Sharks add veteran winger Jannik Hansen in trade with Canucks
The San Jose Sharks finalized a trade for Vancouver Canucks winger Jannik Hansen in the early morning hours of Wednesday, ahead of the 3 p.m. ET trade deadline.
In exchange for Hansen, the Sharks sent 21-year-old prospect Nikolay Goldobin and a conditional fourth-round pick in 2017 to Vancouver. If San Jose wins the Stanley Cup this season, that fourth-round pick will become a first-rounder.
This is a deal that makes sense for both teams. The Sharks add a versatile veteran in the 30-year-old Hansen as they look to make another deep playoff run this year. Hansen is a speedy right winger who has battled injuries this season, scoring six goals and 13 points in just 28 games.
However, Hansen has shown that he can be a valuable asset if surrounded by talented pieces. The Danish winger scored 22 goals last season while playing alongside the Sedin twins in Vancouver, so the Sharks are hoping he'll be productive slotting into their lineup.
Meanwhile, the rebuilding Canucks get a promising young prospect in Goldobin, who was taken with the 27th overall pick in 2015 and is having a solid season in the AHL, tallying 41 points in 46 games for the San Jose Barracuda.
Goldobin would be a solid enough return for Hansen, but considering the Canucks also get a pick -- one which could end up being a first-rounder -- that's a very good haul for Vancouver general manager Jim Benning. The Canucks also acquired promising prospect Jonathan Dahlen from the Ottawa Senators in exchange for Alexandre Burrows a day earlier, so Benning has had a commendable deadline so far.
Obviously, the Sharks won't be complaining if they have to surrender that first-round pick because it means they'll have a Stanley Cup to show for it, but it's clear they're willing to overpay if it means getting back to the Cup Final after losing to the Pittsburgh Penguins last season.
