Sheng Peng
The first day of free agency for the San Jose Sharks ended with a bang, but not the bang that some were expecting.
Instead of trading Erik Karlsson away, the Sharks traded for Anthony Duclair, sending out Steven Lorentz and a 2025 fifth-rounder to the Florida Panthers.
GM Mike Grier took to Zoom after the trade, talking about why Duclair fits, what’s going on with a Karlsson trade, why he targeted MacKenzie Blackwood in goal, and signing Kyle Burroughs, Givani Smith, and Fabian Zetterlund. He also shared why the San Jose Sharks didn’t qualify Noah Gregor, and if he’s looking to deal Logan Couture or Tomas Hertl.
Mike Grier, on when the Duclair trade came together:
Over the last couple of days. We actually talked about him a little bit at the Deadline.
He’s a player that brings a little bit of a different element that we don’t have here on the roster with the speed and goal-scoring ability and the pace of play. We had some good intel on him about the character and the energy he brings and all things like that.
Takeaway: Regular front office guest star Joe Thornton played with Duclair in Florida in 2021-22.
The Panthers’ salary cap problems are the Sharks’ gain: Florida traded Duclair ($3 million AAV) for Lorentz ($1.05 million), saving about $2 million on the cap, while gaining a legitimate if limited NHL regular in Lorentz.
Pending UFA Duclair, just one season left on his contract, could break out in his contract year. He’s going to get a chance to be San Jose’s go-to guy at wing – at the moment, he joins solid-but-unspectacular Alexander Barabanov and unproven prospect William Eklund as the Sharks’ most likely top-six options.
Duclair scored a career-high 31 goals in 2021-22, could he surpass that mark this season?
Grier, on if he plans to start the season with MacKenzie Blackwood and Kaapo Kahkonen between the pipes, and what he sees in Blackwood:
At this point, that’s the plan. Competition is a good thing. I’ve seen Blackie at his best in Jersey.
He’s a goalie with a lot of potential, super-athletic, and big. There’s not too many goalies in the league that have the athletic traits that he does, the ability that he does.
Takeaway: The post-Martin Jones search for stability in goal continues, from Devan Dubnyk to Adin Hill to James Reimer to Kahkonen, and now, Blackwood.
Grier (or Sharks director of goaltending Evgeni Nabokov) must like Blackwood though. It’s my understanding that the New Jersey Devils weren’t going to qualify RFA Blackwood, so best guess, San Jose ponied up the best draft pick in the derby for the 26-year-old.
Grier, on if he thinks Burroughs, signed to a three-year contract, can step into a larger role like Matt Benning, inked to a four-year deal last summer, did in 2022-23:
Absolutely.
Kyle has a lot of these characteristics that we’re looking to bring into the organization. Quinny and the staff did a good job, and the players did a good job buying in, and kind of building things up here, changing the mood and the culture around the dressing room.
Kyle is someone who will come in and will help with that, help us keep building and growing the culture.
Grier, on if an Erik Karlsson trade is near:
There’s nothing. Talk quiet at the moment. Nothing going on.
Takeaway: I do believe a trade might not be close because of how challenging it is – that was what I was told in the afternoon, when rumors that Karlsson was going to the Pittsburgh Penguins or Carolina Hurricanes were swirling – but it’s not that quiet. And things can change quick.
Credit to Grier, he put on a pretty good poker face when pressed about Karlsson.
Grier, on re-signing RFA Fabian Zetterlund to a two-year, $2.9 million contract:
I think people often forget the human element of the game. I know for myself, sometimes, it can be hard on you when you’re traded, physically and emotionally. Especially when you’re going from your first team to your second team and you’re leaving a team that’s in a playoff spot. And all that stuff. I know it wasn’t easy for Zetts, but he’s excited and we’re super-excited to have him back and to watch his game grow.
Takeaway: Zetterlund struggled after coming to the San Jose Sharks in the Timo Meier trade, going goalless in 22 games. Zetterlund, however, was well-regarded before the deal, and the expectation is he bounces back.
Grier, on the pushback that Burroughs and Smith will provide:
Yeah, I think the character is important. The energy that they play with is very important. At times, we felt like we needed a little bit more energy in the room.
There were times where I thought we weren’t hard enough or needed to be a little bit harder to play against. I think Givani and Kyle bring a little bit more grit and hardness to the group.
Grier, on if he’s talked with Logan Couture recently about potentially trading him:
We have not.
Logan’s everything I’m looking for and the organization is looking for in a player and a person.
I’m super-excited that he’s the captain of our hockey club, and he’s here to set the example for our group, especially as we start integrating younger players into the mix.
Grier, on if he’s talked with Tomas Hertl recently about potentially trading:
Tomas, he’s one of the leaders. Someone that all the players look up. I know for him personally, he wasn’t satisfied with this season. I think you probably saw some of the Instagram stuff that’s he’s posted. He looks great. He’s put in the time. I think he’s ready to have a really solid bounceback season and get back to the player we all know he can be.
Takeaway: Until Couture or Hertl push for a trade a la Karlsson and Brent Burns, I don’t think Grier will actively look to trade either. You’re not likely getting a lot back, as we saw with the return for Burns last summer.
Grier, on not qualifying RFA Noah Gregor:
Overall, he didn’t really fit what we were looking for. It was kind of an up-and-down season for him.
Grier, on what the San Jose Sharks want:
That’s the identity that we want to have. We want to be a fast-paced and competitive and in your face and hard to play against hockey team.
Takeaway: Gregor was always fast, but he wasn’t always hard to play against.
Grier, on if he’s looking for anything else in particular in free agency:
We’ll keep our eye open and see if there’s any bargains out there.
We’re probably set on the back-end, but if something becomes available up front or anything, I think we’re always open to try and make the roster better and improve the team.
Takeaway: Grier said before free agency that the Sharks weren’t going to target any of the high-end free agents, and he was true to his word.
While bargain-hunting might be disappointing to some fans, and certainly won’t boost the flagging attendance at SAP Center, it’s the right direction for a San Jose franchise that is in the midst of a rebuild.
If the Sharks are indeed done with adding defense, assuming Karlsson is dealt, they’ll have eight blueliners under contract heading into next season: Lefties Marc-Edouard Vlasic, Mario Ferraro, Radim Simek, Nikolai Knyzhov, Henry Thrun, and Jacob MacDonald, and righties Matt Benning and Kyle Burroughs.
Prospects Nick Cicek, Artemi Kniazev, and Nikita Okhotiuk, all lefties in the last year of their ELCs, will also be in the mix.
From this group, who’s going to quarterback San Jose’s top power play unit?