Fansided

1 trade every NHL team should make

By Dave Stevenson

Jun 26, 2015; Sunrise, FL, USA; A general view of the NHL shield logo before the first round of the 2015 NHL Draft at BB&T Center. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 26, 2015; Sunrise, FL, USA; A general view of the NHL shield logo before the first round of the 2015 NHL Draft at BB&T Center. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports /
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Mandatory Credit: Timothy T. Ludwig-USA TODAY Sports
Mandatory Credit: Timothy T. Ludwig-USA TODAY Sports /

San Jose Sharks

Last season, the San Jose Sharks made a huge trade for a backup goaltender, acquiring James Reimer from the Toronto Maple Leafs. They did so in order to ensure Martin Jones was given rest as he prepared for the postseason. After making it all the way to the Stanley Cup final after the trade, why not try doing it again for the 2016-17 NHL season? While Anders Nilsson of the Buffalo Sabres is no Reimer, he’s still a quality backup.

As of Dec. 23, the Sabres goaltender has a .933 save percentage. Perhaps the best thing about him for the Sharks is his cheap cap hit of merely $1 million. Even if Nilsson’s ridiculous save percentage isn’t sustainable, it might not matter. The Sharks are extremely efficient defensively, which allows Jones and all of their goalies to appear better than they are.

Aaron Dell has been fine as the backup goaltender for San Jose, but can he be trusted in the postseason? Considering the backup has appeared in merely five of the first 34 games of the season, the answer is probably no. Nilsson at least has some NHL experience and could be a guy to give Jones a lot of rest down the stretch.

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