Wiesblatt was selected 31st overall by the Sam Jose Sharks in the 2020 draft, and hasn't come close to cracking a very weak Sharks roster. He played last season in the AHL with the San Jose Barracuda and the Milwaukee Admirals, and only scored 4 goals in 40 games.
On the other side, Egor Afanasyev is a second round draft pick by the Predators in 2019, and has cracked the NHL roster for a total of 19 games. Afanasyev has struggled to produce offensively in the NHL, only scoring 1 goal and no assists, but has scored at a prolific rate in the AHL. Last season on the Milwaukee Admirals, Afanasyev scored 27 goals and 54 points in 54 games.
It's a strange trade between teams who are sharing prospects across their AHL teams, which would seem to mean that both teams intricately know these players. Afanasyev has had much more success at the pro level in North America than Wiesblatt and is only one year older. At first glance, it appears the Sharks won the deal by adding a solid scoring prospect into their system, and the Predators are taking a lottery ticket with Ozzy Wiesblatt.
The NHL Draft is slated for this Friday and free agency follows shortly after on July 1st. This is a minor trade, but NHL blockbuster season is just heating up now. Between a historic cup final and the NHL events this week, it's a real busy time for hockey fans.
