Friday Chum Bucket: Realignment inches closer

The players’ association approved the league’s latest realignment proposal (which would see the Sharks in a division with Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Los Angeles, Anaheim and ~~Seattle~~ Phoenix), meaning a Board of Governors vote is the only thing keeping it from becoming reality. When they voted on the previous iteration of this proposal two years ago, it passed by a 26-4 margin. [SB Nation]
Antti Niemi picks up Scott Burnside’s midseason Vezina vote, much to the chagrin of people who have paid no attention to Niemi this season. [ESPN]
Pollak on Manny Malhotra, Miikka Kiprusoff and realignment. [Working the Corners]
Read this grab bag post by the genius behind Down Goes Brown, if only to catch another glimpse of the Scott Gomez goal reaction guy. [Grantland]
Ryane Clowe and Douglas Murray are turnover machines and other thoughts on where the Sharks stand. [Great White and Teal]
Craig and the gang with a new episode discussing all things Sharks. [We’re Gonna Need a Bigger Podcast]
In case you haven’t read it already, Elliotte Friedman wrote a pretty fantastic piece about hockey analytics seeping into front offices. This comment on it might have won the day, though: “Surprise surprise. Canucks – best team in the regular season last 2 years and have embraced advanced stats for four years. Oilers – number 1 pick the last 3 years and have embraced a system modeled on Good Will Hunting.” [CBC]

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