With the post-All-Star Game part of their schedule set to commence this week, the Kraken moved Sunday to address blue-line depth issues by acquiring hulking left-handed-shot defenseman Jaycob Megna from the San Jose Sharks.
The move for the 6-foot-6, 220-pound Megna, 30, in exchange for a fourth-round pick of the Kraken’s choosing in next summer’s NHL draft, comes as the team deals with an injury that’s sidelined right-handed shot defender Justin Schultz the last five games.
Schultz is expected to return on the team’s East Coast road trip, which commences Tuesday night against the New York Islanders, but his injury underscored how short handed the Kraken were with NHL-ready defenders beyond their six regulars. The Kraken have been using right-handed shot Cale Fleury in Schultz’s place, but beyond him, the next man up in the American Hockey League had been left-handed Gustav Oloffson — who has been sidelined several weeks with a broken leg.
“It’s just a concern that if we had any injuries on the left side, we’d be short,” Kraken general manager Ron Francis said. “We like him (Megna) as a player. He’s a good character guy, so we’ll add him to the mix and see what he can do.”
Megna appeared in 48 games for the Sharks this season, mainly alongside standout Erik Karlsson, notching a goal and 11 assists.
The Sharks were in Florida at the time of the trade. Francis said the team will fly him to New York on Monday, so he can join them before the Islanders game.
Megna’s first relatively full NHL campaign came last season when he spent 44 games with the Sharks, but the seventh-round pick by Anaheim in 2012 has primarily been a minor leaguer throughout his professional career.
The trade is the second in nine days for the struggling Sharks, who are expected to engage in a sell-off under first year general manager Mike Grier as they look to build draft capital and a stockpile of future prospects.