What’s Sensible Trade If Sharks Deal No. 11 Pick? (+)

Smokescreen or something percolating?

Last week, San Jose Sharks interim GM Joe Will suggested that under the right circumstances, San Jose’s No. 11 pick could be in play: “When you have the No. 11 pick, it’s an asset, and it’s an asset that you can use to make your team better in many different ways. We’re focused on the goal that we do need to replenish with younger players, but it doesn’t mean it’s a younger player through this draft. That could be any younger player that perhaps is part of something that fits within our winning cycle.”

Of course, this could be GM speak for of course it’s within the realm of earthly possibility that the Edmonton Oilers would offer us Connor McDavid for the No. 11 pick – and of course we’d make that trade – but short of that highly, highly, highly unlikely possibility, we’re keeping the pick.

On the other hand, the San Jose Sharks have been unequivocal in their desire to make the playoffs next year, and that’s coming all the way from ownership:

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So is there a realistic trade where the Sharks part with no. 11 and get back a “younger player that perhaps is part of something that fits within our winning cycle”?

There are, even if such a deal isn’t likely.