Speculation: 2023-24-25 Sharks Roster Discussion

[Star Platinum]

What did he do?

I told you it was about the Griddy

 

[Lebanezer]

Me watching the replies:

 

[gaucholoco3]

I think he is being punished for playing hurt and not being honest about how he was compromised during the game. It would track with Walman saying “ it is not, not about the injury”

 

[Anomie2029]

I think Warsofsky should come out tomorrow and make another vague statement about the scratching. I'm sure it'll end the speculation.

 

[Timo Time]

I think Warsofsky should come out tomorrow and make another vague statement about the scratching. I'm sure it'll end the speculation.

He had concepts of a reason

 

[OrrNumber4]

I think he is being punished for playing hurt and not being honest about how he was compromised during the game. It would track with Walman saying “ it is not, not about the injury”

Flashes of Toskala costing the Sharks a series...

 

[Hodge]

What did he do?

 

[OrrNumber4]

Not sure I want Eklund playing with Celebrini.

It was the issue playing Setoguchi with Thornton. Instead of developing into a solid player by his own right, he became an accessory to Thornton; believing his success is due to his play and not Thornton being Thornton.

If that's all the Sharks see Eklund as (a great complimentary player), then go ahead...but if they aren't trying to win games and think Eklund can be a dominant player, keep them separated.

 

[Pinkfloyd]

Not sure I want Eklund playing with Celebrini.

It was the issue playing Setoguchi with Thornton. Instead of developing into a solid player by his own right, he became an accessory to Thornton; believing his success is due to his play and not Thornton being Thornton.

If that's all the Sharks see Eklund as (a great complimentary player), then go ahead...but if they aren't trying to win games and think Eklund can be a dominant player, keep them separated.

I would equate it more to something like Marleau and Thornton until Smith proves he's better at some point. They need to play together occasionally because they're the two best players and you need them together in scoring situations sometimes. But they don't have to play together and maybe shouldn't to give the lineup some consistent pressure on multiple lines. Since this is still the team in a development phase, they should be going back and forth often having the two of them play together and having them not play together.

 

[gaucholoco3]

I really like the Shark commitment to developing Smith as a C. His value it greatly diminished if he is moved to wing and with this season being a development year it is important to stick to the plan even if their are growing pains.

With that said, there is a log jam of top 9 C’s on this team. Granlund is infinitely more valuable as a C and Wennberg has played exclusively C in his career. I think it is time to either try Wennberg at wing or even move Sturm to wing and roll 4 even lines.

72/21-71-73
23-64-20
21/72-2-11
91-7-53

Or if keeping all 4 at C then maybe

91-71-73
7-64-20
72-2-11
23-21-53

Those are 4 lines that can be rolled evenly.

 

[TheBeard]

I really like the Shark commitment to developing Smith as a C. His value it greatly diminished if he is moved to wing and with this season being a development year it is important to stick to the plan even if their are growing pains.

With that said, there is a log jam of top 9 C’s on this team. Granlund is infinitely more valuable as a C and Wennberg has played exclusively C in his career. I think it is time to either try Wennberg at wing or even move Sturm to wing and roll 4 even lines.

72/21-71-73
23-64-20
21/72-2-11
91-7-53

Or if keeping all 4 at C then maybe

91-71-73
7-64-20
72-2-11
23-21-53

Those are 4 lines that can be rolled evenly.

My only issue is playing him with two inferior offensive wingers. I think he can learn a lot from them but developing as a top 6 center isn't gonna happen if he's playing with linemates that can't take advantage of what he excels at. I'd rather he play wing with more skilled linemates for a while until the game really slows down for him and he doesn't have to be THE focal point of the line. It seemed to work for Eklund last year.

 

[DG93]

Not sure I want Eklund playing with Celebrini.

It was the issue playing Setoguchi with Thornton. Instead of developing into a solid player by his own right, he became an accessory to Thornton; believing his success is due to his play and not Thornton being Thornton.

If that's all the Sharks see Eklund as (a great complimentary player), then go ahead...but if they aren't trying to win games and think Eklund can be a dominant player, keep them separated.

I don't agree with this. I'd argue that Celebrini and Eklund complement each other nicely, so it won't stunt Eklund's development whatsoever.

 

[Juxtaposer]

I think Granlund definitely needs to go back to center. He's played three games at wing all year and looked bad in all of them. Problem is that we only have like three passable wingers, so it's hard to even figure out what to do with them unless we want to keep Smith with his current linemates (we don't).

Kunin-Celebrini-Toffoli
Wennberg-Granlund-Zetterlund
Eklund-Smith-Dellandrea
Grundstrom-Sturm-Goodrow

Best I could come up with and I don't even like it.

 

[hotcabbagesoup]

We did have another winger in Goosey who produced three goals in three games playing with Wennberg and Zett but we're travelling on the road now so we for sure won't see him. Wario doesn't like offense I guess.

But I like the idea of
TOP LINE KUNIN!!!!

 

[OverTheLine]

I know the goal longterm is to keep Smith at center, but I don't think it would be the end of the world to give him some games on Granlund's wing. I think it's way more valuable to get him experience in a top 6 role than get him experience learning to play 3C with a bunch of plugs on his wings. We might end up selling Granlund at the deadline anyways, so give Smith a chunk of time next him and then see where to go from there. Hertl spent a lot of time on the wing when he was younger and he developed as a centreman just fine.

 

[weastern bias]

Eklund needs to play next to a play driving center, he's looked his best next to Hertl and Granlund, when he's the best player on his line he doesn't accomplish much, his destiny is to be a high level complimentary piece, true play driving wingers are super rare

Play him with Celebrini or Granlund, it's a waste of everybody's time to try and have him carry Wennberg and Zetterlund to success, put Eklund in the best position to succeed because his success matters more in the long term than anyone on the team other than Celebrini and Smith

72-71-73
XX-64-20
21-2-23

Or

20-71-73
72-64-XX
21-2-23

XX is probably Kunin, which isn't ideal, but we're one top-6 forward short right now, so he'll have to make due as a plug, no one else can really fill that gap since Kostin blew his chance so spectacularly

 

[Jargon]

I think Granlund definitely needs to go back to center. He's played three games at wing all year and looked bad in all of them. Problem is that we only have like three passable wingers, so it's hard to even figure out what to do with them unless we want to keep Smith with his current linemates (we don't).

Kunin-Celebrini-Toffoli
Wennberg-Granlund-Zetterlund
Eklund-Smith-Dellandrea
Grundstrom-Sturm-Goodrow

Best I could come up with and I don't even like it.

I think I’d maybe flip Wennberg and Eklund. And honestly at that point I’d consider calling back Goose for that top line…

A part of me is curious to give Dellandrea or Grundstrom a try on the top line, just for fun.

 

[karltonian]

We did have another winger in Goosey who produced three goals in three games playing with Wennberg and Zett but we're travelling on the road now so we for sure won't see him. Wario doesn't like offense I guess.

But I like the idea of
TOP LINE KUNIN!!!!

TOP KUNin

 

[weastern bias]

A part of me is curious to give Dellandrea or Grundstrom a try on the top line, just for fun.

Wait a minute. . . that doesn't sound fun at all!

 

[vortexy]

Eklund needs to play next to a play driving center, he's looked his best next to Hertl and Granlund, when he's the best player on his line he doesn't accomplish much, his destiny is to be a high level complimentary piece, true play driving wingers are super rare

Play him with Celebrini or Granlund, it's a waste of everybody's time to try and have him carry Wennberg and Zetterlund to success, put Eklund in the best position to succeed because his success matters more in the long term than anyone on the team other than Celebrini and Smith

72-71-73
XX-64-20
21-2-23

Or

20-71-73
72-64-XX
21-2-23

XX is probably Kunin, which isn't ideal, but we're one top-6 forward short right now, so he'll have to make due as a plug, no one else can really fill that gap since Kostin blew his chance so spectacularly

Agree with all of this. Smith would be the ideal player to play the wing on line 2, but since the Sharks are so adamant on playing him at C, it makes it impossible to give him offensive driving players on line 3 considering we are short on top 6 F. The only other option I can see for the line 2 winger is Guschin but it seems his opportunity has sailed for now unfortunately, but he was given the chance and failed to capitalize. Maybe Bordeleau gets a shot at that spot eventually.

 

[DG93]

I think Granlund definitely needs to go back to center. He's played three games at wing all year and looked bad in all of them. Problem is that we only have like three passable wingers, so it's hard to even figure out what to do with them unless we want to keep Smith with his current linemates (we don't).

Kunin-Celebrini-Toffoli
Wennberg-Granlund-Zetterlund
Eklund-Smith-Dellandrea
Grundstrom-Sturm-Goodrow

Best I could come up with and I don't even like it.

Thoughts on waiving Kostin and bringing up Graf to try him out as another passable winger?

Something like Eklund-Celebrini-Toffoli, Wennberg-Granlund-Zetterlund, Goodrow-Smith-Graf, Dellandrea/Grundstrom-Sturm-Kunin?

 

[weastern bias]

Agree with all of this. Smith would be the ideal player to play the wing on line 2, but since the Sharks are so adamant on playing him at C, it makes it impossible to give him offensive driving players on line 3 considering we are short on top 6 F. The only other option I can see for the line 2 winger is Guschin but it seems his opportunity has sailed for now unfortunately, but he was given the chance and failed to capitalize. Maybe Bordeleau gets a shot at that spot eventually.

Smith is an awkward elephant in the room because he's on this roster purely as a developmental project, he isn't really an NHL ready talent at this moment

He isn't a top-6 quality play driver even though the only value he brings is purely on offense, so the whole point of icing him is to get him up to NHL game speed but the coach is balancing that against an attempt to win games with this incredibly thin roster, Wario is really between a rock and a hard place with Smith, there isn't a great answer on what to do with him

Celebrini is much easier to handle because he's a top-6 NHL center fresh out the box, Smith would be a challenge for any head coach, let alone for the youngest coach in the league with 15 games of experience

 

[Juxtaposer]

I think I’d maybe flip Wennberg and Eklund. And honestly at that point I’d consider calling back Goose for that top line…

A part of me is curious to give Dellandrea or Grundstrom a try on the top line, just for fun.

The point is to try and give Smith someone with real NHL scoring talent to play with. Wennberg isn't that much of an improvement on Kunin as it is.

Thoughts on waiving Kostin and bringing up Graf to try him out as another passable winger?

Something like Eklund-Celebrini-Toffoli, Wennberg-Granlund-Zetterlund, Goodrow-Smith-Graf, Dellandrea/Grundstrom-Sturm-Kunin?

Graf might be the best option at this point.

 

[Jargon]

The point is to try and give Smith someone with real NHL scoring talent to play with. Wennberg isn't that much of an improvement on Kunin as it is.


Graf might be the best option at this point.

I think Wennberg is better than Kunin, but yeah, maybe not that much. It certainly does feel like if we want more balanced lines (or at least to give Smith some actual talent on his), we need to try Graf.

 

[gaucholoco3]

I think Eklund ultimately will be an elite complementary wing. I would personally play him with Celebrini. If the Sharks think Eklund can develop into a play driving wing then he should be with Smith.

21-71-73
23-64-11
72-2-20
91-7-53

Although it is likely Celebrini and Smith will each sit one of the next two games. In that case they should run.

72-71/2-73
91-64-20
23-21-11
10-7-53

Give Smith a game with talented wings.