GDT: Sharks Vs. Predators 7:30PM PST

[TomasHertlsRooster]

The point of the game is to score more goals than the other team. When a coach looks at his lineup he has to think of the most efficient way to divvy up ice time. When looking at the Sharks' forwards it looks like this:

All special teams:
Couture, Hertl, Meier, Kane and Pavelski

PP only:
Thornton, Labanc, Nyquist

PK only:
Sorensen, Goodrow, Melker

Only 5 on 5
Haley, Donskoi (was dropped from the powerplay in favor of Vlasic), Radil

Deboer has decided that the 12th forward spot on any given night will be filled by a player who only has an opportunity at 5 on 5 to make a difference in the game. Radil has shown an ability to play up the lineup, in the top 6, and be an effective player at 5 on 5. Donskoi has shown an ability to play in the top 6 and on the power play. Haley does not possess any hockey related qualities that warrant his insertion into the lineup, but Deboer feels that what he provides is valuable, even though it deviates from the whole point of hockey, which is to score more goals. It's hypocritical to talk about the depth of your lineup and then sacrifice depth in favor of a player who's "good in the room." If Kevin Labanc is struggling, and gets demoted to the 4th line, the only choices Deboer has to bump up are Melker and Goodrow. Neither of those players would have the success of Donskoi in that position. If Labanc and Haley are then benched, Karlsson is promoted, and Donskoi is scratched, you now have 10th wheel Barclay Goodrow who will be benched as well because there's no place to put him. If Labanc is demoted or benched, and Donskoi is playing and promoted, Kane and Timo can double shift on the 4th line if need be, thus retaining the 4 line team that Deboer always emphasizes. My main issue with Haley playing is not really an issue with Haley specifically playing over someone like Donskoi or Radil, it's the ripple effect on the rest of the roster in that game. The Sharks need to be able to take advantage of their superior depth against other teams. Haley turns their depth from a strength to a weakness. Whatever Deboer claims "to see" in Haley goes against everything Deboer's preached from his 1st day with the Sharks. The fact that he doesn't choose to see the broader picture handicaps the team.

In terms of merit, Haley ever playing in the lineup of an NHL team over players like Lukas Radil and Joonas Donskoi is the biggest issue. It's disrespectful to Donskoi and Radil. In terms of impact on actual results, I would agree that the ripple effect of Haley being frequently benched and that subsequently leading to double-shifting of top-6 players like Meier and Kane on the fourth line has a bigger impact than the minutes Haley plays over a player like Donskoi or Radil.

Either way, the impact is there and it's a significant one. The splits of his two teams with and without him in the lineup are massive and I don't think that's some kind of coincidence. People can no longer push the narrative that Haley playing on the 4th line isn't a big deal - it clearly has a big negative impact on whatever team he plays for.

DeBoer sees only what he wants to see. It's that simple. That's why he will quickly cite something like the team's most recent 6 game winning streak and say "I don't think it's an accident we started to win 6 in a row when Haley started to come in the lineup". If a reporter asked him "Do you think it's an accident that over the course of hundreds of games, teams that employ Micheal Haley have a significantly higher win percentage in games where he is not in the lineup?", DeBoer would snap at them. He's no different than a fan on HFBoards who cherry picks stats that make his favorite players look good and his least favorite players look bad. The difference with DeBoer is that he is the head coach of an NHL team. This team has a chance at winning a Stanley Cup but if they do it, it will be in spite of him.

 

[Used As A Shield]

heh.