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With trade for Polak and Spaling, Wilson sends message to Sharks

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San Jose Sharks General Manager Doug Wilson sends message to the franchise by adding two quality veterans before the trade deadline as they embark on a playoff push.

Sometime in the future, the San Jose Sharks will try to replace the pair of draft picks they traded away today to get defenseman Roman Polak and forward Nick Spaling from the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Those two picks aren’t until 2017 and 2018, so there’s “ample time” to do so, according to GM Doug Wilson.

For now, the Sharks are focused on making the playoffs, then going on a deep run once they get there.

“Very important that those picks were in the future, two and three drafts from now,” Wilson said, per CSN Bay Area. “The other part of it is, it adds to our team without taking anybody out of the lineup or taking any of our young players or prospects that we drafted from the last two years, because we’re really pleased with our prospects.”

Wilson didn’t say how, exactly, the Sharks would “replenish those picks,” but trading Patrick Marleau before his contract expires could be one way. The 36-year-old is signed through next season. As of January, his trade request had reportedly not gone away.

In the meantime, head coach Pete DeBoer likes the message that management sent with the acquisition of veteran Polak and Spaling, both pending unrestricted free agents.

“I think the message is that we think we have a chance,” he said. “Management is going to do what they can to try and help the group out. Now it’s on us to get them together on the ice and deliver the proper results.”

The Sharks have quietly been one of the NHL’s hottest teams in the new year. Since Jan. 9, they’ve gone 13-3-3.

San Jose plays in St. Louis tonight before finishing off its five-game road trip Wednesday in Colorado. Both games can be seen on NBCSN.

Related: Marleau won’t say he wants to remain a Shark