The Atlanta Sharks?

According to TSN, Patrick Marleau is definitely available. The article here (and its accompanying video) says that the teams most interested in making a big trade are San Jose, Carolina, and Florida. With whom, I wonder?

Ollie Jokinen is also available, and apparently he comes at the asking price of two young roster players and a draft pick. Too expensive, I say. I think Jokinen would be an excellent center for the Czar, but if we somehow wrangled Patrick Marleau I'd die of an ecstatic heart attack. For one, I love the Sharks. For two (and this has more relevance to our Thrashers), he would be the answer to all our prayers. He'd be the ideal center for Kovalchuk because he's big, physical, a good passer, and FAST. I'm not sure if you've noticed, but Kovalchuk is also fast. A Kovalchuk-Marleau pairing would be the fastest line in the NHL. Marleau is pretty much the incarnation of the archetypal Power Forward. His drop in production last season isn't much to worry about, I think: he was injured for quite a lot of the year, and I'm pretty much convinced a change of scenery could set him on fire. Did I mention he's fast as a spanked cheetah?

Apparently Marleau isn't the only big-name Shark available. That's right, Jonathan Cheechoo, he of the "what the hell?!" Rocket Richard Trophy, could come join us on right wing. I'm not sure if he'd make up for the absence of Hossa, but-----and I remember saying this VERY early on----if he played on a line with Kovalchuk the numbers would be astronomical. Not just because you'd have two former Richard Trophy winners on the same line, but because what Cheechoo primarily is is a finisher. Cheechoo actually ISN'T a goal-scorer along the lines of Ovechkin or Kovalchuk. The reason he won that Richard Trophy in 2006 is because Joe Thornton had a blazing year doing what he does best: making plays. Cheechoo was always the primay dude to finish the plays. Hence the 56 goals.

I say we go after either Marleau or Cheechoo, but not both. Marleau would be preferable, since he is the high-quality center and power forward Kovy needs. If we can't get him, get Jonathan Cheechoo, I say. People forget what an exceptional passer and play-maker Kovy is: if he had Cheechoo serving him on right wing he could not only score a ton of goals himself but also finally have a team-mate he can set up and pass to.

Though I'm obviously not averse to getting both. That would be AWFULLY expensive, though.