Daily Faceoff recently updated their top trade target big board, and there are tons of interesting names and possibilities for the Sharks to look into this offseason, and potentially make a big splash this offseason. In this article, I will look into some interesting splashes the Sharks could make this offseason on the trade market.
JJ Peterka
I have talked about Bowen Byram and his potential fit with the Sharks, but Buffalo has another young star available in JJ Peterka, who could also be an excellent fit for the Sharks. Peterka is coming off a career year with 68 points this past season for the Sabres, and at 23, he fits the timeline for the Sharks. Peterka appears all but certain to move, as he has expressed interest in a change of scenery. The trade fit between the Sharks and Sabres is awkward, as Buffalo appears to be looking for NHL-ready assets. However, another name on the trade board is defenseman Mattias Samuelsson, who has 5 years remaining at 4.29AAV and has not lived up to this contract. The Sharks' ability to absorb Samuelsson’s full contract could be attractive to the Sabres. While it wouldn't necessarily lower Peterka’s value, it could be a chance for the Sabres to clear Samuelsson off the books and still get value for Peterka. Sharks have a lot of young assets like Buffalo native Quentin Musty that could be interesting for the Sabres in a return package of picks and prospects.
Samual Girard
Sam Girard may not be a top-pairing defenseman. Still, the 27-year-old brings tons of playoff experience and is a solid puck-moving offensive defenseman who could man the powerplay for the Sharks, who desperately need offence from their blueline. Girard has two years remaining at a 5 million AAV, and while he wouldn't be cheap to acquire, he probably wouldn't cost a premium either. He could add some juice to the backend for the young core over the next couple of seasons and be flipped or re-signed down the line for the Sharks. The Avs need to clear cap space, and Girard is probably not in their plans beyond his current contract. Adding NHL-ready prospects could be interesting for the Avs, who need to find cheap NHL-calibre depth to fill out the roster.
Noah Dobson
The islanders getting the number 1 pick and Matthew Schaefer could have started a ripple effect, leading to the availability of Noah Dobson. The 25-year-old right-shot offensive defenseman would be a perfect fit for the Sharks. There are concerns; Dobson is currently an RFA with arb rights and could walk himself straight to free agency if he is not satisfied with the Sharks long term. This would be a no-go for the Sharks, who can’t afford to give up significant assets for a rental. If a trade were to happen, an extension would have to be in place to make sense. Reportedly, Dobson’s ask is 11 million per season, which is outrageous. If Dobson and the Sharks can agree on a more reasonable price around 8-9 million AAV, however, a trade could make perfect sense as the Sharks could offer the Islanders picks and prospects to further revamp their weak farm system as they pivot to build around Schaefer long-term.
With things heating up, next week could be very exciting for Sharks fans, as there are tons of assets and options available to them. And with tons of interesting names on the trade board, a big splash is not out of the question.