San Jose made their second trade with Toronto before Monday’s deadline acquiring netminder James Reimer.
After a disappointing week for the San Jose Sharks, they acquired a goalie to remedy the catastrophe that was Alex Stalock. With a .884 save percentage, the fact that the Sharks needed an upgrade was an understatement. So what did they do?
Alex Stalock, Ben Smith and a conditional 4th in 2018 for James Reimer and forward Jeremy Morin.
— Darren Dreger (@DarrenDreger) February 27, 2016
With this trade the Sharks have another goalie Pete DeBoer can trust. James Reimer will not only provide Martin Jones with plenty of rest but the difference in performance between the two aren’t far off. Look at it this way, the Sharks just traded a fourth-round pick to duplicate their starting goaltender. That’s fine with me.
As a result, the Sharks should be confident that Jones will be fresh for the playoffs. If not, they won’t hesitate to turn to Reimer who is just as dependable. In fact, reverting to a tandem going forward doesn’t sound like a bad idea. With two starter-quality goalies, riding the hot hand into the playoffs could give them a chance to go farther into the playoffs.
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Granted, a massive upgrade at the backup goalie position shouldn’t improve your chances much when you’re preparing for the Anaheim Ducks or the Los Angeles Kings. But this is a step in the right direction. A fourth-round pick sounds like the typical price to obtain a backup goalie and the Sharks landed the best option for that spot. Jones can now breathe a sigh of relief.
There is another interesting development in this trade however. Looks like Reimer and Stalock (both of whom are unrestricted free agents) are willing to return to their former clubs this summer. That becomes an interesting story during the offseason because if Reimer returns to the Maple Leafs, the Sharks are back at square one.
I want to believe that Lou Lamoriello felt bad for fleecing Doug Wilson and wanted to return the favor. That’s the only theory that makes sense because the two trades cancel each other out. But nonetheless, the Sharks stockpiled their depth this trade deadline and that is all fans can ask for.
With these two trades, San Jose’s roster is now set and ready for the stretch run. The Sharks have a 10-point cushion in the Pacific, so they can set their full attention to hunting down their SoCal rivals which won’t be easy.
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Regardless, Wilson has tipped his hand and now it’s time for the chips to fall where they may.
So let’s sit back and enjoy this upcoming playoff run as the future doesn’t look so bright.