SAN JOSE, Calif. _ The San Jose Sharks parted ways with a player once thought to be key part of their future for more help for what they hope is another deep run in the Stanley Cup playoffs this spring.
The Sharks added to their depth at the forward position, acquiring Jannik Hansen from the Vancouver Canucks for former first round draft choice Nikolay Goldobin and a conditional fourth round draft pick in 2017.
The Sharks made the announcement midway through Tuesday's game against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Tomas Hertl scored with 1:23 left in the third period to give the Sharks a 2-1 lead at SAP Center en route to a 3-1 win.
Brenden Dillon also scored for the Sharks, who maintained their five-point lead in the Pacific Division. Joe Pavelski scored an empty net goal with 23 seconds left. Joe Thornton assisted on the goal, the 999th assist of his NHL career.
Should San Jose win the 2017 Stanley Cup, the fourth round selection becomes a 2017 first round selection.
It's a price the Sharks would be all too willing to pay.
"Jannik is a versatile, gritty player who plays with speed and is talented on both sides of the puck," Sharks general manager Doug Wilson said in a statement.
"We think he is a perfect fit for the style of our team, which has earned the right for us to make this move and add to our NHL roster as we push towards the playoffs."
Hansen, 30, has 13 points (six goals, seven assists), 27 penalty minutes and a plus-2 rating in 28 games this season with the Canucks. He had a modified no-trade clause and reportedly would only accept a trade to a handful of teams.
Hansen is healthy again after he missed six weeks with a lower body injury. He has one year left on a contract that carries a $2.5 million cap hit for next season, but plays the rugged, two-way game that Sharks coach Pete DeBoer favors from his wingers.
The Sharks said Hansen's date to join San Jose will be determined once his immigration process is completed.
The Sharks host the Canucks on Thursday.
Goldobin has played in 46 games with the Barracuda this season, posting 41 points (15 goals, 26 assists). In 11 career NHL games with San Jose, he has posted two points (one goal, one assist).
Goldobin, the Sharks' 2014 first round draft pick, had 41 points in 46 games with the Barracuda.
The 21-year-old forward has played in 11 NHL games with the Sharks, collecting one goal and one assist. He played in two games for the Sharks this season, Feb. 18 and 19 against the Arizona Coyotes and Boston Bruins, respectively, and was held without a point.
With the Edmonton Oilers acquiring center David Desharnais from the Montreal Canadiens earlier Tuesday for defenseman Brandon Davidson, every team in the Pacific Division except for San Jose had made at least one trade in the last eight days.
Edmonton joined Anaheim, Calgary and Los Angeles as Pacific Division teams that made moves in hopes of improving. Leaving no doubt that the Western Conference got stronger this month, Minnesota and Chicago also made deals to help burnish a Stanley Cup run.
The Sharks haven't stood pat at or near the trade deadline very often under Doug Wilson. They weren't going to this season.
Tuesday's game was scoreless after the first period as the Sharks outshot the Leafs 13-5 and had a handful of high-danger changes.
Momentum shifted after Toronto defenseman Morgan Rielly was whistled for interference at the 14:27 mark. The Sharks had five shots on goal on the ensuing power play but could not beat Leafs goalie Morgan Rielly.
The win was the 300th of DeBoer's career in the NHL.
