Should The Sharks Trade Or Extend Mikael Granlund?
Since joining the San Jose Sharks, Mikael Granlund has been nothing short of the team's best player, making this trade deadline a tough decision for General Manager Mike Grier.
Eric Hartline-Imagn Images - Should The Sharks Trade Or Extend Mikael Granlund?Since joining the San Jose Sharks, Mikael Granlund has been nothing short of the team's best player, making this trade deadline a tough decision for General Manager Mike Grier.
Granlund has been nearly a point-a-game player for San Jose, with 84 points in 91 games. He is the top option in every situation and is an alternate captain. He's taking young players under his wing, especially William Eklund and Fabian Zetterlund.
Given his recent play, the pending UFA holds high trade value. The last time he was dealt at the trade deadline was to the Pittsburgh Penguins, and things didn't go well. Granlund scored one goal and four assists in 21 games.
What could his next contract be if the Sharks choose to extend Granlund? At 32 years old, Granlund is inching toward the latter part of his career. The deal likely won't be longer than three years, but with a point-a-game pace, it could cost the Sharks a lot.
Granlund's current deal has a cap hit of $5 million, which is somewhat fair given his play. However, with the salary cap rising, San Jose might have to pay closer to the UFA market price, which could be higher than the $5 million AAV. My guess is that his next contract could range from $5 million to $6.5 million AAV.
Trading away Granlund would significantly impact the Sharks in the short term. He is averaging a career-high 21:15 of ice time and would be a big loss to the Sharks center depth. With Will Smith not ready to be an NHL center, Granlund's importance and chemistry with Eklund and Zetterlund is undervalued. Ryan Warsofsky is leaning on that line for production.
The Athletic ranks Granlund as the fifth-best trade option in the NHL.
Given his production, he would fetch a reasonably strong return on the trade market. The Sharks are still building their team, and Granlund can be useful for a cup-contending team. San Jose also doesn't have any salary retainment slots, so the team acquiring Granlund must have or create at least $5 million in cap space.
When the Sharks acquired Yaroslav Askarov last summer, Grier sent a first-round pick to the Nashville Predators, meaning they will only have one in the 2025 NHL Draft. Do the Sharks need a second first-round pick? Probably not, but it wouldn't be the worst thing to have two and truly level up the prospect pool to a core system.
Granlund's importance on the San Jose Sharks roster is unmatched at this moment. Macklin Celebrini will eventually take that top spot, but Granlund has been the Sharks MVP for the last two seasons. The debate comes from the fact that if the Sharks opt not to deal Granlund at the deadline, they must extend him. Letting him walk in free agency for nothing will hurt the team and allow a chance at acquiring more draft picks for the future to disappear.
The NHL trade deadline is set for March 9th.
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