The San Jose Sharks faced the Buffalo Sabres on Tuesday night ahead of the NHL trade deadline. They already made their big trade, sending Mikael Granlund and Cody Ceci to the Dallas Stars for a first and third-round pick. But considering their place in the basement of the league, more trades could be coming. The Sharks held goalie Vitek Vanecek out of Tuesday’s game for trade-related reasons, per The Athletic’s Sheng Peng.
“Vanecek being held out for trade purposes, [Alexandar] Georgiev starts,” Peng reported.
Daily FaceOff insider Frank Seravalli then added context to what a Vanecek trade would look like. The Sharks have two of the only goalies on the trade market so this could be a big trade.
“Reminder: [the] Sharks do not have any salary retention spots remaining, so any team taking on Vanecek is at prorated $3.4 million cap hit – short of involving a third party broker.”
Vanecek is having the worst season of his five-year NHL career behind a poor Sharks team. His .882 save percentage and 3.88 goals-against average are both the worst of his career. But behind a great team, he could return to his previous form. No one would ask him to be a starter but as a backup, he could be an important piece.
The Panthers just made a massive trade for Seth Jones from the Chicago Blackhawks. They sent young goalie Spencer Knight the other way, leaving a gaping hole behind Sergei Bobrovsky. The Sharks could send the Vanecek to the defending champions for a mid-round pick while keeping Georgiev.
A return to the Devils could be in the cards for Vanecek. He started his career there and Jacob Markstrom’s injury status could necessitate another trade. The Panthers are a more likely destination as they prepare for a title defense.
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