After the Minnesota Wild added Marc-Andre Fleury via trade on Monday, they moved their backup in Kaapo Kahkonen to the San Jose Sharks in exchange for defenseman Jacob Middleton. Pierre LeBrun of TSN is reporting that Sharks also get a 5th RD pick from Minnesota in this deal.
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Kahkonen was the odd man out in Minnesota as Fleury and Cam Talbot would be set to occupy the net for an important postseason in Wild franchise history. A team that needs to make their run this year thanks to big buyout commitments next season, Fleury is a massive upgrade over Kahkonen while the Wild also shed a contract. Kahkonen was a pending RFA.
In exchange, the Wild get an affordable defenseman who has played extremely well in San Jose this season after signing an AHL deal. He’s been a top-four defenseman for the Sharks and there was a lot of chatter surrounding the player. The Sharks were rumored to want a strong return and if they are investing in Kahkonen as one of the goalies of the future, that could be why they pulled the trigger on this trade.
Middleton is a 6’3″, 220-lbs defenseman and appears to have broken out in the NHL, logging more than 18 minutes a night. The Wild also added Nicolas Deslauriers in an earlier trade this weekend. Sharks captain Logan Couture said of defenseman Jacob Middleton: “Great person, will be loved in the room. Versatile player, willing to do anything to help his team win. He can play up and down the lineup, good solid player with a great work ethic.”
It will be intriguing to see what happens with James Reimer, who many believe could be moved by the Sharks before Monday’s deadline comes and goes. The trade market for goalies has been busier than people expected. Kahkonen (MIN-SJS) Fleury (CHI-MIN), and Scott Wedgewood (ARI-DAL) have all been moved in the past 24 hours.
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