San Jose Sharks Trade Talk: Trades That Could Ignite Stanley Cup Run

After a slow start to the 2011-12 NHL regular season, the San Jose Sharks are currently riding the momentum of a three game winning streak that has vaulted them to the top of the Pacific Division and third place in the Western Conference. 

General manager Doug Wilson aggressively retooled his roster over the offseason, bringing in two top-flight players in Brent Burns and Martin Havlat, among others. While these acquisitions appear to be paying off, the Sharks still lack depth and experience in their bottom six, which has been exposed several times early this season.

Their impressive 12-5-1 record indicates that San Jose is playing solid hockey overall, but their third and fourth lines have been largely unimpressive so far and Wilson may be looking to address the issue via trade.

Acquiring a third-line forward who can contribute on both ends of the rink and fill in a top-six role when needed would provide the Sharks with increased scoring depth and make them a much more dynamic unit. Here are five players who fit that bill and would be invaluable additions to San Jose's lineup.   

Andrei Kostitsyn, Montreal Canadiens

With nine points in 13 games played so far this season, Andrei Kostitsyn is beginning to find his scoring touch again, after three consecutive lackluster campaigns with the Montreal Canadiens. 

He broke out in 2007-08 with a 53-point campaign and has failed to match that point total since. As a result, the the 26-year-old winger has fallen out of favor with much of the Canadiens' faithful and has been the subject of trade rumors for months. 

Kostitsyn is a big body who can skate well and provide some secondary scoring. He would fit in nicely on the San Jose Sharks' third line and could contribute in a top-six role if need be. 

Rene Bourque, Calgary Flames

Rene Bourque established himself as a quality NHL scorer two years ago, when he notched a career-high 27 goals and 58 points. He buried 27 pucks again last season and finished the year with 50 points in 80 games played.

The undrafted winger currently has six goals and no assists in 18 games this season. Needless to say, he is struggling to produce offensively and could see himself suiting up for a different club in the not-so-distant future as a result. 

Bourque would fit in nicely with the San Jose Sharks, where he would be used in a more defensive role that suits his skill-set. He wouldn't be relied on to be one of the team's top goal scorers because they already have high-end snipers in Patrick Marleau, Logan Couture and Joe Pavelski. 

With the Sharks, Bourque would be expected to skate hard, play physical, kill penalties and chip in the odd goal. He would undoubtedly excel in such a role.  

Blake Comeau, New York Islanders

Blake Comeau is off to a very slow start this season, with no points and a plus/minus rating of -11 in 15 games played. 

In his defense though, it seems that almost everyone on the New York Islanders is in the midst of a slump at the moment. Look no farther than their dismal 5-9-3 record that has them in last place in the Eastern Conference. 

Comeau registered a career-high 24 goals and 46 points last season while playing primarily third-line minutes. He showed that he has what it takes to contribute at the NHL level and is a prime example of a third-line forward who can play on both ends of the rink and provide additional scoring depth. 

If he can return to playing as well as he did last year, Comeau could be exactly what the San Jose Sharks need in their bottom six. He's a versatile player who clearly has a nose for the net and is comfortable in his own end, as well. 

Cal Clutterbuck, Minnesota Wild

Doug Wilson and Minnesota Wild general manager Chuck Fletcher love trading with each other, so why not do it again?

Drafted in the third round of the 2006 entry draft, Cal Clutterbuck is one of the league's most ferocious hitters. Additionally, he is a terrific skater and a capable goal scorer, which he proved last season with 19 goals.

Clutterbuck may not have the offensive upside of the other names on this list, but he makes up for it with a strong work ethic, physical play and defensive responsibility. He's a very good third-line forward and, at just 24 years old, has plenty of time to improve the other areas of his game.

The San Jose Sharks could use a relentlessly physical and hardworking player like Clutterbuck. The 20 goals he would notch on the side would be a very nice bonus.  

Lauri Korpikoski, Phoenix Coyotes

Originally drafted by the New York Rangers in 2004, Lauri Korpikoski was dealt to the Phoenix Coyotes two years ago and broke out in a big way last season, with 19 goals and 21 assists for 40 points. 

He's primarily a defensive forward who's used on the penalty kill, but Korpikoski is beginning to find his offensive game and could blossom into a solid two-way player. 

Only 25, the Finland native has the composure and discipline of a seasoned veteran and still has room to grow. He would be a very nice addition to the San Jose Sharks' third line, where he would play a key role in shutting down the opposition while chipping in on the scoresheet. 

Sam Kelly is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report. You can follow him on Twitter @samkelly10.