DOH 364 – Roster Review – D and G
May 10th, 2017, 10:43 pm
The navel-gazing shall begin with a review of the Sharks’ defense and goaltending.
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Tags: San Jose Sharks
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I agree with Doug 100%. DW has stated, “We don’t rebuild.” He will go for it. Meaning, Jumbo will be back, Patty only if he takes a big discount short term. A scoring forward will come in via sign or trade. In the draft, the Sharks will probably protect 8: their top-4 D, Pavelski Couture, Tierney, Hertl. No way DW exposes Martin after he signed Burns to $8 mil/yr. Vegas will pick between Schlemko, Dillon, Dell, or less likely any of the Sharks’ disposable 20-30 point forwards i.e. Ward, Boedker, Hansen, Donskoi, Karlsson. This is not to say I agree with the strategy – I don’t, it’s the “Red Wings Limbo” strategy where you’re good enough to be a bubble playoff team but never good enough to win it all – but it’s what I predict DW will do based on his track record and public statements.
Also, I think people are being overly hard on the Caps. It’s not their fault the NHL’s terrible postseason seeding system made the league’s top 2 teams meet in round 2. If the Caps were in the west, they would have made it to the Cup Final and no one would be calling this a failed season.
Completely agree on re: the Caps. We just saw the Stanley Cup finals. I am rooting for the Preds, but the Pens have to be the heavy favorites now.
Really surprised how little everyone thinks of Schlemko. The guy was a stud possession-wise (22nd in Fenwick), wasn’t particularly sheltered (Burns and Martin actually got easier zone starts), and was the only bright spot on the 2nd PP unit. All at less than $2mil a year. It would be a massive loss if Vegas took him. Frankly, I think he is better than Braun, straight up. If there is one trade I hope DW makes, it is trading Braun for forward help and to make space for either Heed or Demelo.
On the other side, the Sens have been beneficiaries of the current seeding system. As a #6, they should have drawn the #3 Blue Jackets, then the ##1 Caps in the second round. Much more difficult path than what they had: #7 Bruins (?!?) then #5 Rangers. That’s what made the Kings run as a #8 a few years ago so impressive: they had to beat all the top teams in the West. Now the Sens get a gassed Pens team coming off a grueling 7-game series, including an ailing Crosby.
I might be in the minority but i want #8 traded. His value is still thru the roof for us to trade to bubble teams and contenders. You dudes mentioned getting rid of both jumbo and patty being a reason why pavs wouldn’t get traded and will be on the team. Losing 3 faces of the franchise would be too much for us fans. But what if we resign jumbo and patty while trading pavs. Gives sharks another run at the cup while also getting maybe a top prospect and young top 6 forward or top 4 d.
It would have to be a true marquee name in return. Trading the younger, American-born captain away to sign two older Canadian players, both of which have had the C taken away, better yield something that will make the fans forget those details. I’m not saying there’s some hatred towards Canadian players, or even Patty and Jumbo, but people have a special affection for Little Joe, given his background.
Maybe a crazy trade segment on what Joe Pavelski could get the Sharks next episode? Not saying it would be advisable to trade him, but I think Pavs is a very interesting case that has some great positives (impeccable intangibles, 30-40 goal scorer, good contract) and negatives (age, was merely a good second line forward before getting the Jumbo pixie dust). Somebody would pay big, right? Right?
For the record I sent in that email about trading Pavs long before that Kurz article where he says that Pavs isn’t going to anywhere…
That said, at the time I agreed that it was highly unlikely that DW would do it.
But I still contend that he should.
And I contend that trading Couture is stupid. I do not believe that he has hit his true potential and that his BEST days are ahead of him. I see trading Couture as a “sell low and get less than you’ll want” situation.
Logan Couture has had two years of interrupted seasons bc of injuries. The two years where he played the most games he scored in the 60+ point range. And at age 28 his prime is just about starting.
So assuming he can stay healthy, and I don’t think that is a bad assumption bc most of his injuries have been bad luck honestly – I think he has the potential to be what he was drafted to be and envisioned – a 80+ point player.
Sure I’d take Barkov or Giroux over Couture but bc of Couture’s injuries his value in the eyes of other teams is going to be low and not really equivalent to the type of player he is… IMO.
All of that said, I’m not DW and Doug, you said it best in that DW is gonna do what DW is gonna do. And it’s pretty clear he doesn’t EVER want to do a rebuild.
The question franchises need to ask is: In the next 5 years, what is our ultimate goal? Is it to win a cup? Or is it to sell as many tickets as possible? They’re 2 different questions, the answer of which will inevitably lead to different roster decisions. I’m not judging the Sharks – they’re a business, we live in a capitalist society, etc. – but I sense their ultimate goal is sell max tickets. They don’t want to go through through a 3-4 year rebuild like the Leafs are currently doing, even if it gives them the best chance to win a cup. Toronto fans will show up even if the team is losing. Not the same in SJ. Rather than crazy trade, how about “wishful thinking” – Vegas takes Boedker, Marleau departs, Sharks sign Oshie, Meier has a breakout season, Jumbo has a bounceback year, everyone stays healthy, and the Sharks win the Cup. Nice dream.