Team: 2022-23 San Jose Sharks

Initial Creation Date: Mar. 1, 2022

Published: Mar. 1, 2022

Salary Cap Mode: Basic

Management seems to want the best of both worlds: compete next season but also get younger and acquire draft capital. "Reset", so to speak -- a word they've used in the past.

Regardless of whether or not they should go this route (I personally think it's doable but it'll be very difficult), here's a general blueprint for what they need to do to achieve this.

1) RESIGN HERTL

Hertl needs to be resigned if this franchise seriously intends to compete next season. The good news is that talks seem to be going well. I think an 8x8mil deal gets done soon, possible an even better deal since it looks like SJ wants to sign Hertl but is also playing hardball financially.

2) TRADE OUT ANYONE ELSE AT THE TRADE DEADLINE (or offseason)

Trade out Cogliano, Bonino, Hill (NJD is said to be shopping for a goaltender and they wouldn't want a UFA or an old guy, I think Hill fits the bill here as he's set to come off of IR in the next week), Simek (add a mid-round draft pick if that's what it takes. His contract isn't immovable though, he's still a decent depth dman). You can move Barabanov to WSH for a 2nd and 3rd rounder, and that might be the better move, but he's a personal favorite of mine and SJ can use his creativity to create dynamite on a line with Strome and Nichushkin here. Labanc to the Isles (or somewhere else) for a late rounder for the cap space, otherwise he's a fine bet for a bounce-back year next season since this year he was strapped to Bonino and Weatherby -- two seriously offensively-challenged centers -- on bottom lines this year before getting injured.

3) WIN FREE AGENCY

This doesn't mean going out of your way to sign Bonino and Cogliano at the start of free agency and patting yourself on the back like they did last season. Or trading for Devon Dubnyk and Ryan Donato and thinking you've just outsmarted the entire league by acquiring two future Hall of Famers. Stop it with that nonsense. Sign high-impact players. Specifically ones that fit team needs. Strome and Nichuskin here would be perfect fits and would be very attainable at the cap hits listed. Marchment still has ties to the organization with his father Bryan not just being a former fan favorite Shark himself, but he currently works in management for San Jose. He also fills a team need by stabilizing the bottom lines a bit and adding that physical presence the coaching staff love (and probably rightly so since the Sharks seem to be missing it) while still having good skill.

4) BUYOUT VLASIC

This scenario has SJ being active with quality free agent signings, which is a necessity if they're to compete. They simply need the cap space to do this and buying out Vlasic helps in that regard even if it hurts.

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