San Jose Sharks GM Mike Grier made two moves on trade deadline day, including sending Fabian Zetterlund to the Ottawa Senators.
When Grier met with the media, he was honest. He told reporters he didn’t come into the deadline thinking about trading Zetterlund or defenseman Jake Walman. Walman was dealt to the Edmonton Oilers late Thursday night/Friday morning.
“I didn’t come into this deadline thinking about trading [Zetterlund] or [Walman],” Grier said. “It was a difficult trade for both sides. It was good working with Stevie [Staios] on it. It probably took so long because of what we think about Fabian and what they felt about Zack [Ostapchuk].”
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Grier also traded Luke Kunin to the Columbus Blue Jackets for a 2025 4th-round pick.
Zetterlund was a pending restricted free agent with arbitration rights this offseason. Grier confirmed that contract talks between the Sharks and Zetterlund’s camp started early in the season but took a backseat during.
Zetterlund’s camp re-engaged in conversations within a week, but Grier said negotiations were not the reason behind the deal.
“No, the contract wasn’t really a part of this decision. I think earlier in the year we approached them with the ballpark of what we were thinking. They decided they just didn’t want the distractions of dealing with contracts in season. A week-or-so ago, they got back to us what they were thinking. It didn’t really play into this decision at all,” Grier said. “This was more about roster construction and things like that. Where we see things fitting down the line, it’s some short-term pain for our group.”
High praise from Grier about Zack Ostapchuk multiple times. Grier loves the type of player that he brings to the lineup. #SJSharks
— Max Miller (@Real_Max_Miller) March 7, 2025
The GM told reporters that team scouts are high on 21-year-old forward Zack Ostapchuk. They view him as a center and want to build the Sharks’ future with strong players down the middle.
At 6’3, the forward has split time between the AHL and NHL this season. In 43 NHL games this season, Ostapchuk has one goal and three assists. In 15 AHL games, he has two goals and nine assists.
Grier emphasized that the main reason he made this deal is where he sees the Sharks roster in the future.
“You can’t just have all Macklin Celebrinis and Will Smiths. You’re not going to win. I think that’s pretty obvious to most people who’ve been in the game,” Grier said. “You need all types of players, all types of characters, to win in this game.”
The Sharks play their first home game since the 4 Nations Face-Off break against the New York Islanders on Saturday.
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