Speculation: 2023-24-25 Sharks Roster Discussion

[jMoneyBrah]

Question: I think someone earlier alluded to the notion that the Sharks were no longer willing/able to spend to the cap? I.E. for next year in free agency and future contract negotiations. Can anyone confirm or deny that with a source?

I’m guessing there will be no source on that. I suspect Platner isn’t against spending to the cap if there is a reason to. He’s okayed it many times before, I presume he’d be open to it again. I also suspect Grier isn’t in a hurry to make that call to Platner either. Grier clearly has some runway to rebuild the franchise; but I think the clock starts really ticking when he starts spending real money.

To this point Grier’s spending has been Toffoli, Wennberg, and a bunch of minor bottom 6 contracts. He’s been pretty disciplined in not needlessly spending (IIRC Burns’ retained salary is like the 3rd or 4th largest deal Grier has done going by AAV). Everything I’ve read about how Hasso Platner engages with the Sharks leads me to believe whenever the time comes to open the purse strings, he’ll do it decisively.

Of course, if Grier can put a team together that can win enough games to warrant increasing spending; presumably a team with young exciting players, a team built around Celebrini, Smith, Eklund, etc - I’m sure the SAP center will be selling out regularly and making it easier for Hasso to spend more.

 

[Skeksis25]

Right now, Ostapchuk has 4 points in 50 career games with Ottawa. 20 points is a ways off for him if it ever happens at all.

I don't really expect him to be anything, but if that's the player Grier and the scouts envision him becoming, I understand the trade. And they should get a chance to show that they know more than messageboard folk.

I loved Zetterlund, but taking emotion out of the equation, he is a very easily replaceable player. So, even if this trade bombs, its ok. Of course, it has caused Eklund to have the sad, but he needs to grow up and accept that this is part of being a pro. If he allows this trade to really affect him, I don't know how he is going to handle bigger adversity.

 

[timorous me]

Right now, Ostapchuk has 4 points in 50 career games with Ottawa. 20 points is a ways off for him if it ever happens at all.

Hey, Joe Thornton had 7 points in his first 55 career games...

I see a lot of people penciling in Ostapchuk as the future 3rd line C but he is as much as Kunin was. Yea, he can play it but you want it as a short term solution. I still think Bystedt is the better fit long term, Ostapchuk would be better out at wing.

Come to think of it, he might be this boards new Kunin a hundredfold pretty soon. We gave up a 3rd for Kunin, we gave up Zetts for Osty.

I guess I wouldn't be surprised if some fans basically never give Ostapchuk a chance because he was the guy who came back for Zetterlund, but that's not really fair to him. I just hope that people realize that in a few years, when this team is hopefully getting good, Zetterlund would (hopefully) place below the top six skill forwards on the Sharks roster...and Ostapchuk hopefully will have improved his overall game to be a useful bottom six piece.

We'll see how he develops, but let's remember he's played these games as a 21-year-old who probably needed more seasoning in the AHL. Instead he's been playing mostly with guys like Noah Gregor and struggling--but there absolutely is room for growth there, so we just have to hope that he can keep going over these next few years. It's just that the comparison to Zetterlund is going to always look unfavorable because he's not a guy who's going to score to that level.

But if he becomes a whipping boy as a 21/22 year old simply because he's not Zetterlund and not yet what we want, that would really suck and feel unfair. (I get not liking the trade, but that doesn't mean holding it against Ostapchuk, you know?)

 

[tiburon12]

But if he becomes a whipping boy as a 21/22 year old simply because he's not Zetterlund and not yet what we want, that would really suck and feel unfair. (I get not liking the trade, but that doesn't mean holding it against Ostapchuk, you know?)

I saw this clip from Lou today and it sums up how I feel about players on the Sharks. I know that isn't how everybody views fandom too.

But what I really don't understand in the balance of heart vs head, is when people don't respect that the NHL is a business and sometimes you have to make hard business decisions. On paper, Zetts was/is more replaceable than a stalwart 3c, which Ostapchuk could be. If it works out, you make this trade any day of the week, and if it doesn't you can criticize Grier for his pro-scouting, NOT for trading a fan favorite in pursuit of making the team better. Those are different things.

Reading some posters bend over backwards to assume Ostapchuk won't work out just because they like Zetts as a guy is wholly unconvincing and frankly annoying to read, and like you said @timorous me , not fair at all.

Side not: there's a Sharks fan here who i chat with sometimes, and he STILL is mad at Grier for trading Timo and Hertl. I can't have real conversations with him about the team.