Sheng Peng
It’s one day before the Trade Deadline.
We’ve talked about the San Jose Sharks’ usual suspects on the market, impending UFAs Devan Dubnyk, Patrick Marleau, Marcus Sorensen, and Matt Nieto. Dubnyk, of course, was shipped out yesterday.
Last night, Elliotte Friedman reported that fellow impending UFA Kurtis Gabriel could also be on the move:
A source also told San Jose Hockey Now early this week that Kevin Labanc was “available at the right price”:
Here’s one Shark that SJHN has constantly been checking up on – and for good reason.
He’s 27, productive, signed to a very reasonable contract this year and next, plays a high-value position in all situations, and is an alternate captain.
There might not be a San Jose Sharks player, save for perhaps Mario Ferraro, who could command more in trade right now than Tomas Hertl.
So what’s the buzz around Hertl?
First, let’s acknowledge, painful for fans as it may be in regards to the popular Hertl, that there’s a really good argument for trading him, for all the reasons already enumerated.
“They would get a big return,” NHL Source #1 opined.
The 27-year-old could be leaving his prime and is in line for a massive pay raise next year – and the San Jose Sharks don’t appear to be equipped to contend for the Cup soon. What better way to super-charge your “reset” than to bring in a bevy of young talent and high draft picks?
NHL Source #2 offered: “I bet [teams] are asking.” From another source, SJHN can confirm this.
So is Doug Wilson biting?
“It doesn’t seem likely,” said NHL Source #3.
Why not?
“Now you’re in a rebuild, not a retool,” Source #1 pointed out. Wilson’s word, of course, was “reset” – which SJHN took to mean closer to “retool” than “rebuild”.
“You’re always trying to add assets when you’re doing a reset like we’re going through,” Wilson said about trading Dubnyk. “But make no mistake, we’re trying to compete to make the playoffs this year and compete every night. We know that we’ll be a good team come next September.”
That doesn’t sound like a GM ready to sell a star center for a bunch of futures.
There’s also good reason to believe that Hertl could become the next in a long line of beloved San Jose Sharks’ culture setters, that he could take the baton from Marleau, Joe Thornton, Joe Pavelski, Brent Burns, and Logan Couture.
And yes, I know Marleau, Thornton, and Pavelski all left San Jose, but not until they were well into their 30’s.
“Hear he’s a great guy,” Source #3 said. “Those guys are so important to have in the locker room.”
Source #1 agreed, adding, “I find it hard to believe that they would move Hertl. I think Hertl right now is better than Couture. Couture looks tired recently.
“You don’t find these big, strong first or second-line centers [easily], they don’t fall off trees.”