Rumors are buzzing that the Sharks are throwing their hat in on the Mats Sundin sweepstakes. These two teams have been linked in the rumor mill for the last two months, so I don’t think we can discount there might be some truth to this. Let’s break it down, shall we.

I talked about Toronto and San Jose talking Blake/Marleau – but with the mention of Sundin, Antropov and Raycroft – this has the looks of a potential monster deal that could change the look of two teams that desperately need makeovers. So, what would Toronto want for those three players? What would Doug Wilson be willing to give? The list of usual suspects (Ehrhoff, Cheech, Goc) probably won’t get it done. The Leafs would likely want one of these players to be included – Bernier, Vlasic, Mitchell or Setoguchi. Which one would you be most willing to give up? I say Mitchell is untouchable. For a team that plays with little heart, he stands front and center every night and gives it his all. Mitchell’s ability to kill penalties, be a pest and score clutch goals makes him untouchable in my mind. Bernier has finally discovered his “B” game and paired with Clowe in the future, could be a dominant 2nd line force, so he stays. Vlasic is a solid, stay at home defensemen who has not discovered an offensive upside. DW let Hannan walk because Vlasic is in the future plans. He stays. That leaves The Gooch. I like Setoguchi, but his injury history and the presence of Cheechoo makes him expendable if the net return is a superstar like Sundin.

Patrick Marleau, Joe Pavelski, Devon Setoguchi and Thomas Greiss for Mats Sundin, Nik Antropov and Andrew Raycroft.

This is assuming Sundin comes without extension, which is most likely. He might leave and go back to Toronto in the offseason. It’s a risk that might be worth taking just to get Marleau out of town and change the culture of the team. Doug Wilson has had pretty good success convincing veterans to stick around in San Jose after trading for them (Thornton and Rivet) excluding Bill Guerin, who I don’t think was courted to stay after being a deadline bust. Perhaps Sundin could be convinced to spend his final years in a different shade of blue? If not, the Sharks will have six million dollars to play with in the offseason and are already very deep up the middle with Big Joe, Goc, Couture, Brown and Mitchell. And then there is Antropov. Antropov is bigger than Pavelski – he looked like a beast out there two weeks ago standing at 6’6″ and playing him in the middle of Bernier and Clowe would be HUGE – literally. Raycroft is worth the gamble and at 2.2 million next year, he is a decent insurance policy and certainly better than Greiss right now.

If this is real, and the Sharks are able to hold on to some of their key young players in the process – I say make it happen Dougie. What do you think?

I’m dreading tonights game vs. Detroit. Since we’ve yet to see the Sharks beat the Wings, Ducks or Stars on home ice this year – isn’t that a sure sign that something big needs to change and soon?

UPDATED (1/20)
LOOKS LIKE MIKE AND I OVERLOOKED ONE FORMER ALL-STAR CENTER WHEN DISCUSSING THE WORST PLUS/MINUS IN THE LEAGUE – BRAD RICHARDS, WHO HAS A TERRIBLE -23 GOING THIS YEAR FOR TAMPA BAY. PERHAPS THE SHARKS AND TAMPA BAY SHOULD HAVE A CONVERSATION??