Middleton will get more. Knyzhov less. Remember Knyzhov missed the entire season, he will come cheap. I'd say Mids will get around 1.5-2 mil. Kny around 850k Middleton has had an excellent season statistically, his breakout year.

Simek still has value and Labanc should be allowed to recover his value before we dump him.

1.5-2 mil for Middleton is a lot for a long time AHLer who's still an RFA, he's fit well with Karlsson but I don't think he's really that good. The shine could come off of him as fast as Simek's did after he played well with Burns for a while.

I don't disagree, this is very much biting the bullet and trying to improve without counting on under performing players rebounding. I'm also hoping that the rebound potential keeps the price to trade him from ballooning.

Agreed on your point on Middleton (though I think he gets a slight raise, maybe 950k or even 1mil), but Sharks definitely don't need to part with a 2nd just to trade out Labanc and Simek. Labanc can probably get us back a 2nd/3rd and Simek can get us back a 5th/6th.

Point totals can be deceiving. GMs know that this year is largely an anomaly for Labanc, who wrongly played in the bottom-6 with offensively-challenged guys like Bonino and Weatherby before getting injured pretty much for the first time in his career which he should easily bounce back from.

Middleton's advanced metrics are really good with and without Karlsson. You have a point re: Simek but Middleton will get more than league minimum. Also Spiridonov has to be signed or he is released from SJ. He's a solid 200 ft player that the Barracuda could really use. He's a very underrated prospect.

My goodness these trades to dump Simek are bad. Why give up a 2nd and Labanc who can produce at a top 6 level when given a fair shake? And then adding in a prospect too?