On Wednesday, the San Jose Sharks traded goalie Vitek Vanecek to the Florida Panthers for Patrick Giles.
Giles is a 6’5 “power forward who is 25 years old. In 39 games this season, the former Boston College Eagle has five goals and two assists. Three of his five goals are shorthanded goals.
San Jose recalled Georgi Romanov to the NHL due to Yaroslav Askarov’s lingering lower-body injury. Giles will report to the San Jose Barracuda. The ‘Cuda play at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, but he is unlikely to be in the lineup.
Giles played four seasons in the NCAA with BC. The forward was an alternate captain during his final two seasons. His best offensive season came during the 2021-22 season, where he scored 15 goals and seven assists in 35 games.
David Dwork of The Hockey News says Giles is a “hard-working, two-way forward with a great attitude.” Dwork feels Giles has middle-six potential for the Sharks.
San Jose Sharks GM Mike Grier is not shy about bringing in players from the Boston area. Sharks rookie Will Smith is a Boston College alumni, and Macklin Celebrini attended Boston University, just like Grier.
Giles’ story is the start of a special one. After leaving BC, Giles signed a try-out with the Charlotte Checkers and turned it into an entry-level contract.
“I’m just trying to play my best hockey,” Giles told the Miami Herald in 2024. “I think, for me, that’s just being hard on the puck, skating fast, being good on the forecheck. It’s stuff that I’ve worked a lot on in Charlotte and that’s prepared me for this camp and this season so I’m just trying to hone in on that stuff.”
Giles was projected to play on the Checkers’ top line on Tuesday but was a late scratch, likely because the trade was so close to happening.
Giles will help the Barracuda in their late-season playoff push and could play some NHL games late in the Sharks’ season.
