DOH 292 – Positivity Waning
January 4th, 2015, 9:52 pm
The Sharks drop a pair to the Kings and Vancouver, and get embarrased by the Blues. Can the road win against the Ducks maintain Dude positivity?
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For the record, I am not the James who asked about Heatley.
[…] The Sharks have had some real stinkers lately, so should we be pissed? [Dudes on Hockey (podcast)] […]
For those interested this is how the Sharks Prospects fared in the WJC’s
Here is how your Sharks prospects did in the IIHF U20 Championships (World Jr’s)
F Goldobin would finish the tournament with 2 G, 3 A, +/- 0, and 2 PIMS in 7 games for team Russia.
G Fedrick Bergvik would not play a single minute in goal for Sweden who only played one goalie the whole tournament.
D Julius Bergman would finish the tournament with 1 A, +3 and 32 PIMS in 7 games for team Sweden.
F Noah Rod would finished the tournament with 3 G, 3 A, +6 and 2 PIMS in 6 games for team Swiss
D Mirco Mueller finished the tournament with 1 A, -1 and 2 PIMS in 6 games for team Swiss
• ‘Positivity Waning’ . . . ?
. . . WHAT ‘positivity’?! You two *begrudgingly* acknowledged The Sharks’ December home-stand.
• “Team Identity” is such a nebulous concept. “The NEW NHlL” bares little resemblance to 2002 NHL.
There are so many young guys on this team. Yet, you’re already MOANING about (lack of) “team identity”? Shut your dumb mouth(s).
• Niemi has PROVEN himself in the Big Bad Pacific Division . . . in the SUPERIOR Western Conference.
I’d take Nemo over Rask (or Anderson) any ol’ day of the week. [GEE. I wonder if Sens opponents “dial down their collective effort” — b/c they’re playing the f*cking SENS . . . ]
***Huh-Duhhhhhh***
• Trading Couture for JVR (+ a pick/prospect) makes PERFECT sense. Which is why I tweeted to the Sharks about making said trade – like – TWO months ago. [Jumbo + Hertl can carry . . . whomever . . . Then you’ve got a Winter Olympics Caliber line of Patty, PAVS . . . and JVR.
Patty + Couture + Nieto/Wingles intimidates . . . NO-ONE.]
• Chicago would be overjoyed to sign Nemo. [As would SEVERAL other teams.]
#BlackLivesMatter
Choosing Niemi over Rask is a completely indefensible position. Rask was #1 in ESSV% last year, #2 the year before that, ahead of Nemo by several positions the year before that, and still leads Nemo in that stat this year, easily the worst of his career. And he’s four years younger.
You want to make a case that the Sharks should re-sign him, ok, I’ll listen, and mentioned it in the Fleury-Niemi discussion a few weeks back. But Rask is one of the 5 elite goalies in the league and Niemi is not. And it’s not close.
I should also mention that Anderson and Corey Crawford also have better ESSV% than Niemi this year (and did last year as well). The Crawford contract is no peach (6yr, $36M), so he’s not going anywhere. I suppose they might be interested in Niemi as a backup, although (wait for it) Annti Raanta also has a considerably better ESSV% than Niemi this year, and is younger and far cheaper.
I use ESSV% instead of regular SV% because SV% punishes goalies on teams that take a lot of penalties and/or have bad PKs.
Wow, Nemo over Rask? You are going to be awfully lonely over in that corner…
The JVR-Couture thing is intriguing, but let’s not oversell JVR. He had 7 more goals, and an equal number of assists last year as Couture. As of this writing, he has 3 more goals and one more assist. We’re not talking John Scott vs. Rick Nash here.
Plus, JVR is easily the worst possession player on the Leafs this year. He does play against decently difficult competition, but Couture plays against even tougher competition, and tougher than the Thornton line. As an example, the Couture line was up against the Tarasenko line with the Blues, and the Getzlaf/Perry line against the Ducks. He’s still in the plus column of both Corsi and Fenwick with these matchups.
The best argument for JVR (plus something, as you say) is he’d probably bolster 5-on-5 scoring some, but I’d personally be worried about turnovers, something the Sharks are pretty poor at already.
Toronto NEEDS a defensively responsible Center whom also scores . . . (exactly) like Couture.
San Jose NEEDS a stud goal-scorer (exactly) like JVR.
I’m not as beholden to statistics – when it comes to Ice Hockey – as you, Mike. But, here’s more on ‘why’ I am advocating this trade:
• JVR and PAVS have **chemistry** – which they exhibited well at The Olympics. In fact, their line is the MAIN REASON Team U.S.A. even ‘showed’ at the 2014 Olympics. [I’m completely comfortable with swapping-out Kessel for Patty or Karlsson.]
Admittedly — I, also, like the idea of having another American-born (star) player on Team Teal.
• Both JVR and Cooter are 25 years of age. [JVR being ‘the elder’ by 37 days.]
• JVR is listed (via Wikipedia) at 6’3″/211 lbs. . . . Cooter is listed at 6’1″/205 lbs. [Is Couture truly 6’1″/205 lbs.?! I question those numbers.]
• JVR was drafted (Flyers) 2nd Overall (2007). [We love you, Patty.]
Cooter was drafted (Sharks) 9th Overall (2007).
Draft position/Eastern Conference aside . . . it is difficult to deny The Flyers’ recent history of picking — QUALITY goal-scorers.
[When last I looked, Philly was dressing the NHL’s **Leading*** Goal Scorer – Jakub Voracek.]
Yes. I have MOAR ‘non-statistical reasons’ for advocating such a move. But, I will keep those to myself, for now . . .
That said: I put it to you, sir –
IF Logan Couture is ‘on the block’ . . . and I believe WE. ALL. KNOW that he IS . . .
IF The San Jose Sharks are ‘hearing’ offers for Couture’s “services” . . . and I believe WE. ALL. KNOW that they ARE . . .
TO WHOM – better than JVR/ The Leafs – would you point?
Fellow New Jersey-born & Fellow ‘2nd Overall’ (2005) Bobby Ryan comes to MY mind. But, that sh*t ain’t happening.
Besides which, Ryan is older and smaller than JVR.
WHOM. BETTER. Than JVR? I put it to you.
Were you dropped on your head recently?
Dude…
Niemi is not good at all.
Sure he “has PROVEN himself” … to suck year after year when it really matters.
I think Nitty was better, Stalock is better and like 25 other goalies in the league are better.
Why they put Niemi in as a starter against the blues, and expect something different, 2 games after he got replaced against the same team for letting in 6 goals on 27 shots is something I just dont understand.
Let me get this straight… you guys got hassled by people saying that “this is what the team would look like without Jumbo”… after ONE LOSS..
Ok then… I guess after two clutch come from behind grit and sandpaper wins, we can say then, “this is what it would look like without Jumbo”…
I dunno… heart, check.. grit, check… finding-a-way-to-win, check….
😉
If you’re going to make a point about the Sharks, please make sure your facts are correct.
The Sharks never played the Avs in a Western Conference Final. The Sharks eliminated the Avs to move on to the WCF v. Calgary back in 2004. Only Marleau & Nils Ekman had cracked 50 points at the time.
In 2010 the Sharks roster had 5 players that had more than 50 points that season (Pavelski & Clowe) w/ Heatley, Marleau & Thornton +80 points. Sharks went on to face Chicago in WCF.
In 2011, the Sharks had 7 players that were +50 points (Boyle, Couture, Clowe, Heatley, Pavelski, Thornton, Marleau).
Halfway thru the season there are 4 players on pace to be over 60 points and I have no doubt that Marleau will be in that group once he gets out of the scoring drought he’s in. If Wilson can pick up a really good D-man and shift Burns back to forward, the Sharks can be as competitive for the cup as Hawks, Kings, Blues, Rangers, Pens & Habs.
All remarks are off the cuff, and sometimes we get facts wrong. This was one of those times.
Apologies.
People are getting salty!
I think that ultimately, Sharks fans and pundits are in 3 different camps.
1. “Give Them a Chance” – Keep the team intact for now, maybe add a piece or two like a stronger goalie and top 4 D, and see what they do in the playoffs.
2. “Trust a Gradual Transition” – Accept it’s going to take several seasons to transition to a younger core and select veterans are needed to “teach” the young guys.
3. “Blow It Up” – Flip Marleau, Thornton, and Niemi while they’re still valuable in exchange for propsects and picks. Start the rebuild asap.
I am squarely in camp #3.
*UGH* So much NEMO-hate. Niemi was a Vezina Finalist list two years ago. The Sharks (in Thursday’s 2-7 loss to The Blues) were playing their THIRD game in FOUR nights. [The first of which included traveling to WINNEPEG. “The Peg”. Named for being in the middle of nowhere. It was also MINUS FORTY DEGREES.]
San Jose won that game . . . in the final seconds. [Thank you, Pickles.] They then won (in OT) the game Stalock started in MIN. [Thank you, Pickles.]
IDK *who* you put in goal vs. STL this Thursday. The Sharks were SPENT and Jumbo was MIA. San Jose did WELL . . . to keep it close, for as long as they DID.
Between y’all and FTF the consensus seems to be . . . that . . . “Nemo holds little trade value – AND – Nemo will COST The Sharks a bundle to resign . . . so they better trade him.”
. . . WHAT . . . ??!
Just stop already.
San Jose is DAMN. FORTUNATE to have DEKE’d Chicago into forfeiting Nemo. [To re-sign Hjalmarsson.]
Actually, it is the most MASTERFUL maneuvering I’ve ever seen from a GM.
When L.A. punched CHI’s ticket – this past playoffs – I GUARANTEE YOU . . . the main lament among Hawks fans was . . . “If only we had still had Nemo.”
Niemi is a F*CKING BEAST . . . !
SORT. YOUR. BLUELINE out, Sharks . . . (!!!)
• The ONLY netminder I would pick over Nemo . . . is Bobrovsky.
• The other team w/ a SERIOUS hand-on for Niemi . . . are The Canucks.
I watched VAN’s TV coverage . . . during their recent game at The Tank.
Remember: The announcers are PART of the team. The Vancouver play-by-play guys . . . should Vancouver win The Cup . . . the Tv guys Get A RING.
At any rate . . . you can HEAR . . . in their VOICE . . . that absolute HATE . . . they hold against Niemi.
And why not? Nemo OWNNNNS Vancouver. Are you out there ‘Nucks Fans? Are you reading this?
Nemo is OUR goalie.
And he OWWWWWNS YOU.
Vancouver is Nemo’s B*TCH . . . !!
And the whole of British Columbia would REJOICE . . . IF The Canucks – SOME-HOW – managed to sign Niemi.
Which can only happen . . . IF The Sharks are DUMB ENOUGH to let Nemo go . . .
*** HOW does NIETO keep getting a ‘FREE PASS’ . . . ? Yeah, he’s a California native. SO. WHAT. ****
Do I smell the return of a poster from the past?
Oh sorry.. Didnt see what name it was.
But… A lot of capital letters, dots and stars here.. It is a bit hard to read.