Speculation: 2023-24-25 Sharks Roster Discussion

[STL Shark]

Watching these playoffs, it shows why having Misa as a fallback option is so important/privileged. The teams that are rolling in the conference finals are the teams with the best group of centers (both in depth and also actually having a top end 1C).

You can get by with a lineup of solid 2C or 2/3C like Dallas/Carolina have in the regular season where over half your games are against non-contenders. But to get over the hump, you need top end centers like a McDavid/Draisatl/Barkov that you know are going to win their matchup just about every shift.

We have Macklin that projects to be able to do that, but getting another top end center is paramount when it comes to team building.

 

[Barrie22]

It is funny looking at the stats for the oilers to go along with all of the Draisaitl is just used as a winger for mcdavid talk. Mcdavid is not even top center on the team and he isn't even the 2nd center on the team by a mile.

 

[Hodge]

It is funny looking at the stats for the oilers to go along with all of the Draisaitl is just used as a winger for mcdavid talk. Mcdavid is not even top center on the team and he isn't even the 2nd center on the team by a mile.

What are you talking about? McDavid is their most used center and leading scorer.

 

[STL Shark]

Yes he did but Schaefer’s in a much different place than Mukhamadullin now isn’t he? If you are going to go off the whole we don’t know bit then we shouldn’t be moving assets and committing term for unknowns. We should try the guys we have in the fold or pay to get proven commodities.

I’m not going into this draft thinking that Schaefer will be an option for the Sharks and would be ecstatic if he did become one. And for the guys we do have, setting them up on their natural side is the best way forward.

Which is why I am all for trading for Miller in the deal that I proposed (that you said you wouldn't do because of Muk/Dickinson).

 

[OrrNumber4]

What are you talking about? McDavid is their most used center and leading scorer.

I think he meant Draisaitl.

Regarding what to do about the defense, as a rebuilding team, you have the luxury of "waiting-and-seeing" and trying different things out. But, you also want to make some progress. Just like signing Toffoli last season, I'd like the Sharks to get at least one long-term "guaranteed top-4" defenseman before the start of the season.

 

[Barrie22]

What are you talking about? McDavid is their most used center and leading scorer.

Not for the main duties of a center, and being a faceoff taker. For faceoffs he is 3rd on the team by over 400 less faceoffs compared to Draisaitl.

 

[awayonleave]

I think he meant Draisaitl.

Regarding what to do about the defense, as a rebuilding team, you have the luxury of "waiting-and-seeing" and trying different things out. But, you also want to make some progress. Just like signing Toffoli last season, I'd like the Sharks to get at least one long-term "guaranteed top-4" defenseman before the start of the season.

I just hope Grier gives out a contract similar to what he gave Wennberg, especially if it's going to be an Ekblad/Gavrikov-type defenseman.

 

[Pinkfloyd]

Which is why I am all for trading for Miller in the deal that I proposed (that you said you wouldn't do because of Muk/Dickinson).

I don’t see Miller as a more proven guy on the right side. We already have two guys at the least who should do well on the left side down the road. If we’re committing long term to someone, it should address the right side. The left side should be afforded the opportunity to play itself out.

 

[gaucholoco3]

I don’t have confidence in any of Dickinson, Miller, or Mukhamadullin to play the right side effectively when asked. Schaefer doesn’t have that issue in my mind. Has nothing to do with handedness and everything to do with position.

Muk was great on the right side this year. He has the skating and reach to be effective on his off side. Schaefer is one I don’t want to put on his off side. While he could no doubt be successful, you don’t want to limit his effectiveness by playing him on his offside.

 

[Hodge]

Not for the main duties of a center, and being a faceoff taker. For faceoffs he is 3rd on the team by over 400 less faceoffs compared to Draisaitl.

Taking faceoffs is not the main duty of a center. Most of that difference is on the power play where they play together and Drai is the #1 option for draws because he's better at it (while being worse than McDavid at pretty much everything else).

 

[Star Platinum]

So no Schaefer if he falls then because he's left handed?

There's just a slight difference between the futures of Miller and Schaefer

 

[Star Platinum]

We could honestly just fill out the roster with former Rangers who Grier would have familiarity with. Get Kreider and Copp as cheap cap dumps to flank Smith on the 2nd line, KAM and/or Lindgren as the big addition on defense and sign DeAngelo to run PP1.

I'm all for Grier never going to the Rangers well again

 

[PattyLafontaine]

I just want to fast forward the playoffs already and get to the draft and free agency. Don't care who wins the Cup. I'm ready to overreact to changes we make or don't make to this team.

I just hope I'm alive by the draft.

 

[ThePlanet]

We could honestly just fill out the roster with former Rangers who Grier would have familiarity with. Get Kreider and Copp as cheap cap dumps to flank Smith on the 2nd line, KAM and/or Lindgren as the big addition on defense and sign DeAngelo to run PP1.

I want absolutely nothing to do with DeAngelo. He's been pissing off teammates and management his entire career, and is quite possibly the last person I would ever want around our young core. There's a reason he's been jettisoned so many times.

 

[Hangemhigh]

I'm all for Grier never going to the Rangers well again

How do the Rangers start dumping their players and all Grier gets from them is Goodrow?

 

[ChompChomp]

How do the Rangers start dumping their players and all Grier gets from them is Goodrow?

It makes me think that Grier was just doing a favor with no expectations from the Rangers, which pisses me off the more I think about it.

 

[Jargon]

It makes me think that Grier was just doing a favor with no expectations from the Rangers, which pisses me off the more I think about it.

So you came up with a reason Grier did something and then got mad at your own assumption?

I think Grier took Goodrow because Grier values veterans, particularly on a team led by two VERY young rookies, it's really just that.

 

[ChompChomp]

So you came up with a reason Grier did something and then got mad at your own assumption?

Yes, because Goodrow sucks.

 

[STL Shark]

I don’t see Miller as a more proven guy on the right side. We already have two guys at the least who should do well on the left side down the road. If we’re committing long term to someone, it should address the right side. The left side should be afforded the opportunity to play itself out.

Nobody except for you is talking about the right side and Miller.

Our left side is still incomplete/unproven to where getting a surefire top 4 D-Man that's 25 years old without giving up major assets is a 100% do it move. I believe in Muk/Dickinson, but I am not waiting around for 2-3 years to see what they turn into when I could have a 25 year old top 4 guy now, especially if Miller is available at a reasonable price tag of Ferraro and a pick (with a cap dump included like Kreider).

If it gets to the point where we have too many good LHD and our coaches can't figure out how to deploy them for enough minutes on their own pairings, we've already seen Muk play on his off side with success.

I'm not willing to sit around and suck for 3 more years while we wait for defensive prospects to come along (or not). You can make the team better AND develop prospects at the same time.

 

[STL Shark]

There's just a slight difference between the futures of Miller and Schaefer

Not as much as you think. Miller is a #2 D-Man on an Eastern Conference Finalist already. Sure, Schaefer should be better, but I think people have a really dumb idea of what Miller is as a player. At his worst, he's a #3 on a Cup Caliber team.

Given the talks on Schaefer are that he's a high end #2 and maybe a #1, I don't think those differences are too large to make the comparison that we should be in the LD market for either of them (depending on cost) as opposed to just thinking we already have LD fully handled internally because of Muk/Dickinson (i.e. the point that I was refuting).

 

[Pinkfloyd]

Nobody except for you is talking about the right side and Miller.

Our left side is still incomplete/unproven to where getting a surefire top 4 D-Man that's 25 years old without giving up major assets is a 100% do it move. I believe in Muk/Dickinson, but I am not waiting around for 2-3 years to see what they turn into when I could have a 25 year old top 4 guy now, especially if Miller is available at a reasonable price tag of Ferraro and a pick (with a cap dump included like Kreider).

If it gets to the point where we have too many good LHD and our coaches can't figure out how to deploy them for enough minutes on their own pairings, we've already seen Muk play on his off side with success.

I'm not willing to sit around and suck for 3 more years while we wait for defensive prospects to come along (or not). You can make the team better AND develop prospects at the same time.

The asset cost isn’t the issue. The six years is when you have two guys at the same spot well within that time frame making the move inefficient. Just because I’m talking about and not y’all doesn’t make it an invalid point. That’s needlessly antagonistic. Miller is nowhere near the difference between sucking and not.

 

[namttebih]

Hi guys, Leaf fan here. I was wondering how Liljegren looked in a bigger role? Was he on PP1?

 

[Cas]

Hi guys, Leaf fan here. I was wondering how Liljegren looked in a bigger role? Was he on PP1?

Honestly, I don't think he looked like anything more than bottom pair depth. I do not believe the Leafs lost out on anything truly meaningful.

 

[namttebih]

Honestly, I don't think he looked like anything more than bottom pair depth. I do not believe the Leafs lost out on anything truly meaningful.

That's what we all saw as well unfortunately. I was thrilled when he dropped all the way down and we actually picked him. His decision making under pressure is his biggest weakness

 

[The Nemesis]

That's what we all saw as well unfortunately. I was thrilled when he dropped all the way down and we actually picked him. His decision making under pressure is his biggest weakness

Every so often he would have a game or make a play that makes you think "huh. there's something there."

Then you wouldn't see that again for 3 weeks.