Looking ahead, in the offseason Newhook replaces Saad, and O'Connor and Bowers replace Bellemare and Calvert. Graves gets taken by Seattle and is replaced by a cheap UFA or via trade.

Expansion Draft protection (7+3+1):
- Mackinnon, Rantanen, Landeskog, Hertl, Burakovsky, Kadri, Nichuskin
- Makar, Girard, Toews
- Grubauer

Exposed: Donskoi, O'Connor*, Graves, Johnson (waives NMC), Francouz

* O'Connor needs to play another 22 of the next 41 games to reach the 27 game threshold to meet the criteria as one of the two forwards exposed, but he should easily reach that as 12th or 13th forward. If he doesn't then Nichuskin gets exposed instead.

Funny how the most seemingly straightforward moves have hidden ramifications. (Very well constructed trade, by the way, but I've come to expect that from you.)

If Erik Johnson waives his NMC for purposes of the expansion draft, no problem: you get to protect all of your forwards plus your three most valuable defensemen without further drama. (Of course, you'd have to acquire some cannon fodder to supply the necessary qualified forwards, but that shouldn't be too hard.). But if Johnson DOESN'T waive, you'd have some skillful maneuvering to do.

Edit: HAH! As I was typing, so were you.

Thanks, I appreciate the feedback!

Erik Johnson knows he won't get taken by Seattle so he has no reason not to waive. But if he doesn't he'll force Sakic's hand and he'll get traded to one of the 19 teams on his trade list, or just simply bought out.

God damnit dude we are not trading Hertl!!
I’d doesn’t matter that your trade is very reasonable and logical and if I was GM I would at least consider this and maybe counter asking for your 22 1st instead.

I hate that our GM is to arrogant to look at the big picture and realize he needs to make better choices and start the rebuild.

This is fair and reasonable but the sharks in the end decline because A. Hertl is our biggest fan favorite and it would hurt ticket sales and marketing to let him go, and B Wilson thinks we can still be a cup contender.

I'm sorry if I offended San Jose fans somehow by making this proposal. Has Wilson explicitly come out and said that Hertl isn't moving at any cost, or what makes you so adamant that he's not getting traded?

I was initially looking at San Jose as a potential destination for Compher if we were to move him, but then I realised that you'd need to move a contract to make it work. SJ's cap situation is pretty bad to say the least, with only $10.5m in space in the offseason and half a roster to fill. Something will have to give, and Hertl's contract looks like the easiest and most obvious to move given his soon-to-be UFA status.

That being the case I figured that 3 young NHLer's + Compher would be a decent way for San Jose to start to fill out their lineup with solid young players again to try to be competitive sooner rather than later, even if it costs them a 2C. They simply can't continue with this bottom 6 and D and expect to be competitive.

Wilson must by now surely be realising that San Jose don't have a hope of making the playoffs or doing any damage even if they got there and got to face Vegas or Colorado in round 1. San Jose need to kickstart a rebuild asap if they're going to have any hope of being competitive within the timeframe of Burns and Karlsson's contracts.

Regarding the 1st, is there a reason why you want it to be 2022 instead? Better draft and more scouted presumably? I don't really mind either way. Also happy to include both 1st's instead of one of Kaut/Timmins if you prefer that too.

Lol I’m sorry you totally didn’t offend me or any sharks fan! It’s a fair trade and I would consider it but the sharks won’t! I’m more mad at out GM not this post.

I agree with everything you said above, your very logical and I feel like you deserve an apology as I was trying to be funny not rude.
As for trading Hertl here is the article where Doug says he won’t trade Hertl.

https://nhltradetalk.com/san-jose-sharks-will-keep-tomas-hertl/

And 21 draft only has like 2/3 top end talents and a lot of middling prospects 22 is suppose to put 20 draft to shame with its depth and quality.

Seems Fair

I would attempt to replace Timmins with Helleson and Jost with Bowers, because sometimes Mr. Right Now is more important than Mr. Right. Otherwise it might be worth it.

It's kinda funny you posted this as I actually thought about trying something similar with Horvat. In the end I decided it was too early to go there and that I didn't want to take the wrath of backlash that would be associated with posting it, lol.

I don’t mind this but I’m not sure how to feel overall. I like Kaut and Timmins. Jost is pretty okay as well, but honestly I don’t think Compher has much positive value at his cap hit anymore. The first is nice for sure as well.

Overall I just think a prospect with more high end offensive talent would be nice rather than a large quantity of players who are all most realistically bottom 6/bottom 4 players. But a solid offer nonetheless.