Proposed Salary Allocation for the 2010-2011 San Jose Sharks Season
by Mr. Plank on Jun 1, 2010 10:45 PM PDT
in Armchair GM
93 comments
I hate the offseason for a couple reasons.
The first, and most important, is that there is nothing but vague whispers of the promise of watching hockey once again. While the sun shines outside, rain cascades in our souls. And while life without hockey is manageable on some level, especially when one considers the digital age that we live in where NHL Network and other various media outlets (DVD's, online resources etc.) can provide us a fix of some sort via old memories, it is still a trying experience to write about something that is only speculation.
The second reason is the militant attitude human beings take when highlighting "our guys", and the path we traverse when attempting to rationalize ways in which "our guys" could end up wearing teal during 2010-2011. I do it, you do it, the guy across the street does it. We become so attached to these players that we fail to consider market circumstances, logical mindsets of opposing general managers, and the questions that Doug Wilson himself may be posing. Everything begins so specifically that we lose sight of some of the broader implications of our proposals and claims.
The third is that rosterbation, in it's purest form, begins to turn everyone into lunatics. Our needs and desires fluctuate with each passing day-- a week ago we may have wanted to go with a Stalock-Greiss combo, this week we want a veteran to get the lion's share of starts. Yesterday we wanted a big-time winger to come in on the first line, tomorrow we will want a shutdown defenseman to play on the top pairing alongside Boyle.
What I'm attempting to do today is to curb that lunacy, both for myself as well as you. This post doesn't look at any individual player outside of the organization, nor does it highlight a group of players that I think would be great additions to the San Jose Sharks. There is more than enough time for those specifics in the next month.
What we are looking at today however, is an opportunity to lay down a solid foundation for all of the rampant speculation that will pervade this blog until next fall. It looks at the current salary construction of San Jose, positional needs that will have to be addressed in the coming months, and how I would like to see the Sharks allocate the dollars available to them.
The following exercise is based off two scenarios, both of which could definitely change as we near July 1st. The first is that last week Gary Bettman reported the salary ceiling could rise as much as two million dollars for 2010-2011. This exercise assumes it will rise somewhere in the $1.2 M range, giving us an easy figure of $58.0 M to work with when trying to get under the salary cap. It is a ballpark estimate, but better to set a low estimate at this point and avoid reworking everything later.
The second is that the organization will spend to the limit again this season. For our purposes today I assume they do, but again, that is just an assumption.
Forwards
As of this posting, San Jose has six NHL players under contract-- Joe Thornton, Dany Heatley, Ryane Clowe, Logan Couture, Torrey Mitchell, and Jamie McGinn. In other words, two bonafide top line players, one average second line winger, a youngster who could play top six minutes at any forward position, and two third line players-- one with penalty kill ability, and another with some scoring potential.
There's obviously some gaping holes on the roster. Penalty kill help, scoring punch on the top lines, checking line players, you name it and you have it. About what you would expect from a team that currently has six forwards under contract-- halfway home, if you will.
Taking into account back of the envelope contract estimates for RFA's, as well as any free agent targets Doug Wilson may pursue, my personal preference would be to spend roughly $34 M-$37.0 M on the forward group. This allows you room to bring your RFA's under contract, fill out your depth with entry-level players who can fill positions on the bottom lines, and solidify your depth with veterans.
After that it comes down to either going with what you have to stay in that range, or dump salary in the form of a trade to sign an impact winger.
Defense
As of this posting, San Jose has five NHL players under contract-- Dan Boyle, Marc-Edouard Vlasic, Douglas Murray, Kent Huskins, and Jason Demers. In other words, a power play quarterback who serves as your number one, a vastly underrated number two who can shutdown opposing forwards, an average top four defenseman with a ton of physical presence, and two bottom pairing players-- one who is serviceable in his role, and another who is a wizard on the power play but needs to be sheltered at evens.
The issues with the Sharks defense have been well chronicled on Fear The Fin during the course of the regular season, and it is in San Jose's best interest to bring in an impact top three player who can play in varying situations, most importantly in his own end. This has been my proposed plan for six months now, and Doug Wilson finally has the salary maneuverability to tickle me with glee.
Taking into account the potential for trades and the likely price of free agent defenseman who could serve as a 2-3 guy behind Dan Boyle, my personal preference would be to spend $18.5 M-$21.5 M on the backend going into next year.
Goaltending
As of this posting, San Jose has one NHL goaltender under contract-- Thomas Greiss. In other words, a backup who did not receive nearly enough this starts due to the coaching staff's insistence to ride the starter for the majority of the year, but one who could potentially flourish in a starting role if given the opportunity.
I cringe at the thought of giving two goaltenders with under 50 combined NHL starts the keys to the car next season, and feel it is necessary to have that number be at (the very least) above 100 in order to give the organization the best opportunity to put them into a position to win every night.
Taking into account the need for a veteran to man the pipes with Greiss, my personal preference would be to spend $2.5M-$3.5M on goaltending going into next year.
"UC" is players under contract at that position. "UC $" is how much salary is allocated at that position by players under contract. "Need" is how many players need to be signed at that position to fill out the roster. "Magic #" is how much I am willing to give to these positions in total. "Avail." is how much salary cap space is available for me to reach that magic number based off the players already under contract at the NHL level.
In order to understand what resources we hope the Sharks can obtain, we must first take stock of how much we are willing to spend in order to obtain them. I'd like to keep the discussion here devoid of any specific names and instead focus on where the dollars should be allocated.
A comprehensive list of players to target later this week.
Go Sharks.
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anybody know how other winning organizations break down their salary cap allocation?
by InThorntonweTrust on Jun 1, 2010 11:09 PM PDT reply actions
Here’s Detroit’s model during the last three years (SC winner, SC runner, second round loss to San Jose whatup!). Keep in mind this is including mid-season trades and “Worcester Shuttle” type transactions, and most importantly, includes bonuses and LTIR exceptions etc. (which is why it will appear DET was over in 2010 when they actually were not):
2008
Forwards: $21.48 M (45.4%)
Defenseman: $20.78 M (43.9%)
Goaltending: $5.03 M (10.6%)
2009
Forwards: $31.68 M (55.2%)
Defenseman: $23.54 M (40.9%)
Goaltending: $2.2 M (3.8%)
2010
Forwards: $33.35 M (56.4%)
Defenseman: $23.59 M (39.9%)
Goalie: $2.15 M (3.6%)
2010-2011 Sharks Proposed Salary Allocation (seen in post above, using the mean of the magic number)
Forwards: $35.5 M (61.2%)
Defenseman: $20.0 M (34.4%)
Goalie: $2.5 M (4.3%)
I used the lower end of the magic number for goaltending (as opposed to the mean) in order to get under the $58.0 M salary cap.
Still fairly heavy in the forward department compared to Detroit over the last three years, but probably a bullet San Jose is going to have to take (and I’m willing for them to take) considering the amount of players who are hitting free agency at that position.
"San Jose is where I want to be at the end of the day, and there's an opportunity now to make it there. It is where my heart is." - Jamie McGinn, 2/22/10
Fear The Fin: Where Selling Your Soul Is The Likely Solution
Detroit historically and Chicago this year
Have shown that it’s not just your D-men, but how hard your forwards backcheck. I’m not a fan of dumping 60% of our cap into forwards if they aren’t going to do their share defensively.
Patty had a good game 4 backchecking, but otherwise, I think he was a defensive liability for much of the postseason. Heatley was injured, but the book on him was he wasn’t necessarily trustworthy in his own end. Joe was pretty good defensively, but he got beat a few times. Clowe occasionally looks lost in transition and in his own end.
Those guys represent a significant chuck of our forward payroll. And most nights, they are beasts. But it only takes a very small number of bad defensive nights for the season to be over.
They're not getting this kind of coverage at "Hockey Night In Canada" folks! - Randy Hahn
Are you trying to tell me that you don’t want to see Iginla in Teal??
Those numbers look good, but theres no need to put restrictions on ourselves! If we can put together solid defensive lines on the cheap, then i say do it if it means we can field an amazing offense; or vice versa.
I love Iggy as much as the next guy (hard on for everyone who played in Calgary really), but it’s unlikely to expect DW to engineer something him at this stage of his career and contract. There’s about fifteen things getting in the way of doing something like that.
These restrictions are obviously malleable to some degree, and just serve as rough estimates— that being said, the “cheap” guys I believe you are referencing would either come within the system or from teams looking to unload younger players who, in order to come in and have an impact, would obviously be talented. Those types of players you have to pay a hefty price for, and with the system fairly depleted after four straight years of buy deals from DW, it’s unlikely San Jose can really afford much more than that.
I like to think of this model as not necessarily a restriction, but just a realistic approach to what we can expect this offseason. There’s 29 other teams out there vying for these guys services and San Jose, despite having some success in free agency last season (Malhotra’s pay cut), is not known as a place where players come to play at discounted rates on the open market.
"San Jose is where I want to be at the end of the day, and there's an opportunity now to make it there. It is where my heart is." - Jamie McGinn, 2/22/10
Fear The Fin: Where Selling Your Soul Is The Likely Solution
Yeah i don’t think Calgary is really looking to trade Iginla anymore anyways. I remember when the playoffs were beginning there was a lot of talk about them needing to trade him in order to rebuild the team and all that, but now it sounds like they’re gonna stick with what they have and just try to get a centreman or something. So to get him now would take a lot, although I personally would be willing to give a lot for him.
The Calgary Flames President held a press conference stating Iginla and Darryl Sutter aren’t going anywhere. Although, Sutter said that about a week before the Phaneuf trade.
If anything, I think the Sharks should look to target some of the youngsters in Chicago as that team is going to be blown up after they deal with the formality of winning the cup.
by BruinsSelectSeguin on Jun 2, 2010 5:21 PM PDT up reply actions
Yeah i think Patrick Sharp could be a nice addition, and he’s got great cap hit of only 3.8 (or 3.9 i forget).
3.9, and I"m all for trading for him as Marleau’s replacement. Dude is a beast..
This is where we hold them! This is where we fight! This is where they die! Remember this day, men, for it will be yours for all time.
by ZeroIndulgence on Jun 2, 2010 5:50 PM PDT up reply actions
Your numbers seem reasonable enough, based on what we have signed already. If I were setting my caps, I’d probably want to skew the defense towards the cheaper end of that spectrum. 4 million should be just enough to sign an impact, shutdown defender to round out the blueline. Also, I think, with our UC forward total being so friggin high already for just 6 skaters, we’re going to need the high end of that spectrum (15.3 million, maybe, to leave 2.5 million for a goalie) to fill out the holes and make sure our offense doens’t regress from where it was last year (and, personally, I’d like to upgrade the offense more, since it still disappeared a little in the postseason…especially against Chicago).
An interesting place to start when looking at how to construct the roster this offseason. I look forward to seeing what yall come up with on who to sign/trade for/etc.
This is where we hold them! This is where we fight! This is where they die! Remember this day, men, for it will be yours for all time.
I wouldn’t mind that provided a couple of individuals were traded to make it more manageable, but alas, that’s for another day (for me at least— I’m sure everyone will be quite lively in the Fanposts).
As for players to target, I just spent about an hour after coming home from the library reading through all of the Fanpost rosterbation that went on this weekend while I was taking a break from the blog. There are some really good ideas in there once you wade through some of the bullshit— Hamhuis, Michalek, Lombardi, Ellis, Price, and Sharp are the guys who come to mind as definitely on my list as well, and there were likely some others I can’t remember off the top of my head.
The unfortunate thing is that all the guys mentioned above and in the Fanpost(s) are on 29 other teams lists too. They’re the top of the free agent/potential trade class, and it’s no mystery that they will be some of the most sought after guys on the market.
I admire how you guys can all jump balls deep into this stuff so quickly. I needed some major time off.
"San Jose is where I want to be at the end of the day, and there's an opportunity now to make it there. It is where my heart is." - Jamie McGinn, 2/22/10
Fear The Fin: Where Selling Your Soul Is The Likely Solution
Haha, you also spent a lot more time putting stuff together for this site. We all just comment! It’s a wee bit easier! :-P
As far as the specific targets go, without getting into it too much, I’d think the Sharks would have to be higher on some players’ lists just simply due to our contention factor. We will be contending for a Cup here. Thus, if DW’s offers are in line with the others, then we may get an edge over teams like Atlanta or Edmondton or probably 15-20 other teams, who aren’t there yet. The trades are completely different, as that will literally be the best package availiable to the teams with the trade chips.
It’ll be an interesting offseason, to be sure.
This is where we hold them! This is where we fight! This is where they die! Remember this day, men, for it will be yours for all time.
by ZeroIndulgence on Jun 2, 2010 1:18 PM PDT up reply actions
Here's my 2 cents on cap allocation.
If you could go back to just before the series with Chicago and drop Nabby and his salary… go with Greiss in net… And use that 5+M on a top defenseman like a Kaberle, or Hamhuis, or Regher, etc etc…. would you do it and do you think it would have changed the outcome of the series?
In my mind yes. Nabby was average at best. I think his best hockey is behind him. Greiss might have not been as good but would have allocating that money to the blue line changed anything?
Look at Chicago and Philly. Two teams really deep on the blue line and young Goalies. Was Neimi that good or was he that good behind that D core?
Even if any of the Sharks tenders aren’t fantastic… With a top D core it limits their shots against, the second and third chances, etc.
I’m starting to find myself in the camp that believes the era of high payed, highly touted goaltenders is over. I think in the new NHL where scoring is up, allocating cap towards limiting shots and extra chances is more valuable than an Evgeni Nabokov, or Roberto luongo type goaltender.
by skilletboy on Jun 2, 2010 12:40 AM PDT via mobile reply actions
I’m gonna take it a step further.
When you spend 5+M on a goalie, what ate you really buying? In my mind it is supposed to be a top tier goalie that will ultimately… steal you playoff games! That didn’t happen with Nabby. That didn’t happen for any highly paid goalies in the playoffs.
And with the exception of Halak I didn’t see any goalies stealing games behind just average defensive cores. Although the trap did help Halak. R
When a team signs Joe Thornton you are buying in a sense, 100 pts and maybe 80 assists.
Cap allocation can be broken down into specific skills and stats you are seeking.
Right now with the Sharks I think the main area I’d like DW to spend on is our D core. Find top guys that can shut down other top forwards, that can block a ton of shots, that can limit second and third scoring opportunities etc.
by skilletboy on Jun 2, 2010 12:57 AM PDT via mobile up reply actions
I’m with you on essentially all accounts— era of high paid goaltenders is over, need to strengthen our D core and invest money into a group that can make an average goaltending unit look like one of the better ones in the league.
Good post.
"San Jose is where I want to be at the end of the day, and there's an opportunity now to make it there. It is where my heart is." - Jamie McGinn, 2/22/10
Fear The Fin: Where Selling Your Soul Is The Likely Solution
I don't think this is the place for rosterbating but...I can't resist
I don’t think Tallinder is worth 3 million to us. I think playing next to Tyler Myers probably made him look better than he really is. I’d much rather sign Dennis Seidenberg, who could probably be gotten for 2.5 – 3 million which is awesome for his talent. Ideally i’d like to get Seidenberg and Z Michalek (Michalek would take 3.5 – 4 i think).
I’m sold on Carey Price now, although i still think Deslauriers would do well.
I'm just gonna throw this out there
The only goalie that’s a FA that would be worth the pickup would be Dan Ellis. I see all these other “meh” goalies being mentioned, and there’s truly a sense of ‘what-ifs’ on all accounts. Ellis has proven he’s capable, but Nashville had two outstanding goalies. Turco is too expensive, and maybe past his prime. Huet and Price are overpriced and streaky ( sounds like someone I know). That being said , promoting from within is the most logical choice. When the Sharks signed Henrik Karlsson ( too lazy to look up the spelling), he flew across the damn ocean to be a goalie during their playoff practices at home. My guess is that he was being evaluated on the fly, for future reference. Only a guess, but it sure makes sense. Personally, I’d like to see Sateri make a move during camp, with Stalock or Karlsson a close second. And the Squirrel? It’s his job to lose. He’s shown he’s more than capable. Stalock might be nipping on his heels, but it’s not like the Sharks don’t have a shitload of depth at that position. And why am I even considering Karlsson, you ask? Because he’s got his own youtube song. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QXN_XsM6LwY
I like my goals like I like my booze..... Top shelf.
by GhostOfLinkGaetz on Jun 2, 2010 3:05 AM PDT reply actions 1 recs
LOL woww @ the Karlsson song.
Priced isn’t overpriced though; he’s young, big, cheap, and he has a ton of potential.
Price has proven his incapability.
Almost as bad as Huet. At this point, Stick with the system and roll the dice, IMO.
I like my goals like I like my booze..... Top shelf.
by GhostOfLinkGaetz on Jun 2, 2010 8:56 AM PDT up reply actions
Mark this date, as this may never happen again…
I agree with GOLG.
Someone else mentioned it in the rosterbation fanpost, but at some point we have to let the goalie pipeline produce for the team. We’ve more or less had Nabby at the helm for the past 10 years. I’d be sad to let him go, but in a cap era, he’s not worth the price any longer. DW and the Sharks need to show some faith in the glut we’ve signed and nurtured.
Let’s say we leave the team in the reigns of Greiss (ignore backups for the time being). Signing or trading for another goalie who has a GAA that’s even 0.50 lower is going to cost almost $4M more, not something that’s up for debate at this point.
The Sharks have been paying “elite” money for slightly above average goaltending. We may not be lucky enough to find a young kid with a low salary that gets hot in the playoffs, but I would rather spend “average” money on average goaltending and let the defense grow. All the accounts I saw yesterday said that we needed some veteran leadership on the backend, but then projected rolling the dice with Demers, Huskins (both newbs), and Joslin/Moore/Petrecki. At least now I understand where the “bation” part of rosterbation comes from – it only makes the author feel good.
Fuck, I’m in a bad mood.
"It's a lumberjack convention out there." Drew Remenda 3/4/10
Jon Casey fan since '84
Founder of Feel the Teal.
Price hasn’t proven anything except that he has the ability to be an above average goalie. Anyone in Montreal is going to get the shit kicked out of them if they aren’t amazing right off the bat…and he was brought up too young. But he’s still only 22, and has a pretty high ceiling, has NHL experience. I still think he just needs a change of scenery…and he shouldn’t cost too much in terms of cap hit, IMO.
Anyways, I already had this debate in another thread, I’ll stop there.
This is where we hold them! This is where we fight! This is where they die! Remember this day, men, for it will be yours for all time.
by ZeroIndulgence on Jun 2, 2010 1:25 PM PDT up reply actions
Comparing Price (22) and Huet (34) seems a little prematue.
Fear the Fin: Sharing Joe Thornton's love of wooly mammoths since 2009.
by TCY on Jun 2, 2010 4:09 PM PDT up reply actions
The thing I noticed from that video (don’t have sound at work) was that Karlsson is GIGANTIC.
When the dude is down in the butterfly his shoulders are nearly as high as the crossbar.
"Douglas Murray is a humongous human being." – Drew Remenda
How can you not understand it?
It’s his name, over and over and over and over. lolz
I like my goals like I like my booze..... Top shelf.
by GhostOfLinkGaetz on Jun 2, 2010 12:19 PM PDT up reply actions
And I have a strange feeling that a Clowe-for-Kaberle deal might be in the works.
Burke loves guys like Clowe, hates Kaberle. Fair tradeoff? Too tough to call right now, but if something does happen I wouldn’t be shocked..
I like my goals like I like my booze..... Top shelf.
by GhostOfLinkGaetz on Jun 2, 2010 3:14 AM PDT reply actions
Eh I kinda hope not. He’s not really what we need (what with Demers maturing nicely) and he’s got a big cap hit. I feel like we need either Seidenberg, Z Michalek, or Hamhuis and i don’t know if we can afford any of them if we sign Kaberle.
DW likes the offensive D-men.
Personally, I think we need a heavy hitter who can handle the puck. I’ve always liked Jovanovski, but he’s getting old. Someone in that same vein though, would be ideal.
I like my goals like I like my booze..... Top shelf.
by GhostOfLinkGaetz on Jun 2, 2010 8:54 AM PDT up reply actions
I feel like we need shot blockers, especially considering how we’re going to have somewhat questionable goaltending. Guys like Zbynek Michalek and Dennis Seidenberg are two of the best shot blockers in the game, and Seidenberg is a pretty good puck mover with the potential to develop a nice offensive game.
I really really want to see both of those guys on the Sharks next season, but then again every other fan from every other team in the league is saying the same thing, but then again San Jose is a better destination for a player to come to than a lot of those so maybe we got a chance at getting them.
Amen
One thing I noticed a lot during these playoffs was how little shot blocking San Jose did in comparison to the teams they played against. Especially Colorado and Chicago, shot blocking defensemen made both of those goalies look amazing. That enhanced physicality will really help our blue line and whatever goalie we put between the pipes.
"Until it's over, I'm not going to tell you it's over." - Nabby
Clutterbuck is a forward, not a defenseman. And I doubt Minnesota would trade him, anyways.
"I think I realized after the second or third punch, I should have taken his helmet off sooner." - Ryane Clowe
Proud member of the "Re-Sign Marleau" Club
Fools and Sages
realized that after I posted, no “delete stupid comment” button. I just saw hard-hitting and shot blocking, and that was the first thing to come to mind. That guy is a beast.
by mattcaffeine on Jun 2, 2010 12:57 PM PDT up reply actions
Maybe a little insight into DW's thinking...
When he traded fir Wallin DW made a statement about adding to the tram with out having to subtract any pieces…
I think when you are about to lose pieces to free agency it’s not good because you don’t get anything back. While I think we should part ways with Nabby I think DW might be looking to add pieces without subtracting again because of some UFA losses.
I’d hate to lose a solid, signed Clowe for one year of Kaberle. I believe DW has tried to go after Kaberle before and might again. I’m thinking though that adding without subtracting looks like a better route right now though.
I’m not opposed to a trade but I think we need to pick up a free agent like a Hamhuis or Seidenburg.
by skilletboy on Jun 2, 2010 9:38 AM PDT via mobile up reply actions
I think Hamuis is overrated. That's just me though. Seidenberg is injury prone.
Huskins, as much as everyone here hates the guy, played spectaularly under the radar. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. Huskins has virtually no offensive upside, but if I had Crosby and Ovechkin coming on my defense 2-on-1, I know I could at least count on Huskins to be in a proper defensive position than just about anyone else on the D. He has zero flash, but he’s been stable,collected, and played his role.
With Blake and Nabokov out of the picture, there’s most certainly more options as it pertains to UFAs. Add Clowe and Staubitz to the mix, and you could revamp quite a bit, without losing many key players.
I agree with bringing Joslin up, as I liked him beter than a lot of veterans we acquired in the last year. He had some rookie mistakes, but only because he was overly-aggressive. If I had to fly cross-country for a shot to impress the brass, you could bet your ass I’d be skating all over the place like a house afire. He’s a kid, good skill set. Let him calm down, he could be very durable at both ends of the ice.
Petrecki’s a bit of an enigma. He had a huge following coming out of training camp, and all reports from Wooster were that his head was stuck somewhere around his balloon knot. Which petrecki would we see? Does he need more conditioning? I love the enthusiasm, but if the kid’s not ready…Don’t toss ’im in. Pretty simple.
I like my goals like I like my booze..... Top shelf.
by GhostOfLinkGaetz on Jun 2, 2010 11:41 AM PDT up reply actions
The thing about Petrecki is he was the youngest player on the youngest team in the AHL last year. Defensemen rarely break into the league early. I think after a couple more years in the AHL he’ll be looking much better. Fans for some reason don’t understand that drafting in the NHL doesn’t work at all like drafting in the NFL.
"Douglas Murray is a humongous human being." – Drew Remenda
I think the defensive problems can be boiled down to this. Nurturing rookies typically happens in the 5/6 spots, but Huskins is taking on of those spots with a 3/4 or 4/5 salary. We don’t have a bonafide 4/5 and who knows when Petrecki or Moore or Joslin will really be ready.
I see Boyle as a 1, Vlasic as a 3, Murray as a 4, Huskins 5, and Demers 6, with anyone else ready to jump into fill just about any of 4-6. Where do you find a #2?
"It's a lumberjack convention out there." Drew Remenda 3/4/10
Jon Casey fan since '84
Founder of Feel the Teal.
Part of it is probably being spoiled by Vlasic, who came in right after he was drafted and managed to be one of the top defensemen on the team. I mean, he’s 23 years old, has 5 years of NHL experience, and is probably the second-best overall defenseman – and best defensive defenseman – on the team.
"I think I realized after the second or third punch, I should have taken his helmet off sooner." - Ryane Clowe
Proud member of the "Re-Sign Marleau" Club
Fools and Sages
Yeah I think Hamhuis is a little overrated as well. I think the number one guy we need to try to get is Z Michalek, and Seidenberg would be great too if we can get him for 3 – 3.5 million (which is possible).
Going after Z is like going after Huskins
You get blocked shots, but you have zero defense after that. I’d stick with Huskins in that trade-off.
I like my goals like I like my booze..... Top shelf.
by GhostOfLinkGaetz on Jun 2, 2010 12:18 PM PDT up reply actions
Wha? Michalek is a good hitter, and he’s great in his own zone from what i’ve seen/heard. He’s also a good puck mover but being one of the best shot blockers in the league is what i love about him the most though.
Is Huskins really that good of a shot blocker? I haven’t noticed..
I have to see Z 40 times a year.
Downgrade.
I like my goals like I like my booze..... Top shelf.
by GhostOfLinkGaetz on Jun 2, 2010 1:00 PM PDT up reply actions
Really?? Worse than Huskins? I’m not really a Huskins hater but I can’t imagine a guy who gets as much praise as Z Michalek does, is a downgrade to a guy Sharks fans are dying to get rid of, like Huskins.
Michalek seems like a much better shot blocker and a more physical defensemen at the very least.
He's tiny.
He knows how to fall down and get back up. never works the corners, unless screaming like a little girl.
I like my goals like I like my booze..... Top shelf.
by GhostOfLinkGaetz on Jun 2, 2010 1:19 PM PDT up reply actions
Are you fucking serious?
Spam? here?
I like my goals like I like my booze..... Top shelf.
by GhostOfLinkGaetz on Jun 2, 2010 8:53 AM PDT reply actions
New interviews asking player's plans for the summer...
posted yesterday on the Sharks website, Sharks TV >Sharks Insider. Funny clip of SJ Sharkie running with our crest flag at the front of the peloton at the recent Tour of California.
The Sharks need to play like 2 Live Crew, "As Nasty As They Want To Be" -Drew Remenda
by 408SharksFinatic on Jun 2, 2010 10:19 AM PDT reply actions
This is so cool
I’ve haven’t missed a Sharks game in 3 years (not long at all i know), but this is the first time I’ve tried to think about cap allocation and possible pick-ups in the off-season. I’m definitely a newbie to this, and reading all these articles and fanposts are really helping me to understand this part of franchise hockey. I’m so excited to learn more about this whole thing. GO SHARKS!!!!!!!
I would keep $2-3 Million in reserve for March...
and the trading deadline. DW was really limited in what he could pick up, and even who he could keep here.
How much further along would some of the young guys be if they could practice with the team rather than flying the Woosta shuttle?
What if someone has a season ending injury?
by JohnThe Revelator on Jun 2, 2010 11:27 AM PDT reply actions
For those talking about Seidenberg
I’m pretty sure Doug Wilson isn’t interested. I just have that feeling…
They're not getting this kind of coverage at "Hockey Night In Canada" folks! - Randy Hahn
I'm not interested.
YOU HEAR ME DOUG?! HUH?! HUH?!
I like my goals like I like my booze..... Top shelf.
by GhostOfLinkGaetz on Jun 2, 2010 12:25 PM PDT up reply actions
Can't hear you
Busy tanning
They're not getting this kind of coverage at "Hockey Night In Canada" folks! - Randy Hahn
He’s kinda injury prone i guess but he’s damn good, and could maybe be gotten for cheap. Cheaper than Hamhuis or Z Michalek at least.
The bigger issue
Footspeed. How cheap can you get him for? We have Douglas Murray at $2.5M, and he and Seidenberg are probably equally nimble skaters.
Murray and Seidenberg would probably serve equivalent roles on the team (i.e., a 3-4 D-man who can eat some minutes but probably would not go out against the other team’s FASTEST threats, i.e., Toews, Kane, Datsyuk type players).
Even if you could have him for cheap, he’s redundant, older than Murray, not as physical, probably a better passer, and a bit smarter at making reads. He’s certainly a good defenseman, he just might not be a good defenseman for us.
What we’re looking for is a better partner for Dan Boyle. Then you could consider pairing Murray with Vlasic, and think about a bottom pairing of Huskins/someone else. For about half the games, that someone can be Demers, but against certain teams, you’ll probably need someone else.
Between Boyle and Vlasic, we have a 1 and a 3. Murray plays 2, but should be playing 4. Assuming Blake retires, and we can put Murray at 4, we need a new #2. Seidenberg probably is not a true #2.
Also, Demers is a 6, as is Huskins. That’s a problem too going forward. We have lots of 6s in the organizaton, but no true #5. I’d look for that to be addressed as well.
They're not getting this kind of coverage at "Hockey Night In Canada" folks! - Randy Hahn
Here's some names that pop out to me on the UFA list, all positions
Kovalchuk ( I KNOW PLANK I KNOW)
Paul Martin
TOMAS PLEKANEC
LEE STEMPNIAK
TOMAS HOLMSTROM ( gasp!)
MAXIM AFINOGENOV
JOSE THEODORE ( NOOOOOOOOOOOO)
RAFFI TORRES
DAN ELLIS ( YEEEEES)
PAVEL KUBINA
ALEX FROLOV
WILLIE MITCHELL
MATTHEW LOMBARDI
SERGEI GONCHAR
Not that I’d want all of these guys. This is just a glaring example of some of the names on the market. I think Stempniak would be a fucking steal.
I like my goals like I like my booze..... Top shelf.
by GhostOfLinkGaetz on Jun 2, 2010 1:19 PM PDT reply actions
I suspect Holmstrom resigns with Detroit…but we could definately use someone like him to go irritate the goalie.
Stempniak would be a pretty awesome secondary scoring piece to add.
And I’ve been touting Dan Ellis for a while. I’d love to see him in Teal.
This is where we hold them! This is where we fight! This is where they die! Remember this day, men, for it will be yours for all time.
by ZeroIndulgence on Jun 2, 2010 1:30 PM PDT up reply actions
Stempniak only if we lose Marleau, and even then it’s a big downgrade.
"Douglas Murray is a humongous human being." – Drew Remenda
Lose Clowe and pick up Stempniak.
Miracles, how do they work?
I like my goals like I like my booze..... Top shelf.
by GhostOfLinkGaetz on Jun 2, 2010 2:03 PM PDT up reply actions
Fuckin Rainbows!!!!
"Be polite, be professional... But have a plan to kill everyone you meet." -- General James N. Mattis, Commander 1st Marine Divison, Operation Iraqi Freedom 2003
by SetoThorMarChooSki on Jun 2, 2010 4:12 PM PDT up reply actions
If he comes here, I just hope Ellis doesn’t have another one of these:
Nightmare!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
"I think I realized after the second or third punch, I should have taken his helmet off sooner." - Ryane Clowe
Proud member of the "Re-Sign Marleau" Club
Fools and Sages
That’s when you know it’s bad.
"I think I realized after the second or third punch, I should have taken his helmet off sooner." - Ryane Clowe
Proud member of the "Re-Sign Marleau" Club
Fools and Sages
Anyone have thoughts on Frolov as a cheaper version of Marleau?
They're not getting this kind of coverage at "Hockey Night In Canada" folks! - Randy Hahn
Well, no one's Patty Marleau
I should rephrase. Frolov as a cheaper winger who can play on lines 1 and 2 should Patrick Marleau want a raise.
They're not getting this kind of coverage at "Hockey Night In Canada" folks! - Randy Hahn
Frolov quit on purpose, because his feelings were hurt
marleau just got stoned off some of that Alaskan Thunder——-stuff. Best I can think of. Marleau has thrived without a bullseye on his chest. Without the ’C", people went into games saying ’WE need to keep an eye on marleau", instead of ’HOLY SHIT KILL THE CAPTAIN".
More room, better results. Papa Johns. Er, wait.
I like my goals like I like my booze..... Top shelf.
by GhostOfLinkGaetz on Jun 2, 2010 4:28 PM PDT up reply actions
Can't wait to see where Plank goes with this
Seems like anyone doing this sort of breakdown does not have Blake and Nabby on the team. I think it’s safe to assume they are gone due to money.
Plank’s post makes sense so far but how will he sign 6 forwards for 15.8M or less when Pav+Seto+Patty = about 13-15M on the open market?
I think the moral of the story is that the Sharks should jettison Marleau. Otherwise they will have to seriously skimp on the quality of probably 2 of 3 areas of goalie, defense, and checking line forwards.
BTW Ghost, Huskins defending Ovechkin and Crosby, thanks for the laughs! If they got cap space for waiving the guy I’d be all over it. What a bonehead signing. He managed to go -5 in the playoffs with 0 pts against the other teams checking lines. He’s so awesome TM limited his ice time, he never plays on the PP, and on the PK only as a last resort.
I'm not saying Huskins is the end-all, be-all.
I’m saying from the standpoint of someone who’s played hockey for 25 years, his solid defensive play is vastly overlooked. Joe Thornton was -11 , but I don’t hear you preaching about jettisoning him. Seeing as Huskins was stuck with defensive shitfests such as Wallin and Vlasic, -5 is a miracle.
I like my goals like I like my booze..... Top shelf.
by GhostOfLinkGaetz on Jun 3, 2010 10:22 AM PDT up reply actions
fair enough
Vlasic shouldn’t have been a burden for Huskins.
I thought Thornton played very well. Heatley could barely skate. His pt total was actually quite impressive considering, but his immobility was a major defensive liability and pretty much killed that line’s plus/minus.
I don't see Vlasic as a liability like Wallin was at points
Then again, you have been around the game much longer than I have, so you probably notice more. What did you see in Vlasic that made him seem like a shitfest?
Proud member of the "Re-Sign Marleau" club.
Fear the Fin: Where Sharks Fans Aren't Like Other Sharks Fans.
by SharksFanEst.1994 on Jun 3, 2010 4:51 PM PDT up reply actions
Every team aspiring to contend needs a defensemen that can will his team forward. While Boyle is a great D man, he’s not the intimidating defensive stalwart of a Pronger, Chara, Lidstrom, etc that can do it all. He’s a great player, but just below that tier.
by BruinsSelectSeguin on Jun 2, 2010 8:25 PM PDT reply actions
Agreed
Boyle is our #2 that y’all are looking for. What we need is a #1. Other agreements: Let Nabbsters go and move forward with young and cheap in goal, sign Marleau, Sharks > + Torres and Stempniak – Clowe, Let Blake go, keep Husky. Replace Nichol and Mitchel with skaters that actually have enough mass to be effective checkers. Sign Manny. I love short, choppy thought burps as opposed to complete sentences. Cheers n’shit.
yes we need a top pair defenceman
which is why not to sign Marleau, that money needs to be spent on a top UFA defenceman
With the signing of Lidstrom, there are no top 2 UFA defencemen coming up this offseason unless teams fold. Niedermeyer and Gonchar are getting long in the tooth.
by BruinsSelectSeguin on Jun 3, 2010 10:57 AM PDT up reply actions
there are plenty of names...
the Sharks could look at including Nieder, Gonchar, Hamhuis, Kubina, Martin,
Mitchell, Michalek, Volchenkov, Lydman, Tallinder, Pothier, among others who played top 2 minutes for their team
what are you talking about?
Lombardi?
Definitely would fit right in perfectly, not sure about the cap-space though
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