New Jersey Devils Trade Partners For Ilya Kovalchuk: San Jose Sharks
By Nick Villano
More and more teams become tied to returning forward Ilya Kovalchuk. The San Jose Sharks could be a potential trade partner for the New Jersey Devils.
We a month away from any possible traction to an Ilya Kovalchuk trade, but more and more potential suitors come out of the woodwork. Saturday night, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman said in passing that people with ties to Kovalchuk in the past could be possible destinations. One of those destinations is San Jose, where former Devils coach Peter DeBoer stands behind the bench.
The Sharks would be an interesting trade partner for the Devils. There is a good chance the team will lose both Patrick Marleau and Joe Thornton to free agency. The team could sorely use to replace that offense, especially since with them the team ranked 19th in goals per game.
The return for the Devils, however, could be a road block.
The Sharks don’t have a defender it would be willing to part with. Even with Marc-Edouard Vlasic going into his contract’s final year, there is no chance he would become available. Former Devil David Schlemko could be an interesting piece in return, but not enough for a one-for-one trade.
The forwards on the Sharks will be hard to get off the roster. Tomas Hertl would be a lovely return for Kovalchuk, but would the Sharks front office be willing to give him up? He came out of the gate on fire in 2013, scoring 15 goals in 37 games. That includes his famous four goal game. Since then, He’s yet to hit 30 goals in a full season. He’s signed for one more season before hitting restricted free agency.
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The Sharks have three decent defensive prospects that could help replenish the Devils’ system. Dylan DeMelo is a decent prospect, but he’s already 23 years old and likely won’t make it to anyone’s top four. He would be a nice piece in a package. Tim Heed is a big right-handed Swede, but he’s 26 years old, making him another player that is getting to the NHL already hitting his prime athletic years. Joakim Ryan is another player who’s older, but could be the best prospect coming back.
Timo Meier is a Sharks prospect the Devils would definitely be interested in, but it would be hard to pry him. He’s a big winger who can score. He’s already played 34 games in the NHL. He hasn’t shown his offensive game just yet, but he’d definitely get the opportunity in New Jersey.
At the end of the day, the Devils and Sharks could be partners. It all depends on what the Sharks are willing to give up. If Hertl can be part of the deal, then Devils should jump on it. He’s 23 with four years of NHL experience. Other trades would need more pieces, like 2018 draft picks from either side. Other trades could be outdone by other teams.