Speculation: Sharks 2015 Rumors/Trade Proposals/Lineup Talk Thread ‎Part V: Offseason Edition

[weastern bias]

Dillon was not terrible last year

Playing him with awful defensive partners (Burns, Mueller, Scott (the best of the three defensively (I know, small sample size))) was terrible

Playing him on the wrong side was terrible

Playing him as as our #1D (albeit out of necessity) was terrible

He wasn't terrible, he is a fine second pair guy; his usage was terrible

For that, I blame DW; he didn't give Dillon or Todd anything to work with on the blue line last year

 

[Hangemhigh]

Scott is effective. Who got run on the Sharks last year?
Previous year Hertl got a knee and Boyle got a concussion.
How effective was jackassman for the ducks? Scott rubbed him out.

 

[hockeyball]

Alzner isn't purely defensive. He's not immobile or unable to join the rush or make a pass. He's effective in all those areas. He's extremely smart with the puck. I'd compare him to a cheaper Vlasic.

I agree with the post above, Dillon was terrible last year and having him slate out as our 2nd LD scares me.

Alzner is a defensive defensemen. He's highest point total is 21 in a season. We need defensemen who can put up points first and foremost, if they can also play excellent defensively, bonus. As I showed a few months ago, we are at least 50p off pace from the league leaders in offense from our blueline. That's a HUGE gap. The Sharks must close that gap if they plan to win a cup at some point.

Which is an additional problem since Burns is our ONLY offensive dman now (that Irwin is likely gone) and he's only signed for two more seasons. Also with his injury history, its questionable how long he will remain healthy. The Sharks may be better off to get value for him now (while they are still rebuilding) before he potentially walks in free agency or worse signs a new contract then gets injured again, this time more permanently. I like Burns, a LOT, I'm the guy that made a huge campaign in the off-season to get him the year we acquired him (hey, maybe I should be MORE obnoxious about Jones too ).

Which puts the Sharks in the position of needing at least two point producing D-men long term, one of which produces at a top-pairing rate. Alzner just wastes assets that could be used to help solve those two issues.

Dillon was not terrible last year

Playing him with awful defensive partners (Burns, Mueller, Scott (the best of the three defensively (I know, small sample size))) was terrible

Playing him on the wrong side was terrible

Playing him as as our #1D (albeit out of necessity) was terrible

He wasn't terrible, he is a fine second pair guy; his usage was terrible

For that, I blame DW; he didn't give Dillon or Todd anything to work with on the blue line last year

To be fair, statistically, Dillon was not just terrible last year, he was brutal. Everything you said is accurate, but given those tough assignments he fell on his face HARD. I expect him to be much better next season, but best case that makes him an average defensive 2nd pairing d-man.

 

[Fistfullofbeer]

Agreed. This board is really low on Mueller. I'm of the mind "wait and see" with him. I'd happily leave him on the 3rd pairing to start. If he struggles, I don't think it'll be terribly difficult to fill in the #3 LHD spot, whether it's from within the organization or not.

I know.

At times, I get frustrated that he has not played as a top-4 D-man. But then I realize that this season was his first in the NHL and he just turned 20. He needs atleast a couple more years and also more consistency with who he is partnered with. I think he will be passable top-4 D-man when all is said and done. I will be ecstatic if he can turn into a Braun like player.

 

[Quid Pro Clowe]

Agreed. This board is really low on Mueller. I'm of the mind "wait and see" with him. I'd happily leave him on the 3rd pairing to start. If he struggles, I don't think it'll be terribly difficult to fill in the #3 LHD spot, whether it's from within the organization or not.

I'm not low on Mueller; I'm low about how his season went. He was used sparingly last year and we didn't see very much progress from beginning of the year to the end. Whether it's in the nhl or ahl, he needs to play everyday.

 

[Quid Pro Clowe]

Scott is effective. Who got run on the Sharks last year?
Previous year Hertl got a knee and Boyle got a concussion.
How effective was jackassman for the ducks? Scott rubbed him out.

Remember when Jackass jumped Vlasic? Who kicked his ass later in the game?

None of the Ducks, nor Kings, took runs or liberties with the Sharks youth and skill players from that point on.

 

[CanadienShark]

I know.

At times, I get frustrated that he has not played as a top-4 D-man. But then I realize that this season was his first in the NHL and he just turned 20. He needs atleast a couple more years and also more consistency with who he is partnered with. I think he will be passable top-4 D-man when all is said and done. I will be ecstatic if he can turn into a Braun like player.

I think he could be more effective than Braun, actually. But stylistically, sure. Of course it remains to be seen if he ever even becomes a top 4 d-man, but there's a lot to like despite his mediocre season.

I'm not low on Mueller; I'm low about how his season went. He was used sparingly last year and we didn't see very much progress from beginning of the year to the end. Whether it's in the nhl or ahl, he needs to play everyday.

Agreed. Wasn't speaking to you specifically. I think he's absolutely a bottom pairing d-man and possibly better by the end.

 

[Pinkfloyd]

Are you saying that the other team(s) players are not mindful of the fact that Scott is in the game? If yes, then I disagree.

Players will still make impulsive boneheaded plays irrespective of whether Scott is on the ice or not. But Scott can help weed out the calculated targeting of younger/star players on a team. If you don't think that to be the case, then we can just agree to disagree.

In this day and age, it doesn't matter if it was targeting or not. People react to it the same way and they still do it whether someone like Scott is on the roster, on the ice, or whatever. It means nothing.

When Buffalo was getting pushed around by Boston, they went out and got John Scott and the abuse stopped. I'd call that protecting.

Dillon was terrible on defense this year.....2nd paring?

Care to prove it actually stopped? And if it did, why didn't they keep him? I call that bs.

 

[Coily]

TSN has a mock roster next year.

Barrett Jackman, Goc and Neuvirth are the additions.

http://www.tsn.ca/off-season-game-plan-san-jose-sharks-1.283846

 

[DG93]

Dillon was not terrible last year

Playing him with awful defensive partners (Burns, Mueller, Scott (the best of the three defensively (I know, small sample size))) was terrible

Playing him on the wrong side was terrible

Playing him as as our #1D (albeit out of necessity) was terrible

He wasn't terrible, he is a fine second pair guy; his usage was terrible

For that, I blame DW; he didn't give Dillon or Todd anything to work with on the blue line last year

I definitely agree with most of this, but I would say that Dillon-Burns was actually a decent second pairing. If they actually acquire a top-4 RHD...they could roll w/ this

Vlasic-XXX (new guy)
Dillon-Burns
Mueller-Braun
Irwin/Tennyson

That's actually a decent defense I would say. Not ideal, but Braun playing with Mueller would help Mueller for sure.

 

[KirbyDots]

TSN has a mock roster next year.

Barrett Jackman, Goc and Neuvirth are the additions.

http://www.tsn.ca/off-season-game-plan-san-jose-sharks-1.283846

Jackman isn't what we need at all, Goc might be a good add, Neuvirth is meh.

 

[DG93]

TSN has a mock roster next year.

Barrett Jackman, Goc and Neuvirth are the additions.

http://www.tsn.ca/off-season-game-plan-san-jose-sharks-1.283846

Neuvirth would be decent behind a properly built defense, but adding Jackman is exactly the wrong thing to do. This sounds precisely like a stupid offseason that DW would have...still not a rebuilding team and not winning the cup next year. Goc is nice 4th line forward to have. Goc-Smith-Karlsson would be a good 4th line, but where's the much needed RHD or top-6 winger?

 

[Led Zappa]

A 34YO defenseman? That would tell me we're looking for a stop gap until the next season and that we're probably not serious at all about competing this year. How much is he gonna go for and is he lefty or righty.

 

[KirbyDots]

I definitely agree with most of this, but I would say that Dillon-Burns was actually a decent second pairing. If they actually acquire a top-4 RHD...they could roll w/ this

Vlasic-XXX (new guy)
Dillon-Burns
Mueller-Braun
Irwin/Tennyson

That's actually a decent defense I would say. Not ideal, but Braun playing with Mueller would help Mueller for sure.

If the new guy is Green or Franson that's a pretty good d core. We'll need to be willing to spend but that could work.

 

[Pavelski2112]

TSN has a mock roster next year.

Barrett Jackman, Goc and Neuvirth are the additions.

http://www.tsn.ca/off-season-game-plan-san-jose-sharks-1.283846

This sounds pretty much exactly like what DW would do.

 

[KirbyDots]

Neuvirth would be decent behind a properly built defense, but adding Jackman is exactly the wrong thing to do. This sounds precisely like a stupid offseason that DW would have...still not a rebuilding team and not winning the cup next year. Goc is nice 4th line forward to have. Goc-Smith-Karlsson would be a good 4th line, but where's the much needed RHD or top-6 winger?

I agree with you fully on the Jackman being the wrong direction to go on d. We really need to throw a lot of money at either Green or Franson, someone who could bring the offense we're lacking. Goc would be good depth. As for top 6 winger, I have a feeling they're either planning on Goldobin/drafting one or trading for a young skilled rfa.

 

[KirbyDots]

A 34YO defenseman? That would tell me we're looking for a stop gap until the next season and that we're probably not serious at all about competing this year. How much is he gonna go for and is he lefty or righty.

He's a lefty and he has Mueller on his off side. Doesn't matter matter, it's an uneducated article anyway. Jackman isn't what we need.

 

[DG93]

He's a lefty and he has Mueller on his off side. Doesn't matter matter, it's an uneducated article anyway. Jackman isn't what we need.

I would want the new guy to be Franson/Green. The Sharks have the $$$ - use it. They should have enough money to re-sign Karlsson, Dillon, other depth guys, and spend on one of those two. As for Cullen's article, 95% of it is actually very good. Neuvirth would be fine for a cheap price behind the right defense. Adding Franson/Green while re-signing Dillon would make it hopefully good enough. Goc would be fine as a 4th liner too especially if Goodrow needs more time in the minors or for depth. He's better than the other crap we've had (Tye McGinn, Brown, Scott, Burish). The Jackman thing is what I disagree with, but I fully expect DW to actually do exactly what Cullen wrote.

 

[KirbyDots]

I would want the new guy to be Franson/Green. The Sharks have the $$$ - use it. They should have enough money to re-sign Karlsson, Dillon, other depth guys, and spend on one of those two. As for Cullen's article, 95% of it is actually very good. Neuvirth would be fine for a cheap price behind the right defense. Adding Franson/Green while re-signing Dillon would make it hopefully good enough. Goc would be fine as a 4th liner too especially if Goodrow needs more time in the minors or for depth. He's better than the other crap we've had (Tye McGinn, Brown, Scott, Burish). The Jackman thing is what I disagree with, but I fully expect DW to actually do exactly what Cullen wrote.

I agree with pretty much everything you said, by uneducated I was referring to speculation about Jackman being just a guess and not fitting to our team needs. If this was another year I think you would be right about this being the kind of thing DW would do, but I think this is a season where we'll see him actually make a concerted effort to add.

 

[FeedingFrenzy]

Figure out what the JEts want for Big Buff and get it done. Only has a yr left @ $6mil. Get him early and start talks on a new deal. Him and Burns are good buddies from what I have heard. This makes our D Cup ready imo. And would make the 2nd PP pretty dangerous.

Vlasic-Buff
Dillon-Burns
Mueller-Braun

Tennyson/fedun

 

[DG93]

I agree with pretty much everything you said, by uneducated I was referring to speculation about Jackman being just a guess and not fitting to our team needs. If this was another year I think you would be right about this being the kind of thing DW would do, but I think this is a season where we'll see him actually make a concerted effort to add.

I really hope you're right...I just don't think you are unfortunately

 

[Chaotic8]

Figure out what the JEts want for Big Buff and get it done. Only has a yr left @ $6mil. Get him early and start talks on a new deal. Him and Burns are good buddies from what I have heard. This makes our D Cup ready imo. And would make the 2nd PP pretty dangerous.

Vlasic-Buff
Dillon-Burns
Mueller-Braun

Tennyson/fedun

Be ready to cough up Pavelski. Or two 1st rounders.

 

[Led Zappa]

Time for a new one to argue in

http://hfboards.mandatory.com/showthread.php?p=102563069#post102563069