agreement, it appears, on second round picks.
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According to a report from Pierre LeBrun of ESPN, the year of the second round pick cause the snag in the trade talks. San Jose, who held two second round picks in 2016, wanted to send one of those selections to Vancouver in the deal; however, the Canucks wanted the Sharks to send their 2015 second round pick, number 39 overall, but San Jose was wisely unwilling to do so.
The Sharks went ahead and traded one of their 2016 second round selection, along with the 39th pick this year, in order to move up and select Jeremy Roy so it appears the Bieksa talks to San Jose are now dead.
General manager Doug Wilson was smart to avoid making this deal as the Sharks were able to find an offensive, puck moving defenseman through the draft. Plus, Bieksa, 34, has seen his play on the decline in recent years and having him for any period longer than a year would have been a mistake.
Wilson will continue to search for defensive help, but thankfully for the Sharks and their fans, he didn’t pull the trigger on this trade.