With a healthy couture and Thornton imo we are a final four team this season. Even with all the regressions. That changes the evaluation a lot.
Pavs just cannot keep up with anyone on the ice anymore. Our top-6 is not fast and has issues matching up with other teams which are younger and faster. Ward is nothing but a 4th line player at this time.
I don't post much, but I think this is the biggest issue to address going forward. At the end of the season, all teams stacked the box against the Sharks, blocked everything in sight, and counter-attacked them. Our top-6 cannot get back and 3 on 2s became 4 on 2s. Then, our D played tentative otherwise they'd deal with odd man rushes all day. Burns is ineffective when he has to concentrate on actual defense.
I am still immensely happy with what this team has accomplished the last decade. Unfortunately we were consistently beaten by teams, who, in my opinion, embarrassed themselves to get where they are. The stacked Chicago team (tanked), a loaded Vancouver team (prime Sedins), a Kings team fresh off a rebuild (Doughty), the Penguins (how did they earn Crosby and Malkin again?), and now an Oilers team with a legacy of suckage gifted a superstar. The Sharks chose to stay competitive, the purpose of the sport, and were not rewarded for it. Such is life.
I'm ready for a re-build and maybe we can turn the tables.
Pavs just cannot keep up with anyone on the ice anymore. Our top-6 is not fast and has issues matching up with other teams which are younger and faster. Ward is nothing but a 4th line player at this time.
I don't post much, but I think this is the biggest issue to address going forward. At the end of the season, all teams stacked the box against the Sharks, blocked everything in sight, and counter-attacked them. Our top-6 cannot get back and 3 on 2s became 4 on 2s. Then, our D played tentative otherwise they'd deal with odd man rushes all day. Burns is ineffective when he has to concentrate on actual defense.
I am still immensely happy with what this team has accomplished the last decade. Unfortunately we were consistently beaten by teams, who, in my opinion, embarrassed themselves to get where they are. The stacked Chicago team (tanked), a loaded Vancouver team (prime Sedins), a Kings team fresh off a rebuild (Doughty), the Penguins (how did they earn Crosby and Malkin again?), and now an Oilers team with a legacy of suckage gifted a superstar. The Sharks chose to stay competitive, the purpose of the sport, and were not rewarded for it. Such is life.
I'm ready for a re-build and maybe we can turn the tables.
I am not sure I agree with this. The way we were playing towards the end of the season (even before the injuries), we looked like a 1st round exit waiting to happen.
I'm for firing the assistants, but not DeBoer. Sure, his lineup decisions were mind boggling at times, but special teams did the Sharks in. That's on the assistants.
Sadly, I agree.
I always blamed Jumbo for entering the zone and slowing down the play. But hell, he has to because Pavs needs to catch up. I am seriously not sure what we can do about Pavs though. I respect the hell out of him as a player and he is our C but he is a liability when playing other teams top line who have a lot of young speedy forwards. Sure he has a lot of market value but I just do not see DW trading him. Not unless we go full-rebuild which I just do not see us doing.
Pens got Crosby and Malkin because of the the cancelled 04-05 season. They drafted Malkin the year before with the 2nd overall pick, then the season was cancelled. The draft did a lottery using the previous years' standings, so the Pens had a great lottery chance and they ended up with the first overall. Was complete ********.
Sharks, despite having low odds in that draft, ended up 8th overall. They picked Setoguchi over Kopitar sadly. They got Vlasic that year though...
Still, from 03 to 05, the Pens drafted 1st, 2nd, 1st.
Put him on the 3rd line and put Hertl back to 1st line. Pavs is the third line center we always should have had. Put Melker and someone else fast to help him out.
Maybe. Pavs centering 2 of Hansen, Boedker, Meier on the 3rd line could work. But seriously, if I see Jumbo-Pavs again next year then I will be a little upset.
Maybe. Pavs centering 2 of Hansen, Boedker, Meier on the 3rd line could work. But seriously, if I see Jumbo-Pavs again next year then I will be a little upset.
I'm for firing the assistants, but not DeBoer. Sure, his lineup decisions were mind boggling at times, but special teams did the Sharks in. That's on the assistants.
I kind of feel like people are bagging on martin for no reason. I thought he had a great season, arguably better than last season.
Martin did flub an easy pass that led to the gwg goal.
Martin did flub an easy pass that led to the gwg goal.
For me, there are two areas that need to be addressed in the offseason for this team to remain a contender next season.
First - Improve the top line
I see Thornton coming back but he is no longer capable of carrying the first line. I disagree about splitting the Joes up (unless it is via trade) but I think they need to transition towards being the 3rd line. For this to happen the Sharks will need to pursue a high-end forward.
I am in favour of adding a top end forward to "partner" with Couture and elevate that line close to being a true #1. This is going to require a big name player like Oshie, Radulov or Arvidsson. Couture needs to have a legitimate threat on his line that has the ability to finish and create opportunities himself.
Going this route still, allows Hertl to continue to develop as a centre as a 2a/b with Thornton.
I think that was one reason DW got Boedker last summer. It's been clear for years that Thornton needs to transition to the 2nd then the 3rd line (assuming they decide to do it more gradually). Last season, he was too good to start doing that. This season, I'm not sure they had the pieces. And PDB is stubborn and I'm not sure he wanted to **** off Thornton and Pavs. Probably didn't, which is going to be a problem going forward if Thornton and Pavs are to be moved down the line up.
So, two problems IMO: 1. Reluctance to move Thornton and Pavs. (Which, to keep with the thread topic, is an argument for firing PDB.) 2. Who do they get as a top winger? Boedker didn't work and Meier didn't pan out as quickly as they'd hoped. Labanc exceeded expectations but neither Meier or Labanc are capable of carrying a line (and probably never will be).
I'd like to see Vlasic paired with a fast skater. Joakim Ryan seems like a good skater. Maybe they could try him with Vlasic even though he's a left handed shot. Or try Heed or get someone from outside the org over the summer. This is one reason I wish they would have had Ryan play with the Sharks and Heed play more often this past season: it would be easier to know whether we have the players within the org or we need to look outside.