I don't think it's a development thing for DeMelo. He's not going to get much better than what he is right now. He's a fringe NHL'er. Russell is significantly better than that and offers a set of skills that this Sharks team could definitely use especially at that level. A 3rd pairing d-man that can move the puck well, QB the 2nd unit, and be put in a spot on the PK to move Burns off the PK is a pretty decent add especially if utilized properly. And honestly, I don't see very many better options and I don't think he'd cost that much.
Speculation: Sharks 2015-2016 Roster Talk: Rumors, Roster, Proposals. Part II
- Thread starter Led Zappa
- Start date
- Status
I don't think it's a development thing for DeMelo. He's not going to get much better than what he is right now. He's a fringe NHL'er. Russell is significantly better than that and offers a set of skills that this Sharks team could definitely use especially at that level. A 3rd pairing d-man that can move the puck well, QB the 2nd unit, and be put in a spot on the PK to move Burns off the PK is a pretty decent add especially if utilized properly. And honestly, I don't see very many better options and I don't think he'd cost that much.
Pavelski2112
Bold as Boognish
I'm just hesitant to say where DeMelo is right now. Most of us agreed that he'd never make the NHL, then once he did and he was terrible, we thought he wouldn't stick. It's tough to say what he'll become.
If Russell works, great, but I don't know if he really is the best option out there for that spot.
corbanSOG
Registered Loser
- Apr 27, 2003
- 1,375
- 11
On a somewhat related note: what does it say about Roy Sommer's coaching that fans who saw DeMelo play in the minors thought he looked terrible on game days, but the org remained high on him, and he's developed into a far more serviceable player in the NHL than he ever looked like in the AHL?
Gene Parmesan
Dedicated to babies who came feet first
Led Zappa
Tomorrow Today
The only reason I'm not hesitant is because he hasn't shown any flashes of some type of skill. He's played a solid and safe game. While that's fine to keep him in the lineup during the season and gain the coach's trust, it's losing hockey at the end of the day. With him, he's just not shown anything physically nor has he shown any real vision. I just don't see the potential there.
Sideshow Raheem
Registered User
- Dec 22, 2015
- 3,063
- 7
Gio and Brodie, the Flames' top pairing, are excellent possession players. Russell plays about 23 minutes a night and the Flames get shelled for all of it. Sure it's not his fault he's playing that much in the first place, that falls on a poorly constructed roster and a bad coach, but when he's been on the ice the past few years the Flames have been horrible.
The Flames have been a horrible team so that probably contributes to it. lol
hohosaregood
Banned
- Sep 1, 2011
- 32,427
- 12,649
Quid Pro Clowe
Registered User
Russell blocks a ton of shots and has speed.
I don't think possession would be an issue in sj.
I don't think possession would be an issue in sj.
They're pretty much that on talent but I don't see much in pointing to possession numbers on an individual player on a team that doesn't play possession hockey and it shows in everyone's numbers.
And claiming that Giordano and Brodie are excellent possession numbers is exaggeration.
Sideshow Raheem
Registered User
- Dec 22, 2015
- 3,063
- 7
This is true. They are also a much better team (though still below average) when Russell is off the ice. Sharks shouldn't even be considering him.
Makes no difference if the Flames are a better team with him off the ice. The Flames are a bad team...period. Russell not fitting in there doesn't mean he wouldn't fit in on the Sharks. Those advanced numbers don't exactly transfer over. A bad possession player on a bad possession team doesn't mean that he'd be a bad possession player on a good possession team. I can guarantee practically any advanced stat that you'd be looking at with Russell would improve dramatically on a Sharks team that plays possession and actually has a system that is based around that type of game. His skills would be a fit and something they could use and that's important.
T0uGh C0oki3
Goodbye Jumbo Joe
- Dec 19, 2014
- 3,863
- 100
Juxtaposer
Outro: Divina Comedia
And he's awful in part because Calgary is an awful possession team with no possession system. Russell's history suggests that in a possession system with good possession players, he would not be a drag in the possession numbers. And considering his attributes would be a really good fit for the role the team ought to be looking to upgrade, I think it makes a lot of sense.
magic school bus
***********
That is a ridiculous statement. Plenty of bad hockey players and bad possession players don't block shots.
magic school bus
***********
Blocking shots makes you a good hockey player like how exchanging insurance info after a car wreck makes you a good driver.
That is a poor analogy and doesn't even have anything to do with what you said about him in the first place.
Sideshow Raheem
Registered User
- Dec 22, 2015
- 3,063
- 7
That's true. However Russell is clearly one of the players who blocks a lot of shots because the puck is overwhelmingly in the defensive zone when he is on the ice. His garbage Fenwick%, which does not count blocked shots against him, is proof of that.
He was blocking plenty of shots in systems where he was a decent to even good possession player. People simply blind themselves to the fact that the Flames are a bad team with a bad system in place for possession numbers. The mere fact that the Sharks are a significantly better team and a better possession by a country mile will improve the possession numbers of someone like Kris Russell if given the opportunity. I mean, the same thing happened to Ian White when he came to San Jose from Carolina and Calgary before that. He wasn't a good possession player on those teams and those numbers improved by a decent amount on a good possession team. And when he went to Detroit, the numbers bumped up for him a little more.
People vastly overstate how possession numbers show the quality level of a hockey player and vastly overstate some belief that those numbers transfer from team to team.
hohosaregood
Banned
- Sep 1, 2011
- 32,427
- 12,649
I'm inclined to side with this opinion. Like I'll never disparage Couture's shot blocking abilities but Russell I will.
While Tennyson hasn't stuck in the NHL, the same story is true for him (better in the NHL than in the AHL).
- Status
