Doug and I have been talking incessantly lately about what we think the Sharks lack – a #2 defenseman. Doug’s “Defenseman a Week” series and the next podcast will keep you all up to date on where we stand. Watching yesterday’s NHL Live, a new news item came down the wire- Aaron Ward of the hapless Carolina Hurricanes is on waviers. Could this be a solution for the Sharks’ D problem?
I'm smiling only because this picture was taken before the Canes really sucked.
Almost. Aaron Ward is a solid, experienced defenseman, who, at 36, has a pretty regular NHL gig. This is more than I can say for many other defensemen in his age range (Marek Malik, Kyle McLaren). Paired with Chara when he played with Boston, this is a steady guy who can get it done, winning three Cups, the latest with the Canes in 2006. Never much of a point-producer, he is a decent goal-preventer. Of the 6 Boston defensemen who played more than 50 games last year (Ward played 65), he’s the best in terms of even-strengh goals allowed per 60 minutes, a stat I like to use as a back-of-the-envelope calculation of defensive prowess.
So why almost? Two reasons.
Not exactly what the Sharks need, and despite the recent losing streak, the Sharks are still poised to make a legitimate run at the big prize. Trying to smash a square peg into a round hole won’t do the Sharks or Aaron Ward any good, and he could be on waivers twice in the same year just like the newest Shark, Jay Leach.
This should really be the first reason, because it’s more important and less flexible- cash money. Aaron Ward is making $2.5M this year (the last year of his deal), and the Sharks just cannot afford another multimillion dollar contract. The Worchester shuttle is currently powered by the Sharks unquenching desire for salary cap flexibility, and signing a 36 year old #4 defenseman that we wish were a #2 defenseman just compounds the problem. Even if Ward were brought back on re-entry waivers, and the Sharks could have him for $1.25M, that’s still not quite good enough, due to reason #1.
We’re almost there. If only the Pens would waive Kris Letang when the other 28 teams were taking a nap. I’ll hold my breath for that.
If everything wasn’t bad enough, Taylor Pyatt had to play the Grinch. As the clock ran out, he hammered Dan Boyle against the boards and it sure didn’t look good. Boyle stayed down on the ice and needed help off the ice, clearly favoring one leg.
Here’s video of my reaction.
This is the crossroads of the Sharks season right here and now, folks. If Dan Boyle has a boo-boo and is out for two weeks, I can climb off the roof – but (gulp) if he is going to miss major time with a knee injury (which it looked like that’s what it was, his knee) we can kiss Lord Stanley good-bye. Why? Because Dan Boyle is the MVP of this team, the secret sauce on their Big Mac, the booty on their collective J-Lo. Boyle is irreplaceable by a call-up from Worcester and by almost anyone in the league.
As we wait by the chimney with care to see if Santa is going to give us our MVP back or screw us with a major injury to Danny Boy, here’s an interesting stat that is sure to cheer you up. Since November 1st, the Sharks have lost four games that they were leading going into the 3rd period.
2-1 @ Detroit
3-2 SO loss vs. Dallas
3-2 SO loss vs. St. Louis
3-2 SO loss vs. Dallas
The current measuring stick has to be the Calgary Flames and the Chicago Blackhawks. Calgary lost their first game after leading into period three since November 1st just this week when they dropped in Minnesota. Any guessing how many 3rd period leads the Blackhawks have lost kids?
ZERO.
Depressing. I better turn this post around or else you’ll think you’re at a screening of Precious.
Let’s hope for the best, that Boyle’s “lower body” injury isn’t major and that he’ll be quarterbacking our team again sooner rather than later. But, the Sharks still have issues and are officially in a slump, dropping five games in a row and are now tied with LA for first place in the Pacific Division. Here comes the sunny side, are you ready? If this was going to happen, and for most good teams it does, it needs to happen now. Last January, Detroit lost five games in a row, hit the skids and came back even stronger. It’s not like bad things don’t happen to good teams – but the Sharks recent play, their record against the cream of the West (Flames, Hawks, Kings, and Wings) is 1-4-2, and this potential season-busting injury makes me want to cry in a corner.
Mike and Doug take over the airwaves of KDOW 1220AM and spend two hours talking hockey. In the first hour they cover the Calgary game, the Ottawa game with the return of Milan Michalek and Jonathan Cheechoo, and start to explore the kinds of changes or moves the Sharks might contemplate. In the second hour the Dudes talk to Mark Purdy, columnist for the San Jose Mercury News, and Mark Smith, former Shark. After that, the listeners weigh in with their takes.
In this episode, Mike and Doug talk about the various happenings around the NHL, and only a cursory look to the Sharks. That’s because last Sunday the dudes talked themselves hoarse on the radio about the Sharks (episode to follow). This time, it’s all about the Flyers troubles, long term contracts, and Ovechkin’s knee, as well as Brendan Witt v. Yukon.
Thanks to everyone who was able to tune in to the radio show last night. We hope to have a replay available for download on the website. The show was a blast, especially our interview with former Sharks player Mark Smith – who was amazingly candid and really entertaining. Great stuff.
One hot topic that we heard from some callers on the radio show has been in line with my final rallying cry to Sharks management. Doug Wilson has to be looking for an upgrade on the blueline. Now, I’m not talking about someone to come in and play a Kent Huskins type #5 role – I’m looking for a guy who can log big minutes, do the dirty works like block shots, kill penalties, dish out big hits – and also not be a total stiff offensively. It’s clear the Sharks 0-2-1 record against the Flames and Hawks is reason for concern, and the main difference between the Sharks and the other two teams are their top four d-men are flat out better than ours. I think Doug Wilson did an outstanding job in the offseason of making a Naughty and Nice list and managed to get rid of the three players currently under contract who were at the top of the Naughty list in Ehrhoff, Michalek and Cheechoo. So, who is next on the Naughty list? I think it has to be Vlasic.
Dan Boyle and Douglas Murray are untouchable. The team has made a commitment to Rob Blake by making him the Captain for this season, and I also suspect for next season – I’m 99.9% sure that there is a handshake, wink/wink, nudge/nudge, say no more agreement between Blake and DW that he is coming back for 2010-11. That leaves Vlasic in a put up or shut up situation, and I think he might be beginning to go silent…So, Doug Wilson should parlay his depth at the forward position and find a guy who can jump in and take this team over the top. Guys like Phaneuf, Shea Weber and Chara are not worth discussing – so I’m going to kick off a new weekly series where I’m going to bring a top four blueliner to your attention and why I think he’d be a good fit for the Sharks and what I think it would cost Doug Wilson to acquire him.
This weeks target:
St. Louis Blues/Barret Jackman
Jackman is a stud and doesn’t get a ton of press because he’s been playing for a bad team that finally broke through and made the playoffs last year. In case you’re not familiar with Jackman, let me introduce you. He is the guy who stands in the net and blocks an empty net slap shot attempt like a human brick wall.
That is a guy willing to do anything to win a game. I doubt Nabby would have to ask him twice to block a shot. Jackman’s resume is impressive, he won the Calder Trophy in 2004 with 19 points and 190 PIM’s, beating that hack Henrik Zetterberg – not bad. After battling early career injury problems, he has responded by playing three full seasons back to back, averaging around 22 points and 86 PIM’s. He represented Canada at the World Juniors twice and was a member of the 2007 IIHF Canadian World Championship team in Russia, playing in all nine games.
This St. Louis blogger believes Jackman can be had, and possibly not for much of a return because of his 3.6M cap hit until 2012. If I were Doug Wilson, I would offer Vlasic straight up and if St. Louis didn’t like that offer, I would keep Vlasic and offer power forward Ryane Clowe. It would kill me to lose Clowe, but I’m not sure it would kill the Sharks. Moving Clowe allows a permanent top six forward slot for either Malhotra or McGinn, and they can certainly get the j-o-b done.
What do you say? Take one more look and tell me you wouldn’t love to see this guy in Teal.
There’s obviously a ton to talk about tonight after the Sharks dropped a disappointing loss at home to the Calgary Flames last night. Should we concerned that the Sharks are 0-2-1 against the other two division leaders in the Western Conference? What does San Jose need to do to get in the best position to win the Cup in the second half of the season? These topics and many more are on the docket for tonight and we invite you to call in and ask any question you want about the Sharks and the NHL We’ve got two hours to kill and while Mike and I can babble alone, we’d love to hear from all our listeners that support the podcast.
Dudes on Hockey on CHOMPTALK! from 8-10pm on Sunday, December 6th
1220 AM for local Bay Area listeners or click on this link to stream online. Call 1-800-516-1220 anytime during the show to talk on the air to the Dudes.
In this corner, weighing in at 6 feet and 205 pounds, the ever testy, the outspoken, the King of the Shootout (Not), Sharks goaltender Evgeni Nabokov.
In this corner, coming in at a stout 6 ft, 1 inches and 200 pounds, the Dill of Defense, the Relish in your Roulade, Marc-Edouard “Why Didn’t You Block That Shot” Vlasic.
In case you didn’t catch the postgame buzz, Nabby was none too pleased that Pickles didn’t block that shot at the end of the Sharks 3-2 shootout loss to St. Louis last night. Vlasic’s point, which is well taken, is that there were five guys who dropped the ball (or puck) at the end last night, and six if you include Nabby.
So, what do you think of the Sharks version of “The Blame Game”? Personally, I LOVE IT!
Why, you ask? Because it means these guys care. Haven’t we been asking for this? When was the last time we had guys calling each other out? Forcing others to take accountability? This team has been far too private and too laid-back for too long, and last night’s meltdown deserved Nabby’s quote-tastic response. The Sharks should be mad they choked that game away and it might inspire Vlasic, or Huskins, or anyone to do anything possible to win a game – which was not the attitude for the final minute of regulation last night. This team has been remade to win in the playoffs and if someone needs to be called out to pick up his effort, then so be it. Perhaps it is a little bit unfair to blast Vlasic for not blocking a shot, after all with 52 blocks he is tied for 20th in the entire NHL – so it’s not like he’s not willing to go there – but if the knock on Vlasic has ever been anything, it’s been a lack of intensity and flair for the big play. Blocking that shot would have been the big play.
So get amped up guys. You have a big contest with Calgary on Saturday night and you’ve got to bring the fire and then some. I like a little infighting from time to time. After all, we’ve seen what the Sharks “We’ll get them next time, boys” motto got us last year? Nabby’s comments might inspire Vlasic to throw himself in front of anything, if it means winning a Cup.
Goddam it, shouldn't I be the one starring in that stupid George Clooney movie?
Ryan Vesce, along with Jamie McGinn and Logan Couture, has been on the short end of the stick when it comes to the Worchester shuttle this year, and I heard a rumor that’s he’s being called up for the game tonight:
But unlike McGinn, Couture, Joslin, McLaren, and the rest of the crew that are accruing frequent-flyer miles at a fantastic rate, Vesce is a veteran player. Some people may know a bit about the waiver rules in the NHL- they are based solely on age and years of experience. Young guys like the ones I mention above are exempt from waivers, a process where any other team in the NHL can take a player for free and assume their contract. But Vesce is 27 years old, way too old to be exempt from waivers, which he would need to clear to be sent to Worchester, and re-call waivers, which he would be required to clear to come back to San Jose. How come we never hear about him clearing waivers, like the recently demoted goaltender Stephen Valiquette of the Rangers?
It’s because the Sharks are being extra careful with Vesce, and taking advantage of some CBA minutia. As some of you might know, I’m oddly fascinated by the various obscure rules of the CBA, and none may be more confusing than the waiver process. The Sharks are manipulating his time carefully so that he’s not subject to either regular waivers (which is how he would be sent down) or recall (which is how he would come back). This is a pretty neat trick. The harder thing to get around is the recall (or re-entry) waiver process, and the Sharks are taking advantage of section 50.9(g) of the CBA:
The Re-Entry Waiver procedure will not, however, be applicable to Veteran Minor League Players defined as follows: (i) for goaltenders, Players who have:
(A) played in 180 or more professional games in North America (NHL, AHL and ECHL), and
(B) not spent more than 80 NHL games on NHL roster over the prior two (2) seasons or more than 40 NHL games on NHL roster in the immediately prior season; and (ii) for defensemen and forwards, Players who have:
Neither the salaries nor signing bonuses paid to minor league Players shall be counted against a Club’s Upper Limit or the Players’ Share. For a Player on a One-Way NHL Contract or a Two-Way Contract with a Minor League Salary and compensation that could be earned in excess of the following amounts:
2005-06: U.S. $75,000
2006-07: U.S. $95,000
2007-08: U.S. $100,000
2008-09: U.S. $100,000
2009-10: U.S. $105,000
2010-11: U.S. $105,000
2011-12: U.S. $105,000
the following rules shall apply:
(i) To the extent the Player does not require Waivers to be Loaned to a minor league affiliate, he can be freely Loaned and Recalled
Vesce makes $105k, right under the wire, so this first rule doesn’t apply- Vesce is not subject to recall waivers. Now what about regular waivers- how does he get around that, being 27 years old, with NHL experience last year?
13.5 Waiver Expiration. The rights granted under this Article to Loan a Player(s) who is otherwise required to clear Regular Waivers to a minor league club expire for any Player(s) who, after clearing Regular Waivers:
(i) is not Loaned to a minor league club, or is Recalled from a minor league club (except on emergency recall); and
(ii) remains on an NHL roster for thirty (30) days (cumulative) or plays ten (10) NHL Games (cumulative).
So looking at the above chart, we know know why Vesce was sent back down on the November 14. Because his waiver exempt status was about to expire. Now with the new addition of Jay Leach, the Sharks are taking advantage of another waiver wrinkle – since Montreal got Leach on re-entry waivers, they only had to pay half of his salary, the Devils the other half. And now that the Sharks got him on regular waivers from Montreal, they are required to pay the amount the Habs did, about half the league minimum. Leach may or may not have been “a guy that our guys (scouts) have liked” as Pollak reported, but more likely it’s that “he’s a guy that our guys (accountants) have liked”.
The Sharks have started a new winning streak against a host of ex-Sharks sprinkled among the Canadian teams, and the Dudes break it all down. Mike and Doug also talk about the demotion of Jason Demers, and the curious claiming of Jay Leach off of waivers from Montreal. Finally, there’s a comparison of the top-4 defensemen of the Sharks versus other top Western teams, and the speculation that a trade could be an answer to this deficiency. Be sure to listen to the Dudes on Chomptalk this weekend- Sunday night from 8-10pm on 1220AM (or stream at http://www.kdow.biz). The blog-off voting can be found here.
Aaron Ward – Close, but No Cigar
In this corner, weighing in at 6 feet and 205 pounds, the ever testy, the outspoken, the King of the Shootout (Not), Sharks goaltender Evgeni Nabokov. 
Loading ...
