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Sharks Take Middle-Round Pick & Run, Trade Megna to Kraken

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Credit: Hockey Shots/Dean Tait

The deconstruction of the 2022-23 San Jose Sharks continues.

The Sharks announced today that they’ve traded Jaycob Megna to the Seattle Kraken for a conditional 2023 fourth-round pick.

The 30-year-old defenseman, signed until next season for the veteran’s minimum ($750K in 2022-23, $775K in 2023-24, AAV $762,500), has emerged as Erik Karlsson’s primary defensive partner during Karlsson’s return-to-form All-Star campaign. Megna averaged 19:03 a night, fourth among San Jose Sharks defensemen. He was heavily relied on to kill penalties, also fourth most-used among Sharks blueliners.

To soak up Megna’s minutes, the Sharks could turn to recovering-from-a-concussion Radim Simek, rehabbing Nikolai Knyzhov, recently-acquired Jacob MacDonald, veteran Marc-Edouard Vlaisc, or Scott Harrington.

The Kraken will send the Sharks the latter of their two 2023 fourth-round selections, theirs or the Colorado Avalanche’s.

About two weeks ago, GM Mike Grier packaged stalwart penalty killer Matt Nieto and stalled prospect Ryan Merkley to the Avalanche for MacDonald and stalled prospect Martin Kaut. It appears, in Megna, that the exodus of key Sharks role players continues.

Nick Bonino, Nico Sturm, Matt Benning, Jonah Gadjovich, or Steven Lorentz could be next.

Parting with Megna and other role players might be for the best: The San Jose Sharks are 15-25-11, and there’s an argument that Megna, seen around the league as more of a bottom-pairing defenseman, might have been playing above his head on the top-pairing.

So take a middle-round pick and run?

Trade Values for Sharks Besides Karlsson, Meier? (+)

Megna represents another defenseman that the Sharks have built from zero NHL value to something NHL-tangible. In the fall of 2020, the San Jose organization signed Megna to an AHL contract. Megna became the captain of the San Jose Barracuda, eventually earning his way back to an NHL contract.

Last Trade Deadline, the Sharks traded defenseman Jake Middleton to the Minnesota Wild for goalie Kaapo Kahkonen and and a 2022 fifth-round pick. The San Jose organization had originally signed Middleton to an AHL contract in Oct. 2016.

So who’s next to be dealt for the San Jose Sharks? Stars like Karlsson and Timo Meier? More role players?

It’s shaping up to be busy Mar. 3 Trade Deadline for the Sharks.

San Jose hits the ice again after the bye/All-Star break on Feb. 7 at the Tampa Bay Lightning.

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