Sharks reportedly willing to listen to offers on almost anyone on their roster
The San Jose Sharks have had a very poor start to the 2022-23 season. Going into Thursday's game against the Toronto Maple Leafs, they sit sixth in the Pacific Division with a 2-7-0 record through nine games.
While it's still early, the Sharks are not expected to compete for a playoff spot, especially with teams like Edmonton, Calgary, Vegas and Los Angeles, who will likely occupy the three playoff spots in the division, as well as one of the two wild card spots in the Western Conference.
During Thursday's edition of Insider Trading, TSN's Pierre LeBrun said that the San Jose Sharks are willing to listen to offers on anyone on their roster, with the exception of Tomas Hertl, who signed an eight-year extension in mid-May.
"Well, what I would tell you, Gino, is that in talking with other teams around the league, that the Sharks have let it be known that they're willing to listen on pretty much every player on their roster other than perhaps Tomas Hertl, who just signed an eight-year extension last year." LeBrun said.
He added, "Listen, Mike Grier is the new GM, he didn't take long to make significant changes last summer either and this is where he's going to need to be creative. Brent Burns only had three teams he could be traded for last summer. He actually waived to go to Carolina which wasn't one of the three teams. That Sharks' payroll and roster right now has a bunch of guys, led by the likes of Erik Karlsson, with full no-move clauses, it's going to be difficult for Mike Grier to enact the kind of change that he wants, but that's his intention over the next couple years."
He added, "Listen, Mike Grier is the new GM, he didn't take long to make significant changes last summer either and this is where he's going to need to be creative. Brent Burns only had three teams he could be traded for last summer. He actually waived to go to Carolina which wasn't one of the three teams. That Sharks' payroll and roster right now has a bunch of guys, led by the likes of Erik Karlsson, with full no-move clauses, it's going to be difficult for Mike Grier to enact the kind of change that he wants, but that's his intention over the next couple years."
The Sharks have four pending unrestricted free agents that could be moved leading up to the deadline. Those players being Nick Bonino, Matt Nieto, Scott Harrington and James Reimer.
It's hard to see them trading him, but 26-year-old Timo Meier is set to become a restricted free agent with arbitration rights at the conclusion of the season. If they decide to move Meier, who is arguably their most valuable player on their roster, the Sharks could get a big return.
Sharks General Manager Mike Grier would probably like to move the contracts of defencemen Erik Karlsson and Marc-Edouard Vlasic, who make a combined $18,5 million AAV, but their high salaries may make any potential deal difficult, unless they are willing to retain a percentage.
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