According to the Associated Press on Saturday, the San Jose Sharks have acquired goaltender Adin Hill of Comox, British Columbia from the Arizona Coyotes. The Sharks are also receiving a seventh-round draft pick in the 2022 National Hockey League Entry Draft. In return, the Coyotes are receiving goaltender Josef Korenar and a second round draft pick in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft from the Sharks.
Hill had a record of nine wins, nine regulation losses, and one loss in extra time for the Sharks in 2020-21. He also had two shutouts, a goals against average of 2.74, and a save percentage of .913. Hill’s shutouts this past season came in a 4-0 Coyotes win over the Sharks on March 27, and in a 3-0 Coyotes win over the Vegas Golden Knights on April 30.
Statistically this past season, Hill was much better than all of the Sharks goaltenders. Korenar, Martin Jones, Devan Dubnyk, and Alexei Melnichuk all struggled with a goals against over three, and a save percentage under .900. That leads one to believe that Hill will be the Sharks no.1 in 2021-22.
One must realize a reason why this trade was made is because the Coyotes could not keep both of their goaltenders prior to the 2021 NHL Expansion Draft. The Coyotes already decided to keep Darcy Kuemper of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. There is also a belief that the Seattle Kraken could select Canadian Olympic gold medalist Carey Price of Vancouver, British Columbia, who was left unprotected by the Canadiens. Price won a gold medal for Canada at the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi.
