There is one more option that we need to explore when it comes to the second overall pick in the NHL draft and that’s the case for trading up. The Sharks have one glaring need in the team’s prospect pool and that’s at defense. The presumptive number one overall draft pick, Matthew Schaefer, fills that need. Schaefer is expected to be more skilled, be a better skater and have a higher hockey IQ than any of the defensive prospects in the San Jose Sharks’ current prospect pool. He’s considered to be well above Sam Dickinson, who is the current frontrunner. It’s not greedy to think that if the Sharks have the chance to acquire him, the team should do what it can to do so.
Many pundits consider Schaefer to be the consensus number one overall draft pick in this draft and so the Islanders choosing anyone but Schaefer with the number one overall pick would be a bust in most analysts’ eyes. That’s a lot of pressure on a team that might not feel that Schaefer is what the team wants or needs.
The case for the Islanders to trade down
And that’s because of another player. A player born and raised right there on Long Island, who would be happy to come home, and who fans would be happy to welcome home. James Hagens is right up there in the top ten prospects in this draft, maybe even the top five. The trouble is, the general consensus among analysts is that it’s a stretch to pick him at first overall.
While it might even be a stretch to take him at second overall, it would be considered less of a stretch and maybe even a win if the Islanders were able to take Hagens and also get a second first-round pick or a top prospect out of the trade.
If the Sharks were to offer the Islanders a solid package to swap first-round picks, New York could very well come out as a winner in a trade down in the draft. Not only would the team get a player who it might like more than Schaefer (i.e., Hagens), but it would also get one or two more prospects to help jumpstart a rebuild or a restructuring of the team.
What could a trade for the number one overall pick look like?
The Sharks clearly won’t want to or need to offer what other teams looking to jump up in the draft will offer. That’s because this is just about moving up one spot. It’s essentially guaranteeing that the Islanders will get anyone but Schaefer in the draft, something most teams would kill for. That’s a premium in and of itself.
That said, the first overall pick does come with a price, and the Sharks should understand that. The deal starts with swapping first-round picks. San Jose would receive the first overall pick, while New York would receive the second overall pick.
After that, I think Dallas’ first-round pick this season could come into play. After all, the Islanders only have one pick in the first round this season; a second one could go a long way to helping the team strengthen its prospect pool.
That feels like more than a fair trade for the Sharks to move up just one spot in the draft.
But what if the Islanders want a player instead?
That said, the Islanders may not be looking for picks. The team may be looking for players a little further along in development. That’s something the Sharks might be willing to part with. San Jose has worked hard over the past few seasons to stock the cupboards with top-end forward talent, taking the best players available at every turn. It’s gone well so far with players like Quentin Musty, Kasper Halttunen, Igor Chernyshov, Collin Graf, Cameron Lund, Filip Bystedt and more in the fold.
Not all of those forwards are going to play for San Jose in the top six; there just aren’t enough spots, especially considering that Macklin Celebrini and Will Smith occupy two of those six spots already. So, are the Sharks willing to part with one of those players to fill a top-pairing defenseman role, and does the team believe that Schaefer is going to fill that role?
Conclusion
If the Sharks believe that the Islanders are going to pick Schaefer first overall and San Jose believes that Schaefer is the answer on defense, then trading up to first overall isn’t out of the question. San Jose is in the best position to make a reasonable trade that won’t cost the team a ton in return and would still be a good deal for the Islanders. This is one of those situations where it could work out well for both teams. It’s a win-win scenario that General Manager Mike Grier needs to seriously explore, given how desperate San Jose is for a top-pairing defensive prospect.
