Tag: TWTW

Is that all there is? (TWTW)

A relatively quiet week, news wise, for the Sharks unless you count the continuing “controversy” over the announced new “Ice Girls”/team.

The Sharks announced the signings of Taylor Doherty (one year) and Jason Demers (two years). This marks all RFAs signed for next season (defected Sateri, notwithstanding), one of the earliest in my memory.

Prospect Julius Bergman tweeted he’d been signed by the Sharks, but as of the writing of this  blog entry, it has not been officially announced.  (My guess — there are a few kids from the last week’s prospect camp getting deals, and the Sharks won’t announce until all are signed.)

This gives the Sharks 44 active NHL contracts against the maximum allowed of 50 (with the potential of two — Bergman, Mueller — sliding).

The week ahead — nothing on the league calendar (for the Sharks, especially with resolving Demers’ contract situation before the scheduled arbitration hearing).

The next real “deadline” is August 15 to sign graduating college seniors (Macleod and Ferriero for the Sharks). Have to wonder if either will be part of the organization, or perhaps only offered AHL deals as neither was invited to last weeks’ development camp. And guessing that the Sharks be looking in that list of graduating seniors and/or leaving-college-early players to bolster the prospect pool for AHL depth?

Sharks organization still needs another 6-10 players to fill out their AHL roster (and call up depth from the ECHL).

Nothing (yet) announced regarding possible ECHL affiliation for 2014-15.

Summer Camp 2014 (TWTW)

News of the week (links)

It’s the time of year for summer camp!

The Sharks held their annual (prospect) development camp with more than 40 campers, mainly draftees and many not-yet-made-it-to-NHL players; plus a handful of invitees.  (Two NHL experienced players headlined camp:  Matt Nieto and Tomas Hertl.)

The highlight of camp (for fans) was Wednesday’s scrimmage, which featured two 25-minute running clock periods.  ~8,000 fans attended.  Team White coached by Mike Ricci beat Team Teal coached by Bryan Marchment 2-1.

But that wasn’t the only news.  The NHL Sharks re-signed two players (RFA Matt Tennyson – 2 year deal; UFA Scott Hannan – 1 year deal) and signed two players (Bryan Lerg and Micheal Haley – 1 year deals) both seemingly destined for play in Worcester.

After his election for arbitration, Jason Demer’s hearing has been set for July 22 (in Toronto). Both sides can continue to negotiate to try and get a deal before the hearing, but he will be in training camp with a new deal.

That means that RFA Taylor Doherty is the only other guy still looking for a new deal for the fall.  (Not including the two college graduates Cody Ferriero and Isaac Macleod who need to be signed by August 15, or they’ll become UFAs.)

The Sharks have 41 players signed to NHL deals (max 50, less 18-19 yo CHLers)

This next week could be pretty quiet with nothing on the schedule.

No Sirocco here (TWTW)

The winds of change from the start of NHL Free Agency, did not blow hard in San Jose.

While attention swirled around former Shark Dan Boyle, who signed with the New York Rangers (while on vacation in Europe following his favorite band), the Sharks as promised made little noise in the first two days of the “Silly Season”.

Other former Sharks also changing/re-newing addresses included: Havlat signing with Devils. Ehrhoff and Greiss sign with Penguins (and Goc re-ups there too). Nabokov signs with Lightning. Malhotra signs with Canadiens. Bernier re-signs with Devils. Dominic Moore re-signs with Rangers. Michalek re-signs with Senators. Gorges traded to Sabres. McCarthy signs with Blues. Tim Kennedy (and former Sharks draftee Newbury) signs with Capitals.

The Sharks continued their rebuild-centric reallocation of veterans, shipping out Brad Stuart to the Avalanche for a couple of draft picks.

The Sharks did sign un-qualified D Taylor Fedun.  And acquired Tye McGinn (younger brother of former Shark Jamie) for a draft pick.  And the most angst-ridden signing for the Sharks in the opening days of free agency:  enforcer John Scott (apparently there is sentiment in the organization that having an enforcer allows more cohesiveness on the team; he does have a reputation, including recent suspensions, which might need refurbishment, ala Torres).

And re-signed Tommy Wingels to three year deal.  While Jason Demers filed for arbitration.

That brings the Sharks to 36 NHL deals (plus 4 QOs to re-sign with Sharks, not including the one KHL defection). So, there is still room to sign more prospects/free agents, or perhaps swap other NHL veterans for prospects/picks before the NHL roster is finalized in about 90 days.

No need (or lots of time) for more anxious hours of worrying over the roster.

 

As for the coming week…

The kids are in town for the rookie development camp.  There will be a scrimmage open to the public on Wednesday.

The rest of what will happen will happen when it happens.

Enjoy the summer!

Both sides of the coin (TWTW)

But luck’s division is perverse
It seems to work more in reverse
If things are better, they’ll be worse
In just a little while!

Ha’penny, one penny, tupenny, thrupenny
Twelve to a shilling, twice that to a florin
To find the same face on both sides of the coin?
Bob is your uncle from pennies to guineas,
The two-sided mint is the rule, not exception,
And would you not quite feel quite the fool of deception
To find the same face on both sides of the coin?

— Rupert Holmes after Charles Dickens (The Mystery of Edwin Drood)

Check out this past week’s news stories here.

The events of the past week focused on two main events: the NHL Awards (Tuesday) and the NHL Entry Draft (Friday-Saturday).

In the former, neither finalist who attended (Burns, Marleau) was tapped, and only one Shark was  named to the 2nd team (Pavelski). And the ‘cast was worse — not even worth fast-forwarding through. (A HORRENDOUS result)

In the latter, Sharks shifted gears from past drafts, emphasizing European players with their first few picks, and picking up not one collegiate bound player.  The team came to the draft with 7 picks, and ended with 8 draftees. (Check out the prospects drafted here; video interviews with the players in Philadelphia can be found at news link above) All the 2014 draftees, excluding Vanier who’s recovering from surgery, are expected to participate at the early July Sharks prospect camp; a public scrimmage will be held at SAP Center on July 9 — tickets are $5 (benefiting the Sharks Foundation), parking is free. (A good result)

Contrast that with the concern and outpouring for 43 year old former Canucks great Gino Odjink really set the hockey world a flutter.  He announced he has a rare heart disease that is hardening his heart and he could have only weeks to live. And helps all of us remember what’s important: family and love. (Not a good result)

And word has come that the Sharks have been unable to find a trade partner, so they will be buying out the remaining year of Martin Havlat’s contract. (Ambivalent result depending on your feelings toward the player)

Yet the beat goes on

The upcoming week marks the deadline Monday 6/30 for qualifying offers to the Sharks’ nine RFAs.  (Sharks have already indicated that Sheppard will return.  I think at least two being allowed to walk. Three players have “defected” to Europe; Sharks can choose to retain their rights by making QO.) QOs nominally “expire” July 15.

While other teams (than those who currently hold a player’s rights) have been able to talk to pending RFAs and UFAs since Wednesday 6/25, starting 7/1 those teams can sign the UFAs or make offer sheets to the RFAs.  And players with QOs can start signing deals.  Plus those whose multi-year contracts that expire in June 2015 can start signing extensions.

In the draft recap, DW indicated that the Sharks concentrated on the draft in Philadelphia, but some of the current players on the roster may be finding new homes soon.

You might think summer is boring, but it can be filled with lots of intrigue and speculation.

Follow your favorite news sources for the latest breaking news.

Waning Passion

An inauspicious time to start a blog.

I watched (in the background) the final game of the NHL season last night. Without passion or enthusiasm.

I only wanted the Kings to win so the disappointing 2014 post-season would come to an end.

Now things can start to happen.  That may wax the passion again.

The Sharks GM Doug Wilson has announced there will be significant changes to the roster for the upcoming season.  But what will that entail?  Only two moves for certain have been announced;  Dan Boyle and Martin Havlat will not be with the team next year.

There has been speculation that the captaincy might be changed, with Couture, Pavelski and Vlasic getting to wear the letters as the team’s leaders, passing the torch of leadership to the next generation.

48 hours after the Cup has been awarded, the buyout window opens.  This begins the last period that teams can use their 2013-CBA compliance buyouts.

I’ll expect Martin Havlat to be put on waivers by tomorrow (in preparation for buyout), unless GM Doug Wilson has had some nibbles on the trade front. (UPDATE: As he has a no trade clause, he does not have to be put on waivers before being bought out.)

And Dan Boyle has already been moved (for a conditional 2015 pick from the New York Islanders).

As for other changes?

Pending RFA Sebastian Stalberg has signed to play in his home country of Sweden next season. Pending RFA Harri Sateri has signed to play in KHL next season. (Sharks can still retain their rights until age 27 if they make each a Qualifying Offer by the deadline.) Neither has played for the NHL Sharks, although Sateri has dressed as a back up.

Sharks have apparently been discussing new deals with pending UFAs Alex Stalock and Mike Brown.

There are rumors involving Marleau, Niemi and Thornton leaving the team.  But with a handful of “young, rising stars” who would not be moved, many other players currently under contract may find themselves elsewhere before the puck drops in the fall.