Statement from Plattner // Plus DW Conference Call tweets

[Morrison]

McLellan needs to go.

I can't believe that the coach can survive another season after six years of failure.

 

[PacificOceanPotion]

Kawakami's got a bit of a point about guys on this team not really having that killer instinct when its playoff time... Start drafting memorial cup winners, guys that show heart and drive at other levels

 

[SJSharks42]

I'm afraid that the 'window' Wilson is alluding to is Stuart's. If we go into next season only minus stuart, boyle and Havlat with Joe still as captain and no significant add's...

Well Jux, you are getting your tank.

Really, get rid of some dead weight and suddenly we're a bottom five team? Not happening.

I'm not sure how significant our moves will be but there will be moves. Hell, just upgrade Stuart and this team is already better off than they were last season. All depends on who we're shipping out though.

 

[Gene Parmesan]

Kawakami is a troll. His interview the other day with Harbaugh was a microcosm of his journalism; Try to bait with tge same questions over and over again then make up stories.

Yup. I was going to read it but saw who wrote it. At least McKeon is analyzing the situation. He only reports on the Sharks when there is a "controversy".

 

[Quid Pro Clowe]

McLellan needs to go.

I can't believe that the coach can survive another season after six years of failure.

Could say the same thing about Philly's GM.

There's a reason teams were already lining up to get McClellan in case he was let go. He isn't the issue.

 

[Juxtaposer]

Kawakami's got a bit of a point about guys on this team not really having that killer instinct when its playoff time... Start drafting memorial cup winners, guys that show heart and drive at other levels

Kawakami is an idiot.

And as for your Mem Cup winners theory, the reason the Sharks drafted Matt Carle over Shea Weber was because Weber didn't win the Mem Cup.




If you take Marleau and Thornton away from this team (say, for picks and prospects), you're left with Couture, Pavelski, Hertl, Nieto, Wingels, and Torres as your top-6, with a brutal bottom-six (Kennedy, Sheppard, Burish, Desjardins, Brown (?), Kearns (?)). The defense isn't good enough to be a playoff team with that forward group. All it would take would be the goalies sucking and one or two long-term injuries and we're a lotto team.

 

[Quid Pro Clowe]

Yup. I was going to read it but saw who wrote it. At least McKeon is analyzing the situation. He only reports on the Sharks when there is a "controversy".

I wish I too could get paid to speculate.

 

[PacificOceanPotion]

Picks and prospects... Nice

 

[hohosaregood]

1 step back, 5 steps forward?

More like 5 steps back, 6 steps forward.

 

[PacificOceanPotion]

More like 5 steps back, 6 steps forward.

I know, I said that tongue in cheek

 

[Negatively Positive]

They either need to field the best team possible and try to contend for the Cup or tank hard for a top 3-5 pick. I don't wanna see them barely make the playoffs or barely miss the playoffs. No half-measures.

 

[DystopianTierney]

There's a reason teams were already lining up to get McClellan in case he was let go. He isn't the issue.

Yeah, but something has to give. The roster needs to be significantly impacted or the fans have been pissed on by the org.

Forget luxury players.... The Sharks are becoming a luxury franchise. Look at Worcester, why does the coaching staff down there have the best job security in the minors? It's one thing to believe in the personnel, but supporting failed efforts with loyalty has become "status quo" for this franchise.

"Fire from below" ..... How about FEAR from below.

 

[SJeasy]

Really, get rid of some dead weight and suddenly we're a bottom five team? Not happening.

I'm not sure how significant our moves will be but there will be moves. Hell, just upgrade Stuart and this team is already better off than they were last season. All depends on who we're shipping out though.

Not really. They have 2 players on upward curves, Hertl and Nieto. They have 3 players on downward curves, JT, Marleau and Stuart. The rest of the team is likely to be relatively flat. If they kept the exact team together again, the age progression of the team would cause the team to trend downward. The key positions are filled by relatively old players.

 

[SJeasy]

If you take Marleau and Thornton away from this team (say, for picks and prospects), you're left with Couture, Pavelski, Hertl, Nieto, Wingels, and Torres as your top-6, with a brutal bottom-six (Kennedy, Sheppard, Burish, Desjardins, Brown (?), Kearns (?)). The defense isn't good enough to be a playoff team with that forward group. All it would take would be the goalies sucking and one or two long-term injuries and we're a lotto team.

Agreed. They are built to have JT controlling the puck in the ozone as a defensive strategy and rely on Marleau to back up whatever center defensively (like Hossa does in Chicago). The blueline would be very exposed.

TSN had an article about the GMs wanting to extend the # of teams that could get into the lotto. Seems like a few guys are looking at next year's draft and salivating. If I am Buffalo, Florida, or Edmonton, I am telling the other GMs to put their predatory ways where the sun don't shine. If I am Boston, Anaheim, NYR or LA, I wouldn't be for the proposal either as it can take a middling team to the top. It's helps the middle and no one else.

 

[EastBayShark]

If you take Marleau and Thornton away from this team (say, for picks and prospects), you're left with Couture, Pavelski, Hertl, Nieto, Wingels, and Torres as your top-6, with a brutal bottom-six (Kennedy, Sheppard, Burish, Desjardins, Brown (?), Kearns (?)). The defense isn't good enough to be a playoff team with that forward group. All it would take would be the goalies sucking and one or two long-term injuries and we're a lotto team.

I think you are forgetting that the Sharks would probably acquire a couple guys to immediately fill in in the top-6....

 

[Gene Parmesan]

Yeah, but something has to give. The roster needs to be significantly impacted or the fans have been pissed on by the org.

Forget luxury players.... The Sharks are becoming a luxury franchise. Look at Worcester, why does the coaching staff down there have the best job security in the minors? It's one thing to believe in the personnel, but supporting failed efforts with loyalty has become "status quo" for this franchise.

"Fire from below" ..... How about FEAR from below.

As long as the AHL team keeps producing roster players, they aren't going anywhere. I'm fine with replacing Roy because I feel he just isn't into it anymore and to get a young guy in there that will play the same system San Jose does. Hence my suggestion to replace Sommer with Woodcroft.

 

[SJSharks42]

Not really. They have 2 players on upward curves, Hertl and Nieto. They have 3 players on downward curves, JT, Marleau and Stuart. The rest of the team is likely to be relatively flat. If they kept the exact team together again, the age progression of the team would cause the team to trend downward. The key positions are filled by relatively old players.

Marleau is trending downward? He had yet another great season and a decent playoffs. Sure he's older but I don't think we're seeing that reflected in his play. Stalock is probably on an upward curve too. JT, sure, he'll probably be getting worse. Especially without Burns.

And notice how I said upgrading Stuart? That means trading him and getting someone better(not necessarily in the same deal). The new defenseman will likely be much younger than Stuart is. The rest of the team is all pretty young outside of Marleau and Thornton. Two players are all that it takes to make the team trend downward because of age?

 

[PacificOceanPotion]

Any Worcester D-men trending upward that could fill Stuarts place?

 

[Pinkfloyd]

Any Worcester D-men trending upward that could fill Stuarts place?

 

[Gilligans Island]

I think you are forgetting that the Sharks would probably acquire a couple guys to immediately fill in in the top-6....

I was just going to write this. How convenient to forget that part.

Besides, even if we maintain status quo, we're not a Cup contender anyhow - probably a 1st or 2nd round exit to the Kings or Ducks.

My latest view is trade both Joes - netting a young high-end #2 LD (Josi or Staal (re-signed)), a top 6 winger (Hagelin), 2-3 picks/good prospects would be best. Next year, with that, I think the team will contend for a playoffs and if the team finds its way, probably a 1st or 2nd round exit.

Look at that, same result but a start to a revamped team.

 

[SJeasy]

Marleau is trending downward? He had yet another great season and a decent playoffs. Sure he's older but I don't think we're seeing that reflected in his play. Stalock is probably on an upward curve too. JT, sure, he'll probably be getting worse. Especially without Burns.

And notice how I said upgrading Stuart? That means trading him and getting someone better(not necessarily in the same deal). The new defenseman will likely be much younger than Stuart is. The rest of the team is all pretty young outside of Marleau and Thornton. Two players are all that it takes to make the team trend downward because of age?

When the play of the Sharks is so centered around them, yes. Hertl and Nieto are not nearly as central. Stuart is not so central but the likelihood is that a replacement in FA is just another guy like Stuart with a slightly different set of issues. Same for trades.

Almost all (~97%) forwards start trending down at age 31 (dmen are generally later). You can see it in the numbers. Marleau is doing very well but it is still downwards. JT is very noticeable.

Look at the age of the core guys on Colorado. That is a team poised to go up. The Hawks are in the territory of declining because Hossa and Sharp are close to the core and are at that magic age. Kane and Toews are in the plateau area. Pitt has Crosby/Malkin in plateau. The easiest way to get significantly better is an elite young player. You are playing with fire with UFA, praying you are getting a year or two of plateau from whoever you acquired or that even with their decline the player is significantly better than the alternatives for that particular org. The Rags actually declined when acquiring Nash and they recovered by relying on the young forwards that their drafting has been providing.

Blueline acquisitions are tricky. They take a season to integrate well. Campbell may have helped the Sharks PP immediately but RW did not know how to use him optimally. He gave him too much defensive responsibility and he didn't come through. DW has been grabbing vet dmen on or near the decline side of the curve and add in their integration issues and it was a recipe for disaster.

 

[Juxtaposer]

They either need to field the best team possible and try to contend for the Cup or tank hard for a top 3-5 pick. I don't wanna see them barely make the playoffs or barely miss the playoffs. No half-measures.

Exactly. I want to contend or tank. I don't want to waste a year doing neither.

Not really. They have 2 players on upward curves, Hertl and Nieto. They have 3 players on downward curves, JT, Marleau and Stuart. The rest of the team is likely to be relatively flat. If they kept the exact team together again, the age progression of the team would cause the team to trend downward. The key positions are filled by relatively old players.

I would argue that Pavelski is on a downward curve too.

I think you are forgetting that the Sharks would probably acquire a couple guys to immediately fill in in the top-6....

The premise of my post was that they acquired purely futures for those two.

 

[DystopianTierney]

As long as the AHL team keeps producing roster players, they aren't going anywhere. I'm fine with replacing Roy because I feel he just isn't into it anymore and to get a young guy in there that will play the same system San Jose does. Hence my suggestion to replace Sommer with Woodcroft.

They're not really producing anything. Our roster players are developing in Juniors/College/Europe. Worcester is like the testing grounds. If they can swim then they make the big club. If they tread water down there, then they usually drown and never make it to the NHL. Almost all of our young guys coming up haven't played more than a full season down in the "A".

Worcester's biggest contribution to our roster is Andrew Desjardins.

 

[SJeasy]

I would argue that Pavelski is on a downward curve too.

The premise of my post was that they acquired purely futures for those two.

I'd give Pavs one more year of plateau, but I do think that when he falls that it will be much quicker than JT.

 

[Gene Parmesan]

They're not really producing anything. Our roster players are developing in Juniors/College/Europe. Worcester is like the testing grounds. If they can swim then they make the big club. If they tread water down there, then they usually drown and never make it to the NHL. Almost all of our young guys coming up haven't played more than a full season down in the "A".

Worcester's biggest contribution to our roster is Andrew Desjardins.

Tommy Wingels? Jason Demers? Justin Braun? Alex Stalock? Joe Pavelski?