So grier is sometimes the glass-half-full guy, and I’m sometimes the glass-half-empty guy.  We got some news today that Clowe will be out for a week, and I’m feeling quite pessimistic about the Sharks chances for the next little while.  For those keeping track, that’s Lemieux, JR, Grier, Ehrhoff, Plihal, and now Clowe that’s out, not counting Torrey Mitchell.  The way Luko has been playing lately, we’re in a tougher spot now than when Luko and Goc were out.

At least according to Mirtle and my quick back-of-the-envelope calculations, the Sharks aren’t all that bad in terms of games lost to injury, but the vast majority of games lost have come since January 1.  It’d be interesting to know how the Sharks compare in that time span.

With Detroit three points ahead, and with a minimum of injuries (Lilja on IR and Holmstrom a little banged up), the Red Wings clearly have the inside track to the number one seed at this point.  Both conferences are so tight it’ll be impossible to predict first round matchups until the last week of the season, but if the season ended right now, we’d be facing our first round opponent tonight- the Predators.

I know we’re all hoping the 90-minute closed-door meeting the Sharks had yesterday will refocus the team, but I’m going to do some glass-full-of-crap predicting right here.  Sharks lose tonight and Saturday against Dallas, then squeak one out against Colorado.  Neither Seto nor Cheechoo on their new lines have a goal in either of the upcoming two games.