There's an alternate reality somewhere where we drafted Debrincat but would you rather have Debrincat or Jones? Tough choice.
So you trade for a goaltender only two times:
1) He is a franchise-caliber one
2) You have a competitive team that is ready to go, but there is a hole at the goaltending position and the guy you are acquiring is one you can win with.
At the time, I would have said the trade would work out if Jones turned into a franchise-caliber goaltender, since I didn't think the Sharks were competitive. Oddly enough, they went to the finals next year, but Jones is clearly not a superstar goaltender. However, no Cup, and a year after that and the team is mired in mediocrity; tough call to say it is worth it.
In any case, that first was a steep price for an above-average goaltender. Usually in those situations, especially anytime outside the trade deadline, those goaltenders come cheaply. Heck, I’d wager Reimer would have achieved a similar result considering Jones was a passenger for the first three series. Moreover, the Sharks have now committed to a future with Jones as the #1 goalie; that’s not solid foundation.
ON4 really loves bringing up Couture and Petrecki as a reminder of this forum’s hubris.
Plus Setoguchi, Bernier, Michalek, Kaspar…many pre-2007 examples. The Sharks haven’t had many first-rounders since then, but even still, people were fairly negative on Coyle and Hertl while being very positive on Goldobin. You go into the later rounds, and it is the same mixed picture.