Deep Blue Sea: Curses aren’t real, which coaches will get fired, and hockey stats 101

The Sharks finally have a win on the books. Here’s how the rest of the web is talking about them this week:

• Things Get Weird When the Sharks Play the Sabres – NBC Bay Area
  San Jose hosts Buffalo on Thursday night. Here are some facts that best epitomize just how much the Sharks have struggled against the Sabres…
• Bay Area teams pledge thousands to wildfire relief
  Donation effort led by Bay Area’s major sports teams is nearing $500,000 that will go to the American Red Cross’ California wildfires relief efforts.
• Bodog: Odds on DeBoer to be fired first – Article – TSN
  San Jose Sharks head coach Peter DeBoer is the odds-on favourite to be the first head coach fired this season.
• Sharks’ defenseman Joakim Ryan to make NHL debut Thursday.
  Plus: Sharks defenseman Joakim Ryan will make his NHL debut Thursday night.
• Sharks’ Hertl will move from center to left wing.
  Tomas Hertl is expected to return to the wing position for the Sharks bout against the Buffalo Sabres Thursday./

Blood in the water from around the league:

• The Bruins should follow the Devils’ lead and invest in women’s hockey – Stanley Cup of Chowder
  Deep pockets, available facilities and a wealth of local interest make this a perfect partnership.
• An advanced stat primer: Understanding basic hockey metrics – The Athletic
  It’s now been a little over a month since The Athletic Philadelphia launched, and 40-plus posts later, I’m extremely proud of the Flyers coverage that…
• After Lightning’s J.T. Brown raises fist, Capitals’ Devante Smith-Pelly considers anthem protest – The Washington Post
  Washington’s lone black player remains unsure if he’ll protest, but said his teammates and coaches have offered their support should he choose to do so.
• How one fist propelled J.T. Brown to the center of hockey world – Raw Charge
  Despite Gary Bettman’s very public stances regarding political protests, Brown decided that not saying anything was not an option.
• Sidney Crosby Should Hear From Department of Player Safety After Braden Holtby Hit – Defending Big D
  The Pittsburgh Penguins’ captain executed a hit that the Dallas Stars are familiar with./