I think Leach is better at advancing the puck than people give him credit for (if that's the main problem with the D), at least at skating it up himself. Blake, Wallin, and Murray on the other hand...
I vote we bench Blake, but that's not gonna happen.
I posted this in the GDT, but don't think many are taking notice, so, figured I'd make a thread for it.
The Sharks are 30-9-6 with Demers in the lineup. That means the Sharks are 13-7-4 without him. It looks a lot better with him in the lineup...
Demers provides the Sharks with something the desperately need... a second defenseman that can MOVE THE PUCK UP THE ICE. Blake, Leach, Huskins, Wallin, Murray... they can't skate the puck up the ice like Boyle and Demers can. The Sharks need 2 mobile defensemen, just like last year with Boyle and Ehrhoff...
The Sharks have scored 153 goals and given up 114 in the 45 games he's played. Without Demers, the Sharks have scored 73 goals and given up 66 in 23 games. By extrapolating those numbers we find that the Sharks are scoring less and giving up about the same amount of goals without Demers.
The Sharks also need him on the point of the PP... Murray isn't working out and neither will any of the other defensemen. None of them are offensive defensemen.
In conclusion... if the Sharks want to start winning again, they need to quit with the Leach experiment and bring Demers back into the fold.
I just looked at the standings again and I got my stats before they updated with tonight's game, so I changed them, which makes the goals for and against even worse (obviously 8 goals against will do that).
I think it's Vlasic not Demers. He plays more minutes and in a top 4 role. Demers does not.
again bring back Demers, he is a positive aspect around this team, Leach, blake and others are just not cutting it, so better try now before its to late...demers cant do any worse than Leach
I like Demers but I would hardly consider him an integral part of the team. He makes just as many, if not more defensive gaffes than any of the other blueliners. His inexperience would be exposed in the playoffs.
He certainly has a future on this team but now isn't the time.
I think having Demers in the line up would depend on who the Sharks play.
If they draw a smart puck possession style team i dont like Demers, however if they are playing a team that has a strong and fast forecheck then i like him.
But if you are thinking in terms of the keys to playoff success, its Pickles. He is a top 4 deman on a team that, when healthy, only has 3.
I like Demers but I would hardly consider him an integral part of the team. He makes just as many, if not more defensive gaffes than any of the other blueliners. His inexperience would be exposed in the playoffs.
He certainly has a future on this team but now isn't the time.
this is pretty much spot on. What Demers brings is mobility on the back end and its apparent when he is in the line up that its exactly what the Sharks are missing. Unfortunately hes just not ready for prime time, though spot duty is fine.
I am not saying Demers was better when Vlasic was playing. The team was better and Demers played more games when Vlasic was playing, so we won more games with Demers playing.
My assesment on Demers: 1 - He played his best paired with Huskins 2 - His play has declined as the season has gone on.
I still like the guy and would like to see him up here and there. Whether he plays during the playoffs should depend on who were playing and if we go 7 D. If it's seven he should be up I think. If it's six, it's whether we need the grit and experience of Wallin or more puck movement with Demers.
In a way, its a dearth of riches - but its all tin where we are rich (lower players).
I think we will have Demers and Ferriero in town when the playoffs start, even if they aren't in the line-up. It's not going to surprise me to see Ferriero replacing Staubitz as a starter though.
On defense, the tradeoff isn't necassarily Wallin or Demers though it might look like that at first glance. I think its Huskins or Demers. Wallin is a lock to play. Outside of injury, the only way I think Demers is playing, is if Huskins sits. No disrespect to Huskins because I think he has been OK, but before the season is out, I'd like to see:
Boyle-Wallin (Could easily eat 25 minutes a night and resemble a real top pair)
Blake-Vlasic (They play better together than separated and play better with 20 minutes or less.)
Murray-Demers (Puck possession physical defenseman mixed with a skating puck-carrier is appealing and puts Murray in a role that will have him skating less than 18 minutes a night ... also good for Demers.)
Demers might make mistakes, but I like his puck carrying a lot and decision making in the offensive zone. He can get the puck up the ice fast and thats something we are missing now. Murray and Demers to me are a better pairing than any combination with Huskins in the top 6. Huskins-Murray is another option of course and that might be the obvious solution since Huskins was DW's lead off-season signing. But Demers is better carrying the puck and entering the zone than Huskins, and Murray can bail Demers out if he makes a mistake in the defensive zone if needed.
8-6-1 without Vlasic overall. 35-10-9 with him including the OT loss at home to Chicago that he got injured in. They weren't doing fine with Demers in and Vlasic out. They're just as mediocre. The thing Pickles was good at was defense and making the safe and simple play. Something that is missing with this team to go along with a lack of purpose.
Before I opened this thread thats what I was thinking. I still think Demers is better than Leach and 2010 version of Blake
And if we ice Vlasic/Blake as a pair for the playoffs, I expect another 1st round exit. I could also be convinced to move Wallin above Demers... but taking into account team needs, Huskins is the man out IMO.
this is pretty much spot on. What Demers brings is mobility on the back end and its apparent when he is in the line up that its exactly what the Sharks are missing. Unfortunately hes just not ready for prime time, though spot duty is fine.
What Demers brings is an inexperienced, yet saavy and elegant mind to the table. Yes, he had made a few bad plays, but I don't remember any particularly memorable ones. Point being, I'm not sure Demers is any worse than Blake in the Dzone... as of today.
Another off the wall impression is that Blake is extremely effective in front of the net- when he goes there. Maybe put Blake at forward on the powerplay and maybe even even strength when we need it.
Last edited by allworldcaucasn: 03-18-2010 at 03:00 AM.
What Demers brings is an inexperienced, yet saavy and elegant mind to the table. Yes, he had made a few bad plays, but I don't remember any particularly memorable ones. Point being, I'm not sure Demers is any worse than Blake in the Dzone... as of today.
Another off the wall impression is that Blake is extremely effective in front of the net- when he goes there. Maybe put Blake at forward on the powerplay and maybe even even strength when we need it.
I remember at least a handful of times where Demers got sniped from the stands and fell for some unknown reason or plays where he'll hang onto the puck for too long and get stripped. You're right though in that Blake looks like crap. But I'd still rather trust the veteran that knows how the playoffs works as opposed to a rookie d-man who hangs on to the puck too long in the regular season so who knows how many times he'll cough it up when time shrinks more in the post-season.
I remember at least a handful of times where Demers got sniped from the stands and fell for some unknown reason or plays where he'll hang onto the puck for too long and get stripped. You're right though in that Blake looks like crap. But I'd still rather trust the veteran that knows how the playoffs works as opposed to a rookie d-man who hangs on to the puck too long in the regular season so who knows how many times he'll cough it up when time shrinks more in the post-season.
Yeah, and unfortunately, that sniper usually attended games against the Blackhawks. It happened in that 7-2 drubbing, and led to a goal, but it also happened in Chicago when Nabokov stood on his head. The second time, Demers wildly swung at the puck and prevented a breakaway. More luck than skill, but at this point, we have little of either on our blueline.
