SAN JOSE, Calif. — San Jose Sharks general manager Mike Grier could soon make his mark in the trade market.
While he has been active since taking the job, it's more been a matter of moving pieces out, namely Brent Burns and Timo Meier.
But perhaps Grier is looking to add a foundational piece this offseason, and it appears as though there will be several options available to him.
So, who could the targets be?
JD Young of Locked on Sharks says start with Pierre-Luc Dubois of the Winnipeg Jets, who might be at the beginning of a teardown and how he could help provide scoring for the Sharks after trading away Meier.
Next, if Alex DeBrincat wants out of Ottawa, Young believes he would be worth the price of a trade and a new contract. The same can be said of Nick Schmaltz (and his affordable contract) if the the Arizona Coyotes were to make his available.
Finally, if the Toronto Maple Leafs are really going to split up the Core Four, William Nylander would alter the Sharks. They'd also obviously be interested should Auston Matthews or Mitch Marner be made available.
The Sharks have a stockpile of picks and prospects from New Jersey thanks to the Timo Meier trade this past season, not to mention as a result of not being very good for the past several seasons.
In fact, they have 12 picks this year alone, including two first round selections - theirs (fourth overall) and New Jersey's (26th).
The Sharks could also be looking to trade Norris Trophy finalist Erik Karlsson while his value is high. The return could be minimized based on his age and contract (four years remaining at $11.5 million per season), but assets accrued there could also be flipped.
Keep an eye on the Sharks. They're going to be active this summer.