Speculation: 2017-18 Sharks roster discussion III - Offseason Edition

[The Nemesis]

View media item 1611
Haha

Remember: Crack jokes about the people that think Heed might've deserved a better chance = cool.

Suggest that maybe DeMelo isn't as good as he's being portrayed or that Heed deserves a better chance = YOU'RE WRONGY WRONG WRONG WRONGIEST WRONG!!!

 

[Gilligans Island]

If we get Tavares and Kane we would be insane. Another two things I could see is (mainly just to get cap space) trading Dillon for a cheaper third D, packaging Braun+Labanc for a better/younger top 4 D, somehow getting rid of Boedker and Martin, getting rid of Karlsson

Couture-Tavares-Meier
Kane-Thornton-Pavelski
Hertl-Tierney-Donskoi
Sorenson-Goodrow-don’t really care

Vlasic-Braun/new top 4
Ryan-Burns
UFA(we could find someone cheap)-Heed/DeMelo

Jones Dell

It would be insane if we re-signed Kane & Jumbo and landed Tavares.

Dealing Boedker and buying out Martin would be the more obvious and easier moves. Probably letting Melker go (and save $1.25M or so a cheaper replacement).

I'd prefer to keep Labanc if possible since he;s on a cheap ELC deal but dealing either Braun or Dillon would be the next (and harder move). If Braun, what cheaper top4 right-handed dman is out there that'd be good to pair with Vlasic?

 

[AgentCooper]

What is the cap penalty for buying out Martin's final year? Half cap hit in each of the next two seasons?

 

[hohosaregood]

What is the cap penalty for buying out Martin's final year? Half cap hit in each of the next two seasons?

~$2m for 2018-2019, and ~$1.4m for 2019-2020. It's a pretty small hit to take.

 

[Gilligans Island]

What is the cap penalty for buying out Martin's final year? Half cap hit in each of the next two seasons?

It's $2,016,667 in 2018-19 and $1,416,667 in 2019-20.

 

[Pistol Pete]

For the offseason, I am optimistic at this moment about resigning Kane for 5-6 years at $6mil per, Hertl for 5 years at $5mil per, and Tierney to a bridge at 2 years for $2.5-$3mil per. I am very worried about the Demelo contract at this point given Pete’s infatuation with him and Wilson’s propensity to overvalue bottom pairing dmen, as well as routinely giving out one bad contract per off season. Thornton is a big question mark given his injury and the potential of adding Tavares. As a few others have noted, if things played out perfectly with adding Tavares and Kane resigning, I could see Thornton taking a sweet heart deal to go all in next season. At this point, projecting Tavares at 7 years at $11-12mil seems like a safe assumption.

Regarding cap space for next season, at this point in the process, I am very hopefully that Wilson will buyout Martin in the summer. If Tavares does end up in Teal, then it’s safe to assume that both Karlsson and Boedker should be on their way out. Dillon would be next on my list to be moved (ahead of Braun), simply given his cap hit for a 3rd pair dman, and my personal preference of having a completely new 3rd pairing next year (a man can dream!).

 

[Negatively Positive]

Letunov is with the Sharks right now? Maybe that's part of the Sharks' pitch to Gambrell. Sign now and you can immediately get NHL paychecks like Letunov!

 

[hohosaregood]

Letunov is with the Sharks right now? Maybe that's part of the Sharks' pitch to Gambrell. Sign now and you can immediately get NHL paychecks like Letunov!

People are saying it's to burn the first year of Letunov's contract. I don't really see how that's beneficial to anybody here but that's what's happening.

 

[LadyStanley]

Despite turmoil, Joe Thornton still vows to retire a Shark

Found this on my FB page from three years ago... Jumbo wants to retire a Shark.

Will be interesting to see if/when-what he re-signs given two years with significant injury.

 

[Friday]

Despite turmoil, Joe Thornton still vows to retire a Shark

Found this on my FB page from three years ago... Jumbo wants to retire a Shark.

Will be interesting to see if/when-what he re-signs given two years with significant injury.

I mean anyone can leave and come back on a one day contract and hang em up. With double done knees there is no way anyone else signs him for anything worth him moving outta SJ. He just might have to take way less than he thinks he's worth at this point. He's got so much value when he's on the ice but no way he's worth more than 4M per right now.

 

[Juxtaposer]

People are saying it's to burn the first year of Letunov's contract. I don't really see how that's beneficial to anybody here but that's what's happening.

Yeah, I’d understand that reasoning if Letunov were a big shot who stood to make more money after his ELC ended, but he’s not. All burning a year means is that he has one less year of guaranteed professional hockey.

 

[CanadienShark]

Not sure the right thread for this, but anyone else think we could go back to the finals this year? I figure we can take down Anaheim or LA. Then I assume Vegas is our next opponent, which we could beat. I think Nashville would be the likely opponent in the WCF. I think we stand a chance.

 

[PacificOceanPotion]

Not sure the right thread for this, but anyone else think we could go back to the finals this year? I figure we can take down Anaheim or LA. Then I assume Vegas is our next opponent, which we could beat. I think Nashville would be the likely opponent in the WCF. I think we stand a chance.

*Angels in the outfield voice*
"It could happen"

 

[TomasHertlsRooster]

Not sure the right thread for this, but anyone else think we could go back to the finals this year? I figure we can take down Anaheim or LA. Then I assume Vegas is our next opponent, which we could beat. I think Nashville would be the likely opponent in the WCF. I think we stand a chance.

Since getting Kane, people on here are very optimistic about our chances in the first round and pretty optimistic about our chances in the 2nd round. It's the 3rd round where the competition is no longer butter soft and we're all pretty much in agreement that we'll need Thornton to be back and firing on all cylindeds to have a chance in the WCF if we do indeed run into Nashville or Winnipeg.

 

[Pinkfloyd]

Since getting Kane, people on here are very optimistic about our chances in the first round and pretty optimistic about our chances in the 2nd round. It's the 3rd round where the competition is no longer butter soft and we're all pretty much in agreement that we'll need Thornton to be back and firing on all cylindeds to have a chance in the WCF if we do indeed run into Nashville or Winnipeg.

I just don't think this team has what it takes without Thornton to be counted on to win a playoff series.

 

[TomasHertlsRooster]

I just don't think this team has what it takes without Thornton to be counted on to win a playoff series.

Against one of the big 7? Absolutely not. Against one of the SoCal teams, and either Vegas, or the WC1 that beats Vegas? Absolutely.

Maybe not counted on, but do you really think that Vegas and the SoCal teams do?

 

[hohosaregood]

I personally think that the Sharks have pretty exploitable aspects of their offense. Not to the level of McLellan's "only works with perfect execution" system but I can see a good coach and game plan that could mess with our entries and below the goal line plays.

 

[Gecklund]

Not sure the right thread for this, but anyone else think we could go back to the finals this year? I figure we can take down Anaheim or LA. Then I assume Vegas is our next opponent, which we could beat. I think Nashville would be the likely opponent in the WCF. I think we stand a chance.

I could see it happening but I think that we would have to have Thornton playing well, Couture or Pavelski or anyone really having a Con Smythe playoffs

 

[LA Shark]

I think they could make the Western Conference finals for sure. Beating Nashville in the WCF is a different story though.

 

[tiburon12]

I think they could make the Western Conference finals for sure. Beating Nashville in the WCF is a different story though.

If Jumbo comes back, and we slot him 3/4c (assuming he isnt full health) and use him on PP, that means for forwards we have crazy good pairs:
Pavs + Kane
Couture + Hertl
Thornton + Meier
Tierney + Goodrow

Obviously that may not be the case, but damn would we be deep and tough to play against

 

[TomasHertlsRooster]

I personally think that the Sharks have pretty exploitable aspects of their offense. Not to the level of McLellan's "only works with perfect execution" system but I can see a good coach and game plan that could mess with our entries and below the goal line plays.

Their system was pretty clearly exploited by the Washington Capitals in that game in San Jose. I was at the game and I can't quite honestly put my finger on how exactly they completely stifled our offense but they sure as hell did. No shock that it was done by a defensive mastermind like Trotz but it was pretty disappointing to watch.

 

[Jaleel619]

Its going to be an extremely entertaining playoffs, sharks have a lot on their plate to test out as far as the line up, I can see them getting that perfect fit where everybody is going and they find that 2nd switch mid playoffs. They just have to survive the 1st round or two and it would probably be bumpy. But a smooth sea doesn't make a skilled sailor! HAhA!

 

[TomasHertlsRooster]

After looking over some WOWYs, I want to keep Donskoi and Pavelski together. Pavelski's numbers over the last 25 games have been great with Donskoi and overall good but he has struggled a bit without Donskoi. They also look so fantastic together. And then you bring Kane in and the 3 of them have just looked fantastic together. In my opinion, you keep that line together until they stop looking great.

On top of that, Meier and Tierney are another duo whose numbers together are great, but whose numbers both fluster when split apart. When everybody is healthy, I want this:

Kane-Pavelski-Donskoi
Hertl-Couture-LaBanc
Tierney-Thornton-Meier
Goodrow-Fehr-Boedker

I know the 4th line demotion is a little unfair to Boedker, who has actually had a pretty solid season, but I don't know where else to put him. There are definitely a few too many NHL forwards on this roster when everybody is healthy. I think he's defensively responsible enough to be deployed in a 4th line role and he adds a scoring touch that is significantly superior to that of any 4th line player he's going to be playing against.

I know that we all think of LaBanc as a less than elite defensive player in the NHL, and the Hertl/Couture line will definitely be the one that is deployed most defensively against top players. But statistically speaking, Couture and Hertl do best defensively (in terms of suppressing shots and high danger chances) when grouped with Kevin LaBanc and that is also when their overall numbers are the best. I like that line. Their GF numbers aren't the best but that is mostly due to poor PDO.

The 3rd line is a bit awkward, but Thornton and Tierney have both looked by far their best with Timo Meier on their line. Their 5v5 numbers are both boosted quite a bit during their time with Timo Meier. Even if the handedness and positions of each player isn't extremely ideal, this will be the first time in Thornton's Sharks tenure that he will play against 3rd tier competition. If opposing teams want to play their top D pairings against Thornton, that will open up easier matchups for Pavelski who we all know has excelled in that type of role. It's unfortunate that the playoffs are the absolute earliest that Thornton will be back because the playoffs aren't exactly the time to try out things like this. It's almost certain that we will have Kane-Thornton-Pavelski together in Thornton's first game back this season but I think these lines could end up being beast.

 

[WSS11]

Not sure the right thread for this, but anyone else think we could go back to the finals this year? I figure we can take down Anaheim or LA. Then I assume Vegas is our next opponent, which we could beat. I think Nashville would be the likely opponent in the WCF. I think we stand a chance.

I think if Jones goes beast mode like he usually does come playoff time then yes. However, I’d be more confident if we faced Winnipeg rather than Nashville. Not really sold in the Jets goaltending in the playoffs.

 

[Juxtaposer]

I like the Sharks’ odds of getting out of the Pacific. No way we beat Nashville or Winnipeg though.