Grading Anthony Duclair trade between Sharks, Lightning

The Lightning did well in this deal. Duclair started slowly in San Jose, as did the rest of the Sharks roster. However, he has found his stride in recent games. He hasn’t completely recaptured the form that made him a 31-goal scorer with the Florida Panthers. That said, he can still provide value to his team.

Duclair is a free agent at the end of this season. This is a pure rental for a Lightning team trying to avenge their first-round playoff exit from last year. The price wasn’t exactly low for Tampa, but it’s hardly steep. Tampa parts with a defenseman with a bit of upside and a mid-round pick, which is rather tame compared to some of their other deals.

Overall, Anthony Duclair should help the Lightning down the stretch. He didn’t cost the team much, either. Tampa Bay and their fans can breathe easy with this deal. And if it ends with another Stanley Cup, the cost is all the more justifiable.

Sharks trade Anthony Duclair

The San Jose Sharks are a bad, bad hockey team. Trading Duclair was an inevitability for them. At the NHL trade deadline, they got a decent price for the veteran forward. You could argue the team could have received more had they retained salary in this trade instead of the Tomas Hertl trade, but I digress.

The Sharks are taking a filer on Jack Thompson, a former third-round pick. The 21-year-old rearguard has flashed offensive ability in the AHL this year. He is currently on a 44-point pace in the minors this season. This offensive ability was also shown in the OHL when he played at a point-per-game pace for the Soo Greyhounds after a 2021-22 trade.

The Sharks traded their 2024 third-round pick last season, so they recoup it here. They now have five picks in the first three rounds of the 2024 NHL Draft, including two firsts. Overall, it’s a fine amount of capital for general manager Mike Grier. And he could have a potential NHL contributor on his hands with Thompson.

Final grades

Both the Sharks and Lightning receive fine grades for the Anthony Duclair trade. Tampa Bay adds a middle-six contributor and do so for a rather fair price. San Jose, on the other hand, receives an intriguing defenseman in Jack Thompson. He could contribute to their power play down the line if everything goes well. It’s a deal where neither team truly loses, even if it isn’t a trade that gets fans out of their seat in the same vein.

Tampa Bay Lightning grade: B

San Jose Sharks grade: B