Let’s Float Something Crazy…
May 31st, 2008, 4:20 pm
Okay, okay. Everyone who reads this blog on a semi-regular basis knows that I read Hockeybuzz. I just can’t help myself – I’m a sucker for a good rumor. Something caught my eye today that made my wheels spin, that the San Jose Sharks might be talking trade with Tampa Bay for the #1 pick in the draft – Stamkos. Sounds crazy right? Maybe not….think of what the Sharks can offer without totally gutting their core that would make Tampa Bay instantly better, get a rising young star who will be NHL ready next year and clear out the cash to keep Brian Campbell.
To San Jose: 2008 #1 pick (Steve Stamkos)
To Tampa Bay: Patrick Marleau (6.1M), Ryan Clowe (RFA), Christian Ehrhoff (RFA) and 2009 1st round pick.
Think about this from Tampa Bay’s perspective, they get one NHL All Star in Marleau to replace Richards, and two good young/affordable players in Clowe and Ehrhoff to rebuild their team for only about 10M in salary. The Sharks add a young stud for cheap (.9M for his first three years) and lose 9M in salary, enough to sign Campbell to a big deal and throw some cash around in the UFA market. Couldn’t you see Doug Wilson being the only person who could shed salary and add a superstar in the process? I’m not saying we should….but I’m asking – do you think we could?
On a smaller front, if this Stamkos business sounds a little too wild for your taste, what about DW going after Blake Wheeler, the former 5th pick of the draft in 2004 who turned down the final contract offer from Phoneix to become an unrestricted free agent. He is a college player, which DW loves, he is a big forward with a scoring touch – which we lost when Bernier was traded. Could Wilson sign Wheeler instead of trading for a draft pick? Possible. Very possible.
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Now, I do read this site pretty regularly, but I’m a first time poster. I too read hockeybuzz quite regularly and post of there quite frequently. Besides all that, I have to say you ARE talking crazy!! To think of giving up potentially 4 players for one guy that isn’t tested in the NHL is insane to me. Yes Patty lacks consistancy in the regular season, but he continues to score in the play-offs when it matters. I could see giving the C to someone else, but I can’t see him leaving the team. Getting rid of Clowe is another issue I have. I think his absence during the regular season last year is one of the reasons Nabby had to work so hard to keep the rest of the team in it. Plus, he’s one of the only LW we have, and we already have a shortage of those. I could see maybe a Michalek, Erfhoff, 1st round pick for 2009, and maybe Carle too if they’ll take him. That’s my two cents on that one, and it probably isn’t even worth that but I couldn’t leave it unsaid.
I agree with SoCalSharksGirl, that’s a terrible trade for San Jose.
Jay Feaster can keep his job for eternity if he can pull that off. With those new players the Lightning have just become playoff contenders.
Actually, I think Marleau would be the most likely to leave, given his large contract. Unfortuanately, that’s life in the NHL. For me, Clowe is the hard pill to swallow, since we don’t even really know how good he is yet. The unfortunate fact is, Clowe had a horrible knee injury, an injury that has ended many careers. If it becomes McLaren-like, Clowe could be out of the league in two or three years.
None of the above obscures the fact that it looks like a horrible deal for the Sharks. If DW can combine the salary dump with re-signing Campbell, and maybe making a run at a free agent or two, it could end up as a net benefit for the Sharks. But that’s a lot of ‘ifs’.
Agreed, Mike. This would be step one is making over this team, followed by keeping Campbell and making a run at a “Sundin” or “Hossa” type free agent. Again, I’m not saying the Sharks should do this – just an interesting thought.
Hell, I’d love the second deal (the one SoCalGirl brought up), as a Lightning fan. First off, you add depth, you get better defense for Smith between the pipes in Ehrhoff, a nice sniper in Michalek, a very good, speedy center in Marleau, and another first round pick. It’s worth it for me.
On the flip side, I really wouldn’t like that deal if I were a Sharks fan. No doubt Stamkos is going to be a good NHL talent, but would he be able to fill all the holes, especially with the pressure of being a top overall pick and the pressure from being involved as the prize of a blockbuster deal. If I were Doug Wilson, I’d stay away from the deal
Ryan Clowe is just coming into a new threshhold. I am a big Marleau fan too.
Ehrhoff IS expendable (M.E. Vlasic) and a valuable kid at that. Interesting and yes, crazy. AND next year’s 1st rounder…. sheeesh. Not good value in return for the Sharks!
Now a good Gm would interview Wheeler. Could be a steal. Though an apparently greedy and/or naive one.
thewordbird, from what I’ve read about the Wheeler situation is that he cannot make any more money than the rookie max, which is what Phoenix offered him. The only reason he’s turning Phoenix’ offer is because he does not want to play there. It may not be greed, exactly, but it does sound like a selfish move.
I don’t know if that fits in with Doug Wilson’s emphasis on character, but if the Sharks pick him up and he works out I won’t complain.
If your primary objective is freeing up cap space to sign Campbell, then it’s not too crazy. It’s unfortunate.
I’d agree that Michalek should be moved before Patty, but he’s a lot cheaper.
…Would it be unethical to trade a RFA, and then sign that same RFA to an offer sheet?
As for Wheeler, I, too, have heard that he wants to pick who he plays for. And his very short list is Minnesota.
Damnit, there goes my Wheeler to TB hopes (hey, they need youth).
Just for the record, trading an RFA to another team then his old team giving an offer sheet would be unethical. It would be like Kevin Lowe offering an offer sheet to Thomas Vanek or Dustin Penner… oh wait, he did.