doesnt seem remotely close.

not denying potential, i know hutson has a lot, but he doesnt feel like the type of dman you center your team around, and if the sharks are going to move their current best prospect it would have to be a face of the franchise type player. Hutson isn't that. Teams don't move 1C caliber guys for strong 2nd pair dmen.

What is more, if the argument is that the sharks need defense, they would have just picked Reinbacher last year.

It should be a easy decision for the sharks to pass on this weak offer.

I think Hutson is the next Quinn Hughes based on the 2 games he played this season. He is an A+ prospect all day. That being said, I respect your opinion and understand how you might feel differently.

Hutson will be solid but Smith is definitely on another level

internal bias and small sample sizes can lead to a lot of opinions, but that doesnt mean that he is on the same level as Smith. There is nothing that is motivating the sharks to make this type of deal. They can grab a dman with pick 14 or use next years pick to fill out that position. I think the likelihood of Smith being a franchise player is significantly higher than Hutson, not by a newhook of seperation.

I can call that internal bias as well (Edit: just realized you're not a Sharks fan) Everyone doubts the small offensive defensemen... Until they don't!

Anyway, thanks for sharing your perspective!

Hell no. Newhook is a third liner and Hutson has yet to play an nhl season as an undersized Dman. The sharks already have a small Dman projecting in a similar way in Cagnoni. Smith has by far the highest potential in the trade

ya i dont think you are wrong for seeing that upside, and there's definitely promise there, but the same could be said about the sharks. moving on from a guy they took at 4 this early is something that just about never happens. i just believe the degree of upside in smith is far more likely and has a much higher ceiling, to the point where not just this trade, but any trade, would be rejected.

This and Hutson isnt a type of player Grier seems to value that highly. He likes the big boys, and trading Smith for Hutson doesn’t make a lot of sense. I dont see Hutson as a MUCH better player than Mukhamadulin, although definitely better. If Hutson is a 3A defender 2B Muk is a true 3rd best d man. Would rather have smith and Celebrini

A potential counter offer (From a rangers fan, so neutral)
Smith and 14th overall for Hutson and 5th Overall.

Obviously this trade would still never happen bc San Jose arent trading will smith, but I think this makes it alot more interesting for San Jose

Tough counter. Not sure what I would do. Personally I think Kent Hughes loves Will Smith (he coached him for several years) and badly wanted to draft him. That being said, I feel the Habs organization may be drooling over Tij Iginla who they "may" prefer over Cayden Lindstrom.

I have no idea. I think I take this deal and use the pick to draft Cole Hutson and hope he turns into an even better player than Lane.

Yeah no

Sharks pass on that too smith is better than anyone you get at 5. He’s going likely 2 in this this draft, if not 1.

I think San Jose declines.