Comparing the San Jose Sharks, Minnesota Wild Trades Now

Hindsight is 20/20. I believe that is how the saying goes. However, when the San Jose Sharks and Minnesota Wild made their series of trades this past offseason, there was no turning back, and there really was no need to. Both teams walked away feeling better about their teams heading forward.

Fast forward to two weeks into the 2011-12 NHL season, and what is the consensus on how each of these teams did in those trades?

San Jose Sharks: 3 Simple Reasons Why They Are Better A Better Team This Season

The San Jose Sharks and GM Doug Wilson have been extremely busy this offseason, Their flurry of trades and signings have been well-documented throughout the league, and some wonder whether or not they were for the betterment of the team.

The Sharks started off by trading young winger Devin Setoguchi, prospect Charlie Coyle and their first round pick to the Minnesota Wild for All-Star defenseman Brent Burns.

San Jose Sharks Extend Brent Burns; Worst Fears Subsided

The San Jose Sharks signed newly acquired defenseman Brent Burns to a five-year contract worth $28.8 million, according to the San Jose Mercury News' David Pollack.

Burns is set to receive $5.76 million per year.

The 26-year-old was acquired by the Sharks back in late-June in a deal that sent Devin Setoguchi, prospect Charlie Coyle and their 2011 first round pick to the Minnesota Wild.

San Jose Sharks GM Doug Wilson Is Doing Work This Offseason

I ran into San Jose Sharks GM Doug Wilson the other day. No, I do not personally know him. I am not quite that far along in my journalistic career as of yet. However, I do work at the country club that he is a member at. So, yes, we're best friends.

Of course, I tried to sneak several peaks at him.

Can you blame me or anyone with a love for the Sharks?

This was the mastermind behind the Sharks' success year in and year out. He was the man with the power to do what he pleased with this team.

NHL Draft: Despite No Notable Picks, the San Jose Sharks Still Had A Productive Draft

The San Jose Sharks went out on a limb on Draft Day 2011 and acquired defenseman Brent Burns from the Minnesota Wild in exchange for winger Devin Setoguchi, top forward prospect Charlie Coyle and their 28th overall draft pick.

Heading into the 2011 NHL Draft, the focus for the Sharks was centered around building for the future.

That is exactly what the Sharks achieved without even owning a first-round pick at the end of the day.

Devin Setoguchi and the San Jose Sharks Continue OT Success; Take 3-0 Series Lead

It took a Devin Setoguchi hat trick, including the overtime clincher, to push the San Jose Sharks past the Detroit Red Wings on Wednesday night. The Sharks continued their perfect streak of overtime wins, now five of five, and put the Red Wings into a huge 3-0 series hole.

Instant classic.

Arguably both teams' best efforts of the series, the Sharks managed to get by the Red Wings with solid goaltending from Antti Niemi and a little hockey luck.

Everyone knew the Red Wings would come out swinging in Game 3, being down 2-0 in the series, so it was no

Trade Rumors Fueling Setoguchi

So maybe that was all it took. A good kick in the pants and swirling trade rumors have Devin Setoguchi playing his best hockey of the year at a most crucial time of the year. Granted, it is only three games, but we'll take what we can get out of Setoguchi who has been quite the disappointment after being dubbed the "second-coming" just a few years ago.

Maybe Setoguchi wasn't even on the trading block to begin with, but the racing tension of actually being traded out of San Jose by February 28th may have him playing as hard as ever. And that's what we have seen over these last 3 or 4 games, Setoguchi working hard, and it has payed off in these last three games with

Sharks Trade Seems Imminent

The Sharks finished up their forever-long road trip on Tuesday in Nashville against the Predators. Ya, it felt like that. After the 2-1 OT win, the Sharks now find themselves smack-dab in the middle of a four-way tie for 4th place in the Western Conference. Nice.

The Sharks will look back on this road trip as a successful one. A win put the Sharks at 5-2 on the road trip, which was more than they had hoped for, but just enough needed, as they and four other teams are just 3 points from the 9th spot.

But something still seems wrong with this team, something missing. The answer is easy and has been missing the whole season. It's been missing ever since Rob Blake retired last season.

Now, no one can replace Blake's leadership that he brought to this team in previous seasons, but the Sharks are in desperate need of a blue-line defensemen. Someone who can shoot the puck and defend a smidge to help out goalie Antti Niemi, something the team has been struggling with since the beginning of the season. With good defense comes good goaltending... that's not fair to say since good goaltending makes the defense look really good, but that's not the point!

A trade seems imminent and here is why. This late in the season, teams that are out of the