The San Jose Sharks are possibly the clearest sellers in the league as we near the March 8 2024 Trade Deadline. They are not in contention for the playoffs but have several players who may be of interest to teams gunning for the Stanley Cup. These circumstances throw an additional complication into what has already been a difficult season for the franchise.
Thankfully, the Sharks have many experienced veterans who know the ins and outs of an NHL season very well. During this period of uncertainty, they provide crucial stability and leadership, but some of them could soon find themselves headed to other destinations.
Veterans Can Help Sharks Focus on Hockey
Right now, several Sharks — including some who have been with the team for many years or their entire career — don’t know if they’ll still be in San Jose after the deadline. Those on the trading block may very well be concerned with whether they will be on the same squad for the rest of the season. They know sports is a business, but there’s an undeniable emotional component that impacts the focus of the team and can seep into on-ice performance.
The coaching staff will help guide the team through this time, but the veterans should step up here as well. Logan Couture and Tomas Hertl may be injured, but they can use their experience to be vocal leaders. Marc-Édouard Vlasic isn’t the loudest player, but is good at leading by example and can do so here by focusing on his game. Players tend to follow the lead of their most-seasoned teammates, and if the older players remain locked in and focused on the product on the ice, younger players will too.
Several Sharks Have Been Through This Before
Some of the Sharks being discussed in trade rumors have never been traded before, or at least not in the middle of a season. Once again, that’s where the veterans come in.
Anthony Duclair, a modern-day poster child for trade deadline moves, has been dealt at or near the deadline three times in his career. Mikael Granlund is a two-time deadline acquisition, and Jan Rutta experienced a midseason trade in 2019.
All three players have been important to the Sharks’ performance at various times this season and now must take on an additional role. They understand the difficulty of being traded in the middle of a campaign. As Duclair, Granlund, and Rutta have navigated this before, they should be able to help others do the same, drawing on their own experiences.
Related: Sharks Already Preparing for 2024 Trade Deadline
Similarly, they can be among the veterans who help the team continue to focus on playing hockey as mentioned above. Due to their past experiences — and like Hertl, Couture, and Vlasic — they recognize the challenges of being on a team that may be preparing to trade some of its players, and can use those previous instances as a way to help the Sharks play to their maximum potential.
Sharks Have Possible Trade Chips
Finally, the elephant in the room. Some of the veterans in question may indeed be valuable trade pieces within the next two weeks.
They might help the team navigate the difficult times as the front offices ponders various trades, then be thrown into those very trades themselves. Many players on the roster, including Duclair, are on expiring contracts and could provide value for playoff teams. Some potential trade chips such as Alexander Barabanov have been with the Sharks for many years, and others like Kevin Labanc have spent their entire careers in San Jose. Given their status as a franchise, the Sharks should absolutely field calls on all of these players and more, at the very least listening and negotiating on offers that could set them up for future seasons.
The NHL trade deadline is a difficult time for all involved, altering the lives and careers of players, coaches and executives alike. For the Sharks, their veteran players will hold an influence that will likely affect all three.