I think most people would agree the Canucks have been one of the best teams in the NHL the past two years
At the beginning of the season there were so many calling the Sharks the best team in the west, many picking them... and I called it then. They will be beaten soundly. Time for a rebuild in San Jose after the first round exit.
At the beginning of the season there were so many calling the Sharks the best team in the west, many picking them... and I called it then. They will be beaten soundly. Time for a rebuild in San Jose after the first round exit.
Okay, ignore my post about how the Canucks' core is just as old as the Sharks'. Ignorance is bliss, as they say.
I can't see the Blues taking this. Not enough top end talent up front and I don't think their D will be good enough to contain Thornton. They'll need Halak to stand on his head again if they want any chance at winning this series.
I seem to remember when Burns was acquired how amazing the Sharks were going to be. They were better than the Canucks. They were more complete blah blah blah...
They are an old battered team past their prime and the Blues are going to expose them big time. The Sharks Core is old, whithered and past their prime.
Blues in 5.
Stop trolling.
I like being a homer, so I'll say Sharks in 6.
I'm worried about Halak, but the Sharks seem to always be facing a stud goalie in the first round. Two wins in a row coming back from 2-goal deficits. I think we're starting to see the team that should have won the division show up and play.
...and the Sharks are 4-0 since I started my playoff 'stache early this year
I can't see the Blues taking this. Not enough top end talent up front and I don't think their D will be good enough to contain Thornton. They'll need Halak to stand on his head again if they want any chance at winning this series.
I can't see the Blues taking this. Not enough top end talent up front and I don't think their D will be good enough to contain Thornton. They'll need Halak to stand on his head again if they want any chance at winning this series.
Blues pretty much shut down the "talent" for the Sharks this year with a bunch of Shutouts, they have the ability to shut down the Sharks big offensive players.
Who has had meaningful playoff experience on STL besides Arnott, Langenbrunner, and McDonald? Halak?
Huskins Nichol Jackman. You have to win a first playoff series sometime, and the vast majority of the Blues have at least been there. Counting them out because they haven't won a playoff series is silly.
Okay, ignore my post about how the Canucks' core is just as old as the Sharks'. Ignorance is bliss, as they say.
He chose to comment on mine because it was easier for him and he didn't want to admit the Canucks are just as old as we are....and both teams aren't exactly full of grandpas.
Also, playoff experience and regular season head-to-head really doesn't matter now. The team that executes more often and makes the fewest amount of mistakes will win the series. My head says Blues but my heart says Sharks. I hope my heart is in the right place.
What I think he means is that the core players don't have experience. Yes, you have a lot of experienced bottom-6 forwards and bottom-pairing defensemen (besides Jackman). But Backes, Pietrangelo, Shattenkirk, Oshie, Berglund, Perron, etc. don't.
Personally I don't think it'll matter, but I wanted to clarify.
I can't see the Blues taking this. Not enough top end talent up front and I don't think their D will be good enough to contain Thornton. They'll need Halak to stand on his head again if they want any chance at winning this series.
You're joking, right?
October 15, 2011: Blues win, Thornton 0-0-0 and a -1
December 10, 2011: Blues win, Thornton 0-0-0 and a 0
February 12, 2012: Blues win, Thornton 0-0-0 and a -1
March 3, 2012: Blues win, Thornton 0-0-0 and a -1
Gee, how can the best defensive team possibly contain Captain Joe Thornton? It's impossible!
What I think he means is that the core players don't have experience. Yes, you have a lot of experienced bottom-6 forwards and bottom-pairing defensemen (besides Jackman). But Backes, Pietrangelo, Shattenkirk, Oshie, Berglund, Perron, etc. don't.
Personally I don't think it'll matter, but I wanted to clarify.
Right, and that still doesn't change my question he quoted about having no top end talent.
Somebody saying the Sharks are bigger? If they are, it's not by much.
Backes, Berglund, Arnott, Stewart (who is actually throwing his weight around lately), Reaves, Pietro, Polak, Huskins. The Blues are one of the biggest teams in the league. And some of their average height players, like Oshie, Sobotka, Jackman, Porter, and Cole, are tanks.
The difference is mostly that the Blues' best scorers, Perron and McDonald, are not big, while San Jose's are.
We'll see if it becomes a factor, but San Jose did not exhibit or exploit a size advantage during the regular season.
I actually suspect that speed will be a bigger factor in the series.
October 15, 2011: Blues win, Thornton 0-0-0 and a -1
December 10, 2011: Blues win, Thornton 0-0-0 and a 0
February 12, 2012: Blues win, Thornton 0-0-0 and a -1
March 3, 2012: Blues win, Thornton 0-0-0 and a -1
Gee, how can the best defensive team possibly contain Captain Joe Thornton? It's impossible!
I can't see the Blues taking this. Not enough top end talent up front and I don't think their D will be good enough to contain Thornton. They'll need Halak to stand on his head again if they want any chance at winning this series.
Not a chance, the Sharks are about to be out played hardcore.
The Sharks will not out play the Blues in one game. But it doesn't mean they can't win some games. But the depth issue will be tough. Talent is best measured by the sum of parts. The Blues carry a big bucket of it as team.
But hey I guess you never know. But Halak won't be facing the toughest scoring opportunities nor the most shots. The Sharks goalies will be.
But they made such quick work of San Jose in the regular season, and the Sharks have had a core that has never shown playoff success. Not to mention I think it's fair to say the Sharks underachieved this season in the first place.
They haven't won a cup, but to say they haven't shown up or played well in the playoffs is a fallacy. They've won 4 of their last 6 playoff series. To put that into context, the Coyotes have lost their last 12 playoff series (7 in Phoenix, 5 in Winnipeg).
