GDT: Game 5: Sharks @ Predators 5:00pm NBCSCA

[Mafoofoo]

"Vlasic has shown some improvement over last game where he scored a -7.5. The coaching staff values his effort and I think we're a better team with his veteran presence in the locker room."





Good. keep doing this until he demands a trade.

So based on that chart the best players tonight were Hertl and Knyzhov?

 

[Juxtaposer]

I've always felt that a large part of Vlasic's decline was mental; while he definitely had a lot of games under his belt, his decline came too early to be solely blamed on a physical decline. Once he got his money, I think he stopped putting in the work. A guy like that is not only a liability on the ice but also a cancer off the ice. If you have to bury him in the minors...

I would agree with this. I almost wonder if maybe he used to do homework on his opponents tendencies or at least keep better track of who he’s likely to be playing again or something, and then stopped doing it when he got paid.

So based on that chart the best players tonight were Hertl and Knyzhov?

Tomas Hertl good, rest of Sharks absolute steaming pile of shit.

 

[Jargon]

I will say, as bad as they have been, they’ve also been dealt a really bad hand. They’re playing top teams in their first games and they’re missing Granlund and Couture, arguably two very important players that would mean we have actual center depth and not Bordeleau/Peterson/Sturm as our 2nd-4th line centers. I mean, that alone is devastating to the team.

I expect them to be bad, but I also very much expect them to get significantly better when those two come back.

 

[The Nemesis]

Because I briefly mentioned it earlier when I checked out of this game:

Jarome Iginla's kid is really good. He's got 2 goals for Kelowna tonight and I think 12 on the season now (I believe most teams have played <10 games so far this season). IIRC he's currently projected as a 3rd round pick.

 

[Alaskanice]

I will say, as bad as they have been, they’ve also been dealt a really bad hand. They’re playing top teams in their first games and they’re missing Granlund and Couture, arguably two very important players that would mean we have actual center depth and not Bordeleau/Peterson/Sturm as our 2nd-4th line centers. I mean, that alone is devastating to the team.

I expect them to be bad, but I also very much expect them to get significantly better when those two come back.

Agreed on the bad hand being dealt. When a team loses 2 very good centers, it causes a big change. Not only in scoring but in defensive play.
Imagine if we had scored a goal or two more, we’d have won a game. That’s quite different.

 

[timorous me]

I'm just frustrated because he generates stuff, but no one can actually capitalize. Once Couture comes back I hope Eklund gets to play with him because goodness straddling him with Kunin or Hoffman isn't helping

I was thinking tonight during the third period that I hope Eklund's challenges--influenced by who he's playing with on his lines--doesn't impact him mentally, and then he went out and had a shfit that showed he doesn't give a shit, he's going to keep going for it no matter what.

Man, to be young and confident and full of bluster! I am REALLY glad he has that in him and pray he never loses it.

 

[hohosaregood]

Because I briefly mentioned it earlier when I checked out of this game:

Jarome Iginla's kid is really good. He's got 2 goals for Kelowna tonight and I think 12 on the season now (I believe most teams have played <10 games so far this season). IIRC he's currently projected as a 3rd round pick.

Seems like a lot of draft eligible WHLers are on hot streaks right now.

 

[Chinaski89]

Happy to see shit hitting the fan only 5 games in. Grier created a mess by keeping some of these guys around.

Should have traded Hertl. They are awful. Smith better turn into what management thinks he might, because Eklund doesn’t look high end at all. I’m pretty concerned that the Sharks won’t be competitive for many, many years.

 

[Anomie2029]

Should have traded Hertl. They are awful. Smith better turn into what management thinks he might, because Eklund doesn’t look high end at all. I’m pretty concerned that the Sharks won’t be competitive for many, many years.

You try looking high end when every time you feed the puck it's to Kunin who whiffs, or immediately turns over the puck.

 

[BaileyMacTavish]

Should have traded Hertl. They are awful. Smith better turn into what management thinks he might, because Eklund doesn’t look high end at all. I’m pretty concerned that the Sharks won’t be competitive for many, many years.

They keep straddling him with Kunin. Last game they added Hoffman to that line too and it went as well as you would expect. There was a time last game where he was spending so much time behind the B's net but his line mates weren't there to fight for net front space. Goal against. At this point he's doing the right things but his line mates are useless.

 

[DG93]

Should have traded Hertl. They are awful. Smith better turn into what management thinks he might, because Eklund doesn’t look high end at all. I’m pretty concerned that the Sharks won’t be competitive for many, many years.

I'd like to see Eklund separated from the two biggest boat anchors the Sharks have up front before declaring him "not high end." Maybe try him with Duclair and Hertl or something...

 

[tahoesharksfan]

I was at the Bruins game, first time I had the chance to see Eklund play in person. He’s got the tools, I’m just watching to see if management finds the way to make the most of them…

 

[exchequer]

I'd like to see Eklund separated from the two biggest boat anchors the Sharks have up front before declaring him "not high end." Maybe try him with Duclair and Hertl or something...

72-48-94 would be a solid line. Problem is it spreads the other lines too thin.

Fact that other young forwards in the system couldn’t make the current roster is troubling.

 

[OrrNumber4]

72-48-94 would be a solid line. Problem is it spreads the other lines too thin.

Fact that other young forwards in the system couldn’t make the current roster is troubling.

Part of the problem is that the defense is so bad. No one to move the puck up the ice, no one to manage play at the point, and the forwards have to spend more time defending.

Some of those Darryl Sutter Sharks teams were atrocious up front, but solid defensemen and very good goaltending made them respectable.

 

[coooldude]

Should have traded Hertl. They are awful. Smith better turn into what management thinks he might, because Eklund doesn’t look high end at all. I’m pretty concerned that the Sharks won’t be competitive for many, many years.

I am certain we won't be competitive for many, many years. If we aren't fighting for the playoffs with a young, exciting team in 2028, I'll probably have given up on another cycle, like my Canucks friend has since their collapse/rebuild is stalled. But between now and then? It could stay ugly.

 

[exchequer]

Part of the problem is that the defense is so bad. No one to move the puck up the ice, no one to manage play at the point, and the forwards have to spend more time defending.

Some of those Darryl Sutter Sharks teams were atrocious up front, but solid defensemen and very good goaltending made them respectable.

That’s true. Well, it’s going to be a long rebuild on both sides. It also goes to show how great of a season EK65 had last year.

 

[Shark Finn]

72-48-94 would be a solid line. Problem is it spreads the other lines too thin.

Fact that other young forwards in the system couldn’t make the current roster is troubling.

Who cares? The team sucks anyway. Give Eklund a chance.

 

[Bizz]

Eklund doesn’t look high end at all. I’m pretty concerned that the Sharks won’t be competitive for many, many years.

Eklund is fine, but you gotta wonder if needlessly stashing him in the AHL for the sole purpose of sliding his ELC when he was clearly NHL ready out of the draft was the right move. It clearly wasn't and it's having a negative effect on his confidence right now.

 

[weastern bias]

72-48-94 would be a solid line. Problem is it spreads the other lines too thin.

Good thing they're spreading the depth, we might be bad if they didn't

 

[spintops]

Looking like the worst team in the league which is a win - guarantee at least a top 3 pick sharks

 

[LadyStanley]

Equipment manager deserves an assist

 

[Jts4thgoal]

The 19-20 Wings had 39 points in 71 games (45 point pace per 82)

The 16-17 Avs had 48 points in 82 games

The 23-24 Sharks have 1 point in 5 games (16 point pace per 82) and didn't even look like they deserved that one point outside of a nearly historic goaltending performance that hasn't been replicated since

What is a realistic projection for our finish based on what we've seen so far?

Does 40 points seem unrealistically low? (or high?)

Might we push below

The Sharks will deff get better with Couture and Grandlund, especially the PK but there is a chance. Once this team gets dismantled at the deadline the remaining team might be wild.

 

[Alaskanice]

The Sharks will deff get better with Couture and Grandlund, especially the PK but there is a chance. Once this team gets dismantled at the deadline the remaining team might be wild.

I made this point in a different thread. I’m looking forward to them returning to the team.

 

[hotcabbagesoup]

The trend in the NHL for six seven years now has been the need for d-men who can move the puck fast (either with a pass or with mobility).

Would be better if Thrun and Simek were here over Ferraro, Burroughs, Benning who cannot move the puck fast.

We know Simek is injury-prone but he has always been skilled.

 

[Cas]

The trend in the NHL for six seven years now has been the need for d-men who can move the puck fast (either with a pass or with mobility).

Would be better if Thrun and Simek were here over Ferraro, Burroughs, Benning who cannot move the puck fast.

We know Simek is injury-prone but he has always been skilled.

Simek? He can't move the puck at all, having zero mobility or passing skill.

The only thing I think Simek can do at an NHL level is check people on those occasions where he's able to keep up with play, which isn't that often because his mobility is gone.

Even Benning is a better puck mover - he's probably our best puck mover right now, which is terrifying because Benning is awful.