Mikael Granlund was named an alternate captain for Finland at the Four Nations Faceoff in Boston and Montreal, but the questions surrounding Granlund stem from more than his time playing with Team Finland. Granlund is a pending unrestricted free agent, and the Sharks are deep in a rebuild, leading to the logical conclusion that a trade is coming for the Finnish forward. Grier has said it's unlikely Granlund re-signs before the deadline, so he's probably going.
San Jose is out of retention spots, so a creative GM must acquire him to make the numbers work. San Jose could take money back, but not many contenders want to subtract from their roster at this point, meaning that acquiring Granlund will require a workaround. In the recent Mikko Rantanen blockbuster, we've seen that third-party teams can facilitate major trades for a small payment, but it could damage the return the Sharks would get for Granlund.
Regarding interested teams, we know that Carolina and Boston need centers, but there might be more than meets the eye here. Colorado just lost Mikko Rantanen, so perhaps they could pivot to the Finnish forward to help replace his production. We'll see if the Capitals come calling, and Toronto is in the market for another centerman, but their cap situation is much more challenging to maneuver around. There will be no lack of interest in the centerman.
The issue will be in the return. San Jose will rightfully demand a first-round pick and more for the services of the Oulu native. The four nations will be a time for the 32-year-old forward to show what he can offer contending teams around the NHL, and the Sharks can use his inflated value after this tournament to get a better return. San Jose will likely move on from Granlund, but we'll surely see what the future holds.