TheBeard
He fixes the cable?
Bad play for Sergei (Ovechkin)
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Speculation: 2023-24-25 Sharks Roster Discussion
- Thread starter WTFetus
- Start date
STL Shark
Registered User
Remember when people thought that Vegas was going to be a bottom 8 team and that unprotected 1st rounder we dealt for Askarov was way too much? Good times.
That blue line is so good and so deep for Vegas that it was virtually impossible for them to not be good this year.
Vegas is a unicorn team.
They are very good at adding buy low pieces together with prime pieces at TDL. (The good old LTIR time) almost every year.
They already have a solid foundation in that group, in which winning is already built inside no matter who is on the ice.
Getting Hanifin in his prime as a defencemen was one of the best acquisitions for them to keep the things going. If they keep getting those pieces, they could go another 7-10 years in the playoffs which by now I can't even hate, that's just genius player management.
But the main point is that they have built a winning foundation and have branded themselves as winners. That's a big reason why every year every other franchise just waits for them to fall, but the foundation stays strong because they are good at team maintenance.
PS. I hate talking about Vegas, but at this point they are still rocking the league and frankly Sharks should be interested in the little details. Maybe Hertl is a Sharks agent finding that out hehe.
I'm not worried about the Sharks future. Celebrini and Askarov are the pieces that can start a winning foundation. It's just that Vegas has always been a real pain in the ass and when Sharks are able to figure them out for good, that's when I believe there is nothing stopping this team from going all the way.
BaileyMacTavish
Hockey lovin' wolf
Okay fair. Maybe I just had higher expectations for Mack and Smitty that game but the rest of the team doesn't help in the slightest
Jargon
Registered User
They’re also missing Walman who is our #1D. And no matter how good Macklin is, he’s still very young and will have games where he’ll struggle, especially against heavy teams who play super structured and have really intense forechecks. Obviously, we’re not the only team that struggles against them and we still took it to within 1 goal (EN goal aside). I thought that was actually a pretty good effort.
It also doesn’t help Macklin to have rookies on both his wings. I hope that’s the last we see of that line this year.
BaileyMacTavish
Hockey lovin' wolf
Jargon
Registered User
I really don't mind him having rookies on his wing? I mean, they won two games against two really good teams, I don't think we need to panic after the Vegas game, give them some more time together. Graf is actually quite good defensively and getting the puck over to them, etc. etc.
I do think Kovalenko needs to be on one of the top 3 lines -- he pops every time he's on the ice, he gets lost on the 4th.
BaileyMacTavish
Hockey lovin' wolf
Kovalenko should be taking Kostin's spot next to Wennberg at least imo. Personally I'm not against having Graf and Smith with Mack but it feels like he's forced ro babysit them instead of doing his own thing sometimes. Once it clicks then maybe it will be lights out. The pieces are there.
timorous me
Gristled Veteran
I do still think Kovalenko could be a good LW option for Celebrini right now. You saw it last night--they get a shift together and boom, something suddenly just pops in a different way.
I'm not saying long-term, as I hope we have higher-end skill options for Celebrini in a couple years, but for now I wouldn't mind seeing them together again, and then at RW you can see who's the best fit, whether it might be Smith still or Toffoli.
I like Graf but I think you could throw him anywhere in the top nine and he'd be fine and useful.
OrrNumber4
Registered User
Fans get very attracted to fixed lines, but it isn't a thing anymore. At best, you'll get fixed pairings with a rotating cast of wingers.
vortexy
Registered User
I’m still a little confused as to why Warso has been so reluctant in playing Celebrini with Eklund. With all the line juggling going on I’m surprised we have barely seen them together. Maybe I’m mistaken but in the brief moments they have played together they seemed to work really well together.
TheBeard
He fixes the cable?
My opinion? Those are currently our two best offensive weapons BY FAR, and since we're so shallow offensively, putting them both on the same line seems like an easy way to shut down the entire offense.
Pinkfloyd
Registered User
Agreed. Generating sustained offensive pressure from shift to shift is the consistent issue with the team this season. It’s a talent and development issue that’s par for a team in our spot so it just depends on what you want to accomplish.
I’m not worried about what you saddle Celebrini with. He’s legit and he’ll figure it out regardless. Smith needs the most help. Graf has versatility that they should probably spread out. If we want to run a rookie line, doing Kovalenko with Celebrini and Smith is the best way to go. You can do the Lund line and have Graf with Wennberg and Toffoli.
Jargon
Registered User
I actually dig the Wennberg line with Graf. I think he and Kovalenko sort of play a similar game.
hohosaregood
Banned
Vegas is just a bad match up for us right now. Our guys have had their worst games against teams that are big and strong, especially the Granlund line. And Vegas is even worse because their big guys are also pretty quick and/or skilled as well.
Mr Fahrenheit
Valar Morghulis
If Celebrini is like Crosby then he will play better with worse linemates
STL Shark
Registered User
Which is why they're a tough matchup for everyone. They have an entire D group of guys that would be our #1 by a solid margin. It's the best group of D-Men in the league and is why they can get by with a fairly pedestrian forward group outside of Eichel/Stone.
Lucky for us, that group is getting older and older to the point where Celebrini's prime should coincide with Vegas cap hell and/or age issues.
Star Platinum
Registered User
It's still kinda nice though when you make a really good pass and the guy on the other end of the pass shoots it into the net instead of not shooting it into the net
weastern bias
worst team in the league
Wario has an impossible job, lol
Pinkfloyd
Registered User
Sounds like Kovalenko and Walman won't be in Utah and Zetterlund is a GTD. If you'd expect Zetterlund in Grundstrom's spot, having Kunin with Celebrini and Smith doesn't sound all that great to me. Kunin has been doing well this first half but he's still not a great forechecker causing turnovers and probably wouldn't do that better going against better competition.
That 4th line of Kostin-Dellandrea-Goodrow though is going to be rough. I do think Graf with Wennberg and Toffoli has a good chance of clicking though and if it does, you're a Celebrini winger as a forechecker away from three decent lines capable of sustaining offense better than ever before. I think Graf continuing to make an impact will do a lot of good for the team.
tahoesharksfan
Old Timer
So the exact opposite of us...
Watching a lot of trade talks right now from the Buffalo fans, there seems to a buzz on Byram/Power on whom to keep. I don't know if there is a real smoke behind that conversation from Buffalo management, but obviously a solid topic with Byram needing a contract extention and him wanting to take 1D spot anywhere he plays.
Is there any sense for the Sharks to give a call to Buffalo about one of Byram or Power if they want to keep the other?
I think that has a potential to be the equivalent of Askarov trade. MG hasn't been afraid to pull the trigger if there is an important piece available.
Is there any sense for the Sharks to give a call to Buffalo about one of Byram or Power if they want to keep the other?
I think that has a potential to be the equivalent of Askarov trade. MG hasn't been afraid to pull the trigger if there is an important piece available.
Celly4Celebrini
pray
well i would love either (prefer Power due only to Byrams concussion history), i'm not sure I'd give up what Buffalo would want.
Obvioiusly Celebrini is just simply not moving. Id argue Askarov falls into that category as well. I dont think either is worth moving Smith/DIckinson or 2025 1st.
So whats really left? Musty, Bystedt, Mukh, Halttunen etc. While i think we COULD put together something that would be close enough value wise, I also think Buffalo wants more win now pieces and the most realistic thing is packaging one of those 2 with Cozens and swapping them with Vancouver for EP.
STL Shark
Registered User
Can't see Musty/Bystedt being a center piece for a deal like that from Buffalo's end. With that, I don't see where we have the assets to matchup for a deal like that. Our 1st rounders are too valuable due to where they're going to be in the draft the next year or two.
Eklund isn't probably enough straight up positionally, but removing him and adding more assets to him to get a deal done also doesn't probably move the needle much for the team overall. For a team like us, we're better off letting the lottery and draft process play out before making a major move for a LHD. If you are able to draft Schaefer, Byram becomes redundant as you search to fill hole in the forward group left by moving Eklund/others.
