Mikael Granlund
This is a more interesting player to look at because he was traded at the deadline last year when he moved from the Nashville Predators organization to the Pittsburgh Penguins. Finding his way to San Jose in the Erik Karlsson trade, Mikael Granlund is someone who needs to be moved to a new home this winter. Let him help a team get into the postseason this spring and return an asset or two for the organization to use.
Granlund isn’t a bad player and has been a good member of the Sharks to begin this season. This is nothing personal, and we should all be grateful for his two goals and eight assists for ten points on the season. That’s second on the team, behind only Tomas Hertl. He really has been a good addition to the roster, and he is finding success on a team that has been struggling.
The problem with keeping Granlund around is that he will turn 32 before the trade deadline. He’s not got long enough left in his career to be spending it on a tanking team that is trying to build its future core. He’s on the back nine of his career and on the wrong side of 30. Making sure he has a chance to go and chase the cup is going to be important. If he’s available in free agency, revisit the matter.
Granlund was traded from the Predators to the Penguins last deadline for a second-round draft pick. He had an extra year at the time, which gave him more value. However, he’s going to have a better season in San Jose than he did in Nashville if he continues his current scoring pace. Perhaps a second is another fair return for the Finnish forward. Or perhaps I’m out of my mind.