Speculation: 2021-22 Sharks Roster Discussion part IX

[Pinkfloyd]

Just because Ek whined about it doesn’t make it a bad move. He wasn’t seeing more time in the NHL this year and playing in Europe instead of the AHL isn’t gonna stunt his growth the way some people act like it’s going to.

I didn't want Sweden but it was better than not sliding the contract.

 

[TheBeard]

I didn't want Sweden but it was better than not sliding the contract.

Agreed. Some are acting like he’s the missing link between where we stand and being serious contenders.

 

[Pavelski2112]

Agreed. Some are acting like he’s the missing link between where we stand and being serious contenders.

I don't think it would've been as big an issue if he'd been playing more, which is entirely something out of DW's hand so I can't exactly blame him much for it.

 

[TheBeard]

I don't think it would've been as big an issue if he'd been playing more, which is entirely something out of DW's hand so I can't exactly blame him much for it.

There was absolutely no reason to play him more. He played on the top line and got some PP time to gauge where he was. That was all, I imagine, they wanted.

 

[Pavelski2112]

There was absolutely no reason to play him more. He played on the top line and got some PP time to gauge where he was. That was all, I imagine, they wanted.

I just mean in general, since he didn't get a lot of playing time in Europe for a while.

 

[TheBeard]

I just mean in general, since he didn't get a lot of playing time in Europe for a while.

Ah you mean in Sweden. Yeah. Nothing DW can do.

 

[Chinaski89]

Ah you mean in Sweden. Yeah. Nothing DW can do.

Is DW still on his leave and running things behind the scenes? I wonder if he’s dealing with Longhaul Covid but doesn’t want to address it similar to Toews. I’m presently dealing with it and it’s quite frustrating and scary to be hones and not at all like the acute Covid illness.

 

[Doctor Soraluce]

Unless ward's foot is 2 feet long he's about 1 foot closer. Been there, done that, photography and digital photography have been around for a long time, I quit fighting idiotic pedagogic digital photography battles over 20 years ago.

These days even smartphone images (this appears to be an iphone shot) undergo an incredible amount of in-device processing including lens distortion correction, and with digital sensors there's always been the question of frame cropping. Yes there is a perspective issue but Timo is clearly large and jacked compared to pretty much everyone else in this photo even if you factor Ward's position in. I'd be surprised if Ward was still as fit as he was in his playing days, let alone being Timo's age.

We can go round and round all you want. Wasn't saying Timo isn't big. But it's exaggerated by position to lens and probably a cheap camera phone lens that has pronounced barrel distortion. Yes, Ward is still big, he's only 41, not 60. And finally, yes he is around 2 feet back from timo from the lens. This is obvious if you have the experience you claim with photography. Digital photography didn't come into the mainstream professionally until the early to mid 2000.s at the earliest. Might have been little crappy point and shoots but pros were using film well into the the 2000's. We have our negatives from our wedding from 2000's. It was something all photographers from that time period offered.

 

[No ReGretzkys]

Are you guys trading hertl?

 

[Hodge]

Are you guys trading hertl?

If management has any sense, yes.

 

[Jwec]

Are you guys trading hertl?

If he is not re-signing before trade deadline, yes he definitely should be traded if the return is good and it should be!

 

[OrrNumber4]

Are you guys trading hertl?

Alas, Doug Wilson isn't taking my calls.

 

[Kcoyote3]

I remember watching Gregoire in the prospects game or rookie camp a few years back and coming away impressed. Always wonder why he never got an NHL contract.

Well he's been in Liiga for two years and doing really well
Thomas Grégoire at eliteprospects.com

Wonder if he's worth another re-eval

 

[seroes]

Are you guys trading hertl?

Depends if Hertl is willing to resign and then on how well we do over the next 15 or so games.

 

[Kcoyote3]

I gotta be honest, it really is dumb to base the Hertl decision on the next 15 games. I hope that's more of a his decision than the Sharks. They either should know now if he's part of the long term future or not, and offer him something to think about. Or, try to maximize return if you offered and he's not interested. This should have been started a long time ago and not 15 games before the deadline.

 

[Pinkfloyd]

I gotta be honest, it really is dumb to base the Hertl decision on the next 15 games. I hope that's more of a his decision than the Sharks. They either should know now if he's part of the long term future or not, and offer him something to think about. Or, try to maximize return if you offered and he's not interested. This should have been started a long time ago and not 15 games before the deadline.

I don't think that's what is happening here. I think both sides already talked and know what it would look like for him to stay. I just don't think Hertl knows if he wants to stay or not and that's fair for him considering the team's status.

 

[Hodge]

I gotta be honest, it really is dumb to base the Hertl decision on the next 15 games. I hope that's more of a his decision than the Sharks. They either should know now if he's part of the long term future or not, and offer him something to think about. Or, try to maximize return if you offered and he's not interested. This should have been started a long time ago and not 15 games before the deadline.

They should have traded him at the 2021 trade deadline. Could have got an absolute haul. What was gained by keeping him this season apart from worsening our draft position? More idiotic lack of foresight from Dougie.

 

[Barrie22]

Just because Ek whined about it doesn’t make it a bad move. He wasn’t seeing more time in the NHL this year and playing in Europe instead of the AHL isn’t gonna stunt his growth the way some people act like it’s going to.

His issues were confidence and timing of the smaller ice. Sure he can potentially get the confidence over in sweden, but he will still have the exact same issues next season because he is still playing on large ice.

But that is only also if he ever gets to actually play in games in sweden.

Since being loaned in early november, so nearly 4 months ago he has played a whopping 15 games. You really do not learn much sitting at home doing nothing.

What helps a young player more, playing 20 minutes a game for 39 games or 20 minutes a game for 15 games?

It was an idiotic move that had nothing to do with development then it did with wilson not understanding how to actually develop star players.

 

[Kcoyote3]

They should have traded him at the 2021 trade deadline. Could have got an absolute haul. What was gained by keeping him this season apart from worsening our draft position? More idiotic lack of foresight from Dougie.

Well that depends. If he is traded, yeah then it is a lack of foresight. If he's re-signed, then I don't think it's that dumb. I'm personally on the re-sign Hertl train though.

 

[Pinkfloyd]

They should have traded him at the 2021 trade deadline. Could have got an absolute haul. What was gained by keeping him this season apart from worsening our draft position? More idiotic lack of foresight from Dougie.

That really depends on what the actual options were and are now. We won't ever know that but a three team trade list likely limits the options to such a degree that it makes it reasonable to doubt that they'd get anymore of a haul then than they would now. They simply don't have the leverage to get anything beyond a 1st and a decent or good prospect depending on one's definition of those terms.

 

[Pinkfloyd]

His issues were confidence and timing of the smaller ice. Sure he can potentially get the confidence over in sweden, but he will still have the exact same issues next season because he is still playing on large ice.

But that is only also if he ever gets to actually play in games in sweden.

Since being loaned in early november, so nearly 4 months ago he has played a whopping 15 games. You really do not learn much sitting at home doing nothing.

What helps a young player more, playing 20 minutes a game for 39 games or 20 minutes a game for 15 games?

It was an idiotic move that had nothing to do with development then it did with wilson not understanding how to actually develop star players.

I thought the best option was for him to spend the season in the AHL but going back to Sweden, even with the limited games, is still good enough for his development currently. Less games means more time building his body which is absolutely necessary. If he's using his time to do that, which would be my expectation, then a year with less wear and tear and risk for injuries is a fine outcome for me. But I do agree that the best option was the AHL. I just don't think it really matters that much between Sweden and the AHL right now for him. He'll benefit one way or the other.

I agree timing is and will be an issue but it's not the only one for Eklund. His body is one as well and that is what they could do significant progress with if he's not playing as much.

 

[WSS11]

They can’t stop making the same mistake.

 

[TheBeard]

They can’t stop making the same mistake.

What do you want him to say, we’re eager to trade him and we’ll take what we can get?

 

[Hodge]

That really depends on what the actual options were and are now. We won't ever know that but a three team trade list likely limits the options to such a degree that it makes it reasonable to doubt that they'd get anymore of a haul then than they would now. They simply don't have the leverage to get anything beyond a 1st and a decent or good prospect depending on one's definition of those terms.

I seriously doubt the NTC would be much of a factor if the Sharks told Hertl last spring they were gonna rebuild and didn't see him in their future plans. This isn't Burns or Vlasic or Karlsson signed to a retirement contract, this was a guy in his prime 18 months away from the biggest payday of his life. I'm sure he would have accepted a trade to a team that gave him a chance to win and increase his market value and those are the only teams that would have been interested in acquiring him in the first place.

 

[Pinkfloyd]

I seriously doubt the NTC would be much of a factor if the Sharks told Hertl last spring they were gonna rebuild and didn't see him in their future plans. This isn't Burns or Vlasic or Karlsson signed to a retirement contract, this was a guy in his prime 18 months away from the biggest payday of his life. I'm sure he would have accepted a trade to a team that gave him a chance to win and increase his market value and those are the only teams that would have been interested in acquiring him in the first place.

And I think that's a baseless assumption to make. He may not have wanted to go anywhere before now to put off that sort of hassle as long as he could.