San Jose Mercury News

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Re: San Jose Mercury News

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31 Thoughts

Why 31 thoughts? Well, December has 31 days. Elliotte Friedman gives out 30 thoughts regularly, and I'm not going to let him one-up me. And finally, there are 30 teams in the NHL, but only one I* care about - the San Jose Sharks

*am paid to**
**sadly not really :(

1. Was firing Doug Wilson the answer, and was Wilson the problem? The Sharks were 6-9-2 with Wilson, and are now 5-6-3 with new head coach and former Worcester bench boss David Volek. The jury is still out, but to be fair, Wilson's new team - Montreal - isn't doing so hot with him either.

2. One big problem: the powerplay. A week ago, its efficiency was sitting in the single digits, by far the worst in the league. Recently it has crept back up to 12%. If it were a merely average 19%, the Sharks would have scored 10 more goals to date, and their goal differential even.

3. Another big problem: the penalty kill. At 78.3%, it's only just outside bottom 10 in the league.

4. One way to allow fewer powerplay goals? Take fewer penalties. The Sharks have taken just 6 penalties in their last 4 games, and two of those were clean sheets.

5. Unfortunately, 2 of the last 4 games were also losses to Edmonton. The first is understandable - an away game the night after a dramatic win vs Calgary. The second at home, with the Sharks managing just 16 shots? That's more difficult to explain.

6. Yet more problems: goaltending. All three of the Sharks goaltenders have save percentages in the vicinity of .870. Only 6 starting goaltenders have managed worse. Meanwhile, in Vancouver, Andrei Vasilevski rocks an .892 sv% - too bad the Canucks just can't score goals to support him.

7. On the road, the Sharks sport a pitiful 4-12-2-0 record. They're much better at home, going 7-3-3-0. Having played 5 more road than home games, there's still room for the overall record to rebound.

8. How well do the Sharks need to play down the stretch to make the playoffs? With 27 points in 31 games, they need 63 in 51 to reach 90 points, which could be just enough for one of the last 2 spots.

9. Considering the Sharks managed point percentages around .700 the last 3 seasons, running .600 in the final 51 games isn't out of the question. Even 77 points in the final 51 games wouldn't be impossible... would it?

10. How about that Ilya Kovalchuk? 21G, 21A in 31GP. He has been everything the Sharks expected when they acquired him this offseason, and is probably the main reason why the coach was first to be fired over the GM.

11. On the less positive end, countrymate Alex Radulov has seen his play slip. With 21 points in 31 games, he's on pace for just 55 points, which would be his lowest total since 2007. A recent demotion to the third line doesn't seem to have helped.

12. A minor issue - penalties. Radulov has 38 PIM, and teammate Blaine Byron has 39 (34 less one fighting major). Neither play particularly physical hockey, and both have cut down on their antics recently, but they're still on pace for well over 80 PIM each, mostly in minors.

13. Giveaways, giveaways - Radulov also ranks second last on the team in takeaway-giveaway differential, with -19. Kovalchuk is first, but he scores enough to make up for it, no?

14. Perhaps more problematic is Derek Forbort's differential of -17, good for third worst on the team. It's sometimes hard to remember that he's just 22, but those number need to improve.

15. On the more positive side, Forbort leads the team in shot blocks as usual, averaging one per game.

16. One way to get Forbort going? Cut down on his minutes. At 27 per game, he is far and away the ice time leader for the Sharks, and ranks eighth in the league.

17. On another positive note, how about rookie Matt Killian? Once looking like an inevitable preseason cap casualty, the puck-moving defenseman leads the Sharks' blueline with 16 points in 31 games and is a serious Calder Trophy contender.

18. Back to the negatives, former Calder Trophy winner Oscar Klefbom is struggling, with just 9 points and a team-worst minus 10 rating.

19. One way to pick up production - get more powerplay minutes. Unusually, though, Klefbom has been skating as a forward on the Sharks' mostly unproductive second unit. Coach Volek figures that lining Klefbom alongside burly Canadians Ryan Getzlaf and Ryane Clowe is good way to put the fear of god in opposing goaltenders.

20. As much as the league has been fixated on smooth-skating, slick-passing blueliners, the defensive men are doing their jobs on the Sharks. Mike Komisarek, Matt Smaby and Keith Ballard lead the team in takeaway differential at around 1 per game each, and are a combined even in plus-minus.

21. Every Sharks defenseman should be looking over their shoulders. 2013 second-rounder Ian McCoshen is tearing up the AHL, with 24 points and a +31 in 31 games. The 19-year old only needs some strength and conditioning training to be ready to challenge for a roster spot next season - or maybe even sooner.

22. Ivanhoe! Rugged Russian winger Ivan Telegin is earning his nickname this season, with two suspensions totalling 12 games so far. They've put a slight damper in his production, though, as he has just 7 points and a -5 rating in the 20 games he's managed to play.

23. Not so sharp after all? Patrick Sharp now has 8 points in 11 games after a hot start; meanwhile, Andrew Cogliano has 9 for the Hawks (albeit just one goal and with a -4). The next 50 games will determine if Sharp can improve the Sharks' special teams enough to justify this deal.

24. Valtteri Filppula's attempts to center the third line have met with little more success than Cogliano's did. The Finn has just 2 points and a -6 in 8 games since being brought over from Montreal, in yet another mutually detrimental transaction between these two teams.

25. Has everyone forgotten about Kevin Hayes? The strapping winger has 39 goals in his last 64 AHL games, without a hint of a recall coming soon.

26. At least the sauce is still cookin'. Worcester is 4th in the AHL with 42 points and is tied for 3rd best with just 77 goals against.

27. Funnily enough, Worcester's powerplay is struggling badly as well, running at just 15% in a league where 7 teams have managed 30% or better.

28. Jaroslav Pavelka is on fire in the AHL, managing a 2.35 GAA and .896 sv%. Unfortunately, that translates to a 3.81 GAA and .869 sv% in EHEC.

29. The Pacific division remains a major stumbling block for the Sharks' playoff hopes, if there are any. 5 of the Western Conference's top 6 teams are in the Pacific. The Sharks would love to join that club, eh?

30. McDavid McEichel McNothin'. As bad as the Sharks have been, there are still 6 other teams with worse records in EHEC. With the new draft lottery odds, the 7th worst team has a 6.5% chance of winning the McDavid sweepstakes.

31. Merry Christmas everyone! Ho ho ho ha ha ha, you knew the last point would be a cop out, didn't you?
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Re: San Jose Mercury News

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Very nice. Fifty points to Gryffindor.
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Re: San Jose Mercury News

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I'm too lazy to copy & paste and the images are worth it, so just click on the main page to see the latest pile of blathering nonsense: http://www.ehechockey.com/story.php?id=145
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Re: San Jose Mercury News

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Why is there a chicken in Joe's pants? :lol:
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Re: San Jose Mercury News

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TorontoGM wrote:Why is there a chicken in Joe's pants? :lol:
It's his cock, duh. "I'd have my cock out if I scored four goals. I'd have my cock out, stroking it."
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Re: Game 1 down, 81 to go

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Commish Bub(NYR) wrote:
SharksGM wrote:...an appalling fountain of viscera and synovial fluid...
Any way this could be NON-appalling? :lol:
http://www.iflscience.com/plants-and-an ... ry-leopard
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Re: San Jose Mercury News

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A FACTUAL RECOUNTING OF THE SAN JOSE SHARKS 2015 DRAFT

9:00 - SHARKS begin the day with the #29, #48, #59, #88 and #149 picks in the first 5 rounds. Only #149 survives the carnage.
10:30 - Fan favourite IVAN TELEGIN traded to former divisional rival DALLAS STARS, despite scoring 9 GOALS in the STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS.
10:40 - Reports that TELEGIN returned top prospect RYAN MACINNIS, selected #10. MACINNIS had great AHL ROOKIE SEASON but has still accomplished JACK SHIT in his YOUNG CAREER, unlike TELEGIN who was PRETTY GOOD when he wasn't SUSPENDED for being a TREMENDOUS ASSHOLE to OTHER TEAMS' PLAYERS.
10:45 - Confirmation that SHARKS also traded PICKS #48 and #59 to DALLAS in the deal. Headscratching ensues. SAN JOSE will regret this.
13:00 - Draft begins. In feverish nightmares of some ISLANDERS fans, RYAN PULOCK is selected first overall. Fortunately, CONNOR MCDAVID is impossible pick to miss.
13:30 - An audible gasp in the room as BUFFALO selects TRAVIS KONECNY eighth overall. KONECNY projected as possible later first rounder. We're still not out of the top 10.
13:50 - Tension in the air as FLORIDA GM selects PAVEL ZACHA, leaving what many thought were top ten picks in MIKKO RANTANEN and KYLE CONNOR on the board.
13:52 - Former commissioner ADAM BURKE bursts onto the stage and wrestles the strongest staff member of the COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS staff to prove his dominance.
13:55 - Successful in his bout, new-old GM BURKE selects MIKKO RANTANEN. Fortunately, ritual urination to mark territory is considered excessive in today's EHEC.
13:56 - Many pairs of PANTS are SHAT as FLYERS select KYLE CONNOR, having already picked out a top defense prospect NOAH HANIFIN and HEART&SOUL winger in LAWSON CROUSE.
14:10 - FINALLY, action from the SHARKS. 6 picks too late for CONNOR, they find a willing target to drop down in MONTREAL, sending a 2016 2nd and the #59 pick.
14:11 - SHARKS quickly select future cornerstone defenceman RYAN PILON, who is not a PYLON but a TALENTED TWO-WAY DEFENDER very much in the mold of DEREK FORBORT, though perhaps lacking the top-end skating ability and bullet shot. PILON said to be nearly EHEC-ready.
14:30 - SHARKS clearly LOSING THEIR MINDS over selections in the early second round, already regretting dealing the #48 pick. GOOD JOB, SMARTYPANTS CUP-WINNING GM.
14:40 - Envisioning a future top 4 defense of FORBORT, IAN MCCOSHEN, JOSH JACOBS and PILON, the Sharks deal another fan favourite OSCAR KLEFBOM for the #50 pick. Fans expecting a damn good forward selection.
14:41 - COLORADO selects a DAMN GOOD FORWARD and GOOD CANADIAN KID BRENDAN WARREN 49th. SAN JOSE draft table seen muttering various four letter words. Actually, more so YELLING than muttering.
14:42 - SAN JOSE selects ANOTHER GODDAMN DEFENSE MANS, MATTHEW SPENCER. LIKE WHY. HE'S NOT EVEN THAT GOOD.
14:45 - SOME DUMB QUOTE that SPENCER has HUGE POTENTIAL to be kind of like IAN MCCOSHEN although he CAN'T SKATE so this sounds like optimistic bullsh-
14:46 - BREAKING NEWS as the SHARKS go HOG WILD, sending reliable starting goaltender JONATHAN BERNIER to PHOENIX for aging TWITTER SUPERSTAR ROBERTO LUONGO.
14:48 - LUONGO, who once cost A BUTTLOAD OF PICKS for PHOENIX to acquire, must have commanded more than just BERNIER, who is not as well regarded despite putting up better playoff numbers.
14:50 - SHARKS reported to have given up a 2016 1st and 3rd, but also re-acquire their own #59 pick. Fair, but they will regret losing another first rounder with NO GOOD FORWARD PROSPECTS LEFT.
15:10 - Having just acquired a REALLY OLD starting goalie, the SHARKS select YET ANOTHER GOALTENDER, in this case DANIEL VLADAR 59th overall. He should be good, I GUESS?
18:00 - NOTHING INTERESTING HAPPENS. Why does the ENTIRE DRAFT have to happen on one day? This reporter NEEDS A DRINK.
19:00 - SHARKS table orders pizza. They look all SERIOUS NOW.
19:10 - A series of INCONSEQUENTIAL TRADES lead to KEVIN HAYES and a 2016 4th leaving SHARKS' grasp, in exchange for two more picks in the fifth round. More regrets will be felt at this time next year.
19:15 - Consternation and possible constipation at the SHARKS table as SOME LOW-LEVEL SCUM JERK FROM FLORIDA selects BLAKE SPEERS, who the SHARKS REALLY WANTED.
19:20 - A FLURRY OF ACTIVITY. SHARKS finally select some GODDAMN FORWARDS, starting with #134. ROMAN DYMACEK is NOT ROMAN but he is DYNAMIC and CZECH. He has a BULLET SHOT and not much else as far as we can tell.
19:25 - Speaking of NOT MUCH ELSE, the #137 pick for the SHARKS is mighty midget JEREMY BRACCO. He has SLICK HANDS and TREMENDOUS PLAYMAKING VISION. However, he also seems to have a bit of an ATTITUDE and DOESN'T PLAY DEFENSE.
19:40 - Who is PAVEL KARNAUKHOV? He is the SHARKS #149 pick. He is RUSSIAN but plays in CALGARY for the HITMEN which is a really NOT COOL NAME FOR A HOCKEY TEAM LIKE IT IS LITERALLY A MURDERER FOR HIRE WHAT THE HELL? OH, they are named after A WRESTLER WHO DIED. Is that better? Who knows.
19:45 - After furious RESEARCH ON WIKIPEDIA, this reporter discovers that KARNAUKHOV is a sort of AVERAGE FORWARD who shows some ability in HITTING PEOPLE SOMETIMES and also WINNING FACEOFFS. He is unlikely to ever be better than JAYCE HAWRYLUK so his NHL future remains to be seen.
THE NEXT MORNING - Nobody remembers what happened last night.
THE NEXT AFTERNOON - Apparently, last night someone at the SHARKS desk was sober enough to select OLIVIER GALIPEAU at #179. GALIPEAU is a SOLID DEFENDER at the junior level and LIKES TO FIGHT despite being QUEBECOIS. Maybe this is because his last name sounds like a DISASTROUS WORLD WAR I CAMPAIGN.
HONESTLY WHO CARES - BRAD MORRISON selected SECOND LAST in the draft. That's better than being DEAD LAST or NOT PICKED AT ALL. BRAD is said to have GOOD HANDS and also NO HOPE OF EVER BEING AN NHL PLAYER.
Go home, you're drunk.
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Re: San Jose Mercury News

Post by Commish Bub(NYR) »

SharksGM wrote:THE NEXT AFTERNOON - Apparently, last night someone at the SHARKS desk was sober enough to select OLIVIER GALIPEAU at #179. GALIPEAU is a SOLID DEFENDER at the junior level and LIKES TO FIGHT despite being QUEBECOIS. Maybe this is because his last name sounds like a DISASTROUS WORLD WAR I CAMPAIGN.
Galipeau Name Meaning French: from Old French galipe ‘galley,’ an occupational nickname for a seaman. Possibly a respelling of French Galipot, from garipot ‘pine tar’, used to seal joints in ships; thus also an occupational name for a seaman.

Ahoy, matey!
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Respect your Edlers

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The San Jose Sharks acquired Ulf Niklas Alexander Edler from divisional rival Los Angeles Kings just before Tuesday's trade deadline. What does this mean for the league's most cutthroat division? Here to break it down are two loud, angry Canadian former hockey players in suits, Terry and Phil.

T: Phil, in this trade, the Sharks gave up their top defense prospect, Ryan Pilon, as well as a second round pick in next year's draft, and struggling sophomore defenseman Matt Killian. This seems like a steep price to pay for a struggling Swede (ED. - repetitive alliteration? Back to school with you) who hasn't put up over 40 points since 2011. Was it worth it?

P: TERRY, I THINK SO. Edler is my kind guy. Big, tough, meat and potatoes, real physical. 155 hits this season, lays his body on the line with 55 blocks, that's what I like to see! Not like those namby-pamby Sedin si- (ED. - siblings. He was going to say siblings)

T: Right, right. But critics say that with 17 points in 61 games, Edler's game was at an all time-low, and that's a real risk for a high price of yet another pick and the top prospect in the Sharks' depleted system.

P: PEOPLE ARE GONNA SAY THIS AND THAT, but all I gotta say is BOOM. Sharks fans are gonna LOVE HIM and they'll learn to RESPECT THEIR EDLERS.

T: ... That's all we have time for today, I think. Please stay tuned for some words from our sponsors while I wipe the spittle off my face.
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A half-finned review of San Jose's prospect kiddie pool

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Every year we like to review the Sharks' crop of up-and-coming youngsters to see which barracudas could grow up to be sharks one day, because that makes perfect (bio)logical sense. Last year, there was nothing to write home about, so we didn't bother. This season is pretty much over, so let's get this canned tuna out of the way. Remember, only players with under 50 NHL GP qualify, so McCoshen & Jacobs are out.

1. C/LW Clayton Keller
America's next great offensive dynamo, Keller is small but shifty and skilled. Though he hasn't scored at a prodigious pace in his first pro season (0.5 PPG in the AHL), he hasn't looked out of place in his first 8 NHL games either. Think of a poor man's William Nylander with a slightly better slapshot... when he's done developing, anyway.

2. W David Pastrnak
Acquired for tough guy and fan favourite Tobias Tornkvist, Pastrnak is a sniper through and through and fills a deep, dark void in the Sharks' system. He's not a great skater, but he could develop into a right-handed version of Alex Radulov. He'll need to start producing more at the AHL level first, though.

3. G Daniel Vladar
"Darth" Vladar is a towering presence at 6'6, but still moves around the crease very well for such a young goalie. He's in the top 10 in AHL save percentage after struggling mightily in his obviously premature NHL debut. Will he ever fill the void left by Luongo and Nabokov? Only time will tell, but don't bet Bub's house on it.

4. LW/C Otto Somppi
A towering playmaker, Somppi's game has shades of Jaden Schwartz. That might not bode well, given Schwartz's recent trip to the waiver wire, but Somppi has a bigger frame to work with and less of a propensity for untimely penalties. With his slow start in the AHL (a common theme in this list), he's likely at least another season away from NHL action.

5. D Blake Siebenaler
It's a concerning sign that Siebenaler is the only defenseman worth a mention in the entire Sharks' system, but that's mainly due to the graduation of top picks Jacobs and McCoshen. Siebenaler is a talented, mobile defenseman with great vision and playmaking ability but isn't likely to challenge for anything more than a third pairing role anytime soon.

6. LW/C Blaine Byron
After a promising rookie season, Byron held out for a raise and found himself sidelined due to the Sharks' cap struggles. He's a serviceable NHLer with no particular strengths or weakness, but with the crowding at left wing thanks to waiver pickups (Osala/Wruck) and his own lack of discipline, Byron is not likely to be back next season.

7. G Jaroslav Pavelka
Pavelka has arguably been the Sharks' best goaltender this season, so the fact that he's seventh on that list suggests that the distinction doesn't mean much. At this point, his main distinguishing feature over starter Braden Holtby is a slightly larger salary, meaning that he could well find a new home next season.

8. LW/C Roman Dymacek
Yet another left winger, Dymacek started the season on the fourth line but was sent back for an overage junior season again due to roster crowding. He has a great shot but despite a willingness to throw down the gloves, he doesn't play the body enough for a fourth line role, leaving his pro future in question.

9. W Keenan Suthers
A towering presence at 6'7, Suthers has surprising skills for a player his size. He'll need to work on his skating to become an NHL regular.

10. LW/C Dmitri Sokolov
Another LW/C, you don't say? Like Dymacek, Sokolov is a sniper by training, but hasn't shown much willingness to dish the puck, so he's likely an AHL superstar in the making.

Overall verdict: This group desperately needs an infusion of talent past the top 5, which is good but far from great. A top 10 pick this year will help, but Sharks fans will likely need to wait years until the 2018 draft crop is ready. The Sharks currently own two 1st- and three 2nd-round picks in that draft and they're all needed to restock the cupboard, so if anyone in management (or anywhere, really) is reading this, please resist the temptation to deal them.
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A Cynical View of the 2017 Entry Draft

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#12 - Traded to Montreal for #17 and #29; could have been Klim Kostin, Nick Suzuki or Michael Rasmussen but will almost certainly become a franchise player for someone else instead.

#17 - Maxwell Gildon, an off-the-board pick of an American defenseman (surprise!). Good skater, defensively sound and a hard worker with a decent outlet pass, but doesn't have the offensive upside to warrant being selected this high. That was said of Ian McCoshen, but he was selected a full round later in his draft year.

#28 - Kailer Yamamoto, a wildly undersized but supremely talented American forward (surprise!). Basically the right-handed version of Clayton Keller, but even smaller and slightly better (higher skill density, see). Could form a high-scoring, defensively inept third line with someone like Dylan Wruck if he can learn to dodge checks. Would have been a good value selection compared to the similarly talented Nick Suzuki, but also the kind of guy who drops to the second round most years. Likely to see at least another season in juniors while hitting the gym twice a week at least... please?

#51 - Scott Walford, a reliable, physical defenseman with a good first pass but not much upside. Since he's Canadian, he was almost immediately dealt to Vancouver for Nicolas Kerdiles, a Texan power forward with a penchant for untimely penalties and a bloated contract for his (likely) third line talents.

#87 - Morgan Geekie, an overaged right winger with heart and soul but not nearly enough talent or consistency. Such a depressing pick, he was the other throw-in added to the deal for Kerdiles before his agent could even lobby for a contract.

#92 - Jesse Koskenkorva, a Finnish forward who might be the only real gem of the draft. Slick puck skills, 100% effort every shift and good two-way skills without being scared of playing the body. Could be a decent third line center one day, but at least two years away from NHL action.

#105 - Cayden Primeau, Keith Primeau's son and therefore American (surprise!) but also a goalie (genuine surprise!). He seems like one of those mysterious wildly inconsistent prospects who gets traded several times before finally putting it all together, so don't look forward to him ever solving the Sharks' goaltending problems.

#132 - Petrus Palmu, an overaged Finnish winger. Not satisfied with the current crop of undersized, soft and inconsistent wingers in the Sharks' system, management went for the only player even smaller than Yamamoto left in the draft. The only upside is that he's old enough to play in the AHL right away, so there's a chance he could entertain Barracuda fans for a little while.

#135 - Alexander Chmelevski, the token Russian in the draft who is actually Ukrainian and born in the USA (sur-fucking-prise!). At 6'0, Chmelevski is not small, but he is soft, inconsistent and shows little interest in playing in his own end. Like Palmu, he could be an entertaining presence on the Barracuda, but since he barely turned 18 in time for the draft, it'll be at least 2 years before he shows up to a training camp.

All in all, this draft successfully refilled the Sharks' pitiful prospect pool with a diverse selection of American and Finnish midgets who show little interest in playing tough two-way hockey and will therefore do little to nothing to address the team's immediate and major problems.
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Re: San Jose Mercury News

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It's time again for that time-honoured annual tradition of the Sharks' prospect rankings, which happen every year except when they don't. The eligibility rules are the same as ever - under 50 NHL GP.

0. F Kaapo Kakko and D Maxwell Gildon. The undisputed gems of the Sharks' prospect pool have had impressive rookie seasons and would have ranked one and two had this article been written before the 50-game mark. Journalism ain't what it used to be. Both have struggled somewhat in their own end, which undoubtedly led an impatient and arguably incompetent GM to deal the stud rookie defender Gildon for overrated veteran help.

1. F Jack McBain. A talented two-way center who is learning how to use his size to his advantage. Having a solid rookie season in San Jose and will be angling for a spot in San Jose next camp. You know what I mean.

2. D Ryan Merkley. An offensively dynamic headcase. He consistently makes great outlet passes and takes laser shots, but lacks the size and acumen to defend effectively. May need more seasoning before earning a call-up. For a rich fish like barracuda, we recommend a healthy dose of citrus and some punchy garlic and pepper.

3. F Semyon Der-Arguchintsev. Russian royalty and prodigious junior scorer. As talented as Kailer Yamamoto, but lacking the wheels and defensive acumen to play the middle, so he projects as more of a playmaking winger on a sheltered scoring line.

4. D Blake Siebenaler. Too good for the AHL but still a prospect by virtue of his NHL experience mostly being disastrous. Turns 24 at the end of the month, so he's running out of time to progress to the NHL.

5. F Michael Gildon. Strong two-way forward with grit and a scoring touch. Lacks the vision and wheels to end up as much more than a fourth liner. Apparently this gets you ranked in the top five on this list.

6. D Christian Krygier. Reliable defender who - much like McBain - is just learning to use his strength to his advantage. Disciplined enough to become a reliable bottom-pair option, he'll have to fight against league-minimum veterans to actually fill that role. Good luck!

7. D Markus Phillips. Rookie AHLer is surprisingly solid in his own end but still weak on his skates and not physical enough. Could turn out something like a better-passing Marc-Eduoard Vlasi... or not.

8. F Pascal Laberge. Bargain-basement UFA signing leads the Barracuda with 84 points, 19 ahead of Petrus Palmu. Lacks the quality to succeed at the NHL level. You've read that before, somewhere.

9. F Adam Beckman. Late-blooming offensive dynamo who's willing to do anything to win, except play defense. Boom-or-bust project who might score 30 goals but is more likely to spontaneously combust.

10. D Slava Demin. Another reliable defenseman with a developing physical game, coaches describe his timely attendance as his greatest asset.
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Sharks 2020 Draft Review

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While the Sharks' 2020 Entry Draft picks were overshadowed by a flurry of activity that started with the departure of Alex Galchenyuk (again) and ended with the arrival of Jeff Carter, some choices of future import were nonetheless made and are worthy of a deep and thorough analysis.

#21 - Yaroslav Askarov, G. The Sharks have famously had success without Russian goaltenders. Remember that one whole season that Andrei Vasilevski played before being traded? In all seriousness, as depressed as the Sharks' draft table obviously was by their failure at trading up for Rodion Amirov, and as bad of a decision as picking Askarov over valuable skaters like Lundell, Kleven and Poirier was... he should be a mediocre starter or excellent backup some day?

#48 - Jack Finley, C/RW. One of the youngest skaters available in the draft, Finley is a physical playmaker in the mold of Jack McBain, only less talented and more likely to anchor a fourth line than anything.

#62 - Emil Heineman, W. A talented and hard-working two-way forward, Heineman is a late bloomer who dominated Sweden's U20 league after having done little to distinguish himself in U18. He could be a staple in a bottom 6, or an average AHLer. The sky is the limit as long as he makes it out of the cramped low-ceilinged basement.

#97 - Anton Johannesson, D. The Swedish, left-handed Ryan Merkley. Anton has slick passing skills and decent instincts in his own zone, but lacks Merkley's cannon of a shot and is basically incapable of physical play.

#111, 115 - Hugo Styf, Zach Uens, D. Two barely distinguishable, undisciplined physical defensemen with powerful slapshots and decent puck skills. Styf hits harder, while Uens occasionally shows a modicum of playmaking ability. Both could make fine league-minimum healthy scratches if all goes well.

#118 - Jan Bednar, G. A goaltender, Bednar's inscrutable future is irrelevant as he has already been traded to the Montreal Canadiens for older but equally unpredictable goalie prospect Taylor Gauthier. This is meant to help their development for reasons that are left as an exercise to the reader.
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Sharks (Off)Season (P)Review

Post by SharksGM »

Since this august institution fired most of its reporters and replaced them with minimum-wage temp Gen Z bloggers, the Sharks won their first playoff series in five years, lost a heartbreaking game 7 overtime to the eventual Cup champion Dallas Stars, and assembled probably their best roster since their 50+ win season days. Let's recap who's in and out and what to expect when you're expecting (to follow Sharks hockey).

Out: Alex Galchenyuk, Alex Radulov, Cam Barker

Three valuable veterans vamoosed in the summer - Galchenyuk via trade, and Radulov and Barker in free agency. The Sharks will miss Galchenyuk's playmaking acumen, and while they attempted to retain Radulov, his, uh, nearly $2 million pay cut proved too much to swallow. Meanwhile, the reliable Barker landed in Nashville for merely league minimum and half again.

In via trade: Jeff Carter, Erik Cernak

Snatching a stupendous superstar from a divisional rival is always a good idea, and while Carter had a miserable season (by his standards) on a struggling Anaheim team, he still scored 30 goals and stands a good chance at leading the Sharks in scoring this coming season. Meanwhile, the hulking Cernak was acquired for a 2nd round pick from now-rival Dallas despite having no NHL experience to date. He must have latent superpowers to warrant such largesse from normally tight-fisted Sharks management.

In via free agency: Artem Anisimov, Nicklas Backstrom, Taylor Beck, Ryan Kesler, Joe Pavelski

Having let pricey sniper Radulov go, les requins clearly felt the need to fill their bottom six with as many centers as possible. Rehashing Anisimov is clearly meant to mollify fans upset at Galchenyuk's departure, since they're both Russian-ish forwards who can play center but really shouldn't and have done little but disappoint outside of San Jose. Taylor Beck is a poor man's Andrew Ladd at less than half the price. Ryan Kesler is a poor man's Ryan Getzlaf at not much more than a third of the price. Nicklas Backstrom brings elite vision along with a complete unwillingness to shoot and an inability to win a faceoff to save his life. And finally, you all must remember Joe Pavelski from that time he was traded for Ryan Getzlaf. The first time, I mean. Did we also mention Jumbo Joe's second San Jose stint? Oh, he's already half-way across the country thanks to waivers? Never mind then.

What can we expect from this motley crew? Well, if we're lucky, they just might prove that recycling really is the wave of the future. If not, watch out for beached sharks next spring.
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Re: San Jose Sharks 2021 Draft Review

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The Sharks went into the 2021 draft much the same as in 2020 - with a talented and deep roster that managed to lose in game 7 of the second round in tragic fashion (and thanks to exceptional poor refereeing) to a rival who went on to the Stanley Cup Finals. The only significant difference is that the Chicago Blackhawks were in turn curbstomped by the Montreal Canadiens, leaving the Sharks without the admittedly underwhelming consolation prize of having lost to the eventual champion.

The Sharks found themselves on the board at 23rd overall with an excellent starting goalie prospect (Sebastian Cossa) ready to fall into their laps. Determined not to repeat the mistakes of yesteryear, where the arguably more talented but evidently less reliable Yaroslav Askarov was selected 21st, Sharks management punted to next year and send the pick to Vancouver for Tampa Bay's 2022 first and a trade-up of second-round picks. So in brief, the first round pick was nobody. The remainder of the draft then saw the Sharks trade spots here and there and select the usual assemblage of flotsam and jetsam, including:

44th OV - D Scott Morrow. The kind of defensive project the Sharks have had good luck with (see Ian McCoshen, Matthew Spencer, Maxwell Gildon et al), Morrow is a well-rounded athlete who excelled in high school but is raw (to say the least) and therefore destined to struggle badly in bottom-pairing minutes in the AHL, if the Sharks' torturous development process remains unchanged. One might ask why the Sharks passed on Brett Harrison (selected 47th), a hard-nosed goalscoring power forward who is a virtual lock to become a valuable middle-six option (we didn't).
61 OV - RW Matthew "Mackie" Samoskevich. An undersized scoring forward with speed to burn, Samoskevich is a poor man's version of Matthew Coronato (38th OV). Still a hard worker and strong for his age and size, the only question is whether he tops out as an AHL star or works his way up to be the next Kailer Yamamoto or Semyon Der-Arguchintsev. Can play center but isn't likely to stick there in the pros due to his size and mediocre defensive skills.
67 OV - W Niko Huuhtanen. A poor man's Brett Harrison (and a poor answer to the question of why the Sharks passed on the aforementioned power forward). Huuhtanen is strong on his skates, has a bomb of a shot and plays a responsible two-way game, but his skating needs work and his puck skills are merely average. Could be a bottom 6 winger in 4-5 years, if you're willing to wait.
82 OV - D Shai Buium. A beefy two-way defenseman, Buium makes smart decisions with the puck and rarely gets caught out of position. Uses his body well but isn't overly aggressive, and his footspeed leaves something to be desired. Possibly a reliable bottom-pairing option if everything goes right.
113 OV - F Zach Dean. An energetic two-way forward, Dean has the vision and the tenacity to hack it as a fourth line center. Being undersized and lacking top-tier sniping skills, he's unlikely to feature much higher than that.
119 OV - D Jack Bar. Scraping the bottom of the barrel, the Sharks hit on Jack Bar (not in that sense you perv) - a hard-nosed defenseman with excellent edges and adequate speed. He might score the odd goal or two but lacks the puck skills to be much more than a journeyman 7th D.

At this point, everyone involved in the Sharks checked out for the (week)night as future 3rd string goalies, 4th pair defensemen and 5th line forwards filled out the remainder of the draft.
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Freshly-Ground Shark Meat

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After two straight seasons of bitter second round, game 7 overtime defeats, the Sharks enter the 2021-22 season with a revamped, refreshed, and largely inferior roster compared to last season. Here's a closer look at the ins and outs.

Out: Ryan Kesler, Taylor Beck, Nikita Tryamkin, Tyler Myers, Andrew Ladd, Sami Vatanen (TDL), Mikko Koivu (TDL), Jacob Markstrom

The Sharks lost many of their most physical and defensively responsible players over the offseason, and arguably much of their identity as plucky try-hards-but-not-quite-hard-enough. On one hand, Beck scored 23 goals (20 even-strength) and picked up 2 assists in three whole minutes of icetime in the playoffs. On the other, he made no further impact thanks to his untimely injury. Similarly, deadline pickup Koivu had a very modest impact in the regular season but finished 5th in playoff scoring, so he will be missed, as will fellow penalty-killer Kesler. Ladd had arguably the worst season of his EHEC career, making him an inevitable cap casualty.

Behind the blue line, Tryamkin and Myers managed an unexpected 6 points each in 14 playoff games, but are not irreplaceable in their roles. Markstrom started the season admirably but struggled as it went on and proved to be no more reliable than Chet Pickard.

In: Colin Wilson, Maxim Kitsyn, Heikki Liedes, Bobby Ryan, Luke Ripley, Marc Staal, Carter Hart, Jack McBain (farm), Ryan Merkley (farm)

The highlight of the incoming class is Colin Wilson, who Sharks management tried but failed to sign last offseason. This is puzzling to some, as Wilson plays a similar game to the much-maligned Nicklas Backstrom - stronger on faceoffs, more physical but less astute defensively. He might be better suited to setting up goalscorers in the middle 6 in place of the notoriously puck-hogging Ladd.

Maxim Kitsyn is a familiar face; one hopes that his return goes more smoothly than countryman Artem Anisimov, who went from a 70 point performance in 2016-17 to double-digit game pointless streaks last season (ironically, the two now have identical 1.05M, 2-year contracts). Heikki Liedes and Jack McBain will likely provide additional sandpaper in the bottom six, although they'll need to fight for icetime (McBain having a slight edge with minimal competition for the #4C role, while Liedes is likely to launch actual punches). Bobby Ryan is a younger, less physical but marginally more talented Kesler replacement, trading consistency for a near league-minimum salary.

On the backend, Luke Ripley and Marc Staal are set to replace Tryamkin and Myers as hard-hitting but offensively-challenged depth options and likely penalty killers. They'll battle their near polar opposite in Ryan Merkley, who scored at a respectable pace in the preseason but struggled in his own end and might well spend much of the season sucking krill on the farm.

Carter Hart is a reliable backup who was inconsistent at best and erratic at worst last season. He'll fit right in with the Sharks.
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Sharks Sack Belfast Bruiser, Sign Simcoe Smasher

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The San Jose Sharks announced the shocking and yet unsurprising dismissal of The Belfast Bomberrrr... sorry, Bruiser, otherwise known as Owen Nolan, as head coach. After over two full seasons as head coach, Sharks' management evidently lost patience with the team's inability to earn home ice advantage, win round two, game 7, or in the current season, generally win games at all.

While the team's miserable 9-9-3-1 start could be blamed on imbalanced roster construction and/or poor goaltending, the lack of improvement following the arrival of new and competent starting goalie Alex Nedeljkovic caused the Sharks' front office brain trust to place the blame squarely on Nolan and assistants Evgeni Nabokov and Pat Falloon. Replacing them are Arturs Irbe, promoted from the Barracuda, and in a stunningly original move, another retread former Shark captain with zero prior coaching experience, Rob Blake. This time will obviously be different.

While the release of Evgeni Nabokov was perhaps expected given the Sharks' notoriously poor goaltending under his tenure, Nolan's seemingly premature dismissal during an unusual cold spell was questioned by many fans, reporters, bloggers, and various other rank amateurs who should try their own damn hand at managing a historically successful franchise before they let loose with their criticism, eh?
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This Year Will Be Different

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After a pathetic second round sweep at the hands of the cross-state rival Ducks, the Sharks are back this year - and not in pog form! Let's see what's new and fresh for 2022-23!

Out: Jeff Carter, Ryan Getzlaf

Jeff Carter, a perrennial point-per-game top line forward and former Art Ross winner departed mainly for cap reasons. In his place comes TOR 1st 2023, a pick that could be anything - it could even be a poor man's Jeff Carter! (it won't). Gone for similar reasons is captain Ryan Getzlaf, an easily-replaced 50+ point 3rd line center who finished with a disappointing +33 last season.

Also out: Nicklas Bäckström, Marc Staal, Bobby Ryan, Semyon Der-Arguchintsev, disappointing goalies and trade deadline acquisitions

Three of the marquee UFA signings of the 2020 and 2021 offseasons depart due largely to not being useful enough to keep away from waivers. SDA is a promising playmaking prospect who might have developed into a fine playmaking winger, but was traded for the pick used to select Nathan "Magic Beans" Gaucher.

In: Brent Seabrook, Colin White, Vladislav Kartayev, Justin Kirkland, Jack Campbell, Teemu Pulkkinen

The cap savings from losing two of their best forwards allowed the Sharkies to sign a top defenseman and a smattering or smorgasbord of cheap mid-tier forwards. Brent Seabrook is possibly the best overall defenseman the Sharks have iced since stealing a 40-year-old Nick Lidstrom from the Wings. He is like Ryan Getzlaf, in the sense that both are serving another 15+ games of suspension from dirty hits in their final playoff games last season. Meanwhile, the other forwards all have taglines:

Colin White - the other Colin W.! Will he finally crack 50 points this season? That's doubtful!
Justin Kirkland - Kirkland's Signature only costs 900k! Too bad we can't get a six-pack. He's like a softer, smoother Ivan Telegin, or a store-brand Kirill Marchenko.
Vladislav "The Cart Man" Kartayev - A natural-born, Russian-born Swiss army knife who can't really pass. Can he put up 30G/60P playing 4th line minutes? Signs point to no.
Jack "Soup Man Can" Campbell - He can't possibly be worse than Chet Pickard, can he?

Also earning a shot are rookies Yaroslav Askarov and Ryan Merkley. One is a goalie, and the other is maybe the fourth best offensive defenseman on the team while having no physical game to speak of.

Prediction: A top 5 finish in the Pacific division.
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San Jose Top Prospects 2022

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What's that? Time for a Sharks 2022 Draft Review? Well, too bad. If you missed the drama of the Sharks making 5 selections in the top 33 picks - and losing a top prospect and 2024 1st in the process - you'll just have to wait for the top prospect rankings, which will contain these very same names and their provenance. As usual, eligibility is <50 EHEC games played.

1. Scott Morrow, D - Once considered a longshot, Morrow has crawled his way up the Barracuda depth chart and - arguably - earned heavier responsibilities. Of course it's hard to dominate as a 19-year-old in the AHL, but he needs to grow into his offense before earning a call up.

2. Ryan Merkley, D - A perennial fixture on these lists, Merkley finally earned a shot at bottom-pair minutes in the pros. His talent is clear, but his lack of size and physical play is an issue, as is the fact that he's at best 3rd in line for PP minutes. Critics also wonder if he was left to marinate in the minors too long. We'd like to see those critics do a better job. No, seriously, we'd very much like them to improve this roster. Send your thoughts to sharks_ideas@ehec.pro.

3. Ivan Miroshnichenko, W - A relatively polished prospect, Miro's injury troubles let him drop to the Sharks' own 21st pick this year. Is he a poor man's Brady Tkachuk, or a sniping version of Kirill Marchenko? Either way, he'll need to keep improving to bump his projection from bottom-pair grinder to versatile top 6 mainstay.

4. Nathan Gaucher, C/LW - Acquired in exchange for considerably more talented Semyon Der-Arguchintsev, Gaucher projects as a right-handed Jack McBain. Despite clearly not being ready for pro action, he is starting the year on the farm - perhaps as a sign that he needs more attention than Ivan M., who is already a fairly polished product.

5. Kevin Korchinski, D - A unique talent, Korchinski has unparalleled puck skills for his age. However, he also clearly has holes to fill, most notably in lower, middle, and upper body strength. Literally filling holes could help with that. It's not clear if he'll ever develop a lethal shot or blazing straight-line speed, but we'll see.

6. Isaiah George, D - A rare find in a Sharks' prospect pool, George is a scrappy defense-first defender. Think Alex Edler without the booming shot. Can he develop his puck skills enough to earn top pairing minutes? We doubt it, but let's find out.

7. Matthew Samoskevich, C/R - One of only a few 2021 vintages left on this squad, Samo is a point producer through and through. His balanced offensive skills - including a sneaky shot - made Sharks' brass confident in trading SDA for a bigger body. His main issue is a lack of discipline, which will need to be beaten into or out of him. Ed note: This isn't legal.

8. Daimon Gardner, C/L - A poor man's Ivan Telegin, if all goes well. Gardner's shot is limited, so he's going to have to live off his playmaking and defensive/physical play. Also, power skating lessons would help.

9. Niko Huuhtanen, R/L - A well-rounded forward with possibly the best shot of this group, Niko's leaden feet and inconsistent efforts dropped him down to depth forward prospect status.

10. At this stage, the well has pretty much run dry. Pick between the shutdown defender with no offense, Kirill Kirsanov, or place an even riskier bet on Barret Hall, his polar opposite and a potential future top 6 powerplay specialist (who, like all of the other forwards on this list, is too mediocre defensively and on faceoffs to transition to a full-time center).

Honorable Mentions: No.
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San Jose Top Prospects 2023-4

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Has it really been a year and a half? Well, the trade deadline is nearing so let's see how the Shark's prospect pool has filled before it all drains away for underwhelming rentals. The Sharks have disposed of 2/3 forthcoming 1st rounders and 1/3 2nd rounders so you'd figure this ought to be impressive.

Graduates: Scott Morrow is having an impressive rookie season on the Sharks, having somehow not been traded. Ryan Merkley is a remarkable +17 on a rebuilding Hurricanes team while Mackie Samoskevich needs further seasoning on Charlotte.

1. Quentin Musty, W - The youngest player in the AHL, Musty has made remarkable progress in a short time and could well be ready for a complementary top-six playmaking power winger assignment next season, although he's more likely to spend another year sliding his ELC and trying to crack 100 points on the farm.

2. Ivan Miroshnichenko, W - Still filling out his frame and the various holes in his game, Miro will need at least a year of seasoning on the farm before fighting for a middle-six role. Loves to go to the net but sometimes suffers from tunnel vision.

3. Nathan Gaucher, C/RW - Approaching PPG with third line minutes on the farm, Gaucher still looks like a right-handed Jack McBain and will be in the hunt for a bottom-six position next season.

4. Kevin Korchinski, D - Possibly the slickest passer out of many talented Sharks defense picks, Korchinski needs a solid 2-3 years of Rod Brind'amour's fitness regimen before he's given a shot with the Sharks.

5. Isaiah George, D - The hard-hitting defenseman has no serious flaws in his game - just comedic ones - but will need at least one season on the farm to get up to speed before competing for a third pair/PK role.

6. Daimon Gardner, L/C - At best a poor man's, pass-first Blake Clarke, Gardner has had trouble filling out his 6'4 frame and like Korchinski will need at least 2 years of chopping firewood on a windswept prairie before seeing action in the Sharks' bottom 6, if not more.

7. Niko Huuhtanen, R/L - The standard issue Finnish checking line forward has worked hard to improve his skating but still needs to beef up and show some consistent goalscoring ability before competing for... you guessed it... a bottom-six role.

8. Larry Keenan, D - A hard-hitting defender, Keenan profiles similarly to Scott Morrow but prefers to shoot over passing. Also needs a map to help find his defensive assignments, though once he does his eagerness to crush them is commendable.

8. Kirill Kirsanov, D - The solid Russian defenseman is a capable farm defender but has no offensive ability beyond a basic outlet pass. Still needs to build more strength before he can be relied on as a #6/7 option.

9. Barret Hall, L/C - The hard-working Minnesotan has some puck skills but isn't overly physical or defensively-inclined, so he may well top out as an AHL superstar.

10. Reid Schaefer, W - When he feels like it, he can demolish unwary defensemen before slamming the puck into the net. Doesn't like passing or leg day. Eerily similar scouting profile to waiver fodder Daniil Zharkov.

Honorable Mention: Matvei Petrov, W - inconsistent depth goalscorer could be an injury fill-in, or an AHL superstar like Hall. Needs to get to "adequate farm forward" level first.
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