Trade speculation has started to heat up as multiple NHL general managers were seen chatting during the NHL Draft Combine, including San Jose Sharks GM Mike Grier and Utah Mammoth GM Bill Armstrong.
SHD was informed of the discussion by Stefen Rosner of The Hockey News, NHLdotcom, and The Elmonters. Rosner attended the Combine in Buffalo, NY.
“The only two teams that took [James] Hagens out to dinner at the Combine were the Islanders and Mammoth,” Rosner wrote on Wednesday. “Sharks GM Mike Grier also spoke to [Bill] Armstrong at the combine.”
The San Jose Sharks had many meetings with players, including taking Matthew Schaefer and Michael Misa out to dinner. Rosner also reported that Schaefer only had dinner with the Sharks and Islanders.
NHL insider Elliotte Friedman reported on the 32 Thoughts podcast on Tuesday that the Mammoth are “in the middle of a lot of things.”
What does this mean for the Sharks?
Multiple reports have suggested that the Utah Mammoth could potentially look to trade back from the No. 4 overall pick. David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period reported that Utah wants to acquire a top-six forward if it moves the pick.
It is unclear where the San Jose Sharks would be involved in a move like this. But with Friedman’s report, the Mammoth likely won’t stop there.
It is worth noting that Brent Burns will become a UFA this summer, meaning the Sharks will have one salary retention spot available. Sharks GM Mike Grier might be hesitant to lock himself into all three retention spots so quickly, but if the deal is right.
The Mammoth is expected to have $20.36 million in cap space this summer. If Armstrong wants to make multiple moves, which could potentially mean signing top free agent Mitch Marner, he may need to shed salary elsewhere.
Grier will have the most cap space in the entire NHL to work with. The San Jose Sharks are projected to have $41.76 million in space. Grier will need to spend just under $17 million to hit the NHL’s $70.6 million cap floor.
At the same time, the chat between Grier and Armstrong could mean nothing. There could be some fireworks around the NHL Draft.
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