Category: Off Season

Discussion of trades, buyouts, entry draft, free agent signings.

Sharks news for the week ending 150509

Big story this week: new SAP Center lease through 2025+. Former Shark Steve Shields becomes collegiate assistant coach. A few more names bubble to top of list for speculation of next Sharks coach (including a former Shark). Prospect Chartier wins WHL award.

SJ Sharks

Mercury News

CSN Bay Area/California

Puck Daddy

AP

Sporting News

NBC/PHT

5/7: Michigan: [Former Shark] Steve Shields joins Men’s Ice Hockey coaching staff

5/7: Kelowna Daily Carrier: Chartier wins WHL most sportsmanlike award

5/7: Star Phoenix: Chartier won’t cry over this award

5/7: Worcester Telegram: Tuning In: Sharks’ voice Eric Lindquist taking his talents to San Jose
As new San Jose Barracuda radio pxp guy

Sharks news for the week ending 150502

4/26: Top 5 fights of the season (SJSharks)

4/27:

4/28:

4/29

4/30:

5/1

5/2: SJSharks: Game 4 Loss Ends Worcester Season

Who are the Sharks “big-time” players?

After losing a first round series to the Tampa Bay Lightning, Detroit Red Wings head coach Mike Babcock said/lamented:

“In the end, you’ve got to have big-time players up the middle and on the back to be successful. So those are questions in our organization that we work towards, drafting good and developing good, but we don’t win too much. That’s the facts.”

So, who on the Sharks current roster are the “big time” players?  The ones that are easy to justify a Hockey Hall of Fame induction?

Joe Thornton, center. 2005-present. Every time he scores or assists, he’s climbing the list of all-time scorers in the HHOF. Gold Medal in Olympics. Art Ross trophy 2005. Hart Memorial trophy 2005. NHL All Star.

And near the top of the list:

Patrick Marleau, center. 1997-present. Holder of many franchise records. Gold medals in Olympics. NHL All Star.

Joe Pavelski, center. 2006-present. Silver medal in Olympics.

Marc-Edouard Vlasic, defenseman. 2006-present. He’s the steady defensive defenseman who you don’t notice as he’s always in position. Gold medal in Olympics.

Brent Burns, defenseman. 2011-present. Unpredictable, unconventional. NHL All Star. Hybrid defenseman and sometime forward.

But other than that? Time will tell.

Sharks players that have made the Hall of Fame?

  • Igor Larionov, center.  Shark from 1993 to 1995. Inducted 2008
  • Ed Belfour, goaltender. Shark in 1997. Inducted 2011.
  • Rob Blake, defenseman. Shark from 2008 to 2010. Inducted 2014.

And Larry Robinson, (former) associate coach. Inducted in 1995 (as player).

Retired players that probably should be in HHOF?

  • Mike Vernon, goaltender. Shark from 1997-2000
  • Vincent Damphousse, center. Shark from 1998-2004
  • Teemu Selanne, right wing.  Shark from 2000-2003.
  • Gary Suter, defenseman. Shark from 1998-2002.
  • Doug Wilson, defenseman. Shark from 1991-1993. (Or might he get in as a builder/GM?)
  • Owen Nolan, right wing. Shark from 1995-2003. Inducted into the San Jose Sports Hall of Fame in 2014.
  • Arturs Irbe, goaltender. Shark from 1991-1996. Inducted into the San Jose Sports Hall of Fame in 2010.

I’d add Mike Ricci, but he is all heart, and that’s hard to quantify.

Who do you think of the Sharks current depth chart will make the Hall of Fame?

The Summer Knows – part 4 forwards

She sees the doubts
Within your eyes

If you want to summarize the Sharks reason for losing games, they scored less than the opposition.  And the forwards are those counted on for most of the offense.

(Note – depth chart position does NOT necessarily denote line combinations.)

Depth chart (of signed players):

Centers: Pavelski, Thornton, Couture, Hertl, Tierney, Marleau, Wingels, Jevpalovs, Burish

Left Wings: Nieto, Torres

Right Wings: Goldobin, Smith, Goodrow, Brown, Carpenter

Pending RFAs: Chris Crane, Petter Emanuelson, Eriah Hayes, Melker Karlsson, Rylan Schwartz, Daniil Tarasov; pending UFAs: Michael Haley, Bryan Lerg, John Scott, Travis Oleksuk; expiring AHL UFAs: Vincent Arseneau, Jimmy Bonneau, Daniel Ciampini, Willie Coetzee, Daniel Doremus, Brendan Ellis, Trevor Parkes, Evan Trupp.

Given the Sharks estimated cap space, the team MAY choose to buy out Burish (two years remaining).

Sharks News summary from the past week 150426

In the past week, Todd McLellan made a decision on his future, to move on from the San Jose Sharks.  And the Worcester Sharks began their first round playoff series with captain Bryan Lerg.

San Jose Sharks

San Jose Mercury News

San Francisco Chronicle

CSN California

 

Who will be the next NHL San Jose Sharks coach?

A list of SOME of the names that have been suggested as the next head coach of the San Jose Sharks with details of their coaching history can be found here.

(This post will be updated if news leaks that the Sharks have talked with a candidate)

  • Randy Carlyle – Sharks have been given permission to talk to him

Most candidates have head coaching experience (perhaps not at NHL level).  Many have coached a team to their league’s championship.

Note on some other names….

Larry Robinson — won’t be the next Sharks head coach.  He continues to step back from behind the bench; for the 2015-16 season, he’ll be taking on the “Player Development Coach” title, spending large part of each month in Florida and/or with family.

Roy Sommer — has been discussed in the past, but he seems to be quite comfortable to continue in the AHL, not seeking advancement to NHL.

David Cunniff — former AHL associate coach for the Worcester Sharks. Has no head coach experience, and only AHL experience.  Probably not at the top of the list.

Jim Montgomery – former Shark, current head coach of Denver University Pioneers. May not be interested in the NHL coaching career, or only in

The Summer Knows – part 3 defense

The summer knows
The summer’s wise

While the goalie may be the last line of defense, the defenders of the blue line are important to prevent the puck from getting too close to the net (and a helping hand in offense).

(Note – depth chart position does NOT necessarily denote pair combinations.)

Depth chart:

  • Vlasic
  • Braun
  • Burns
  • Tennyson
  • Mueller
  • DeMelo
  • Bergman
  • Ryan

Defensive pending RFAs: Abeltshauser, Dillon, Doherty; pending UFAs: Fedun, Hannan, Irwin, Stollery; pending AHL UFAs: Bigos, Jones, Taormina, Young

Still lots of options for expanding depth chart, including re-signing some key players (and/or upgrading AHLers to NHL deals), which have been on hold waiting for the future of the hockey operations of the Sharks to be solidified.

The Summer Knows – part 1 take three (GM staying)

In a letter to fans, majority owner Hasso Plattner talks about the “good job” that GM Wilson and COO Tortora are doing.

So, there won’t be any change coming there.

And some news stories on the letter:

Merc: Sharks owner Hasso Plattner acknowledges disappointment, reaffirms commitment to rebuild

Chronicle: Source: Wilson’s job is “100-percent safe”

CSN: Source: Wilson safe as Sharks GM after Plattner statement

AP: Sharks owner: GM Doug Wilson did a good job

The Summer Knows – part 2 goaltending

And lovingly
She warms the sand
On which you lie

One of, if not THE, key elements of good defensive in hockey is the goal tending.  (Not excusing the defensive play and breakdowns in the defensive zone and neutral zone which lie outside the nominal responsibility of a goalie.)

And the Sharks did not get good (enough) goal tending this past season.

Last summer, all the Sharks did to “improve” their goal tending was re-sign pending UFA Stalock.  (Pending RFA Sateri defected to Europe; Sharks still hold his rights.)

So, the 2014-15 season starting goal tenders, and coaches, were the same as the previous season.

Niemi and Stalock platooned the first month or so of the season, but then Niemi was given the lion’s share of the work load.

Over the course of the season, they signed Aaron Dell to an AHL contract, later upgrading to a NHL contract. And they signed undrafted free agent Joel Rumpel (currently in the playoffs with ECHL Allen on an ATO).

Depth chart as of today:

  • Stalock
  • Rumpel

Note that Anderson, Dell, Grosenick are pending RFAs and Niemi is pending UFA.  (And Sharks hold rights to Sateri.)

GM Wilson has stated that the organization would be adding 4+ goalies (so Rumpel is the first).

Obviously there will be deeper depth chart and more names on that list when the season starts.  More than five months of speculation and change to come.

As for the goalie coach(es): Wayne Thomas is 67; Corey Schwab lives on the east coast. With the AHL team moving to California, Schwab may look for emplyment elsewhere.  And Thomas may finally be ready to retire.

Changes are coming.

I expect a different pair of goalies in the NHL by October and different coaching.

The Summer knows – part 1 addendum: McLellan leaves; staff relieved

The summer smoothes
The restless sky

Today, the Sharks announced that the team and head coach Todd McLellan have mutually agreed to part ways.  All the assistants (Woodcroft, Johnson, video coordinator Hemlich) have been relieved of their duties.  (No word on goalie “coaches” Wayne Thomas and Corey Schwab.)

McLellan thanks owners, coaches, players and fans for his time in San Jose. (Full Q&A from presser)

Possible coaching replacements via Pashelka