Speculation: 5/22/19 Sharks Roster Discussion 2019-2020

[Doctor Soraluce]

Hi Folks. Long-time reader/lurker diving in on a slow Friday afternoon! Been a Sharks fan since 91 and going into year 4 of being an STH. Hoping to have some fun and, no doubt, lively discussions in shared suffering with you fine people.

Built a roster in CapFriendly ($83M cap) based on the following assumptions:
-EK65 bails; DW lands Duchene as consolation
-Braun, Dell, Melker all traded for picks/prospects with no retention or salary coming back
-I did not consider/plan for the expansion draft
-Timo and Banker sign 2-yr bridge deals, a Ch-prospect makes the jump
-Heed and Ryan are brought back on affordable deals, PDB actually plays them, and they are replacement level
-Suomela brought back and is a replacement level 3rd liner (likely the biggest stretch here)
-Jumbo takes big discount and stays for $1.2M

Roster:
Meier (4.5M) – Duchene (9.2M) – Pavelski (5.0M)
Kane (7.0M) – Hertl (5.625M) – Ch-something (0.8M)
Labanc (3.25M) – Couture (8.0M) – Suomela (1.2M)
Radil (0.7M) – Thornton (1.2M) – Sorensen (1.5M)
Goodrow (0.925M) – True (0.8M)

Simek (0.675M) – Burns (8.0M)
Vlasic (7.0M) – Heed (1.2M)F
Dillon (3.25M) – Ryan (1.0M)
Middleton (0.735M)

Jones (5.75M) - McElhinney (1.8M)

Cap Used: $80,486,667
Cap Space: $2,513,333

Some thoughts/concerns:
-The Defense. Don’t love it. Can someone decent be had in FA for ~3M to replace Ryan or Heed? Or trade Dillon+ for a marginal upgrade that someone else might be moving due to a logjam/cap crunch? Can trade Dillon instead of Braun depending on preference.
-Goaltending. I know McElhenney had a good season in CAR, but he is 35. Could he be had that cheap on a 1-2 yr deal to be backup or 1B if none of our prospects are ready? I’m, for some reason, optimistic that last season was the worst Jones we’ll get for a couple seasons.
-Pavs. I don’t love the idea of giving him term, but I assumed someone offered him a Marleau contract (18.75M over 3yrs) and DW countered with a frontloaded/signing bonus-ed 20M over 4yrs and Pavs says yes because he’s awesome. Brings down cap hit, still under 35 so if he retires it’s fine. If not him, do we try to keep Nyquist? Go after someone like Ferland? I know those aren't equal to Pavs but are options in the same price range.
-Wishful thinking on contracts (likely)? If these players are good enough the $2.5 in cap space can be sprinkled around to be more realistic.
-Suomela. Even if he can be a replacement level 4th liner, he and Sorensen can swap depending on who is hot. Doubt this would/should happen. Could take a flyer on someone in FA for ~2M as a 3rd line winger. Could bring back Donskoi here @ ~3.2M? Might we just keep Melker and ride that straight to hell? Looking at it now I think that whole RW side is a problem.
-I feel that in general there’s not enough upgrade over last year’s roster to move the needle. It would take that forward group being as dominant as I can imagine them being and Boughner having a marked positive effect on the D play to really get there. Also better goaltending, but I can’t imagine it getting worse than last year…

aDSAnyway, thought I’d give it a go. I promise not to have walls of text in the future. Cheers!

I don't think the Sharks bring in an outside goalie. They trade Dell and replace internally to save cap space. No way they sign someone for nearly 2mil next season IMO. Focus will be on coaching Jones to clean up his game this off season. Seriously doubt Pavs signs for that cheap. My hope is they let him go now before it's too late. That Defense worries me without another semi legit PMD. I would love to get Duchene though if EK65 moves on.

 

[Doctor Soraluce]

To be fair, since becoming captain, Pavs has led us to a Cup Final and another Conference Final in 4 years.

True but that also coincides with PDB and Jones too. Love Pavs as captain but frankly I think those 2 have had a larger effect. For what Pavs may command this off season I'm fine to let him go and spend elsewhere.

 

[sampler]

True but that also coincides with PDB and Jones too. Love Pavs as captain but frankly I think those 2 have had a larger effect. For what Pavs may command this off season I'm fine to let him go and spend elsewhere.

I think this is a key question: what would he command and what would he take to stay. I wonder if a team wouldnt throw close to a 9M for 3yrs contract at him. That would be tough to swallow...

PDB and Jones have been quite influential, especially jones in 2016. He was amazing then, but I think we cannot overstate the importance of pavs' leadership stabilizing the room after the debacle vs LA then missing the PO's the next year.

I also know that they still havent won even in pavs' 4 years with the C. They have shown heart, character, etc, but they havent won. I just worry that in a quest to win it all, you dont want to upset the chemistry or we could end up a place that not only doesnt win cups, but misses the PO's and, crucially, is a place that players do not want to play. That positive culture around the team is really important and Pavs is a big part of it.

 

[Lebanezer]

 

[Barrie22]

Nope he is dead.

 

[SjMilhouse]

I don't have anything against fighting or grit, but Haley's just not a good enforcer. He's not a good pest, he's not a big hitter, he's not a great fighter, and he's not a very good player. Overall, he's a pretty low end asset. He's also really predictable when it comes to picking his fights. The other team knows exactly what they need to do to get him in the penalty box.

However, he played well during the playoffs, more so than most of us expected but I still don't want him on the team.

Seriously if we want a fighter then sign John Scott and be done with it. If you want grit and hitting and someone that can answer the bell, there are much better players than Haley for that. It's like Wilson grabbed the one guy who sucks at both

 

[fasterthanlight]

If no one re-signs with us and we have the cap space and Toronto wants to give us a 1st then sure. Otherwise I'm looking forward to watching Matter struggles

 

[Crazy Joe Divola]

Patty comes back, Joe returns, EK resigns, sharks win the cup, patty and joe retire.

 

[37 others]

Hoping Ryan gets more icetime next year; he looked REAL steady during the playoffs.

 

[one2gamble]

So weird, why is he even in San Jose

And no....

 

[OffSydes]

I would take him back with a 1st attached

 

[Gilligans Island]

So weird, why is he even in San Jose

And no....

I bet they still have their home here.

Wonder if Patty has any 2nd thoughts now for signing 3 yrs deal with Toronto vs. a 2 yr deal with us.

Aside from having more money, this offseason he doesn't have much control over his fate compared to being a UFA now had he taken our 2yr deal.

 

[Lebanezer]

I bet they still have their home here.

Wonder if Patty has any 2nd thoughts now for signing 3 yrs deal with Toronto vs. a 2 yr deal with us.

Aside from having more money, this offseason he doesn't have much control over his fate compared to being a UFA now had he taken our 2yr deal.

Pierre Lebrun said they kept their house from the onset of his time in Toronto and that he will be moving back to the San Jose once he finishes playing.

 

[Juxtaposer]

You need to watch his KHL highlights. Dude has some skill. I think he needs some good NHL coaching. If he's uncoachable then sure, avoid like the plague, but he looks to have size, skill and good skating ability.

I haven’t seen his KHL highlights, but I have seen him play actual NHL games. I think I have a guess as to which one is more relevant.

 

[Kcoyote3]

Here's version 1

Forwards are a bit light.

 

[SjMilhouse]

Here's version 1

Forwards are a bit light.

Not sure why Nashville does that

 

[OffSydes]

This has to mean something, right?

 

[fasterthanlight]

Here's version 1

Forwards are a bit light.

Thanks for posting this! Interesting. I think that Nashville wouldn't do that and I think that TOR makes off far too well in that marleau deal

 

[Lebanezer]

 

[WTFetus]

To even consider Marleau coming back, a 1st would definitely have to be on the table in addition to Toronto retaining at least half of his caphit. Otherwise, he can go somewhere else.

I think if he walks, the culture of the team is completely altered and I would worry big time about chemistry.

That's one of the reasons I'd be okay with losing Pavelski and Thornton (in addition to both of them slowing down). Change the culture.

Seriously if we want a fighter then sign John Scott and be done with it. If you want grit and hitting and someone that can answer the bell, there are much better players than Haley for that. It's like Wilson grabbed the one guy who sucks at both

Agree. If Deboer and Wilson feel the need to have an "enforcer" on the team, I won't be happy but I can deal with it. But get someone who actually gets underneath the players' skins and finishes every check. Look at Reeves. He's terrible at hockey but got into everyone's heads during the Vegas series. Haley's terrible at hockey and only fights when the other team wants to. No doubt he's liked in the locker room, but he really is an awful enforcer.

 

[The Nemesis]

This has to mean something, right?

Yes. It certainly does.

It means it's Erik Karlsson's birthday.

 

[Levie]

Knowing the Sharks were are going to find out he already signed an extension with the Sharks when he was traded.

 

[sharski]

In b4 history repeats itself and the only reason EK6 doesn't resign with the Sharks is that he demands to be made captain and DW refuses

 

[Mafoofoo]

So weird, why is he even in San Jose

It’s not summer in Los Gatos without seeing Patrick Marleau discreetly buying gelato in July

 

[hohosaregood]

Wonder if Patty's kids were getting bullied. Other kids are little monsters.