Sharks add Hill in goalie for goalie trade

*Photo from Sports Illustrated*

   We have our first goalie for goalie trade in the NHL offseason. The San Jose Sharks have acquired G Adin Hill and a 7th round draft pick from the Arizona Coyotes in exchange for G Josef Korenar and a second round draft pick, according to both teams. 

   Sharks GM Doug Wilson said "We acquired a goaltender that we've really had our eye on for a while. We were ideally looking for somebody with size. He certainly has that at 6-foot-6 and athletic ability. His competitiveness is a big part of it, too. I think he might have faced some of the toughest shot quality of any goalie in the League last year and he did very well during that."

   Mostly used as a 3rd goalie behind Darcy Kuemper and Antti Raanta, Hill played in 19 games while Kuemper and Raanta each went through stretches of injuries. Hill performed well under the circumstances, posting a 9-9-1 record in those 19 games, with a .913 save percentage and a 2.74 GAA in that time, posting two shutouts. 

   Hill, who was a 3rd round draft pick in 2015 by the Coyotes, was going to be left exposed in the upcoming expansion draft, alongside Raanta, with Kuemper being the protected goalie. Now, he goes to the Sharks, where he is on the protected list as the one goalie San Jose is allowed to protect.

   Asked about moving to the Sharks, Hill said "I think it's a good opportunity for me. Obviously, in Arizona we had Raanta and Kuemper, who were kind of slated ahead of me, and being the younger guy, a lot of times I was kind of moved around on the practice spot or whatever. But yeah, I'm happy to have bigger role and play some hockey."

   Korenar is coming off his rookie season with the Sharks, making his NHL debut after they traded Devan Dubnyk to the Colorado Avalanche. In 10 games, 7 of them starts, Korenar has a 3-5-0 record, with a 3.17 GAA and an .899 save percentage. He is yet to post an NHL shutout. He will become an RFA after next season, unless the Coyotes can agree to a new contract with him first. 

   Asked about acquiring Korenar, Coyotes GM Bill Armstrong said "We are very pleased to acquire Josef. He is an athletic goaltender who played very well in the Pacific Division. We look forward to continuing to watch him develop."

   On their new teams, Korenar will likely be the 3rd goalie, unless Raanta is selected by Seattle in the expansion draft, then he has a chance to become a backup at the NHL level. Hill will most likely become the backup in San Jose, with Martin Jones still running the net.