Deep Blue Sea: This is Aaron Dell’s world and we’re all just living in it

Aaron Dell is good at hockey. The Sharks’ back up netminder will be tackling his first back-to-back this season and the world at large couldn’t have more faith in the guy, it seems. After a stand-out performance against the reigning Stanley Cup Champions last night, there’s plenty of reason to be confident that he can handle the task.

When was the last time you thought about the fact that San Jose Barracuda captain John McCarthy is going to be a bonafide Olympic athlete? Turns out, that’s still a thing he’s doing. As much as his selection stood out, it also seems to make a lot of sense. His journey is spelled out in the links below and fair warning, you’ll walk away pretty endeared to the guy.

The Hawaii Chamber of Commerce of Northern California will be participating in the Sharks’ first ever Polynesian Heritage Night on February 27! Faith Ako will be singing the National Anthem and SAP Center will host a VIP happy hour for HCCNC members. You can find more information on the event here.

Here are today’s news and notes about our favorite men in teal:

• The unlikely Olympic journey of John McCarthy, Team USA’s ultimate outlier
  Of the 25 skaters to pull on a red, white and blue jersey for the United States men’s Olympic hockey team next month, John McCarthy is probably the most unlikely.
• Joe Thornton as indispensable as ever to San Jose Sharks
  Joe Thornton has 23 points in his last 25 games and goals in four straight. He’s second on the Sharks with 33 points and tied for second with 12 goals.
• The Sharks are Aaron Dell’s team for now. He looks ready for the role
  For the time being, the Sharks appear to be in good hands with Dell, who has allowed two goals or less in 10 of his 14 starts this season.
• Sharks’ Martin Jones is day to day with ‘minor injury’
  AHL Barracuda goalie Troy Grosenick will backup Aaron Dell on Saturday.
• Penguins and Sharks: Pinnacle to periphery – San Francisco Chronicle
  This season, the two teams — each built for the postseason — are scratching and clawing just to get an invite./

There’s plenty of blood in the water around the league:

• The NHL is a young man’s game — just ask Thomas Vanek | The Province
  But Vanek will also tell you we are in a different time now, a time when 30 is the new 40 for NHL players. The league has been trending younger for a number of years.
• Missing the Olympics a missed opportunity (and misstep) for NHL?
  But there’s a reason Lightning All-Star Steven Stamkos has called this All-Star Game bittersweet; its scheduling sealed the players’ Olympics fate.  All-Star Games weren’t held in Olympic years when the NHL started sending players in 1998.
• With NHL players sidelined, Olympic tournament is ‘wide open’ | CBC Sports
  No NHL participation for the first time since 1994 threatens to upset the traditional world hockey order after Canada has won the past three best-on-best tournaments.
• Maple Leafs in partnership with one of two bids to bring hockey back to St. John’s: report – Pension Plan Puppets
  The Telegram is reporting that one of the bids to bring an ECHL team to St. John’s, Newfoundland involves the Maple Leafs.
• The NHL and its fans needs to figure out the offside coach’s challenge – Hockey Wilderness
  The NBA, the NFL, and MLB all have replay reviews or certain challenge rules installed to, “get the call right,” like the NHL. And all these leagues, like the NHL, struggle with keeping the game moving along, providing an entertaining game, and still attempting to call game in accordance with the rules.
• Kevin Shattenkirk Injury Gives Rangers Opportunity to Evaluate Young Defensemen – Blueshirt Banter
  The injury to Shattenkirk is brutal, but out of the darkness there is some light.
• Here’s How The Rangers Should Sell At The Deadline – Blueshirt Banter
  As of this writing, with the Rangers playing the way they are and the Kreider injury? It should simply reaffirm the fact that the Rangers need to be sellers come this year’s trade deadline.
• The Forecheck Podcast: Episode 28 – Micah Blake McCurdy – On the Forecheck
  The creator of HockeyViz.com, @IneffectiveMath joined me to talk about his website and why he started making neat little hockey graphs.
• The best photos from the Flyers Alumni Outdoor Classic game against the Hershey Bears Alumni – Broad Street Hockey
  January 19, 2018: Philadelphia Flyers Alumni vs. Hershey Bears Alumni Outdoor Classic game featured gallery/

Feel free to discuss these (or any!) topics in the comment section below while the Sharks prepare to take on the Anaheim Ducks tonight.