The San Jose Sharks could hardly afford to lose Patrick Marleau's offensive production after finishing 19th in the NHL in goals for last season. But with Marleau, who's averaged 26 goals per season over the last four years, now in Toronto, the Sharks have a major hole to fill up front.
San Jose has a little over $10 million in cap space, per Cap Friendly, but there are few options available in free agency. It's possible it could sign one of the remaining veteran wingers, such as Jaromir Jagr, Thomas Vanek, or Brian Gionta.
However, if the Sharks choose to rely on internal options, the following three players have the best chance of getting it done.
Timo Meier
Meier, 20, was taken ninth overall by the Sharks in the 2015 draft.
As a rookie in 2016-17, Meier had only three goals and three assists in 34 games, but he was often stuck on the third or fourth line, as he averaged just over 12 minutes of ice time per game.
In the limited role, the Swiss-born winger had an astounding 85 shots on goal. In fact, he finished fourth in the NHL in shots per 60 minutes, behind Alex Ovechkin, Jack Eichel, and Jeff Skinner among players who played at least 10 games.
Despite last season's low shooting percentage of 3.5, Meier does have a good shot - he buried 14 goals in 33 AHL games last year.
At 6-feet, 210 pounds, Meier is physically ready for an increased role. He's heavy on his stick, great in the cycle, and could easily pot 25 goals with a full season in the top-six with Joe Thornton or Logan Couture as his center.
Tomas Hertl
Hertl played just 49 games in an injury-riddled 2016-17 season, totaling 10 goals and 12 assists. He spent parts of last season on the wing alongside Thornton and Joe Pavelski, but also spent a large portion of the year centering the third line.
With Chris Tierney seemingly ready to take over third-line center duties full time, Hertl could spend more time on the wing in a top-six role, where his scoring touch can be put to better use.
He scored 21 goals in 2015-16, and heading into his fifth NHL season, the 23-year-old Czech native could take off with a more prominent workload potentially on the horizon.
Jannik Hansen
Hansen isn't the flashiest player, but he is a very effective two-way winger capable of playing up and down the lineup. He can also put the puck in the back of the net when he's put in the right situation.
In 2015-16, Hansen posted a career-high 22 goals in just 67 games while playing alongside the Sedin twins in Vancouver.
The hard-working Dane could easily bury 20-to-25 goals if he can stay healthy and remain in the top-six all year. He'll certainly be playing with extra motivation given that he's in the final year of his contract.
(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)
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