Sharks fan since the Cow Palace, long time reader, live in Columbus these days, still follow the Sharks closely, hardly ever post. Just want to make a comment about the Sharks' lines. I really, really like how they are constructed right now. Each of the top three lines has the same combination of deadly ingredients: a big-body, physical player on the left wing who dominates board play and also has great hands (Kane/Hertl/Meier), a cerebral center (Pavelski/Couture/Tierney), and blinding speed on the other wing (Donskoi/Boedker/LaBanc). The third line deviates from the formula because LaBanc doesn't have the same kind of speed that Donskoi or Boedker do. More on that below, but it's worth noting that the 4th line is doing great work with Fehr as the lynchpin, using the speed of Karlsson and Sorenson to get in on the forecheck quickly and create turnovers.
In sum, I love the way this team is constructed, and especially the way the pieces we have are deployed, even without Thornton in the lineup. I think the front office and coaching staff deserve a lot of credit.
I know it's a big mystery whether Thornton comes back this spring. I hope so, because you could make that third line much more deadly by applying the same principle outlined above. Thornton is the ultimate cerebral center, and Meier is the perfect power forward for that line. But what about the blinding speed on the wing? Move Tierney to the wing? I'm not feeling that. Tierney is a wonderful two-way cerebral center. Here's my thought:
Kane/Pavelski/Donskoi
Hertl/Couture/Boedker
Meier/Thornton/PlayoffSorensen(tm)
Karlsson/Tierney/Fehr
To me that third line screams danger for opposing teams. It's a matchup nightmare for opposing coaches. The Thornton line will murder you if you don't put your best defenders out against it - in which case the other lines will murder you anyway.
And Fehr is historically a RW so he would slide over quite naturally there. He becomes the big body on that line, with Karlsson providing the speed. And there you go - four incredibly well-balanced lines that can all score.
I think the Sharks are better than Vegas even without Thornton. I hope they can keep the pedal down and win the next two. But I would LOVE to see a lineup like this if we get to the next round, or (hockey gods be praised) the final again.
Go Sharks!