Team: 2023-24 San Jose Sharks

Initial Creation Date: Apr. 21, 2023

Published: Apr. 21, 2023

Salary Cap Mode: Basic

I acknowledge that this is more aggressive than I would like the big financial commitments are not terrible contracts.
There are 3 big needs the Sharks have: G, 2nd pair RD, top 6 RW.
G - Swayman is young and is a potential question mark but is an upgrade. The Sharks can threaten a 2nd round offer sheet and compromise to allow better compensation for player and team. If Boston would rather keep Swayman then they could trade for Ullmark instead. The contract might be a lot but it is only 3 years and would give time for Sharks to try and develop a cheep internal alternative.
2nd Pair RD - Severson would not require a trade but would be longer than ideal but needed to sign the player to a rebuilding team.
Top 6 RW - Debrincat has the poison pill QO and this would allow Ottawa to recoup some draft capital.

I also doubt ownership would want to buy out Simek, Lindblom, and Kakkonen but this is about building a playoff contender and all those players have no value and the cap space is needed.

While the Sharks won’t have much cap flexibility they will only have Barabonov who will need a raise after the 23-24 season. There is Vlassic and all the dead cap that will no longer be on the books when Bedard and Eklund would need extensions. Ideally a raising cap will aid in resigning those two as well but that is also why Swayman’s deal expires the same year. Hopefully they could develop a cheep starter by then.

This scenario is only if they win the lottery and want to try and win right away. If they don’t win the lottery they should do a complete 180 and sell off EK and anyone they can for picks and prospects.

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