The Fourth Period’s Dave Pagnotta joined Sirius XM NHL Network Radio with Nate Thompson and Steve Kouleas and was asked about the San Jose Sharks’ schedule at the NHL Trade Deadline.
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Nate Thompson: “The other team, I look at David, the San Jose Sharks, and you see their 19-year-old leader and what he’s doing (and doing) in the Olympics and now on Team Canada. And I wonder, is this a situation where they see what he’s doing and where their team is and it’s where it’s at and it’s where it’s playing? Grier said ‘Okay, we’ve got Macklin here, so we have to use this.’
Dave Pagnotta: “I think it’s proceeding cautiously. I think that’s what the Sharks are doing. Because it’s like, they’re still doing both of these things. I don’t think they want to deviate from their plan, like the Montreal Canadiens, they have a plan in place, and they’re doing well. Something, they fall over. I want to force the issue.
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And I think San Jose is in a similar situation there, with Macklin looking amazing in Milan (looking amazing), which is great to see if you’re a Sharks fan or a hockey fan in general. They brought in Kiefer Sherwood a few weeks ago. So before the snow. He will be healthy by all accounts and ready to go to the team after that. So you want to see the kind he makes.
But at the same time, because of the short runway between the end of the draft and the deadline, they’re both looking to add and subtract, and by subtract, I mean they have assets, especially in that backfield, with guys like (Timothy) Liljegren and (Mario) Ferraro and (John) Klingberg and so on, waiting to get a strong unrestricted return.
That’s what they wanted to do. These guys were available for a good chunk of the season. They were willing to take calls. At the same time, they’ve been looking to expand that back end. But they are looking for an early-20-something who can grow with this team going forward. And that’s what they’ve been looking for.
And I think that model follows kind of where they are in the mid-20s before. You just want to insulate. You don’t want to just have a club, you’re rolling young 20-year-olds all the way. He wants to protect that with the presence of veterans. That’s why they have (Tyler) Toffoli and (Alex) Wennberg and others.
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But they also want to make sure they have a good nucleus going forward and can add to it, especially in that back end. So I think the Sharks are willing to do both, but I don’t think they’re going to force it and suddenly, go after a big player, if they feel like it’s the right move to make.”
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