this team is looking awfully like the team that finished last season. yeah, they're still good, and they'll win their share of games, but it looks like other teams are showing up more prepared. they're either super pumped to play the sharks and prove to themselves that they can beat an "elite" team, or they're gearing up for the playoffs. the sharks, meanwhile, are still playing like a lumbering giant, just going through the motions.
i have yet to see this team consistently match the intensity of their opponent. i know it's a cliche, but it just looks like the other teams "want" it more, and we're not even in the playoffs yet.
It's all gonna come down to the health on D. We will get Vlasic back, but if one of he, Boyle, Murray go down, were through. Blake going down might be a godsend lol.
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History does not repeat itself, but it does rhyme.
It's all gonna come down to the health on D. We will get Vlasic back, but if one of he, Boyle, Murray go down, were through. Blake going down might be a godsend lol.
This is sort of stating the obvious. If you remove one of a teams top 4 D they are likely going to struggle come playoff time. And this is a situation that the Hawks already find themselves in.
this team is looking awfully like the team that finished last season. yeah, they're still good, and they'll win their share of games, but it looks like other teams are showing up more prepared. they're either super pumped to play the sharks and prove to themselves that they can beat an "elite" team, or they're gearing up for the playoffs. the sharks, meanwhile, are still playing like a lumbering giant, just going through the motions.
i have yet to see this team consistently match the intensity of their opponent. i know it's a cliche, but it just looks like the other teams "want" it more, and we're not even in the playoffs yet.
But what you are talking about isn't the same for the Sharks. It is one thing for a team clinging to any possible chance at the playoffs 'wanting it more' they have more to play for then a team that can coast into the playoffs.
Your second point is getting fired up to play an ELITE team, none of these teams offer that measuring stick for the Sharks. Had they blown out the Stars we would all me talking about how the Sharks are great at beating teams that arent going to make the playoffs but they dont show up against the top teams.
The measuring stick for playoff success, if there is one, is going to come against the Vancouver. If the team shows up and wants it I see big things for the post season, now if it is a repeat of last night... well Todd has a message to send, and it might need to be sent to a big name player.
I spent most of the last 10 months with an avatar of a depressed Eeyore with a Sharks logo tattooed on his hide getting rained on by a "Playoffs" cloud with the caption "Why Bother?"......so am I optimistic?......
Well, I'm actively trying to be.
The one thing that gives me optimism is that most Cup-winning teams of the last few years had at least two good goal scorers or a goalscorer and a hot goaltender who produced in the playoffs.
When Marleau and Nabokov were on, they went to the WCF before Marleau went ice cold. When just Marleau or just Nabby has been on, the Sharks have gotten through the 1st round, but no further. Last year, nobody was scoring AND the goaltending was subpar, so they didn't even get out of the first.
Earlier Sharks teams were hoping Jonathan Cheechoo would be that secondary primo goalscoring catalyst in the playoffs, but he never delivered his Rocket Richard numbers in the postseason. People kept (mistakenly) thinking/waiting for/hoping Joe Thornton would take on that role, but he has now proven himself either incapable or unwilling to do so.
So the one thing that does give me hope for the postseason is Dany effing Heatley. He has been a goalscoring machine this year. IF (and I know it's a big "if") he can finally be the one to provide that secondary playoff scoring punch along with Marleau's career year, the Sharks might actually make some good noises this postseason.....particularly if Nabokov can follow through in his contract year.
Those are the three guys I think that will determine the Sharks' fate. If all three are on, look for the Sharks in the WCF or SCF. If only one or two are, another second round exit. If none are (like last season)....well, on the plus side at least we won't have to waste much of our hard-earned money on playoff tickets.
This is sort of stating the obvious. If you remove one of a teams top 4 D they are likely going to struggle come playoff time. And this is a situation that the Hawks already find themselves in.
The question is optimistic about the playoffs, so I guess what I am saying is I am not in panic mode yet cause Vlasic is still out. When he gets back and we play like this I'll join the bandwagon.
My optimism is in this fact: Usually teams play for good stretches, then bad stretches. Going hot and cold, in other words. Last year, the Sharks were cold going into the playoffs, and the Ducks burned with the fire of 1,000 suns. This year, we're cold again, but I'm hoping maybe, JUST maybe, a hot streak is around the corner, and we can finally blast into the playoffs. Still that really only handles rounds 1-2
Every playoff year (incl. 1994) I've have not felt optimistic. That's why when the playoffs roll around any success feels so good, but the failures still hurt because you go on this long ride with this team only to see them:
1.) Choke (i.e., not lay it all out on the line)
or
2.) Suffer bad luck. (Dallas 08 WCSF series with 4 games out of the 6 going to OT)
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2011: Outcoached by Vigneault. 2012: Outcoached all season and postseason by Hitch.
2013: Outcoached by most coaches in the NHL. Who's left? 12 year olds on Xbox Live? SACK T-MAC NOW
Crosby with 80 giveaways, only 6 less than Thornton. I'm too lazy to calculate giveaways per minute on ice, but I'm sure it's similar.
Not to excuse Thornton because I agree he's been playing like crap (no offense to crap), but just checking the numbers.
More than giveaway per min, I'd be curious about point/giveaway or assist/turn over (like in hoops). Of course, right now I'm too lazy to check any of that, but I'd be interested to see how top players stack up in the ratio of turnovers to points (is the risk worth it being the question I'm thinking of). I guess +/- sort of covers that, in a way...
Any long time Sharks fan should not feel optimistic. We have seen this all before and have seen the same thing year after year after year. Ever since camp, I knew this team did not have it. You can just tell they don't. I defended Joe against all those Boston fans who laughed. But... they were all right.
This core continues to prove they don't have it. Get rid of them before they corrupt Pavs, Seto and McGinn.
Any long time Sharks fan should not feel optimistic. We have seen this all before and have seen the same thing year after year after year. Ever since camp, I knew this team did not have it. You can just tell they don't. I defended Joe against all those Boston fans who laughed. But... they were all right.
This core continues to prove they don't have it. Get rid of them before they corrupt Pavs, Seto and McGinn.
If Joe is moved, I'll be curious to see who they replace him with. I don't think Pav's is ready to fill Joe's shoes, and sticking Couture there would just be wrong. Patty could move back to center I guess, but he's better at wing.
Would DW (if he's still around) stick with Pav's/Couture as top 2 centers and see how it goes. Or would he make a play for Savard or similar.
I would take Savard in a second over Joe. He's not as good, but he's faster, works harder, is younger, and cheaper. Not sure who else may be available.
Of course, the other question is, what kind of return could you get for Joe?
I'm cautiously optimistic because the Sharks now have a bigtime finisher, Heater, and have greatly improved the 3rd/4th line "compete" level with the acquisitions of Malhotra, Nichol, and Ortmeyer, the improved play of Staubitz, and the exit of Shelley.
I have two big concerns about this team.
Inconsistent play: recently they play well for 10-30 minutes per game, including Nabby. Not a recipe for victory. Hopefully this is a temporary slump that almost all quality teams experience a couple of times per season.
Consistently terrible play in the d-zone: missed coverages, failed clearing attempts, lost 1-on-1 battles, turnovers, sloppy passes, etc. The coaching staff has had all season to address that, and has failed to do so. Although everybody makes mistakes, these are not untalented players. I have to lay most of the blame for the poor d-zone play on coaching (and no CE [waaaahhh!]).
And yes, please come back soon MEV, with the form you showed the last 10 games before your injury. That would be a big help. Then Blake's (ugh!) minutes can be substantially reduced; at this point in his career he is a d-zone liability.
