President’s Cup Not Nearly as Cool as the Real Cup
April 8th, 2009, 5:29 pm
The Sharks certainly have the inside track to the President’s Cup, given each year to the team with the most points. They are 5 points up on Boston and 6 points up on Detroit, though they both have a game in hand. And the Sharks didn’t particularly play last night like they were fixated on the lesser Cup. They played one of the more listless games I’ve seen this year in a real snooze-a-rama game against the Avalanche, where a good 50% of the roster was barely known to me.
Of course it’s not a game to be thrilled about as a Sharks fan. Perhaps I’m seeing the world through 1st place, rose-colored glasses, but it doesn’t particularly bother me that the Sharks couldn’t get their blood going against a last place team in a mostly meaningless game. The important part is the Sharks being healthy and ready for the playoffs. With Grier and Lemieux coming back last night, and Marleau and Clowe reportedly coming back on Thursday, great progress is being shown in that department.
I hate stupid sports cliches, and the one about teams not being able to switching intensity on and off is one of the more tiresome ones. And like most, it has some truth to it. But you can’t tell me the Sharks are approaching Thursday against Phoenix the exact same way, and with the same internal focus, as they would with a Game 1 against the Ducks. It’s just not going to happen. I don’t want the Sharks to just dial it in, but at the same time, I want them to keep their eyes on the real prize- the receptacle you get your name engraved on, not the trophy everyone forgets about a couple years after it’s awarded.
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Great news! Starting tonight we will be dominant once again. 4-1 victory, with both teams getting a goal in the first 5 minutes.
I like Cheechoo on the top line, at least to start. I think he has more playoff experience and is starting to get hot, and Seto will try to do too much… at least In the first couple of games.
If Mitchell is back in the first round, does he get ice time? Do you guys think his potential upside is worth benching say Plihal who certainly doesn’t have Torreys talent but has legs and is fairly steady?
@Brian Boitano:
I’m wondering the same thing about Mitchell. Arguments against him playing could be:
a) He doesn’t know the system – at least not as well as someone who has played an actual game this season.
b) No time to develop chemistry with linemates.
c) Could conditioning be a problem?
d) Does he have confidence in his game? Does he have the trust of his teammates?
Arguments for him playing could be:
a) His pure skill
b) Speed
c) Surprise factor? – Opponents won’t know how to match up against him since they haven’t seen him all season.
I really don’t know what the right move is. I’m sure McLellan will play him, but I’m wondering if he’s being over-hyped.
Mike, do you still think Marleau has a shout for the Selke?
Mitchell is a total wild card. It all depends on how he’s practicing with the team, and for how long. Assuming you think he’s game ready, I think you start him out on the 3rd or 4th line, give him 12-14 minutes and some kill time, and re-evaluate.
And Tomi, I think Marleau wouldn’t be a bad choice as far as the Selke goes, but there are a few other guys, more “known” as defensive players, that will get the nod. Off the top of my head, I’d say the finals could be Mike Richards, Mikko Koivu/Antti Miettinen (but not both) and maybe Datsyuk again, though his PK numbers aren’t that good, and Elias would be a much better choice. Check this out– the best numbers are at the bottom.
Looks like Pavelski is doing pretty good too