The Sharks kept retooling their lineup for the future on Tuesday as the team traded defenseman Justin Braun to the Philadelphia Flyers.
In return, San Jose acquired a second-round pick in the 2019 NHL Draft and a third-round pick in the 2020 draft.
Braun has spent his entire professional career playing for the Sharks, having been drafted in the seventh round in the 2007 draft. The left-hander scored 154 total points (24 goals, 130 assists) and was a plus-24 in 607 games played. He tallied 16 points (2 goals, 14 assists) in 78 games played in the 2018-19 season.
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The Minnesota native has been a staple on the Sharks' blue line, spending a significant amount of time paired with Marc-Edouard Vlasic. Braun averaged 19:56 minutes of ice time per game through nine regular seasons in teal and 21:01 minutes of ice time through 84 Stanley Cup playoff games. Braun was also a lock on San Jose's penalty kill, which ended the last regular season with a 80.8-percent success rate.
While the trade gives the Sharks a second-round pick in the upcoming draft, it also leaves them without a left-shooting veteran defenseman in their starting lineup. San Jose currently has left-handed shot Joakim Ryan, who is set to become a restricted free agent on July 1, and AHL defenseman Jacob Middleton, who played three games at the professional level last season.
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Braun has one year left on his current five-year contract before hitting free agency. The trade increases the Sharks' projected cap space by $3.8 million, according to CapFriendly.
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The Sharks still have 21 players on their list of free agents. It'll be a busy summer for Doug Wilson and Co.
