Sharks Add Depth and Experience to Blue Line

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Sharks Add Depth and Experience to Blue Line

The San Jose Sharks have made a trade, one that received a lot of attention and press even before it was finalized. Essentially, Team Teal receives veteran defenseman Niclas Wallin and a 5th rounder in this year's NHL draft from the Carolina Hurricanes for a second rounder (originally owned by Buffalo) in the same draft. I wouldn't call this deal a blockbuster, especially after the Phaneuf and Kovalchuk deals. However, I would call this one an extremely smart trade for the Sharks as General Manager Doug Wilson was able to add another Stanley Cup ring to our blue line without having to give up any current personnel. And for those of you who are counting, we now have four Stanley Cup ring holders, out of a possible six spots, protecting our own zone...not bad at all.

Niclas Wallin is not a flashy player, he won't put up many points, but he will give you stability and strong play. Known primarily for his consistency and ability to hit the opposing forwards down low, Wallin has been a staple in Carolina. Having played all of his nine years in a Hurricanes uniform, Niclas has played in two Stanley Cup Championships...winning it all in 2006. At 6'3" and 220lbs, the Swedish defenseman not only gives San Jose more experience, but also more size. In the playoffs, most of the goals are scored down low where forwards grind and fight for rebounds and second chances...so obviously, adding another big body to our backline will help.

I've been happy with our defense for most of the year, but to be honest, I do worry about how our young guys will perform in the post-season. Jason Demers has shown that he has the ability to shine in the NHL, but he's still unproven when it comes to the NHL playoffs...in fact, the same can be said of veteran defenseman Jay Leach and second year defenseman Derek Joslin. And what about Marc-Edouard Vlasic and Douglas Murray? Obviously both are solid and are somewhat proven already...but it doesn't change the fact that combined, the two Sharks only have 49 playoff games under their collective belt...20 less than Wallin by himself.

So I guess what I'm saying is that I like the trade and I think we needed the extra depth and experience. With injuries and the long playoff road to the Cup Finals, we're going to need solid D-men to fill those roles. As it stands now, even if we play seven defensemen, we'll have four Stanley Cup Champs (Rob Blake, Dan Boyle, Ken Huskins, & Niclas Wallin) in place and a very strong pool of young players to fill in the remaining three spots.

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