- Kevin Kurz of CSN Bay Area: Darren Dreger has reported that the Sharks are one of the “more likely” targets along with the Oilers and Flames for Rangers goalie Cam Talbot.What would it take for the Sharks to trade for Talbot?
It won’t be the 9th overall pick in this year’s draft. GM Doug Wilson never had any plans last season to trade the pick, and it’s extremely unlikely that he’s be willing too now.
The Sharks do have a history of trading 2nd round picks, and they hold the 39th pick. Issue for the Sharks would be that they don’t have a third round pick in a deep draft. The Sharks may be reluctant to trade one for their top young prospects as Talbot isn’t that young – will be 28 years old next month. Yahoo! Sports Greg Wyshynski suggested a Talbot and Kevin Klein package with the regards to the Oilers, but maybe that could work for the Sharks as well as they stand to lose Matt Irwin and Scott Hannan to free agency.
Maybe the 39th overall pick and one of their better prospects for Talbot and Klein.
- Eric Gilmore of NHL.com: The Sharks won’t be bringing UFAs Scott Hannan and John Scott back. They put Adam Burish on waivers for the purpose of buying him out. GM Doug Wilson said that he’s talked to the agents for pending UFAs Antti Niemi and Matt Irwin about the possibility of re-signing one or both of them.
“They would like to be here, but unrestricted free agency is a two-way street,” Wilson said. “It has to be a match for us. But would they like to be here? I think they’ve answered those questions publicly. It’s just whether it fits for us and them and what the alternatives are for all parties involved.”
Wilson could trade the negotiating rights for both players before the start of free agency.
Contract talks with RFAs Brenden Dillon and Melker Karlsson are “progressing.”
- Kevin Kruz: GM Wilson doesn’t expect any issues with getting contracts for Dillon and Karlsson done at some point this summer.
- Kevin Kurz of CSN Bay Area: GM Wilson on UFAs Niemi and Irwin.
“We haven’t come to closure on that,” Wilson said of Niemi and Irwin. “It’s advantageous maybe to them and to us to have it play out a little bit longer.”
Back on April 15th, Niemi said he would “probably” want to return to the Sharks if they wanted him.