Tim Chiasson

Halifax • Canada • 33 Years Old • Male

Buy Low, Sell High

I've talked a lot about the dealing one, two or three of San Jose's key players lately. I'm not saying I agree with shipping them all out, but I am saying that the interest of the organizations future has to be considered when re-signing players. Say you re-sign the 37-year-old Dan Boyle for two years instead of shipping him out at the deadline for a first+prospect, or more. Who wins in the long-term?

While Boyle has been a first rate power from the blueline for the Sharks there comes a time when the assessment has to exclude loyalty to a player. I'm a huge Dan Boyle fan, but everyone can be bought.

Boyle was an example of the thought process that should occur, now I'll get to the main point of this blog. Jumbo Joe.

On November 30th, 2005 the San Jose Sharks acquired Joe Thornton from the Boston Bruins in exchange for Marco Sturm, Brad Stuart and Wayne Primeau.

Marco Sturm went on to record 193 points in 302 games for the Bruins.

Brad Stuart went on to record 48 points in 103 games for the Bruins.

Wayne Primeau went on to record 29 points in 101 games for the Bruins.

The total production that Boston received in exchange for Jumbo Joe was 270 points over 506 games.

Sturm played for four more NHL teams after the Bruins and hasn't played since the 2011-2012 NHL season. Primeau played for two more teams and hasn't laced up his skates since 2009-2010. Brad Stuart is back in San Jose with the Sharks.

For San Jose, Joe Thornton has notched 664 points in 593 games. Thornton played more games for the Sharks than the three players that went the other way did for the Bruins combined. He also had over double the amount of point production contributed.

That is buying low.

The return for Joe will be considered selling high in comparison to what Boston got from the previous deal. Down the road, as with all trades, the buy low/sell high factor in this situation will be looked at again to realistically evaluate who bought low, or if the trades then equal out as far as what each team got in return for Jumbo Joe.

Fellow HockeyBuzzard adgo43 suggested Colbourne and a 1st from Toronto at the deadline for Joe. If you look at what Iginla, who is older and less effective than Joe, brought back for Calgary it's a good starting point for negotiations. Whether or not Toronto is actually interested in dealing away a first round pick is another thing, but that will most likely be in any deal for Thornton at any point in the season.

If I were Doug Wilson I'd be interested in bringing back a roster winger or defenceman, a prospect and a draft pick for Joe. The Sharks lack depth on the wing and on the blueline so bringing back another center doesn't fit the bill for the Sharks needs if they were to trade anyone. A trade involving Thornton would most likely bring back a roster D, whereas a trade involving Boyle would likely net a roster winger considering that teams dealing for a defender aren't likely to be interested in shipping one out.

Thornton's been a great Shark, and I'm sure the deeper we get into the season the more we'll hear about rumblings surrounding the Sharks expiring contracts.

Thanks for reading.

Stay icy, Sharks fans.

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