Observations XIX

[NoNecksCurse]

I just keep thinking that there is no way that all of our forwards can just continue to not score for much longer. The odds are against having 10-12 players all having a career worst season at the same time.

At some point they will get some goals, they will get some confidence and the team will look a lot better.

when you really look at who we are counting on, i think your scenario is less likely at this point. a few guys that probably already peaked and a lot of unknowns. another 5-10 games with the same trend and it's probably just how the goals will be scored. after tomorrow's game in san jose , we will be 15% of the regular season completed. its still early but I'm not optimistic about the secondary scoring.

 

[Roman Yoshi]

A previous year's success or failure does not automatically translate to the current year's expected results. To assume so is setting one up for crushing disappointment or unrealistic negativity.

We are 15% of the way through the season. Let's judge the team on this year's results and not rest on last year's laurels.

Does that mean we are a contender? Right now, I would say we aren't but there's a lot of time between now and the end of the year to change that.

Does that mean we aren't a playoff team? No, I don't think we know enough about the team yet. It's a possibility we make it, but we need a healthy lineup to get there.

I really wish people would stop saying we have the best blue line in the league. I'd argue Calgary and maybe St. Louis have just as good bluelines. They are, at the very least, deeper than ours outside of the top four.

It's too early to get too far up or down. This team has some serious holes in it though.

 

[Pred303]

we are a good team. just not as good as i wish we were and think we could and should be.

 

[hockey diva]

I am not sure of the exact odds but I believe that if you are in playoff spot at Thanksgiving, you are very likely to be in the playoffs at the end of the season. So, they have 3.5 weeks to get it together.

 

[Dave is a killer]

I am not sure of the exact odds but I believe that if you are in playoff spot at Thanksgiving, you are very likely to be in the playoffs at the end of the season. So, they have 3.5 weeks to get it together.

http://www.nbcsports.com/bayarea/sharks/stats-favor-nhl-teams-playoff-spot-thanksgiving

 

[Scoresberg]

Don't think we were in a spot last year.

 

[NSH615]

Don't think we were in a spot last year.

I'm pretty sure we just barely made it.

 

[Scoresberg]

I'm pretty sure that didn't matter jackshit as we went to the Finals.

Don't know about you guys but I much rather struggle here early and catch fire in February to just make the playoffs not matter the position and be the underdog. I love that mindset and it's psychologically a much easier to play when there's not much pressure.

 

[LCPreds]

I'm pretty sure that didn't matter jack**** as we went to the Finals.

Don't know about you guys but I much rather struggle here early and catch fire in February to just make the playoffs not matter the position and be the underdog. I love that mindset and it's psychologically a much easier to play when there's not much pressure.

I was thinking about this last night. It does seem like the expectations are that the team will play like they did in the playoffs but I just don't see how that's possible, and if it is possible I don't think it is really what you want. There is no way to play at that level with that focus for 98+ games.

It's just a long season and we have no other way to judge the team other than how things are going now which makes the waiting for playoff mode to switch on that much more difficult.

 

[FossilFndr]

As I posted above, I think we could be set up better to win next year and the year after than this year. And I think we are just one top 6 forward away from being an elite team this year- and I firmly believe that we will be adding one before the trade deadline.

Hope you are right, but I am concerned about Rinne's health and his successor. especially the 'year after' part.

 

[NSH615]

Hope you are right, but I am concerned about Rinne's health and his successor. especially the 'year after' part.

This is a huge concern.

To Drew's point, not counting the goalie, we are setup for the next few years after this. But the goalie situation is so up in the air as we don't know what we have in Saros now. He has had a bad start to this year. Is this just a fluke or is this the real him.

 

[Scoresberg]

You can get decent/above average goalies for pretty much nothing these days.

 

[Pred303]

each of us sees things differently. and that's ok. whatever makes you enjoy the hockey season the most.

personally i don't really consider playoff success as the end all be all of a season because it's so unpredictable (and most often so short). to me, the fun is in the regular season hunt. the day to day grind. the challenge of trying to win the division. the the real challenge of just trying to make the playoffs when winning the division chances fade. the thing i enjoy most is the 6 months of the three times a week struggle.

 

[Dave is a killer]

Ugh, just ugh ... our offense is awful.

 

[Theo Von]

Joey’s off to a slow start for you guys, 0 goals in 11 games.. has he been unlucky or?

Also noticed Hartnell is a -9... has he looked that bad?

 

[Scoresberg]

I don't think
Neal would've scores 7 with us on the 2nd line centered by Sissons and on 2PP.

 

[nomorekids]

Joey’s off to a slow start for you guys, 0 goals in 11 games.. has he been unlucky or?

Also noticed Hartnell is a -9... has he looked that bad?

Joey needs to shoot more, but at the same time, he's part of why the PP has been good and why the top line(our only one that's producing) has been good. We need more from him, but he's pretty far down my list of concerns.

Hartnell has been really good on the power play, and he's been more or less what we expected at ES -- slow and something of a defensive liability. He was playing a lot better when he was lined up with Bonino, so hopefully when he comes back from injury things improve for Hartnell.

 

[Pred303]

We need a win. I need a win. A good convincing win preferred, but any win will do.

 

[AdmiralsFan24]

OTF just had an article on Hartnell. He's actually been good but his linemates are terrible and he's staying more to the wings instead of the middle of the net.

https://www.ontheforecheck.com/2017/10/26/16482570/scott-hartnell-needs-better-linemates

Johansen needs to shoot more. It's ridiculous that he doesn't and it's maddening that he doesn't. Looking to pass first is fine. Looking to pass all the time is not. He's one of the more frustrating players on the team. All the talent is there for 25 goals a year but he never uses the talent.

 

[Armourboy]

Even Johansen knows he needs to shoot more, even in his interviews he's said so himself. Why it's not happening I don't know. He doesn't need to be a puck hog and stop feeding the other guys, but when the opportunity for him to shoot happens then he needs to do it. I don't know if he is just trying to do too much and trying to be that ultimate team guy because of the stuff in Columbus, or if just enjoys seeing the others guys score more so it's pulling him that way, but we really just need him to make good decisions and one of those is shooting if that is the play to be made instead of trying to force something.

And there is no doubt about it, Hartnell needs someone that plays that more crashing style so he can make the most of his tools. When he is at his best he is sitting in front cleaning up the trash, but playing with Jarnkrok and Aberg doesn't leave him much to clean up.

 

[AdmiralsFan24]

Maybe we should put him with Jarnkrok and McLeod or something so he has no choice but to shoot.

 

[nomorekids]

Even Johansen knows he needs to shoot more, even in his interviews he's said so himself. Why it's not happening I don't know. He doesn't need to be a puck hog and stop feeding the other guys, but when the opportunity for him to shoot happens then he needs to do it. I don't know if he is just trying to do too much and trying to be that ultimate team guy because of the stuff in Columbus, or if just enjoys seeing the others guys score more so it's pulling him that way, but we really just need him to make good decisions and one of those is shooting if that is the play to be made instead of trying to force something.

And there is no doubt about it, Hartnell needs someone that plays that more crashing style so he can make the most of his tools. When he is at his best he is sitting in front cleaning up the trash, but playing with Jarnkrok and Aberg doesn't leave him much to clean up.

I think it's a by-product of playing with a guy like Forsberg. When you have a player that's basically scoring at will, your tendency is to get him the puck and look for him, even when a better opportunity presents itself.

 

[Preds Partisan]

I read that Bonino made the trip and skated today.

 

[Armourboy]

Man that would be a serious help if he is healthy

 

[Flgatorguy87]

We need Bonino back if nothing more than to shake things up.