Speculation: 2023-24-25 Sharks Roster Discussion

[Hodge]

You know what, that's fair. What I said was out of line; Doughty hasn't been that good defensively since 2016ish, but he was that for a good 4-5 years.

Hedman just slipped my mind, but it is similar to Doughty...very good defensively, but hasn't been that since 2021.

I'm biased in that 98% of my viewing of them is in the playoffs, but I wouldn't call any of those players elite defensively.

It's almost like the game has changed too much to allow defensemen like that. Nowadays, being an elite offensive contributor on the blueline means being a puck rusher, a creative force that attacks and disrupts the other team's defenses. That kind of player is on his toes so much that he inevitably will sacrifice on the defensive end.

I should clarify I mean Makar, McAvoy and Heiskanen are elite defensively relative to the current NHL. If I was ranking active defensemen I would want out there defending a lead in the final minutes of Game 7 they would all be in my top 10. Heiskanen would probably be #1.

 

[Juxtaposer]

The Norris has an amorphous definition that changes year by year because hockey writers are legitimately terrible at evaluating the sport (and don't watch nearly as much as they pretend to) so I've always seen it as more "which player who plays the position had the best season" rather than "which player best fits my personal ideals for what I desire in a defenseman"

Brent Burns deserved Hart votes in 2019, it was the best year of his career and he was legitimately outstanding, I was always one of his most vocal critics on this board even in his prime but that was the year where I just couldn't say a negative thing about him, I was in awe

Of course it coincided with the Kucherov coming out party so he was never gonna with the MVP but in my opinion no defenseman in the league had a better season than him, but an old guy in a Canadian market was pretty good on a deep team that year so the brain dead morons in the writers association tripped over their own dicks to be first in line to slob on Mr. Bean's knob, the Norris is usually a dumb trophy (like every award those idiots vote on) but that one really bothered me

Hey, as long as you're acknowledging that Brent Burns was an elite hockey player, we're square.

 

[weastern bias]

Hey, as long as you're acknowledging that Brent Burns was an elite hockey player, we're square.

There's no argument against it to be honest, he was incredible in his prime, that trade was probably the single biggest catalyst to our deep runs in 2016 and 2019

I really think if he could have stayed healthy the "Burns at RW" experiment would have turned him into a 50 goal power forward in the deepest part of the mid 2010s deadpuck era 2.0, it's just too bad he was such a wrecking ball that he crushed his own sinuses as hard as he crushed opposing defenseman

 

[JoeThorntonsRooster]

Agreed. Peak Vlasic (~2013-2016) is the closest thing we've ever had to a true #1 defenseman.

Totally forgot about Vlasic. But if we're talking about guys who played on our team that were better than 2023 Pietrangelo (and 2024 Forsling, and 2018 Carlson, and 2017 Dumoulin...), add Vlasic to the list as well!

 

[TheBeard]

Screw it, bring in John Klingberg for a look at RD.

 

[Hodge]

We can try to copy what the Devils did by adding Hamilton, Dillon and Pesce in free agency while drafting and developing Hughes and Nemec.

Let's say we trade Ferraro, Ceci and Rutta this season then drop a shitload of money on Theodore, Pettersson and Borgen in free agency.

While also picking Schaefer or another top D prospect in the draft and bringing him and Dickinson along slowly.

By the end of Celebrini/Smith's ELCs, the defense could be those 5 plus Mukhamadullin and/or Cagnoni.

 

[TheBeard]

We can try to copy what the Devils did by adding Hamilton, Dillon and Pesce in free agency while drafting and developing Hughes and Nemec.

Let's say we trade Ferraro, Ceci and Rutta this season then drop a shitload of money on Theodore, Pettersson and Borgen in free agency.

While also picking Schaefer or another top D prospect in the draft and bringing him and Dickinson along slowly.

By the end of Celebrini/Smith's ELCs, the defense could be those 5 plus Mukhamadullin and/or Cagnoni.

Shea is gonna be 30 by the time next season starts. I'd rather go for someone like Chychrun or hell, make a play for Evan Bouchard if Edmonton can't afford him.

 

[Hodge]

Shea is gonna be 30 by the time next season starts. I'd rather go for someone like Chychrun or hell, make a play for Evan Bouchard if Edmonton can't afford him.

Chychrun needs to prove he's more than a one season wonder at this point (and the fakest season in recent history too).

 

[Juxtaposer]

Shea is gonna be 30 by the time next season starts. I'd rather go for someone like Chychrun or hell, make a play for Evan Bouchard if Edmonton can't afford him.

Raw milk guy? F*** no.

We can try to copy what the Devils did by adding Hamilton, Dillon and Pesce in free agency while drafting and developing Hughes and Nemec.

Let's say we trade Ferraro, Ceci and Rutta this season then drop a shitload of money on Theodore, Pettersson and Borgen in free agency.

While also picking Schaefer or another top D prospect in the draft and bringing him and Dickinson along slowly.

By the end of Celebrini/Smith's ELCs, the defense could be those 5 plus Mukhamadullin and/or Cagnoni.

I don't really think Theodore and Pettersson is the play, but I think Will Borgen would be a really good pickup in the offseason.

 

[TheBeard]

Raw milk guy? F*** no.

What's the raw milk story?

Chychrun needs to prove he's more than a one season wonder at this point (and the fakest season in recent history too).

Maybe, but it's also an opportunity to potentially get him on a buy-low contract if he doesn't pan out in Washington. At worst he's still better than anyone else on our blueline.

 

[Juxtaposer]

What's the raw milk story?


Maybe, but it's also an opportunity to potentially get him on a buy-low contract if he doesn't pan out in Washington. At worst he's still better than anyone else on our blueline.

He drinks raw milk and posts about it on social media. Not much of a story. Just an indicator of being stupid.

 

[gaucholoco3]

Peak Vlasic is by far the best defenseman the Sharks have ever had. The way he could erase the opponents top line was more valuable than any offensive contribution of EK or Burns. I think Vlasic was the best D in the league for a few years with how dominant defensively he was.

 

[ChompChomp]

Screw it, bring in John Klingberg for a look at RD.

I've been advocating this all offseason.

Also Justin Schultz, Shattenkirk, and Giordano are looking for an NHL contract, but those to me aren't as interesting as Klingberg.

 

[timorous me]

He drinks raw milk and posts about it on social media. Not much of a story. Just an indicator of being stupid.

I am a big fan of raw milk cheese so I'm going to try not to judge or think about any of this too much!

 

[Juxtaposer]

I am a big fan of raw milk cheese so I'm going to try not to judge or think about any of this too much!

Idk how #chronicallyonline you are but it's this big trend where tradfolks are absolutely convinced that pasteurization is evil and strips milk of its nutrients or something. So yeah. Very weird. He's also done some other really weird diets in the past so I don't think he gets the benefit of the doubt.

 

[Pinkfloyd]

Peak Vlasic is by far the best defenseman the Sharks have ever had. The way he could erase the opponents top line was more valuable than any offensive contribution of EK or Burns. I think Vlasic was the best D in the league for a few years with how dominant defensively he was.

Not to my eyes. Burns' two seasons where we went to the Final and he won the Norris, he was a dominant force everywhere including on defense. Vlasic never could do much of anything with the puck even in his best years. Those two years are why Burns is going to go to the Hall of Fame and Vlasic shouldn't.

 

[Star Platinum]

I am a big fan of raw milk cheese so I'm going to try not to judge or think about any of this too much!

Whenever I think about Louis Pasteur, this is always the first thing I think about

 

[gaucholoco3]

Not to my eyes. Burns' two seasons where we went to the Final and he won the Norris, he was a dominant force everywhere including on defense. Vlasic never could do much of anything with the puck even in his best years. Those two years are why Burns is going to go to the Hall of Fame and Vlasic shouldn't.

Burns absolutely does not belong in the HOF. If he gets in it is because he was able to maintain 80% of his peak through 40. Of Vlasic maintained 80% of his peak till 40 he would be just as much of a HOF candidate.