Annoying mock trades, or are fans starting to fear the Sharks?
When the San Jose Sharks won the second overall pick in the NHL Draft Lottery, it was supposed to be a celebration. Let the good times roll. Instead, we have been bombarded with mock trades and speculation.
If you are anything like me, you are sick of it.
It is one thing to create mock trades. However, when these trade ideas are so asinine, they create nothing but rage bait. “Adam Fox and the Rangers fifth overall pick for Michael Misa/Quentin Musty and the Sharks second overall.”
…seriously?
That is just one mock trade floating around the web. They are all terrible, though. Trades that GM Mike Grier would shake his head at.
I have a couple of friends I talk Sharks hockey with—a lot of speculation on the draft and the offseason. And one thing we all agree on is that these mock trades are terrible. Rage bait.
That got me thinking, though. Why are all these people creating these awful mock trades?
My answer: fear.
Credit: Sharks on NBCS-Twitter/XPeople are starting to fear the Sharks. The laughing stock for the majority of the decade is no more. The Sharks took a big step this season, thanks in large part to Macklin Celebrini. We all know what he did this year.
Then you look at the rest of the core; Will Smith will have his breakout season this coming year. Misa will continue to develop and should see an increase in point productivity. Igor Chernyshov has shown he can be a top-line winger. Musty should make his debut next year, another top 6 potential.
People already knew the Sharks were coming. Now, though, they have the opportunity to add yet another top 6 forward (likely Ivar Stenberg).
People were not expecting that.
The reactions after the lottery showed that. A lot of “the rich get richer” posts regarding the Sharks. If San Jose does indeed take Stenberg, they legitimately will have two top lines. Even the third line would be a solid second. People are realizing the threat. And they are scared.
As they should be.
If Grier does make a trade, it would make more sense to trade the 20th overall from Edmonton. The Sharks acquired that pick in the Jake Walman trade. Trade that and a prospect and try to move up to somewhere around 12th. Prime position to add someone like Keaton Verhoeff (right-handed defenseman).
This all sounds like people coping, coping with the fact that the San Jose Sharks will run the NHL in a few years.
While the mock trades are rage-inducing, they show what Sharks fans already know.
