GDT: Game 3: Sharks vs Hurricanes 7:30pm NBCSCA

[NWSharkie]

Absolutely not. He's a #7 right now at best. He doesn't do anything well except maybe block shots.

At this point he's playing like a borderline #6 D, I agree about Kunin though

Fair on both counts; I'd had "on his best day" in my first draft and cut it out because it felt too harsh.

 

[DG93]

The Sharks in the Third Period:

A+ summary of Sharks hockey right now...lmao

 

[Bizz]

Absolutely not. He's a #7 right now at best. He doesn't do anything well except maybe block shots.

Defensemen that have a high amount of blocked shots do so because they are a possession black hole when they're on the ice and are hemmed in their own zone 90% of the time.

I call this the Kris Russell effect.

 

[Patty Ice]

I'm not crazy, you're the one who's crazy!

All I wanted was a Pepsi.

 

[LilLeeroy]

I remember when people acted like Jr. was a genius scout for drafting Ferraro.

 

[Cas]

I remember when people acted like Jr. was a genius scout for drafting Ferraro.

Ferraro is a hit, even if he's turned out not to be a very good hit. Given that, "genius" is clearly hyperbolic, though the Norris pick was a good one

More criticism should perhaps be directed at the Merkley/Knyazev/Hamaliuk/Wiesblatt selections. It looks like none of them are going to turn into NHL players (I don't think much of Wiesblatt and don't expect him to turn into anything more than a mediocre AHL forward, though I did think Merkley deserved more of a shot until the end of last season and that doesn't look like it's an accurate assessment).

 

[OrrNumber4]

It's disappointing seeing how frequently the team just show its belly. They used to always do it in the playoffs, and now they do it in the RS. For the days of the hard-nosed Sutter teams...

 

[jMoneyBrah]

It's disappointing seeing how frequently the team just show its belly. They used to always do it in the playoffs, and now they do it in the RS. For the days of the hard-nosed Sutter teams...

The three whole games they’ve played make it real clear they are a heap of unmanly pushovers. If only they played with more GRIT, then… why then they’d still be getting outclassed, out-possessed, and out-played; but they’d make angry faces and aggressive noises. They’d wield violence with fervor and abandon; still losing, never really having sniffed victory. All the while exuding the aura of distilled chewing tobacco and dirt rubbed wounds.

Sutter’s Sharks teams, entertaining in their era, would get smoked in today’s NHL.

I actually think this team has played with some determination and battled pretty hard with some very good teams, having kept themselves in games they didn’t really have any business threatening to win. This team is currently deploying a PP1 unit of five forwards, including the animated corpse of Mike Hoffman. Jan Rutta is quarterbacking the 2nd unit. The entire defensive corps is seemingly allergic to moving a puck, living up to every offseason prediction. I don’t think obscuring bellies and moar truculence is going to materially change the results. But, I suppose, the fan base could rest easier knowing their team wasn’t constructed entirely of girly men… I guess?

 

[OrrNumber4]

The three whole games they’ve played make it real clear they are a heap of unmanly pushovers. If only they played with more GRIT, then… why then they’d still be getting outclassed, out-possessed, and out-played; but they’d make angry faces and aggressive noises. They’d wield violence with fervor and abandon; still losing, never really having sniffed victory. All the while exuding the aura of distilled chewing tobacco and dirt rubbed wounds.

Sutter’s Sharks teams, entertaining in their era, would get smoked in today’s NHL.

I actually think this team has played with some determination and battled pretty hard with some very good teams, having kept themselves in games they didn’t really have any business threatening to win. This team is currently deploying a PP1 unit of five forwards, including the animated corpse of Mike Hoffman. Jan Rutta is quarterbacking the 2nd unit. The entire defensive corps is seemingly allergic to moving a puck, living up to every offseason prediction. I don’t think obscuring bellies and moar truculence is going to materially change the results. But, I suppose, the fan base could rest easier knowing their team wasn’t constructed entirely of girly men… I guess?

Being full of piss and vinegar is understandable when you are young. But you're not young anymore. Time to grow up.

 

[spintops]

We are a lottery team that started against 3 of the better teams in the league. Good time to stack up losses

 

[coooldude]

Being full of piss and vinegar is understandable when you are young. But you're not young anymore. Time to grow up.

To be fair, I don't think you can just say "this team is soft" in re: why we're 0-2-1. The team is simply getting outplayed and outskilled. I don't see a lack of battle / "showing belly" as even in the top 5 of reasons why we are a bad team this year, or even a bad team thru three games.

1. We have played 3 teams that are either cup winners or serious contenders in the past 3 seasons.
2. In contrast, we have about one 2nd line and 3 bottom 6 lines. We have about 1-2 top line forwards on the whole roster.
3. Even worse, we have about 1-2 middle pairing D-men at best (zero top-pairing D men), and 5-6 bottom pairing D-men.
4. We have a reclamation project goalie who is playing very well but can't be expected to hold back a 2 or 3 to 1 shot advantage... he did steal us one point off the cup favorite Avs.
5. This team, being a collection of underskilled misfits, has also never played together, while we've played 3 teams that have not only been serious contenders recently, but have very well defined and established successful systems, so that any roster turnover is easily absorbed.

I honestly think this team has outperformed my expectations thru three games and grit/soft/etc has nothing to do with the record.

 

[STL Shark]

This is exactly what we wanted to happen and yet there are people complaining that it's happening? Like do you all not know how a rebuild is supposed to work? It isn't pretty and isn't fun in the moment, but it is necessary if you're hoping to improve in the future.

 

[coooldude]

This is exactly what we wanted to happen and yet there are people complaining that it's happening? Like do you all not know how a rebuild is supposed to work? It isn't pretty and isn't fun in the moment, but it is necessary if you're hoping to improve in the future.

I think the vast majority of folks on here are on board with this (reddit is another story...) but even in a losing season there's debate about whether the losing is good losing or bad losing.

I happen to think that the losing has looked like good losing. Good effort, some very early sparks from Zadina, goals and OK (not great) play from Ek and Bords. Givani Smith contributing. Blackwood looking pretty solid. We've been truly outmatched but nobody gave up and it wasn't embarrassing.

 

[Jts4thgoal]

I love the inevitable DC quote after every loss of, "we didn't play hard" and the players saying "we didn't play the way we are supposed to".

 

[tiburon12]

This is exactly what we wanted to happen and yet there are people complaining that it's happening? Like do you all not know how a rebuild is supposed to work? It isn't pretty and isn't fun in the moment, but it is necessary if you're hoping to improve in the future.

I don't even think this has been ugly

 

[mogambomoroo]

I don't understand why Thrun is not on the PP1? He's clearly better option than Hoffman and Rutta is okay for the PP2 with the team clearly not competing.

This year is about finding out what you have, let young players have chance to sometimes fail and learn.

 

[Pinkfloyd]

I don't understand why Thrun is not on the PP1? He's clearly better option than Hoffman and Rutta is okay for the PP2 with the team clearly not competing.

This year is about finding out what you have, let young players have chance to sometimes fail and learn.

My guess with that is that they don't view Thrun as a lineup regular in that when everyone is healthy, he's one of the odd men out. If that is the case then your top unit should consist of guys you're definitely playing and practicing with. Against the good teams thus far, the five forward power play has been pretty rough but I don't think anyone other than Thrun would contribute to a PP1 outside of covering defense on a break against. But doing it to that degree where you're fairly certain puck play will suffer offensively basically kills the power play advantage.

Though I tend to agree with the point of making Thrun a regular and running him there consistently. The issue is who sits to do that. Personally, I'd be looking to trade Ferraro at some point to make room for Thrun. Ferraro doesn't do anything but take beatings for the team. Yeah, there's value in that but Vlasic can do that just fine and we can't move him for the remainder of his deal. We can probably get a 2nd for Ferraro.

 

[ieglover]

My guess with that is that they don't view Thrun as a lineup regular in that when everyone is healthy, he's one of the odd men out. If that is the case then your top unit should consist of guys you're definitely playing and practicing with. Against the good teams thus far, the five forward power play has been pretty rough but I don't think anyone other than Thrun would contribute to a PP1 outside of covering defense on a break against. But doing it to that degree where you're fairly certain puck play will suffer offensively basically kills the power play advantage.

Though I tend to agree with the point of making Thrun a regular and running him there consistently. The issue is who sits to do that. Personally, I'd be looking to trade Ferraro at some point to make room for Thrun. Ferraro doesn't do anything but take beatings for the team. Yeah, there's value in that but Vlasic can do that just fine and we can't move him for the remainder of his deal. We can probably get a 2nd for Ferraro.

Regardless of who takes his place, I just dont get Hoffman on that PP1 unit. The only time I notice him during the game is when I am getting frustrated with him during the PP.

 

[Stewie Griffin]

Regardless of who takes his place, I just dont get Hoffman on that PP1 unit. The only time I notice him during the game is when I am getting frustrated with him during the PP.

With our lack of an offensive defenseman, and Hoffman being a good PP player during his career (he has a good shot and we need to build his trade value) it's not like there's anyone else to play there.

 

[mogambomoroo]

Also I get that they want to up certain veterans trade value, but in Hoffman case I don't see a bright value even if he gets opportunities. Duclair and Barbie I understand, they can still have important value for a playoff team come trade deadline.
Zadina is officially not for sale IMO, he has shown that he gives a damn, has played well and should be part of the next regime.

 

[Stewie Griffin]

Also I get that they want to up certain veterans trade value, but in Hoffman case I don't see a bright value even if he gets opportunities. Duclair and Barbie I understand, they can still have important value for a playoff team come trade deadline.
Zadina is officially not for sale IMO, he has shown that he gives a damn, has played well and should be part of the next regime.

Duclair and Barabanov can't play the point of a PP though. Even though Hoffman hasn't been great at it, he has the tools to be able to.

 

[Alaskanice]

Also I get that they want to up certain veterans trade value, but in Hoffman case I don't see a bright value even if he gets opportunities. Duclair and Barbie I understand, they can still have important value for a playoff team come trade deadline.
Zadina is officially not for sale IMO, he has shown that he gives a damn, has played well and should be part of the next regime.

You can’t see the bright value in Hoffman after 3 games? How far off is the trade deadline??

 

[jarr92]

Why are postgame interviews not being posted anywhere? Are the Sharks really going backwards in coverage?

 

[PacificOceanPotion]

takes through 2 games: Blackwood is legit…Defense Is bad…Zadina will lead the team in goals…Eklund should be a full timer, no reassignment.…Hertl is our best all around player. Yeah 48 doesnt pop on the stat sheet but he does a lot of dirty work to create and defend. Just my opinions.

 

[BaileyMacTavish]

takes through 2 games: Blackwood is legit…Defense Is bad…Zadina will lead the team in goals…Eklund should be a full timer, no reassignment.…Hertl is our best all around player. Yeah 48 doesnt pop on the stat sheet but he does a lot of dirty work to create and defend. Just my opinions.

Man if we had players that could finish, 48 would be popping off, especially on the PP