GDT: Sharks vs. Lightning @ 8pm?? VlaMiddleSimHeRy

[Doctor Soraluce]

I agree on Ryan. Simek...this could just be a flash; another Jim Fahey.

It is one game. Middleton didn't look so great, and while Heed was great offensively, he had his defensive miscues.

Wasn't Fahey younger and more a journey man type? Had a good shot and was a decent passer and skater but otherwise unremarkable. Definitely not physical. I think this is Simeks game, for better or worse. Pair him with an offensive defenseman and he's in his element as the safe player. Put him in Vlassics role and he will probably struggle. Ryan and Simek strike me as perfect companion partners (like dillon) for better (elite?) defensemen like Burns and Karlsson. Easily 3rd pair capable but can play bigger minutes with above average partners. Both are good skaters which helps. It'll be interesting to see how Simek looks when he plays again after getting hurt. If his game and confidence doesn't change from before I think they have a keeper for the top 4.

 

[Tw1ster]

Caught the first period before having to leave for my own big game tonight. We are number two in the league and we played number one. We got killed, however the dismay from our loss was wiped clean when I saw the final score in the Sharks game. Was a bit worried with the zone time TB had in the first period, nice to see the boys respond and get the win. We truly have the best offensive one two punch on the blue line.

 

[Crazy Joe Divola]

that jones skate out is a forever gif. plzplz.

“Abandon Thread!” Superimposed over it.

 

[Crazy Joe Divola]

how is kyle mclaren so dark? lol

DW can actually impart tanning to anyone who stands near him long enough.

 

[Gilligans Island]

2. Trade Vlasic if possible. Opens up a lot of cap to sign an impact forward and re-sign EK65. Plus seeing Heed on the PP2 unit instead of Vlasic was fantastic.

I'd even be fine retaining up to $1.5M. Wonder what Vlasic @ $5.5M AAV would fetch.

 

[Gecklund]

Was at the game and it was awesome...less “wooooooing” too which was nice.

Couple of thoughts:

1. Joe and Pavs kept getting hemmed in the dzone and it was painful to watch. Pete is asking for trouble defenseively by leaving them together especially against fast teams. Jumbo looked really slow tonight.

2. Trade Vlasic if possible. Opens up a lot of cap to sign an impact forward and re-sign EK65. Plus seeing Heed on the PP2 unit instead of Vlasic was fantastic.

3. Give EK65 whatever he wants. We are very lucky to have him.

Vlasic is the type of trade that happens in the offseason.

 

[Barrie22]

Vlasic is the type of trade that happens in the offseason.

So we have to wait till he and braun costs us a cup? God dangit.

 

[Gecklund]

So we have to wait till he and braun costs us a cup? God dangit.

Yep unfortunately

 

[Alwalys]

Still riding high on that performance. It's nice finally seeing this team has what it takes.

 

[tony d]

Good win last night. Tampa's the best team in the league and we just beat them. Huge confidence boost for us for sure.

 

[Alaskanice]

Watching Karlsson play is truly a treat. Aside from the obvious, I noticed one thing he does often is make plays that nobody else can make, that seem like they’re out of nowhere. Little fakes, little turns, little escapes — they’re small but magic.

Watching Karlsson AND Burns play, with both on their game, is just insane. Must’ve been how Ducks fans felt with Pronger and Neidermeyer.

Man, what a fun game to watch. Sharks came out there with something to prove and proved it loudly (while missing 3 defensemen...). I gotta say, having Heed and Simek (now Ryan) as extras was very lucky.

I don’t care if we play like this every game as long as we play like this in the playoffs...

Final, unrelated thought: keep wondering what would help us at the deadline. I think if we can swing another top 6 forward, it would really solidify the team — though, it’s not NECESSARY.

It’s so nice to read that someone is enjoying that Karlsson is here.
Most focus on the points or the plus/minus but as you said, his magical plays, the little delays and the way he controls the play. I remember when Jumbo was traded here and he made passes that defied belief. I also remember when Larionov and Makarov were brought here, the control they showed, the way they never wanted to give up the puck.

For Karlsson and Thornton, what they’ve brought us with their talent and skill, Doug Wilson should be thanked for putting these kind of players in teal.

They’re generational players. We get to see them in our teams sweaters and cheer them on.
That is magic.

Go Sharks!!

 

[Agent Zub]

How long is Vlasic out?

 

[Alwalys]

How long is Vlasic out?

Hopefully until he gets the craniorectal extraction.

 

[boredatwork]

Watching Karlsson play is truly a treat. Aside from the obvious, I noticed one thing he does often is make plays that nobody else can make, that seem like they’re out of nowhere. Little fakes, little turns, little escapes — they’re small but magic.

Watching Karlsson AND Burns play, with both on their game, is just insane. Must’ve been how Ducks fans felt with Pronger and Neidermeyer.

Man, what a fun game to watch. Sharks came out there with something to prove and proved it loudly (while missing 3 defensemen...). I gotta say, having Heed and Simek (now Ryan) as extras was very lucky.

I don’t care if we play like this every game as long as we play like this in the playoffs...

Final, unrelated thought: keep wondering what would help us at the deadline. I think if we can swing another top 6 forward, it would really solidify the team — though, it’s not NECESSARY.

Erik Karlsson is the single most important player on this team now and moving forward. If he asks for 12 million, give him 13 for all I care. There is no other defenseman in the league that can do what he does. If Karlsson and Burns keep up their level of play moving forward, then the Sharks re-open another window as a legitimate cup contender.

I think the Karlsson-Vlasic experiment needs to happen again. Part of me continues to believe that Vlasic needs an offensive d-man as his partner and then he will be fine again.

As for the deadline, I think Braun is used to gain assets or a speedy forward. He does not have a role on this team anymore. I think Dillon and Ryan are superior players to him and he does not bring any offense at all. I'd maybe look at Tampa for a trading partner and see if you can get one of their lower line speedsters and a draft pick.

I don't know if this team needs another top-6 forward or not. I want a speedy winger who is defensible responsible. Someone who can stretch the d out and pick up Karlsson's passes. Thinking along the lines of a Grabner, Hagelin type. If the Sharks want a bigger fish, depending on what happens with other teams that need defensemen, I think a package of LeBanc, Braun, and a 2nd might be worth something.

 

[Gilligans Island]

Erik Karlsson is the single most important player on this team now and moving forward. If he asks for 12 million, give him 13 for all I care. There is no other defenseman in the league that can do what he does. If Karlsson and Burns keep up their level of play moving forward, then the Sharks re-open another window as a legitimate cup contender.

I think the Karlsson-Vlasic experiment needs to happen again. Part of me continues to believe that Vlasic needs an offensive d-man as his partner and then he will be fine again.

As for the deadline, I think Braun is used to gain assets or a speedy forward. He does not have a role on this team anymore. I think Dillon and Ryan are superior players to him and he does not bring any offense at all. I'd maybe look at Tampa for a trading partner and see if you can get one of their lower line speedsters and a draft pick.

I don't know if this team needs another top-6 forward or not. I want a speedy winger who is defensible responsible. Someone who can stretch the d out and pick up Karlsson's passes. Thinking along the lines of a Grabner, Hagelin type. If the Sharks want a bigger fish, depending on what happens with other teams that need defensemen, I think a package of LeBanc, Braun, and a 2nd might be worth something.

I think it'd be overkill to trade Braun for a bottom 6 speedy winger (or C). Probably more like a mid-level pick and a prospect should be the fair price.

Braun has value for the playoffs. He becomes expendable in the offseason ONLY if EK is re-signed.

 

[Lebanezer]

Hopefully until he gets the craniorectal extraction.

That’s a decades long procedure.

 

[Quid Pro Clowe]

Sharks forwards worked their tails off. The top-4 dmen put in a ton of work, too. Solid effort and great result.

 

[TomasHertlsRooster]

@Bleedred which goals did you mark stoppable tonight? Just San Jose’s last two, right?

Maybe Tampa’s 1st?

 

[Gilligans Island]

Sharks forwards worked their tails off. The top-4 dmen put in a ton of work, too. Solid effort and great result.

The best backchecking I've seen the forwards do all season.

 

[NWSharkie]

The best backchecking I've seen the forwards do all season.

This is the part that's been nagging me about this game. The D played a safer game, the forwards played a smarter game, and we solidly beat the best team in the league. I don't understand why the team isn't coached like that all the time.

Middleton and Heed are a downgrade from Vlasic and Braun, however they've played this year, but they were fine in third pair minutes.. If we'd been hard-matching either of our two Norris winners to top competition all season, we wouldn't have had the defensive problems we've had so far. Half of us were saying in the off-season that a Vlasic-Braun (or Dillon-Braun, as the argument went) third pair would be an incredible luxury, and I still think that's true, if we play them like a third pair and not "Vlasic-Braun, shutdown pair and coach's crutch"

 

[Gilligans Island]

Maybe this will open up Deboer's eyes to play the D differently. Hopefully Pete realizes that hard matching Braun - Vlasic against the top lines is not working and that there is alternative that can work. However, we shouldn't play EK and Burns around 30 mins in the regular season. That will just burn them out.

This structured play overall is what they need to do. it can work so long as the forwards commit like they did last night.

 

[Lebanezer]

Maybe this will open up Deboer's eyes to play the D differently. Hopefully Pete realizes that hard matching Braun - Vlasic against the top lines is not working and that there is alternative that can work. However, we shouldn't play EK and Burns around 30 mins in the regular season. That will just burn them out.

This structured play overall is what they need to do. it can work so long as the forwards commit like they did last night.

I agree with this and just wanted to add that one of the main reasons why Vlasic and Braun get dominated so much is because they are both terrible at moving the puck. Even when they make solid defensive plays they concede possession repeatedly because they can’t exit the zone or just flip it out and turn it over. Hard matching two guys who can’t get the puck out of their zone against the other teams top lines is a recipe for disaster. The Sharks need to put a puck mover with Vlasic and that probably means benching Braun or trading him.

 

[Mattb124]

Heed got burned wide on that second goal. If memory serves, it didn't end well for him when that happened last year.

 

[OrrNumber4]

This is the part that's been nagging me about this game. The D played a safer game, the forwards played a smarter game, and we solidly beat the best team in the league. I don't understand why the team isn't coached like that all the time.

Middleton and Heed are a downgrade from Vlasic and Braun, however they've played this year, but they were fine in third pair minutes.. If we'd been hard-matching either of our two Norris winners to top competition all season, we wouldn't have had the defensive problems we've had so far. Half of us were saying in the off-season that a Vlasic-Braun (or Dillon-Braun, as the argument went) third pair would be an incredible luxury, and I still think that's true, if we play them like a third pair and not "Vlasic-Braun, shutdown pair and coach's crutch"

DeBoer admitted that it is hard to get the team motivated for the regular season (and that the struggle at the start of the year helped). Backchecking hard, playing smart, being conscious...this takes effort, and players don't always want to put that in (even for good reason).

I do think that DeBoer's deployment of Vlasic-Braun is an issue. I get why he did it...that pairing has a great pedigree. Hopefully, he starts to move away from it.

 

[KirbyDots]

That’s a decades long procedure.

Sometimes it's preferable for suffering patients to forgo the procedure and simply live with the condition, just look at Kurz.