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Is Mike Grier Aware Mackenzie Blackwood Sucks?

Trey Daubert / NHL / June 28, 2023

Is Mike Grier Aware Mackenzie Blackwood Sucks?

WTF are the Sharks doing? That seems to be a common phrase now. The Sharks pulled off another head-scratcher trade sending a draft pick for goalie Mackenzie Blackwood. I just have one question for Sharks general manager, Mike Grier. Do we think he’s aware that Blackwood sucks?

Sure, the Sharks only gave up a 6th round pick for Blackwood. I still can’t stress enough how idiotic this trade was. Talk about not having any ability to read the room. All reports indicated that the Devils were done with Blackwood. The Devils were ready to waive Blackwood and all indications pointed to New Jersey simply waiving the veteran goalie. Yes, it’s only a 6th round pick but there was absolutely no reason to give one away. Blackwood was moments away from hitting the open market.

Furthermore, the guy sucks. He’s completely awful.

MacKenzie Blackwood, traded to SJ, is a goalie. #SJSharks pic.twitter.com/HA0wfhTQl0
— JFresh (@JFreshHockey) June 27, 2023

Blackwood, 26, posted an .893 SV% a year ago and .892 SV% in 2021. Vitek Vanecek and Akira Schmid both performed miles better than Blackwood. Also, if Blackwood was this bad with Jersey, what makes anyone think he’s turning the corner with a way worse Sharks blue line in front of him?

More so than anything, this trade makes absolutely no sense from a contractual standpoint. Blackwood is owed a $3.36 million qualifying offer. If Blackwood rebounds the Sharks are going to have to give him a contract they don’t want to pay. If Blackwood stinks again, they will have made this trade for nothing and essentially reduced the return on the Timo Meier trade they already made with the Devils.

If the Sharks actually believed in Blackwood bouncing back they should have let him hit the open market and the signed Blackwood to a longer term deal at a reduced cost. Being the one year flier team makes absolutely no sense.