Should Sharks TARGET Ehlers for Top-Six Role? | Can He EXCEED Expectations?

10 comments

1. I like the idea of signing him. Note; the proper way to pronounce the beginning of his last name is with the long E sound. I listen to how the Jets announcers have pronounced Ehlers.

2. The Sharks won't know their missing pieces, or redundant pieces for that matter, until the prospect pipeline is more developed. The Sharks, assuming its MIsa, have a lot of forward potential. If everyone hits, its quite a great forward group in 2026-27. Smith Misa, Macklin at C. Musty, Chernyshov, Toffoli, Eklund,, Graf and Lund (though could be others) at wings. That's superb top 9, if everyone hits. But since we don't know who will hit and who won't, we also don't know if Ehlers is the missing piece in that fit. Short term and short contract, might make sense for SJ. But probably won't for the player

3. I just hope GMMG is wary of the Doug WIlson trap of having to use a seven year contract on a 30 year player as a closer to lure him to the last place team…

4. I would like to sign Ehlers to a 5yr. w/ 8.5 AAV. He would be a solid LW on the either the first or second line. I thought JD’s video on a RFA RW Tyson Foerster is very enticing. Signing him to an offer sheet for 3yrs @ 3.8 AAV would help the sharks have two additional 25 goal scorers. Sign these two and then sign 2 defenseman would be awesome.

5. Shouldn't Boesser be a good fit?

6. Will cost too much and won't fit the timeline.

7. If you are giving out 7 year deals then they need no or very limited trade protection.

   Term and trade protection is the path to cap hell.

8. 7 x 9mil is a hard pass. Just go get Marner at that point. I don’t think Grier wants to give out 7yr contracts either way though.

9. Ehlers would be a good pickup and do exactly what you said, BUT he is definitely not the top priority as you have stated before. I think he is a player to compliment what Will Smith will need on a line with him (assuming he starts next season as the 2C).

   IMO here is the priorities for the Sharks this offseason:

   1) 1A/B Goalie

   2) Two Defensemen

   3) Two Forwards

   Not all these needs will get filled via free agency, but hopefully most of these slots get filled. The FA market is thin (even if every player that is an FA now actually ends up an FA come July 1).

   Meaning, GMMG will need to be inventive to fill some of those slots (which is why I think JD is covering all of these possibilities). They could be filled with trades, free agency, internally and maybe even the draft (if Misa makes the Sharks roster out of camp).

   I like Ehlers, but he is the second need for the forward group. IMO, acquiring a 2C is the most important forward position that needs filling. If I had the ability and these players are available on July 1 I would get:

   Jake Allen (goalie) or a different goalie through trade, Gavrikov and/or Provorov along with Nemec, Sam Bennet (or another 2C) and Nikolaj Ehlers.

   Cost? I am guessing 28 or so mil AAV. Add to that about 5 mil in resigning's and they have approximately 10 mil left in cap space. The lines would look like:

   Eklund Celebrini Toffoli
   Ehlers Smith Bennet (or another 2C)
   Kovalenko, Afanysev/other Wennberg Graf
   Goodrow (ugh) Ostapchuk/Giles Grundstrom

   Gavrikov/Provorov Mukhamadullin
   Ferraro Nemec
   Thrun Liljegren

   Askarov/Allen

   I think there is still a hole on the third line, but if Misa makes the club or any of Lund, Chernyshov, Musty, Cardwell, Bystedt, etc. make the team that will be filled.

   Might be pie in the sky, but I think this could be done leaving enough cap space for maneuvering during the season.

10. Of the three main options Ehlers is the only one that I can see fitting. But it shouldn't be a 7 year deal. I would be happy with five , six is acceptable.