Speculation: 2022-23 Sharks Roster Discussion Part II

[Jargon]

A lot like 2020-2022 or 2003-2004; a lot of ifs, potential, and high expectations…

Well, no, let’s be clear, expectations are VERY low.

I guess what makes this team more watchable is that the lines actually feel like they have some talent on them. The big question marks are Petersen and Zadina, but I feel like last season, we had Hertl, Couture, Barabanov, Meier, Sturm and a bunch of 4th liners. This season, there’s a few more guys with promise to perform at higher levels.

Of course, Hertl and Couture are getting older and any injury to either is an immediate death blow, since we have no center depth.

It’s still going to be a bad team, there’s just a bit more skill in it that I think will make them more enjoyable to watch.

 

[hohosaregood]

A lot like 2020-2022 or 2003-2004; a lot of ifs, potential, and high expectations…

My expectations are to finish in the bottom 5. If you're implying that my expectations are unrealistically high then that's fine by me.

 

[knu]

We might actually be a slightly better team, if EK doesn't get traded. I could see us picking like 6.

 

[Bizz]

My expectation is to not only win a Cup, but to win the next 10 cups. minimum.

 

[Gecklund]

We might actually be a slightly better team, if EK doesn't get traded. I could see us picking like 6.

I guess it depends what EK we get. He was a monster last year and played all 82 games. That is the first time since 15-16 he played 82 games in a season. Yes there were some covid years in there but still at 33, I’m not sure if we can expect that again. It’s also the first time since 18-19 he’s been at over 0.8PPG. The question isn’t will he repeat because odds are no and I think most people will agree with that. The question is will he be close to repeating. Let’s say 70 games played and above 0.8 PPG. If he does that, we might have a chance at picking 6.

Our forwards are not great though. Lots of potential offensive talent but no one that is close to as good as Timo. There’s a reason that after the Sharks went on to win 4 of their last 16 after Timo left. No one could put the puck in the net (except for Gregor inexplicably). Yes we added Duclair and Zadina. We have a full season from Eklund and Peterson probably. Do those 4 combined put up 31 goals though and with Anaheim, Chicago, and Columbus all better this year than last; what more do the Sharks need to do?

I’d say even with EK chances are we end up closer to last than 6th. Especially because this hasn’t even gone into our gigantic question marks in goal.

 

[CupfortheSharks]

With or without Karlsson, we will be among the leaders in goals against and are in no danger of making the playoffs.

 

[StanleyCup2035]

With or without Karlsson, we will be among the leaders in goals against and are in no danger of making the playoffs.

...for the next few years, at least. Hope for a Top 5 pick in 2024 and 2025, then may-be can compete in 2026 or later.

 

[sharski]

EK65 is gonna somehow end up in Vegas and there's nothing we can do to stop it

 

[Saskatoon]

If Sharks picked up Blackwood to tank we should finish pretty low due to poor goaltending. The team is bad but not last year Chicago bad.

However, if they think they can fix Blackwood and actually manage to do so having decent goaltending would make them rise in the standings imho

 

[Gecklund]

If Sharks picked up Blackwood to tank we should finish pretty low due to poor goaltending. The team is bad but not last year Chicago bad.

However, if they think they can fix Blackwood and actually manage to do so having decent goaltending would make them rise in the standings imho

Blackwood could bounce back but I’ve been saying that for the past couple years. I don’t know if any goalie will bounce back behind that defense though.

What’s worse is yes we now have a bit in the pipeline with Thrun, Shakir, Havelid, and Cagnoni but none of them look like top pairing guys to me, meaning there’s no end in sight to this god awful D. Yes we just started the rebuild so give it time and this could end up a blessing in disguise.

 

[Patty Ice]

I'm in the minority but I've been a Blackwood believer. I really hope he is able to get his career back on track. Definitely won't be easy in San Jose but he has the talent.

What’s worse is yes we now have a bit in the pipeline with Thrun, Shakir, Havelid, and Cagnoni but none of them look like top pairing guys to me, meaning there’s no end in sight to this god awful D

While none may be top pairing (never say never though) that is a group that could round out to be a more than capable top 4.

 

[Hodge]

I was being sarcastic when I suggested it earlier but is mutual contract termination a legitimate option with Karlsson? Assuming his signing bonus was paid out July 1, Karlsson is only owed 38 million over the remainder of the deal which means a 9.5x4 contract with a different team would make him whole.

We know the Penguins are willing to take him at that cap hit and term "for free" so presumably they would offer him something close as a UFA. It would be more beneficial to the Sharks to just dump the full freight of the contract than return $3-4 million a year for an underwhelming return.

 

[jMoneyBrah]

Q: Miss Hertl of Czechia, if you could do one thing to help make the world a better place, what would it be?

Hertl: You know, I make it so fun must be always. You know, get pucks deep, shoot puck, score goals, fun all the time.

The response would be said at, like, 246 words per minute.

 

[hotcabbagesoup]

The response would be said at, like, 246 words per minute.

uh why r u on the first page? youre not reading through all the pain and mediocre lineups again are ya lol

 

[jMoneyBrah]

uh why r u on the first page? youre not reading through all the pain and mediocre lineups again are ya lol

LMAO. Uh… I think I got lost for a moment.

 

[Sharkz4Fun]

With or without Karlsson, we will be among the leaders in goals against and are in no danger of making the playoffs.

Making the playoffs absolutely not, but if the "reclamation projects" end up working out like many of you and Grier as well hope, there is a very real chance they also finish in the 5-10 range similar to what happened to the coyotes this year, even without Karlsson. That's why I've never understood the reclamation projects for a team like SJ that needs #1-3 OA's and not more and more 2nd/3rd rounders. Even Dahlen won them a couple games at the beginning of his season.

I think it's absolutely a failed season if they don't end up with #1-3 OA. Either you have guys like Zadina/Duclair light it up, screw your team over but get you a few toss up picks, or they both bust out and the Sharks get nothing for them, but hopefully that leads to #1-2. On paper, at least for forwards, there are at least 5 worse teams than them.

 

[gaucholoco3]

Making the playoffs absolutely not, but if the "reclamation projects" end up working out like many of you and Grier as well hope, there is a very real chance they also finish in the 5-10 range similar to what happened to the coyotes this year, even without Karlsson. That's why I've never understood the reclamation projects for a team like SJ that needs #1-3 OA's and not more and more 2nd/3rd rounders. Even Dahlen won them a couple games at the beginning of his season.

I think it's absolutely a failed season if they don't end up with #1-3 OA. Either you have guys like Zadina/Duclair light it up, screw your team over but get you a few toss up picks, or they both bust out and the Sharks get nothing for them, but hopefully that leads to #1-2. On paper, at least for forwards, there are at least 5 worse teams than them.

If they finish in the 5-10 range because of Zadina/Duclair they will likely be able to translate that extra value into a 1st at least.

I could see a world where Duclair and Barabonov each get a 1st.

Also if Zadina blows up he is young enough I would rather keep him as a key contributor going forward.

The Sharks could realistically end up with 5 first round picks next year.
Own
EK (Pit)
Barabonov
Duclair
NJ

In that case it would lessen the blow of not picking top 3.

I would rather have:
7, 22(Duclair), 24(Barabonov), 26(EK), 30(NJ) + a legit top 6 wing (Zadina)

Than:
3,26(EK), 30(NJ), 54(Duclair), 56(Barabonov)

Obviously winning 1st or 2nd in the lottery would change things but there is a legit chance of that finishing 5-10.

 

[Jargon]

If they finish in the 5-10 range because of Zadina/Duclair they will likely be able to translate that extra value into a 1st at least.

I could see a world where Duclair and Barabonov each get a 1st.

Also if Zadina blows up he is young enough I would rather keep him as a key contributor going forward.

The Sharks could realistically end up with 5 first round picks next year.
Own
EK (Pit)
Barabonov
Duclair
NJ

In that case it would lessen the blow of not picking top 3.

I would rather have:
7, 22(Duclair), 24(Barabonov), 26(EK), 30(NJ) + a legit top 6 wing (Zadina)

Than:
3,26(EK), 30(NJ), 54(Duclair), 56(Barabonov)

Obviously winning 1st or 2nd in the lottery would change things but there is a legit chance of that finishing 5-10.

Completely agree. I’ll also add that for the development of guys like Eklund, and likely Guschin, Bordeleau, Robins, it behooves us to have a team with at least a few good players rather than a complete nightmare dumpster fire. Having a talented guy like Duclair (who seems like a good leader) is important, I think.

And yeah, Zadina is literally a 23 year old 1st round pick who is betting on himself this year. If he succeeds on turning himself around, that’s the kind of guy I want to be part of our core. I mean, what an example to set.

 

[Erep]

Obviously winning 1st or 2nd in the lottery would change things but there is a legit chance of that finishing 5-10.

I don't really think this is even true for next season. This year? Sure. We will see what happens during the season, but, next year, it feels like there are easily 6+ players would could end up being the best pro.

 

[tiburon12]

I was being sarcastic when I suggested it earlier but is mutual contract termination a legitimate option with Karlsson? Assuming his signing bonus was paid out July 1, Karlsson is only owed 38 million over the remainder of the deal which means a 9.5x4 contract with a different team would make him whole.

We know the Penguins are willing to take him at that cap hit and term "for free" so presumably they would offer him something close as a UFA. It would be more beneficial to the Sharks to just dump the full freight of the contract than return $3-4 million a year for an underwhelming return.

I've thought about this a few times over the years and asked similar questions, and people are always quick to mention how athletes will never give up that much money since that's one of the few "guarantees" they have (even though it isnt).

Personally, with no big time athletic or financial aspirations, i think it's easy to say I would chase a championship if I had Karl's bank account, but you really never know how they and their families plan.

 

[WTFetus]

I've thought about this a few times over the years and asked similar questions, and people are always quick to mention how athletes will never give up that much money since that's one of the few "guarantees" they have (even though it isnt).

Personally, with no big time athletic or financial aspirations, i think it's easy to say I would chase a championship if I had Karl's bank account, but you really never know how they and their families plan.

But Hodge makes a good point of with 9.5m x 4, he makes the same amount of money given that his contract was frontloaded with large signing bonuses that have since been paid off.

It’s more of a thought experiment since it’s obviously unprecedented and I feel like the teams that don’t get Karlsson would try to argue or investigate some sort of collusion (and I feel Karlsson only does it if he already has a handshake deal in place). Also the hesitancy would more likely be from Hasso/Grier as they probably think they’d rather keep him rather than lose him for nothing.

 

[TheBeard]

I still can’t imagine how any half-knowledgeable sharks fan could possibly think the team isn’t tanking after replacing Reimer with Wedgewood to basically be the 1a starter.

 

[Friday]

Lose Timo and EK, add Zadina and Duclair and yall arguing SJ will improve because of that. Go look at the defensive pairings and goalies. This some mid summer silliness

 

[Harbessix]

I still can’t imagine how any half-knowledgeable sharks fan could possibly think the team isn’t tanking after replacing Reimer with Wedgewood to basically be the 1a starter.

I’d say half-knowledgeable would be a fitting way to describe a Sharks fan who thought Wedgewood was on our team, considering he in fact, is not.

 

[Pinkfloyd]

If they finish in the 5-10 range because of Zadina/Duclair they will likely be able to translate that extra value into a 1st at least.

I could see a world where Duclair and Barabonov each get a 1st.

Also if Zadina blows up he is young enough I would rather keep him as a key contributor going forward.

The Sharks could realistically end up with 5 first round picks next year.
Own
EK (Pit)
Barabonov
Duclair
NJ

In that case it would lessen the blow of not picking top 3.

I would rather have:
7, 22(Duclair), 24(Barabonov), 26(EK), 30(NJ) + a legit top 6 wing (Zadina)

Than:
3,26(EK), 30(NJ), 54(Duclair), 56(Barabonov)

Obviously winning 1st or 2nd in the lottery would change things but there is a legit chance of that finishing 5-10.

I don’t see a world where either Barabanov or Duclair get a 1st. No matter what they do next season, they’re 2nd round pick returns at best.