{coyotes} Sharks kick tires on trade for third pick

http://www.csnbayarea.com/sharks/sharks-kick-tires-trade-third-pick?p=ya5nbcs&ocid=yahoo&ref=yfp

FT. LAUDERDALE -- The Arizona Coyotes have hinted that the third overall pick in Friday's first round of the NHL draft is in play.

According to a source, the Sharks are one of the teams that have kicked the tires on that pick.

TSN's Bob McKenzie reported that Coyotes general manager Don Maloney "said he has an offer to swap the No. 3 overall pick for a pick several slots down but still in Top 10." San Jose owns the ninth overall selection.

Still, several teams are reportedly pursuing the Coyotes pick, and the deal seems unlikely from the Sharks' standpoint. If the Pacific Division rivals were to do a deal, Arizona would almost certainly require the ninth overall pick in return in addition to a young, high-salaried player, as the Coyotes sit more than $18.6 million beneath the salary cap floor.

The only players on the Sharks' current roster that would meet that criteria would be 26-year-old forward Logan Couture, who owns a limited no-trade clause and is in the second year of a five-year, $30 million contract, and Justin Braun, 28, who has a five-year, $19 million contract that is about to kick in and is coming off of a mediocre campaign.

The Sharks are considered "buyers" headed into this weekend's draft, and the start of unrestricted free agency on July 1. Subtracting from their current core for an 18-year-old prospect, regardless of his potential, would seem to go against their stated approach.

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