The Sharks are surprising all of us lately, right? An expected loss against the Tampa Bay Lightning and a messy win against the Vancouver Canucks highlighted some of their biggest weaknesses, but all in all, not a bad week for the Sharks.
Still, fans have questions and I’ve got answers.
Here’s this week’s mailbag:
With no other additions, but allowing for realistic improvement, can this year’s Sharks make it past even the first round of playoffs?
— Fin “Tw!tter Is Run By Complicit Cowards” Coe (@FinCoe) November 14, 2017
Assuming the rest of the Pacific maintains…yeah, probably? The division is looking a lot weaker than anticipated and if this Sharks defense group holds up and there’s a realistic improvement at forward — sure, getting out of the first round is feasible. Beyond that? No way. Right now, as is, this team is not one that is making a deep Cup run.
Just, please, for the love of god, don’t let the Sharks get matched up against the Kings in playoffs. That match up is exhausting and I’m already tired.
IF they make it to the finals again, I imagine a series where we get beat by speed. Should they trade older guys for prospects now?
— Sean (@sjsharks0720) November 14, 2017
I think the second the Sharks start a playoff game, they’re going to get beat by speed.
So yes. Yes, absolutely, yes. But they’re not going to be in a position where anyone wants to take their old guys until the trade deadline. If, at that point, they look like they’re in a position to make a decent playoff run, then it’s possible they can unload some guys onto a team that is selling everything they’ve got. Otherwise, they’re not going to get a return for the slower players they should be looking to get rid of.
Speaking of…
Ryan and Heed have looked fantastic on the blueline. Do you see demelo or martin (the big question mark) heading out in a trade?
— Erik Chavarin (@sanjosavior) November 15, 2017
I don’t think either of these guys are going to be okay with being a seventh defender and it’s pretty clear they’re the Sharks’ most expendable defensemen, with Brenden Dillon potentially thrown in as the weakest links.
Paul Martin has this year and next year left on a contract with a modified No Trade Clause that allows him to submit a six team no trade list. He’s not entirely unmovable, but it complicates things, especially at $4.85 million. DeMelo is on the last year of a very cheap contract. Brenden Dillon is relatively affordable, but is under contract until 2020.
I’d say Martin is the most likely to try to move, based on contract and usage. DeMelo will probably go to free agency in the summer. Dillon is probably going to wait out his contract in San Jose. None of these are the worst possible scenario.
will brent burns ever score again
— Jeff MacDonald (@JeffMac95) November 14, 2017
It sounds like ol’ Burnzie is severely snake-bitten. With every team the Sharks have played so far seemingly having figured him out, he’s a lot more hesitant to even shoot the puck to begin with. Without guys like Pavelski scoring, either, the Sharks need those Burns goals, no matter how they get them. If the Brent Burns rocket from the point isn’t getting through, he needs to find something that will.
But no worries! He’s got eight more years to score goals.
What’re the chances we make a strong push for Tavares? And who may be involved in the package?
— Greg Hogan (@GregGoose15) November 14, 2017
It’s stupid to make a push for Tavares before free agency unless the Islanders go full #AllInForDahlin. He’ll be far too expensive for a potential rental.
We all remember how Reimer didn’t re-sign with the Sharks, right? We’re lucky they didn’t lose too much for those rentals from Toronto.
Why does the League count Dustin Brown goals.
— Fin “Tw!tter Is Run By Complicit Cowards” Coe (@FinCoe) November 14, 2017
Worst thing the league does, tbh.
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