DOH 463 – Irrational Optimism
May 16th, 2021, 7:49 am
Statements from the GM and some players indicate they think the Sharks will be much better next season- the Dudes disagree. Also Mike and Doug preview the first round series of the 2021 playoffs.
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It’s funny, just when I was thinking the Sharks could rebound with a few key changes, I started watching the playoffs. These teams are *so much better* than the Sharks, it’s not really close. I forgot how exciting hockey is and it’s great to have playoff hockey back!
That Dubnyk trade really turned things around.
Mike, Do you know what Wilson meant saying the Sharks could benefit from the expansion draft because teams may trade a goalie they can’t protect? I thought the expansion draft was July 21 but free agency not until July 28.
I miss my team! The Joes are gone and so are the Donskoi/Goodrows – the depth guys. We have a pipeline full of guys that MIGHT be good 2nd liners (or might not) and not one guy that smells like a top nhl player. Even Couture, Hertl and Kane are guys that you’d expect to see on a top team’s second line. Meier and LeBanc are on the top 6/bottom 6 bubble. Defense might be OK assuming that a healthy Karlsson shows up next season.
Doug Wilson needs to pull a rabbit out of his hat this summer. And for those that say he should be fired for the current state of things… I think he’s safe because Plattner was heavily involved in the Karlsson deal – everyone involved mentioned it. I wouldn’t be at all surprised if Doug presented the deal to Plattner and said, ‘this is the best offer we can do. It’s a little risky, but with the cap rising next year, we should be ok’ and in doing so, leaves all of the credit/blame on Plattner. It’s a theory…
I was sad one off season and suddenly Dan Boyle and Rob Blake got signed in the same day and our fortunes changed. We need another summer like that one…
I’ve been a casual fan since 91, but the 2002 run made into a ‘read ALL of the news everyday’ kind a fan and this is the first sign of long term doom since then. I asked my Coyotes fan friend how he does it – staying with a crappy team game after game – year after year. Boredom and depression was the answer 🙁
Crazy Trade (c’mon, it’s been a while):
Karlsson for Mitch Marner (ducks for cover)
With the right moves, this team could make the playoffs. But I don’t think Wilson will make the drastic moves needed. Start with a new coach. Then, buy out Jones and strike a deal with Seattle to take Burns. With all the saved salary, the Sharks could go wild on the UFA market: new #1 goalie, a backup goalie, a top-4 dman, a stud 3rd line center, and a tough guy w/ hockey skills for the 4th line. Keep Donato and Nieto. Put Labanc back in the top 6. Suddenly you’ve got a team.
Kane-Hertl-Barabanov
Meier-Couture-Labanc
Balcers-(new guy)-Donato
(new guy)-Gambrell-Nieto
Ferraro – Karlsson
Knyzhov – (new guy)
Simek-Vlasic
Burns to Seattle ain’t gonna happen. Francis is not stupid. No way he wants that contract on a new franchise. I doubt he would even take a first for drafting Burns. And the Sharks can’t give up a first. These terrible contracts – Karlsson, Vlasic, Burns – are going to keep the Sharks bad for years.
My two cents would be go the coaching route, Hire Gallant, if he’d agree to take the job. Karlsson would ask for a trade, which would be great. That alone would free up an astonishing amount of cap space. It would still take years to cycle through the bad contracts DW has shackled us with, but a tough coach, who doesn’t pander to the players, would accelerate the process.
are the dudes ok…?
Should the sharks buy out Vlasic? They would save 13 mil and change over the next 3 years