Speculation: 2023-24-25 Sharks Roster Discussion

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Barrie22

Shark fan in hiding
Aug 11, 2009
25,331
6,752
ontario
Doesnt make any sense to speculate on Smith or celebrini's next contract (or eklund for that matter).

DW played those cards perfectly in dealing with up and coming stars like cooch, meier, or hertl. Always ELC, then either 2 yr bridge, then 4 yr bridge, then the big one OR ELC+ 4 year bridge, then the big one. Never ELC, then 8 year big one.

1. Cooch: ELC, then 2 yrs around 3m per. then 4 yr, 6M per. Then the big one.

2. Hertl: ELC, then 2 years 3M per, then 4 yrs 5.6M per, then the big one.

3. meier: ELC, then 4 yrs 6M per. Then the big one (from NJD)

He knew that signing a 21 or 22 year old to a big money and term deal was foolhardy, both because you lose the RFA discount and because you run the big risk of a long term albatross.

Depending on how they do this year+, Eklund should be in line to get approximately 2-3 years, 4-5M per. Similar for smith and celly depending on production. Then, if they outplay those contracts, at 24 or 25 years old, they get the big 7-8 year extension for big bucks.

I would be both shocked and siappointed to see grier jump into an 8 year, big money deal right out of the ELC. There is zero need to pay full price and jump the gun for a player with 2-3 years of NHL experience who you own as an RFA for at least 4-5 more years. bridge deals are your friend.
Every one of those deals for the most part was done in the thornton era, where nobody was going to receive more then thornton and it is hard to ask for long term big money when the best player on the team is signing 3 year deals and a little under market value.
 

STL Shark

Registered User
Mar 6, 2013
4,367
5,391
I would totally be all in for the 8 year contracts for Celebrini and Smith if they can drive the team as 1/2C. It's very important to have them at their prime locked in. You will have more free agents interested that could take a paycut if they believe they can win here.
Eklund with a long term "hometown" discount could be huge as a premium two-way winger.

On another note it has been refreshing to see a lot NHL content makers being excited to follow San Jose this upcoming season. San Jose is back on the map and I love it.
Getting Celebrini was not important only because Sharks need to get better but to help make this team interesting again for the whole league.
Celebrini, yes. I could see staggering Smith's deal a bit with something different as I don't expect him to get off to the same start as Macklin in the NHL. Also prevents the org from having them as direct comparisons of who do you value more and turning into a sort of internal locker room issue (i.e. Macklin signs for 8 years $9M but they're trying to peg Smith into only $7M).

Macklin gets the 8 year deal at $9M or whatever a season when his ELC expires and Smith signs the 2-3 year bridge deal to allow the cap to increase while his on ice play gets better and also stagger his long-term deal a bit so they don't all expire simultaneously. Can even play the Timo game on the structure too in order to persuade Smith into the bridge deal.
 

gaucholoco3

Registered User
Jun 22, 2015
1,309
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I could see staggering Smith's deal a bit with something different as I don't expect him to get off to the same start as Macklin in the NHL.

Smith signs the 2-3 year bridge deal to allow the cap to increase while his on ice play gets better
I see everyone saying Celebrini will be fine but Smith will struggle. I just don’t see it especially when it comes to offense and production. I would honestly put Smith as a better offensive prospect than Celebrini. His vision, playmaking, and hockey IQ are all elite. He will be the Sharks best PPQB from day 1 even better than Celebrini. I think whoever gets better linemates and more ice time will score more.

I remember Smith showed decent compete before the record setting USNTP year. That program is focused entirely on teaching and developing skill above all else. Smith was also playing with talented players and was not needed to battle and compete for pucks down low. I think Smith will shock some people and I actually think his offensive potential is higher than Celebrini.

Maybe I’m just too high on Smith though.
 

STL Shark

Registered User
Mar 6, 2013
4,367
5,391
I see everyone saying Celebrini will be fine but Smith will struggle. I just don’t see it especially when it comes to offense and production. I would honestly put Smith as a better offensive prospect than Celebrini. His vision, playmaking, and hockey IQ are all elite. He will be the Sharks best PPQB from day 1 even better than Celebrini. I think whoever gets better linemates and more ice time will score more.

I remember Smith showed decent compete before the record setting USNTP year. That program is focused entirely on teaching and developing skill above all else. Smith was also playing with talented players and was not needed to battle and compete for pucks down low. I think Smith will shock some people and I actually think his offensive potential is higher than Celebrini.

Maybe I’m just too high on Smith though.
Think Smith is going to struggle because he has so much to learn away from the offensive zone and is not going to just have that stuff ignored by the staff and rewarded with more offensive zone time. I also think his offensive game will have to mature some whereas Celebrini's is already a more pro style game.

Long-term, I think Smith is probably the gaudier point total player while Celebrini is borderline elite numbers, but deployed in more all around situations. Just going to take time for that all to click and happen with Smith having more growing pains along the way (not that Macklin won't have his share either).
 

weastern bias

worst team in the league
Feb 3, 2012
11,127
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SJ
Dickinson has been changed to #6 on the rookie faceoff roster so I'm assuming Ceci is taking back the #4 he wore in Pittsburgh


Not confirmed there but we're also still waiting on Dellandrea, Walman and Wennberg for confirmation on jersey numbers for new additions, also not sure about Goodrow but I don't see why he wouldn't take back #23

? #4 - Ceci
#30 - Askarov
#73 - Toffoli
#91 - Grundstrom

? - Dellandrea, Goodrow, Walman, Wennberg

This is what my brain is always thinking of in the background
 
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Hodge

Registered User
Apr 27, 2021
6,224
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Dickinson has been changed to #6 on the rookie faceoff roster so I'm assuming Ceci is taking back the #4 he wore in Pittsburgh


Not confirmed there but we're also still waiting on Dellandrea, Walman and Wennberg for confirmation on jersey numbers for new additions, also not sure about Goodrow but I don't see why he wouldn't take back #23

? #4 - Ceci
#30 - Askarov
#73 - Toffoli
#91 - Grundstrom

? - Dellandrea, Goodrow, Walman, Wennberg

This is what my brain is always thinking of in the background
Bystedt switched to #18 so Wennberg will probably wear #21 like he did in Seattle and Florida.
 

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