The Seattle Kraken acquired defenseman Jaycob Megna from the San Jose Sharks, the team announced Sunday. Here’s what you need to know:
- The Sharks are receiving a conditional 2023 fourth-round draft pick as part of the deal. The conditions on the draft pick are that Seattle currently has two 2023 fourth-round picks (theirs and Colorado’s) and the Kraken have until June 15th to decide which one they will send to San Jose.
- Megna, 30, has one goal and 11 assists in 48 games played this season.
- The Kraken (29-15-5) sit first in the Pacific Division. The Sharks (15-25-11) sit seventh in the Pacific Division.
The #SJSharks have acquired a fourth-round pick from Seattle in exchange for defenseman Jaycob Megna.
— San Jose Sharks (@SanJoseSharks) February 6, 2023
Backstory
Megna has again proven to be a near-perfect fit next to Sharks defenseman Erik Karlsson this season. It’s hard to find defensemen who can play 18 minutes per game and are consistently either break-even or net-positive on a budget. Guys in his salary range typically can’t handle the minutes or the level of competition that comes with skating next to the No. 1 guy.
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The Kraken is in its second year of existence as the NHL’s latest expansion franchise. Sitting atop the Pacific Division heading into the All-Star break, the Kraken is looking to secure its first Stanley Cup Playoffs berth in franchise history this season.
The Athletic’s instant analysis:
Was this move expected?
Not really, but it shouldn’t be that big of a surprise, either. First-year general manager Mike Grier’s long-term plan includes getting younger, improving the prospect pool and creating more salary cap flexibility.
Megna is under contract through next season at a team-friendly cost of $762,500. The Sharks didn’t need to trade Megna, but he’s also 30 years old and not a core player for the club. — Masisak
Trade’s impact on the Sharks’ defense
Megna played with Karlsson on the top defense pairing. Scott Harrington has also played a little with Karlsson, but this could be a chance for recently acquired Jacob MacDonald to play in a larger role. Nikolai Knyzhov will also likely get a chance to play with Karlsson at some point later in the season.
Knyzhov played with Karlsson as a rookie in 2020-21, but missed all of last season and returned to play last week in the AHL after a series of serious injuries, including a torn Achilles. There is also one less NHL veteran in front of prospects Nick Cicek and Artemi Kniazev, who could both get an extended look later in the season. — Masisak
Required reading
(Photo: Stan Szeto / USA Today)
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