The San Jose Sharks and Nashville Predators have traded young players.
San Jose now has Egor Afanasyev, while Nashville gets Ozzy Wiesblatt. Afanasyev is a restricted free agent, and Wiesblatt has one year left on his contract. Instead of negotiating with the Predators, Afanasyev will join the Sharks for new opportunities. He was picked in the second round in 2019 and has been close to playing in the NHL but only scored once in 19 games. In the minors, he did better with 54 points in 57 games this season, showing big improvement from last year’s 26 points. Afanasyev is a strong forward who’s become more agile since being drafted and could quickly join the Sharks’ lineup due to their need for left-wingers.
Wiesblatt was picked 31st in the 2020 NHL Draft by the Predators. His professional career hasn’t been as successful as expected, scoring just 17 points in 50 AHL games this season – slightly better than last year’s 15 points but still not great. During a midseason loan to Milwaukee Admirals, Nashville’s AHL team, he scored six points in 16 games. The Predators must have seen something they liked because now they’ll fully control his development.
Trade Analysis:
Fans might think this trade brings fresh starts for both players.
Afanasyev’s move to San Jose could be exciting as he fills a gap at left-wing and brings his improved skills to a team needing depth. On the other hand, Wiesblatt gets another chance to prove himself under Nashville’s watchful eye after showing some promise during his loan period.
What do you think about these changes?
