With the San Jose Sharks winning the second overall pick in the NHL draft lottery, the team is in the enviable position of getting another potential forward to play alongside Macklin Celebrini and creating a top six that will be the envy of the NHL. It could become the most powerful young core in the NHL with Celebrini, Will Smith, Michael Misa, Igor Chernyshov, William Eklund and whichever young player the team drafts. There is no doubt that this is something that’s very tempting.
But we also know the Sharks are woefully inadequate on defense, and the team needs to add to the backend ASAP to keep from wasting what Celebrini has brought to San Jose. While General Manager Mike Grier needs to stay patient, he also needs to capitalize on the opening Celebrini has created. We already know that the free agent market is weak this summer, but there’s another market that Grier can explore, especially with a powerful trade chip — the second overall pick.
And, luckily for him, just below him in the draft are three teams that are looking to turn things around quickly and would love to have forwards like Gavin McKenna or Ivar Stenberg to play alongside their current players.
Trade Target 1 – Vancouver Canucks
Picking just one spot below the Sharks at third overall is the Vancouver Canucks. In an ideal world, the Canucks would be the best trading partner for the Sharks, since it would only require the Sharks to move down one spot.
Potential deal: Sharks give Vancouver the 2026 second overall pick and Kasper Halttunen for the 2026 third overall pick and Filip Hronek.
Why this works for Vancouver: The Canucks get a pair of forwards, one of whom will improve their top six and another who has an elite shot. Ultimately, the team gets one of the top players, which is what it had been hoping for from the outset.
Why this works for San Jose: As for the Sharks, San Jose gets an offensively minded, right-shot defenseman in Hronek who can immediately jump into the power play. It also gets to draft the defenseman the team needed in the first place. San Jose will not need to give up the boatload of assets that Vancouver was going to require other teams to pay in order to get Hronek. It will, however have to give up a bit more in Halttunen, since it’s only moving down one spot.
*This deal hinges on a wink-wink, nudge-nudge deal that Vancouver chooses McKenna or Stenberg, whichever is left after Toronto picks.
Trade Target 2 – Chicago Blackhawks
Things get sketchier the further down the draft board you go, but picking fourth on draft day is the Chicago Blackhawks, and you know that Kyle Davidson would love to have a shot at putting someone like McKenna or Stenberg alongside Connor Bedard. Unlike Celebrini, so far, Bedard does not have that finisher playing alongside of him. But he could if the Blackhawks had the chance to draft second overall.
Potential deal: Sharks give Chicago the 2026 second overall pick for Chicago’s 2026 fourth overall pick and Kevin Korchinski.
Why this works for Chicago: You get someone finally get someone truly capable of playing alongside Bedard. No offense to Frondell, but Stenberg is considered a better player than Frondell even though both played in the SHL last season and both are finalists for the SHL’s rookie of the year award. Frondell is a year older than Stenberg but only had 28 points (20 G, 8 A) in 43 games with Djurgårdens IF this season compared to Stenberg’s 33 points (11 G, 22 A) in 43 games with Frölunda HC.
Why this works for San Jose: Initially, I wanted Sam Rinzel, the right-side defenseman that San Jose needs, but it’s unlikely that Chicago will part with him. Of course, here’s to hoping that GMMG asks for Rinzel first. Go big or go home. If Davidson says no, pivot to 21-year-old Korchinski. He’s also a puck-moving defenseman, but he’s been passed on the depth chart by players like Rinzel. Korchinski, has the skill that the Sharks need, and at 21, he still has time to develop his game in the NHL. There’s a feeling he hasn’t hit his ceiling yet, and that might be worth a look.
Meantime, in terms of the pick, trading back likely won’t hurt the Sharks. Chicago has a young defense corps and won’t need to add another player at that position. It will go with either McKenna or Stenberg. It’s also likely that Vancouver, which will pick third overall, will pick a forward. Even if Vancouver chooses a defenseman, there are three to four top defensemen to choose from at third: Carson Carels, Chase Reid, Daxon Rudolph and Keaton Verhoeff. Plenty of options left on the board that all sound like they have similar probability to become top-pairing defensemen in the NHL.
No matter who is left at fourth overall, Sharks fans will be happy.
Trade Target 3 – New York Rangers
Perhaps the most intriguing of the bunch is the New York Rangers, the team currently slated to pick at fifth overall in the draft. The Rangers are desperately looking to reset and a flashy trade for the second overall pick would certainly do that.
With the Rangers, there are a few options that will help the Sharks out on defense, while also helping the Rangers make a splash.
Potential deal option 1: 2026 second overall pick and Cam Lund for 2026 fifth overall pick and Adam Fox.
Why this works for NYR: If the Rangers are truly in teardown and rebuild mode, then getting rid of Fox and adding Lund and the 2026 second overall pick is a good way to start. Lund is still considered a good prospect in the San Jose Sharks’ deep prospect pool. The 2026 second overall pick is expected to be a star.
Why this works for the Sharks: For the Sharks, Fox is the puck-moving, right-side defenseman the team needs and he’s the right age for the job. What’s more, as we explained above, there will still be plenty of defensemen to choose from who are expected to be of top-pairing quality.
*All of this would hinge on the idea that Fox would waive his no move clause, leave the team he loves and move across the United States to San Jose.
Potential deal option 2: 2026 second overall pick Philipp Kurashev for 2026 fifth overall pick and Braden Schneider.
Why this works for the NYR: The Rangers need to get something back and Kurashev isn’t a bad player, he just hasn’t worked out in San Jose. As an RFA, Kurashef is still technically under team control, which means while he doesn’t have a contract next season, the Rangers can sign him if the team wants.
Why this works for the Sharks: Similarily, Schneider doesn’t have a contract yet either, but he’s an RFA and still under team control. The defenseman was paid $2.2 million last season and is due a raise. Schneider would instantly slot into the top four for the Sharks. He’s the right age for this core and fills a major hole in the lineup.
Food for thought
Knowing that all three of these teams would salivate at the thought of jumping up to second overall and have exactly what Grier wants – a defenseman in his prime that would immediately upgrade the Sharks’ blueline – there is a very good chance that the Sharks could play one or two deals off of one another and see if the team could finesse the market a little more. Maybe Halttunen doesn’t need to be tossed in to make the Vancouver deal work. I think the Blackhawks deal falls in the Sharks’ favor simply because New York is lurking just behind, hoping for a trade. As for New York, the Rangers were already looking to make some moves, could a prospect also be had for the right price?
GMMG has some serious options with this second overall pick that could get him the defenseman he needs now as well as the defenseman that he needs in the future.
