4 Reasons We Shouldn’t Panic
March 8th, 2009, 12:36 pm
Watching the game last night, I wondered what else I could be doing other than torturing myself with the Sharks fourth straight loss. Being a total masochist, I had to endure whatever was on the ice, no matter how terrible. Well…it was pretty terrible. The Sharks got jumped, shanked and left for dead in the first ten minutes and could never recover. I hate to say new Shark, Travis Moen, looked a little out of sorts and was just trying not to make a mistake. The best player for the Sharks last night, in my opinion, was Jamie McGinn – he seemed to be everywhere and even earned some time with Joe Thornton. A possible bright spot from all these injuries is that McGinn could get the playing time to develop into a player that can be really useful in the playoffs.
Sharks fans are upset. We’re wondering what the hell happened here. The best team in the NHL is now tied for 1st with the Red Wings and are an extremely unusual 5-4-1 in their last ten games. With Rob Blake missing the third period after getting clunked with a shot, could things get worse? Well, I have four reasons not to panic folks. The Flames, Bruins, Capitals and Red Wings.
Reason 1) After coming out gangbusters in Jokinen’s debut in Philly, the Flames ate it big time in Carolina (6-1 loss) and I’m watching them get man-handled by those awesome Atlanta Thrashers right now, 3-1 in the 2nd period. While the Jokinen and Leopold trades were very sexy in hockey terms, dropping games in Carolina and Atlanta with a brutal week ahead could mean Calgary is going to continue to dip.
Reason 2) Boston Bruins fans must feel just like us Sharks fans…maybe even worse. They are 4-5-1 in their last ten and lost in Madison Square Garden today to the Mystery Rangers. Giving up top defensive prospect Matt Lashoff for eight weeks of Mark Recchi is a move that the Bruins are going to regret big time in two years. Can the Bruins right the ship – yes they can – but a potential first round date with the Penguins is no reward for winning the top seed. No real excuses except for “we just suck” because there are no major injuries to report – unlike the Sharks.
Reason 3) Washington Capitals have been a powerhouse in the East, and have gone 5-5-0 in their last ten, and if they continue to lose to Pittsburgh as they are right now 3-1, they will have dumped four straight at home. Ovechkin is banged up, sure I know this is true, but Capital fans must be thinking without adding anything at the deadline – oh my god we’re in big trouble….
Reason 4) The Red Wings got throttled by Columbus 8-2 last night. Their second time being on the wrong end of an ass kicking in a week, after getting killed in Nashville 8-0 last Saturday. No Hossa, Lilja, Holmstrom and their goalies suck. They should throw in the towel, right? Seasons over….
Do you see my point. The Sharks are riddled with injuries and have hit the skids – but so have four of the other best teams in the NHL. San Jose has a lot of soul searching to do in the next five weeks before the playoffs to find their offensive rhythm and luckily, I think the amount of games against the lower half of the Western Conference will help the Sharks get healthy in the standings and hold on to the #1 seed – but I just wanted to make the point that we’re not alone Sharks fans. Call a guy in Boston and he’ll have the same story.
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Good points all around. I’m not yet throwing a towel either. Coaches want everyone healthy for playoffs, so they’re sidelining everyone with every little injury, and it’s costing us consistency.
But just a comment on Thornton. I agree that McGinn looked great (he’s the only Worcester call up I’m excited about this season), but in my opinion, seeing him play alongside Joe yesterday was not a promotion for McGinn, but a demotion to third line for Joe. Coaches can’t scratch Joe, but if you look at his playing time recently, it’s been going down and went all the way down to close to 19 minutes last night. When was the last time you remember healthy Joe playing so little? Maybe he’s sick, but more likely coaches are seeing what we’re all seeing – Joe is not playing to his ability and is largely invisible. You used to be unable to take away puck from him. How many times he turned the puck over yesterday again and again?
… Speaking of Washington. The Russian may make you want to rewrite that paragraph in a few minutes.
Plus everytime everyone else loses it gives the sharks a clean slate again. Games in hand don’t mean much, but they do mean that sharks have the chance to be the equivalent of 2 games worse than all those other teams for the remainder of the year!
I also agree Ivan M, about Joe. Isn’t this the time of year he usually turns it up a notch?
Reason #5- I saw Torrey Mitchell at Sharks Ice yesterday, in full pads and skates, just after a hard workout. I know I was skeptical before, but if he’s on the ice now, that means he should be on the 3rd line in a few weeks.
cantstopthegrier
hey i agree with what you’ve said and let’s be honest the sharks are guarenteed a top 2 seed ofcourse first is nice but top 2 is nothing to sneeze at. I do believe the top teams need to stop and look in there mirrors because there some teams playing extremely good hockey and there rosters are more then good enough to take out these top 5 teams you mentioned.
i’m not gonna bother mentioning philly and nj cause everyone knows how dangerous they can be.In the east buffalo pittsburgh and carolina are really looking like major darkhorses to watch out for now buffalo and carolina are on the outside looking in but i believe would provide a much tougher task then the rangers and montreal in the playoffs.
In the west chicago and vancouver are both very dangerous teams especially vancouver loungo is back and playing at 100% and have been the hottest team for a while now. anaheim if giggy can find his game and dallas if they can get consistant performances can be some real darkhorses for teams like the sharks. I know i wouldn’t want either team in the first round. For you sharks fans hope u get edmonton cause theres no team in the playoffs that look weaker. then edmonton.
Thanks for this. Of the eight teams with 80+ points, only the Devils have earned more than 13 points in their last 10 games.
7-3-0
—–
Devils
6-3-1
—–
Flyers
Red Wings
Flames
5-4-1
—–
Sharks
Blackhawks
4-5-1
—–
Bruins
Capitals
Mark: great comments, but I must say I disagree with you on a few points. Buffalo looks like a major liability to me, and not a darkhorse – in fact if I was in Vegas today (I wish) I would bet on them not making the postseason. Plus, the Ducks are done. Finished. The end…for this year. They waived the white flag and if we drew them in the first round, I would be pretty excited actually…but they will be watching from home. As for the Oilers, they’ve given the Sharks problems…wouldn’t be my first choice. Now, Nashville….that sounds good to me!
I do agree on Vancouver and NJ being dangerous, especially how hot they are playing of late.
Thanks for reading!
Grier: I appreciate your silver lining/turn-that-frown-upside down outlook on the Sharks and I understand that injuries have taken their toll on the team. However, it doesn’t make me feel any better that other top teams are struggling too. All I care about is how well the Sharks are playing because, like many of you, I am starving for a Stanley Cup championship. Nobody’s jumping off the bandwagon, but it’s disappointing and alarming to see the Sharks poor results of late. Regardless of injuries, this is not the way to head into the playoffs.
I have realized as of late that all the best teams in the NHL are struggling right now. That tells me that one of two things are happening…
1. These teams that have been tearing up the league, DET, SJ, BOS, are finally slowing down and cannot go at this speed….
Or..
2. that the “bubble” teams have yet again kicked it up a notch and are desperate again… This happened right around the break too…
I think it is a combination of the first and also injuries in the Sharks case. I cannot remember a recent season where the Sharks had as any injurues as this.
My main thinking is this: as long as Det Calgary, and Chicago are struggling I am fine with it…I seem to process it then more as a natural occurance than JUST the Sharks stinking up the joint…
As much as we all want our hockey heroes to bring it every night, I think it is only human to put in on cruise control when the stakes gets lower, especially when the tank is getting on “E”. Shoot, how many of us play in beer leagues, no matter the sport? How many of us have been lucky to play on a dominant team or two? The softball team I have played on has won the league championship the past 6 seasons, but the past two have gotten to be very close affairs where we have actually lost a few games during the regular season. Why? Simply because the drive isn’t there to crush every team. So 18-5 mercy rule wins turn in to 10-8 error filled nail biters. And you know what? We all know we are getting lazy, and we try to flip the switch, but until there is something truly tangible on the line, like an elimination game, its tough to get up for it. I don’t see any difference for pro athletes (and, no, I don’t think the fact they get paid for it changes anything).
Soon, the lazy errors will change to pressing and trying to do to much (Devin Setoguchi and Jonathan Cheechoo are probably there already). Eventually, they WILL get a few breaks, and the Sharks will get back to their confident, high flying ways. It may take a few weeks, and the Sharks may not be #1 at that point, but eye on the prize, ladies.
Either that, or the Sharks collapse and break all of our hearts… 🙂 Oh the pleasures of fandom.