2023 Training Camp

[timorous me]

I don’t see the harm in having Eklund and Thrun in the AHL. Maybe they can develop a winning culture. I think them being top contributors on a Calder Cup contender would do more than the increased level of competition on a bad tanking NHL team.

If they are as ready for the NHL as everyone thinks they should not just put up points but also help turn the Cuda into a winning team.

I think the potential harm is in young players feeling like they're not getting a fair shake. It's not the same as in baseball where guys get held down for service time manipulation so that they become free agents later (I guess that was sort of the conversation for Eklund last year, right?), but I do think there's potential to fray relationships.

Also, if the coach wants certain players in the lineup because he feels they're clearly deserving but management sends them down anyway for various reasons, that could also damage the relationship with the coaching staff as well.

 

[Lebanezer]

Claim Jeff Viel (who is back to Truchon-Viel I guess?)!

How tall is he?

 

[The Nemesis]

How tall is he?

Tall enough to be gritty and truculent.

 

[Juxtaposer]

I don’t see the harm in having Eklund and Thrun in the AHL. Maybe they can develop a winning culture. I think them being top contributors on a Calder Cup contender would do more than the increased level of competition on a bad tanking NHL team.

If they are as ready for the NHL as everyone thinks they should not just put up points but also help turn the Cuda into a winning team.

There is zero chance the Cuda contend for a Calder Cup this year, and there is no developmental benefit of having Eklund exposed to McCarthy’s coaching.

 

[gaucholoco3]

There is zero chance the Cuda contend for a Calder Cup this year, and there is no developmental benefit of having Eklund exposed to McCarthy’s coaching.

I just don’t get how so many of the Sharks prospects can be “locks” to be NHL players yet not be good enough to help an AHL team contend.

If Thrun, Eklund, Gushchin, Bordeleau, Mukamadulin, Gawkie all are supposed to be NHL contributors now (all have been touted on this board that they need to be in the NHL) then they should be good enough to dominate the AHL.

How can players simultaneously be too good for the AHL but not good enough to help the team win?

 

[Cas]

I just don’t get how so many of the Sharks prospects can be “locks” to be NHL players yet not be good enough to help an AHL team contend.

If Thrun, Eklund, Gushchin, Bordeleau, Mukamadulin, Gawkie all are supposed to be NHL contributors now (all have been touted on this board that they need to be in the NHL) then they should be good enough to dominate the AHL.

How can players simultaneously be too good for the AHL but not good enough to help the team win?

I don't think all of those guys are ready to be in the NHL - the only one I think really belongs is Eklund - and Gawanke is, I think, just a lottery ticket without a high anticipated payoff anyway; probably a fine AHL player who maybe deserves an NHL shot but probably doesn't have what it takes to stay.

I also don't think all that much of the rest of the Barracuda roster. You've got a tweener in Carpenter, a couple of reasonable prospects in Robins, Cardwell, and Laroque, a few solidish AHL guys in Sabourin, Todd, Cassels, and Bailey, but the rest of the roster is pretty dismal.

I don't think guys like Raska or Wiesblatt or Coe or Cicek have an NHL future - for that matter, I don't think Raska has an AHL future. The goalies are enigmas. The coaching is uninspiring.

I just don't think it's much of a competitive team and I have zero faith in McCarthy, who I view as a nepotism hire by the previous and clearly failed regime, prioritizing San Jose ties over actual demonstrated competence.

 

[DG93]

I just don’t get how so many of the Sharks prospects can be “locks” to be NHL players yet not be good enough to help an AHL team contend.

If Thrun, Eklund, Gushchin, Bordeleau, Mukamadulin, Gawkie all are supposed to be NHL contributors now (all have been touted on this board that they need to be in the NHL) then they should be good enough to dominate the AHL.

How can players simultaneously be too good for the AHL but not good enough to help the team win?

Who said there are "so many" Sharks prospects that are locks to be NHL players? Thrun and Eklund look like NHLers. I think Mukhamadulin is not too far behind. That's pretty much it at this point...maybe Bordeleau and Gushchin get there if they keep developing and maybe you can get a 4th liner out of Robins. That's why they aren't a Calder Cup contending juggernaut I would think.

 

[jarr92]

I just don’t get how so many of the Sharks prospects can be “locks” to be NHL players yet not be good enough to help an AHL team contend.

If Thrun, Eklund, Gushchin, Bordeleau, Mukamadulin, Gawkie all are supposed to be NHL contributors now (all have been touted on this board that they need to be in the NHL) then they should be good enough to dominate the AHL.

How can players simultaneously be too good for the AHL but not good enough to help the team win?

I like McCarthy as a player, but the Cuda were not a well coached team last year. It felt like they were held back by a combination of injuries and coaching the whole season IMO.

 

[Hobocop]

I like McCarthy as a player, but the Cuda were not a well coached team last year. It felt like they were held back by a combination of injuries and coaching the whole season IMO.

I'm cautiously optimistic going into next season, as I hope McCarthy shows a little improvement in his second year of coaching (I don't know, we'll see about that). But more importantly, the defensive personnel is going to be better. People seem to forget that going into the 22-23 season, the top defensemen on the Cuda were:

Pouliot- Got injured in the middle of the season, was otherwise good for us
Kniazev- Didn't take a step forward in his play whatsoever
Sieloff- Pretty underwhelming
Merkley- Was Merkley

A defensive group with Muk, Thrun, Gawanke, and, fingers crossed, maybe Okhotyuk or MacDonald, blows that unit away. If Cicek can bounce back to something resembling his 21-22 form, we might have a pretty deep group. I'm very much on pins and needles waiting to find out who this team is actually going to have.

Add the best group of centers this team might ever have had, and the personnel is potentially there. Don't underestimate the simple fact that this isn't a group of rookies anymore, either.

 

[Gecklund]

Tall enough to be gritty and truculent.

Truculent or truchulent?

 

[landshark]

There is zero chance the Cuda contend for a Calder Cup this year, and there is no developmental benefit of having Eklund exposed to McCarthy’s coaching.

Awww f***, I forgot about McCarthy. The never ending tank...

 

[Hodge]

Hopefully Grier brings in his own AHL coaching staff at some point. Complete bush league move by the Sharks to promote McCarthy and company before they hired a GM.

 

[Anomie2029]

I'm cautiously optimistic going into next season, as I hope McCarthy shows a little improvement in his second year of coaching (I don't know, we'll see about that). But more importantly, the defensive personnel is going to be better. People seem to forget that going into the 22-23 season, the top defensemen on the Cuda were:

Pouliot- Got injured in the middle of the season, was otherwise good for us
Kniazev- Didn't take a step forward in his play whatsoever
Sieloff- Pretty underwhelming
Merkley- Was Merkley

A defensive group with Muk, Thrun, Gawanke, and, fingers crossed, maybe Okhotyuk or MacDonald, blows that unit away. If Cicek can bounce back to something resembling his 21-22 form, we might have a pretty deep group. I'm very much on pins and needles waiting to find out who this team is actually going to have.

Add the best group of centers this team might ever have had, and the personnel is potentially there. Don't underestimate the simple fact that this isn't a group of rookies anymore, either.

The D-core is definitely better than last season, but McCarthy's issue was he wasn't holding players to the same standard. The Cuda discipline was horrendous, yet players like Onyebuchi, Johnson, and Sieloff were consistently given more time despite all the dumb penalties they'd take.

He wasn't developing talent, and the team wasn't competing either. It's the AHL, the team needs to be one or the either.

 

[Hobocop]

The D-core is definitely better than last season, but McCarthy's issue was he wasn't holding players to the same standard. The Cuda discipline was horrendous, yet players like Onyebuchi, Johnson, and Sieloff were consistently given more time despite all the dumb penalties they'd take.

He wasn't developing talent, and the team wasn't competing either. It's the AHL, the team needs to be one or the either.

Okay?

I literally just said I hope McCarthy shows some improvement. Would be nice to have something to mention about the Barracuda outside of "DAE McCarthy bad."

I really need the season to start.

 

[hohosaregood]

Okay?

I literally just said I hope McCarthy shows some improvement. Would be nice to have something to mention about the Barracuda outside of "DAE McCarthy bad."

I really need the season to start.

I feel like he's developing kids okay. Like Eklund, Gushchin, Wiesblatt showed pretty significant improvement over the course of the year. I really think that defense was absolutely crippling when they didn't have Poulliot.

 

[Hobocop]

I feel like he's developing kids okay. Like Eklund, Gushchin, Wiesblatt showed pretty significant improvement over the course of the year. I really think that defense was absolutely crippling when they didn't have Poulliot.

And apart from adding the vets Pouliot and Sieloff, there wasn't much done to upgrade 21-22's awful defense group. Which meant the defense improving last season was very reliant on Merkley and Kniazev improving, and clearly they didn't. So definitely, once Pouliot went down there was nobody who was going to step up in that group.

Defense is going to be overcrowded down here, but on the other hand, I really like having the depth this time around.

I'm looking forward to seeing how Wiesblatt's going to fare this year. I don't know that he's going to ever contribute to the NHL in a significant way, but I love the energy he brings and his play has felt like it's trending up, including this pre-season.

 

[Hodge]

If we sign Bailey and him, Peterson and MacDonald make it through waivers the Cuda roster looks really strong IMO.

Peterson-Bordeleau-Bailey
Gushchin-Robins-Todd
Wiesblatt-Cassels-Coe
Sabourin-Kaspick-Raska/Cardwell

Shak-MacDonald
Thrun-Gawanke
Cicek-Pulli/Laroque

Makiniemi and Chrona should form a solid tandem in net too. No excuses not to make the playoffs with something approximating this lineup.

 

[Gecklund]

If we sign Bailey and him, Peterson and MacDonald make it through waivers the Cuda roster looks really strong IMO.

Peterson-Bordeleau-Bailey
Gushchin-Robins-Todd
Wiesblatt-Cassels-Coe
Sabourin-Kaspick-Raska/Cardwell

Shak-MacDonald
Thrun-Gawanke
Cicek-Pulli/Laroque

Makiniemi and Chrona should form a solid tandem in net too. No excuses not to make the playoffs with something approximating this lineup.

I hope Bordeleau can build on his last few preseason games. He looked a lot like he did in his first NHL stint but more NHL ready.

I think I’d like to sign a vet to babysit Makaniemi and Chrona a little bit. Makaniemi had 2 seasons in a row cut very short by big injuries and Chrona is in his first professional season.

I’m also a bit worried about the Cuda’s depth. I imagine that defense isn’t going to stay close to the same all year with the likes of Thrun, Muk, and MacDonald likely getting extended NHL time.

 

[Hodge]

I hope Bordeleau can build on his last few preseason games. He looked a lot like he did in his first NHL stint but more NHL ready.

I think I’d like to sign a vet to babysit Makaniemi and Chrona a little bit. Makaniemi had 2 seasons in a row cut very short by big injuries and Chrona is in his first professional season.

I’m also a bit worried about the Cuda’s depth. I imagine that defense isn’t going to stay close to the same all year with the likes of Thrun, Muk, and MacDonald likely getting extended NHL time.

Columbus just released Aaron Dell from his PTO. If he's willing to sign an AHL only contract (give him 500k or something, who cares) I hope the Sharks would do that.

 

[Gecklund]

Columbus just released Aaron Dell from his PTO. If he's willing to sign an AHL only contract (give him 500k or something, who cares) I hope the Sharks would do that.

Honestly if he wants an NHL deal sure. I’d give it to him. He just has to sign it within the next couple days so we can sneak him through waivers with no risk. Not that there’s a ton of risk in him getting claimed but goalie waivers during the season are funky.

We should be fine on contracts with us having 48/50 but 4 slide options and possibly only Smith, Havelid, and maybe Young signing for this year? I don’t see anyone else that might be signing this year and even those 3 are pretty questionable whether they’d count towards that number.

 

[Hobocop]

If we sign Bailey and him, Peterson and MacDonald make it through waivers the Cuda roster looks really strong IMO.

Peterson-Bordeleau-Bailey
Gushchin-Robins-Todd
Wiesblatt-Cassels-Coe
Sabourin-Kaspick-Raska/Cardwell

Shak-MacDonald
Thrun-Gawanke
Cicek-Pulli/Laroque

Makiniemi and Chrona should form a solid tandem in net too. No excuses not to make the playoffs with something approximating this lineup.

Definitely. I was a little pessimistic after all the departures, but the Sharks seemingly adding too many bodies for the NHL club is only going to benefit the Cuda in this scenario, and result in our strongest roster in years. I'd say not just playoffs (remember that, as disappointing as we were, we only missed the playoffs last season on a tiebreaker), that team should be top four in the division.

To add to your projected roster, once Couture comes back Carpenter is likely sent down and becomes our 1C. That guy dominates the AHL.

I am crossing my fingers we're signing Bailey in some capacity.

 

[Alaskanice]

Definitely. I was a little pessimistic after all the departures, but the Sharks seemingly adding too many bodies for the NHL club is only going to benefit the Cuda in this scenario, and result in our strongest roster in years. I'd say not just playoffs (remember that, as disappointing as we were, we only missed the playoffs last season on a tiebreaker), that team should be top four in the division.

To add to your projected roster, once Couture comes back Carpenter is likely sent down and becomes our 1C. That guy dominates the AHL.

I am crossing my fingers we're signing Bailey in some capacity.

I’d like to see Bailey here. He plays the way we want and hopefully he can rub off on some younger guys.

 

[Juxtaposer]

Not sure how much people are paying attention to other teams right now, but looks like Zach Benson is about to make the Buffalo Sabres. I understand why we didn’t take him at 4th, but goddamn is it absolutely stupid that no one picked him until 13th. This kid is so good and fun, we could end up regretting it.

 

[Gecklund]

Not sure how much people are paying attention to other teams right now, but looks like Zach Benson is about to make the Buffalo Sabres. I understand why we didn’t take him at 4th, but goddamn is it absolutely stupid that no one picked him until 13th. This kid is so good and fun, we could end up regretting it.

He fits the Sabres now and in the future perfectly too. I understand not taking him honestly within the top 10 (except Simashev). The rest fill very different needs. Detroit would have been interesting.

He’s a good little player. It will be interesting if he actually makes it or only gets the 9 games.

 

[EXTRAS]

I'm cautiously optimistic going into next season, as I hope McCarthy shows a little improvement in his second year of coaching (I don't know, we'll see about that). But more importantly, the defensive personnel is going to be better. People seem to forget that going into the 22-23 season, the top defensemen on the Cuda were:

Pouliot- Got injured in the middle of the season, was otherwise good for us
Kniazev- Didn't take a step forward in his play whatsoever
Sieloff- Pretty underwhelming
Merkley- Was Merkley

A defensive group with Muk, Thrun, Gawanke, and, fingers crossed, maybe Okhotyuk or MacDonald, blows that unit away. If Cicek can bounce back to something resembling his 21-22 form, we might have a pretty deep group. I'm very much on pins and needles waiting to find out who this team is actually going to have.

Add the best group of centers this team might ever have had, and the personnel is potentially there. Don't underestimate the simple fact that this isn't a group of rookies anymore, either.

What's your opinion on onyebuchi? Any nhl potential?