GDT: Sharks @ Golden Knights 7pm no Vlasic or Braun

[mooncalf]

I think Jumbo will turn it on as the year progresses and he continues to heal. It would be great for the coaches to insist on more rest for him, but he's not dragging down the team at all despite looking like the tin man before getting his oil out there. He still has elite vision, I think he'll be fine.

 

[Barrie22]

Was everyone jumping for joy for Chris Tierney last season? He scored 40 points and was even +/-

JT has been my favorite player since he came to SJ. I would love if his knees started to improve.

If you watch JT from the previous cup final run, you will notice his skating is SO much worse now. It’s not necessarily straight line speed, it’s his agility which has taken a nosedive.

to bring tierney into the conversation is just crazy. thornton on his worst day, is and was still 200% better then tierney.

i don't even think tierney could crack 40% possession stats even on his best days. thornton even in a declined state that he is, still is over 55%.

tierney got caved in defensively every single year he was with the sharks. the 2 players are not even remotely close.

 

[Juxtaposer]

Wow, all you seem to think I’m saying Jumbo is garbage or something. I’m not. But I don’t think he’s playing well, and given how good I’m used to him being, it’s incredibly stark and very, very sad.

 

[nerdybeard]

The actual highlight of last night’s game:

 

[Evil Janney]

Wow, all you seem to think I’m saying Jumbo is garbage or something. I’m not. But I don’t think he’s playing well, and given how good I’m used to him being, it’s incredibly stark and very, very sad.

Thornton has looked like he's lost a major step. It's nothing against him, it's just age. He's still fun to watch when he's behind the net, when the game is slow. When it comes to a North-South transition game, Thornton doesn't have the ability to keep up like he did a season or two ago.

 

[Evil Janney]

Gross, that montage had too many images of Teemu Salami

I'm a Teemu apologist to the core, come at me bruh...

 

[one2gamble]

Thornton has looked like he's lost a major step. It's nothing against him, it's just age. He's still fun to watch when he's behind the net, when the game is slow. When it comes to a North-South transition game, Thornton doesn't have the ability to keep up like he did a season or two ago.

It's not age it's the lack of knees

 

[Alwalys]

It's not age it's the lack of knees

hopefully he is just keeping them from overwork so he is ready for the playoffs.

 

[JeremyTB]

The fact Thornton is able to pruduce at all at age 39 after 2 major knee surgeries in back to back seasons is pretty amazing. he is on pace for about 15 goals and 40 points.

 

[hohosaregood]

Jumbo looks like he doesn't trust his knees.

 

[gaucholoco3]

Last night's game was also a technological first in many ways.




NHL tests puck and player tracking in regular-season games

AP story



Athletic story. (Paywall)

Thanks for sharing this. Incredible information. Crazy that burns played the final 4:12 in the game. That’s not on PDB that’s on Burns just refusing to go off the ice.

Also sharks had the puck for 43% in the Vegas zone and Vegas had it in the sharks zone only 26%. It didn’t feel that way watching the game.

 

[TomasHertlsRooster]

Thanks for sharing this. Incredible information. Crazy that burns played the final 4:12 in the game. That’s not on PDB that’s on Burns just refusing to go off the ice.

Also sharks had the puck for 43% in the Vegas zone and Vegas had it in the sharks zone only 26%. It didn’t feel that way watching the game.

You’re talking about who we’re going to credit for Burns playing the final 4:12, right? Because they shut Vegas down and Burns was the biggest reason for that all the way up until the final seconds. It was the right decision.

Also, those numbers are for just when Burns was on the ice.

 

[Quid Pro Clowe]

I'm a Teemu apologist to the core, come at me bruh...

If he had any curve to the blade of his stick he pots that wraparound...

 

[Negatively Positive]

Some people think the Sharks should get retribution against Calgary in their next game even if they lose the game or get players suspended. With the standings being so tight and how important winning the division could be, are people still okay with sacrificing the game and losing a key player/s to suspension?

 

[ThePlanet]

If he had any curve to the blade of his stick he pots that wraparound...

That shot was on his backhand.

 

[Pinkfloyd]

Some people think the Sharks should get retribution against Calgary in their next game even if they lose the game or get players suspended. With the standings being so tight and how important winning the division could be, are people still okay with sacrificing the game and losing a key player/s to suspension?

Winning the division isn't that important, imo.

 

[Tkachuk4MVP]

Winning the division isn't that important, imo.

Avoiding Calgary or Vegas in the first round is pretty important.

 

[Pinkfloyd]

Avoiding Calgary or Vegas in the first round is pretty important.

I don't think so. Chances are you're going to have to beat at least one of them anyway and they should be able to take either of them in a seven game series. Besides, that one game in early February isn't going to be the determining factor on where they finish in the standings. It's still way more important for them to stand up for themselves and respond to Calgary taking liberties and injuring a teammate. If they can't do that, they very likely can't win in the playoffs anyway.

Avoiding Vegas or Calgary for Colorado or Minnesota or Anaheim come playoff time isn't going to mean much of anything. Everyone that gets into the playoffs is going to be a very tough out.

 

[Tkachuk4MVP]

I don't think so. Chances are you're going to have to beat at least one of them anyway and they should be able to take either of them in a seven game series. Besides, that one game in early February isn't going to be the determining factor on where they finish in the standings. It's still way more important for them to stand up for themselves and respond to Calgary taking liberties and injuring a teammate. If they can't do that, they very likely can't win in the playoffs anyway.

Avoiding Vegas or Calgary for Colorado or Minnesota or Anaheim come playoff time isn't going to mean much of anything. Everyone that gets into the playoffs is going to be a very tough out.

Avoiding them in the first round means another team could potentially take them out, plus it increases the odds that we play a banged-up version of them in the 2nd or 3rd round. And while there are tough outs everywhere in the West, Calgary and Vegas are much better teams than the Colorado/Minnesota/Anaheim tier.

That said, I do agree with you that one game in February isn't going to impact the standings a whole lot and that the Sharks need to respond to what happened in Calgary.

 

[stator]

Winning the division isn't that important, imo.

Neither is home ice?

 

[Fistfullofbeer]

Neither is home ice?

Any advantage we can get for the playoffs will be great.

I think home-ice could be huge. Who we matchup against is largely out of our control, the only thing we can do is hope we win the division by playing well for the rest of the season. But even that is largely dictated by how the other teams do. If Calgary and Vegas keep pace with us then its really out of our hands.

The biggest thing for us would be having a healthy roster in the playoffs. And hopefully Vlasic playing better than he has for most of this season.

 

[WSS11]

I want home ice as the sharks typically have a hard time beating the other two on the road. Would much prefer going through Minnesota or Colorado with home ice in the first round then Calgary or Vegas with home ice in the second round as opposed to having to beat both consecutively without home ice.

 

[Pinkfloyd]

Avoiding them in the first round means another team could potentially take them out, plus it increases the odds that we play a banged-up version of them in the 2nd or 3rd round. And while there are tough outs everywhere in the West, Calgary and Vegas are much better teams than the Colorado/Minnesota/Anaheim tier.

That said, I do agree with you that one game in February isn't going to impact the standings a whole lot and that the Sharks need to respond to what happened in Calgary.

They may be better teams but I'm not really sold on them. Both have taken advantage of some soft scheduling, as the Sharks have also, but the way their respective teams are built, the Sharks should beat them both regardless. Vegas, I'm really not sold on because they've only played like 8 games against Western playoff teams. Calgary is more proven in that regard but it's still regular season and I just don't think they're built that well for the playoffs. They're too reliant on their top line and don't have the goaltending to hold up, imo. A Sharks team that is focused after taking care of some business with Bennett can shut that line down and handle them pretty easily.

Neither is home ice?

Nope.

 

[TomasHertlsRooster]

Neither is home ice?

When you adjust for the fact that home teams are better, home-ice in the playoffs is an ever so slightly minuscule disadvantage.

However, I would still like to win the division in order to avoid Calgary/Vegas in round 1.

 

[Barrie22]

Avoiding them in the first round means another team could potentially take them out, plus it increases the odds that we play a banged-up version of them in the 2nd or 3rd round. And while there are tough outs everywhere in the West, Calgary and Vegas are much better teams than the Colorado/Minnesota/Anaheim tier.

That said, I do agree with you that one game in February isn't going to impact the standings a whole lot and that the Sharks need to respond to what happened in Calgary.

Or we end up playing a more healthy vegas while we are banged up by having to face the more physical teams like minny and anaheim.