Recalled/Assigned: Sharks roster moves 2021-22: 4/17 Hatakka recalled

[Lebanezer]

New year, new thread.

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[tealzamboni]

Excellent. From the tweeted article's embedded link https://cms.nhl.bamgrid.com/images/assets/binary/326526548/binary-file/file.pdf, Viel has grown 2 inches this offseason.
Kudos to the trainers and scouting department.

 

[CanadienShark]

How has Merkley looked? I haven't followed this pre-season, but he's to me one of our most intriguing prospects and one that could go a long way to us becoming contenders again.

 

[OrrNumber4]

Excellent. From the tweeted article's embedded link https://cms.nhl.bamgrid.com/images/assets/binary/326526548/binary-file/file.pdf, Viel has grown 2 inches this offseason.
Kudos to the trainers and scouting department.

This is incredibly, incredibly unlikely. Viel is 24, not 14.

 

[Dicdonya]

How has Merkley looked? I haven't followed this pre-season, but he's to me one of our most intriguing prospects and one that could go a long way to us becoming contenders again.

I think most would say he is having a good preseason, and is definitely playing like one of our top D prospects, if not the top.

He is not perfect, and has a steep hill to climb getting into the starting lineup given the current makeup of our defense, especially on the right side. I would be confident in saying that if we did not already have Burns/Karlsson he would probably be playing himself onto the team with his preseason so far.

He still needs work defensively, but his stick work defensively has been improved this year IMO, and while he still has some floating issues, does not seem completely checked out in defensive zone. His offense is also clearly evident this preseason, he is making lots of plays, moving the puck well, and showing up on the scoresheet from his own actions, not just accumulating secondary points.

All in all, I would think only the most staunch haters of Merkley could really still cling to the idea that he wont be in the NHL soon, maybe not on the Sharks sadly, but somewhere.

 

[OrrNumber4]

There's a difference between having a good training camp like a Donskoi, Bergmann, Leonard, or Yurtaikin of the past and a Vlasic, Hertl, or Ferraro. Eklund appears more like the latter while Weatherby, Raska, Chmelevski, and Merkley are more in the former group.

 

[Doctor Soraluce]

I think most would say he is having a good preseason, and is definitely playing like one of our top D prospects, if not the top.

He is not perfect, and has a steep hill to climb getting into the starting lineup given the current makeup of our defense, especially on the right side. I would be confident in saying that if we did not already have Burns/Karlsson he would probably be playing himself onto the team with his preseason so far.

He still needs work defensively, but his stick work defensively has been improved this year IMO, and while he still has some floating issues, does not seem completely checked out in defensive zone. His offense is also clearly evident this preseason, he is making lots of plays, moving the puck well, and showing up on the scoresheet from his own actions, not just accumulating secondary points.

All in all, I would think only the most staunch haters of Merkley could really still cling to the idea that he wont be in the NHL soon, maybe not on the Sharks sadly, but somewhere.

I've been as negative as anyone if not more about his progress but between the prospects tourney and the preseason, I've finally seen the growth that I hoped would happen. It's been a great improvement from last season which was atrocious as far as effort goes. A player tried to take him wide in the last game and he drove the guy into the side boards. It was a very good defensive play. I'm still not sure he'll be ready to be a regular this season but I at least see a guy who can eventually be a useful player. As long as Burns and EK65 stay healthy though I would keep him the AHL this season and hopefully he becomes dominant. When he dominates at the AHL level then I think we can start talking about him being a regular in the NHL. I can see him getting a call up here and there though for injury fill ins. We'll have to see how much progress he makes this season.

 

[Dicdonya]

I've been as negative as anyone if not more about his progress but between the prospects tourney and the preseason, I've finally seen the growth that I hoped would happen. It's been a great improvement from last season which was atrocious as far as effort goes. A player tried to take him wide in the last game and he drove the guy into the side boards. It was a very good defensive play. I'm still not sure he'll be ready to be a regular this season but I at least see a guy who can eventually be a useful player. As long as Burns and EK65 stay healthy though I would keep him the AHL this season and hopefully he becomes dominant. When he dominates at the AHL level then I think we can start talking about him being a regular in the NHL. I can see him getting a call up here and there though for injury fill ins. We'll have to see how much progress he makes this season.

Yeah I agree, the only way I could see him in the NHL this year is if he gets more time with Vlasic this preseason and they prove to be a very good duo for the third pairing. Vlasic will have his ice time boosted by PK time, and Merkley could have his boosted on the PP.

However I expect he will be starting in the AHL too.

 

[Doctor Soraluce]

Yeah I agree, the only way I could see him in the NHL this year is if he gets more time with Vlasic this preseason and they prove to be a very good duo for the third pairing. Vlasic will have his ice time boosted by PK time, and Merkley could have his boosted on the PP.

However I expect he will be starting in the AHL too.

Apparently BB has liked Simek and Vlasic's camp so far and I think that he goes with HotTaco first due to his game being more risk averse and better defensively. I'm betting a guy like Middleton gets in some game too if they're looking for a more physical player. Now if Burns or EK65 get injured all bets are off. I could definitely see Merk getting the call up to play minimum 5 on 5 and getting PP time.

 

[Shark Finn]

Apparently BB has liked Simek and Vlasic's camp so far and I think that he goes with HotTaco first due to his game being more risk averse and better defensively. I'm betting a guy like Middleton gets in some game too if they're looking for a more physical player. Now if Burns or EK65 get injured all bets are off. I could definitely see Merk getting the call up to play minimum 5 on 5 and getting PP time.

Never ever call Hatakka HotTaco again. Ever.

 

[Doctor Soraluce]

Apparently I'm not the only one who thought Middleton looked good the other night.

 

[CupfortheSharks]

Apparently I'm not the only one who thought Middleton looked good the other night.

I wonder why they don’t try Simek with Karlsson.

 

[Pinkfloyd]

I wonder why they don’t try Simek with Karlsson.

Because Simek has almost always failed in that role.

 

[Kcoyote3]

Because Simek has almost always failed in that role.

Like communism every time it has been tried

 

[Pinkfloyd]

Like communism every time it has been tried

Ugh.

 

[Pavelski2112]

Like communism every time it has been sabotaged

ftfy

 

[seroes]

And we're on political twitter.....

 

[Kcoyote3]

I made the joke intentionally sarcastically. It’s double meta.

 

[Doctor Soraluce]

I wonder why they don’t try Simek with Karlsson.

They were good together briefly last season but Simek couldn't stay healthy. I think Vlasic gets first crack since he's making 7mil then they'll reassess at the 10 game or so mark. Pretty typical that vets gets the benefit of the doubt out of camp in most instances unless some young guy just steals a job. I think a few of these guys are on a pretty short leash (especially Vlasic) after the last couple seasons.

 

[themelkman]

I made the joke intentionally sarcastically. It’s double meta.

You forgot the sharks are a California team lol, throw all the meta you want people will still get mad

 

[Pinkfloyd]

You forgot the sharks are a California team lol, throw all the meta you want people will still get mad

It could just be a dumb joke you roll your eyes at too lol

 

[hohosaregood]

Settle down comrades

 

[OrrNumber4]

I feel like it is worth bringing up, again, that Karlsson needs to perform no matter who's he's "saddled" with. Seems like there were times over the last two years that people blamed the left-side-partner for Karlsson's struggles, and that just isn't fair with Karlsson making literally more than all LHD on the Sharks combined.

 

[themelkman]

I feel like it is worth bringing up, again, that Karlsson needs to perform no matter who's he's "saddled" with. Seems like there were times over the last two years that people blamed the left-side-partner for Karlsson's struggles, and that just isn't fair with Karlsson making literally more than all LHD on the Sharks combined.

Yeah thats ridiculous. If Karlsson needs to be carried then hes a total lost cause

 

[jMoneyBrah]

Yeah thats ridiculous. If Karlsson needs to be carried then hes a total lost cause

Like, I don’t think he’s needed to be carried at any point. There’s room for him just needing adequate support and talent on his pairing to properly thrive. I like Knyzhov’s potential a lot, and I like Simek’s game too - but neither are top 4 dmen (maybe Knyzhov someday.) If the Sharks had another league average 2nd pairing LD laying around, neither would have been attached to Karlsson.

I’m not going to rehash all the reasons why Vlasic has been a disappointment during the Karlsson era - but I’m hopeful he can find some way to be that league average 2nd LD for Karlsson. ‘Cause if the Sharks are going to compete this year, Vlasic’s is the likeliest candidate to successfully fill that role.

Yes, I understand how improbable that actually sounds.