3 Takeaways From the Sharks’ Quiet Trade Deadline

“We weren’t able to get some of the guys that we were interested in and made some offers on,” Sharks general manager Mike Grier said. “That’s often the case this time of year. Prices are high. Like I’ve always said, it’s an eye on the future, as well as balancing that out between the future and the here and now. I’ve got to decide how far you’re willing to go and what type of assets you’re willing to give up.”

Soon enough, the Sharks’ time will come where they are aggressive buyers, the same way they were in many past seasons of contention. Until then, with as many shortcomings as they have, they’re better suited taking their time and trying to win with the current group.

Sharks Giving Young Core a Chance

The Sharks have gotten into playoff position largely off the strength of a group of young players having breakout campaigns, highlighted by one star in Macklin Celebrini. Along with some veteran help, they’ve used their talent and chemistry to fight for a spot almost no one expected them to be in. They deserve a chance to see the season to completion, and now they’re going to get it since none of them were included in trades.

“They just scrapped and battled their way all season long. Even the last few games they’ve played well and got themselves back in the mix,” Grier said. “We felt like it was the best thing to do for them, in all fairness to them, to keep the group together and see how the rest of the season goes.”

The Sharks haven’t made a true playoff push in a long time, and now they’re going to attempt one on a team loaded with players who have never been in an NHL stretch run before. But with how they’ve played this season, they’ve earned that opportunity. It’s a great chance to experience a postseason race for the first time, and it will give those players a crucial foundation for the coming seasons.

Expect Sharks to Make Defensive Overhaul Soon

Perhaps the biggest surprise of the trade deadline for the Sharks was that they didn’t make any trades to improve their defense. They had four defensemen who are set to be unrestricted free agents at the end of the season, but Liljegren was the only one of them to be dealt. Grier did explore moving Mario Ferraro and John Klingberg, but nothing came to fruition.

At this point, the Sharks may try to re-sign some of their blueliners, but at least a couple of them are likely playing their last handful of games in San Jose. The Sharks are scoring the 18th-most goals per game in the NHL this season but also allow the fourth-most. Given how many young forwards they have, their offense is improving, and their defense needs to catch up.

The Sharks need to make some upgrades on their blue line, but they either weren’t willing to move any forwards at the deadline, felt like the current group earned a few more months together, or both. They’ll change their defense in the offseason, whether via trade or free agency, but for now they’re counting on the unit that’s gotten them this far.

Sharks’ In-Between Status Reflected in Deadline

The Sharks had their quietest trade deadline since Grier became general manager, which is a positive for team chemistry as well as a good indication that the front office and coaching staff believe in the current players. Big trades and contracts are coming in the future, but for now, the Sharks are content to let things continue to play out as they have been all season. They were neither buyers nor sellers, much in the same way they’re seemingly neither true title contenders nor pretenders.

As back-to-back overtime losses in the last two days have shown, the Sharks are right on the edge of finding another gear. If they continue in their current direction, they should be ready to commit to making championship moves very soon.