The San Jose Sharks are in the midst of a nightmarishly bad season, but they have the opportunity to flip some of their roster players into future assets, starting with scoring winger Anthony Duclair.
Sitting at 15-36-5, the Sharks have been far and away the worst team in the NHL this season wire-to-wire, with a defense full of inexperience and devoid of serious talent and an offense lacking much in the way of punch.
They started the season by losing 11 games in a row, got into the win column and played fairly well for a little bit, and followed that up with another putrid stretch that was just as bad as their season-opening one.
The team was built to secure top odds in the draft lottery, just as it was last season when the Sharks just weren't quite bad enough to land in the sweet spot in the Connor Bedard sweepstakes.
Now, with the trade deadline approaching on March 8, the Sharks have the opportunity to clean house a bit to secure some future assets as they continue what promises to be a long rebuilding process.
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NHL Trade Deadline: Anthony Duclair
Contract Situation: Expiring after this season at $3 million cap hit.
Season Stats: 11 goals, 8 assists for 19 points in 51 games played
Possible Destinations: Colorado, Boston, Carolina, Edmonton, Tampa Bay
Don't be fooled by Duclair's paltry stat line this season that comes entirely due to the tire fire that the Sharks have been, this is a productive NHL forward with a lot to offer.
Duclair offers above-average speed and a good shot with a quick release, and he's used those tools to carve out a niche for himself as a scoring winger. The type of player who can make a goal happen in the blink of an eye, Duclair needs just a bit of space and when he's on his game, he creates more room for others by requiring an eye be kept on him by the defense.
Just two years ago, the 28-year-old put up 31 goals in 74 games for the Florida Panthers, who had to move on from him due to a salary cap crunch this summer after he hardly played in 2022-2023.
The up-and-down nature of his career is interesting, as he's been traded numerous times and had issues with coaching staff before, but in the right system Duclair absolutely has 25-goal upside.
Things tighten up in a big way in playoff hockey, and the addition of a talent like Duclair to a team's bottom six forwards could prove very impactful if he comes up with a big goal or two. Teams like Boston, Colorado, and Edmonton are all in need of scoring depth and could be good fits to make this acquisition.
We see it every postseason that an under-the-radar trade acquisition has a big game or series in the playoffs, and we see it every year that one of the biggest names moved at the deadline does less than nothing. If teams are looking for someone who can deliver the former, Duclair is a solid bet.
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