GDT: 2023-24 Other Games Around The League

[WSS11]

and the difference between it not going 7 was losing hertl early in the series.

Yep. Hertl-Thornton-Pavs were a force that playoffs year

 

[Barrie22]

Yep. Hertl-Thornton-Pavs were a force that playoffs year

And was the only line getting offensive zone pressure when paired with the right defensive pairing.

But for whatever reason the coach decided to have Thornton and that line babysit the worst defensive pairing in the entire league.

 

[LadyStanley]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1801633319366414616

Fill in hockey, for those who are suffering from withdrawal

 

[Juxtaposer]

And was the only line getting offensive zone pressure when paired with the right defensive pairing.

But for whatever reason the coach decided to have Thornton and that line babysit the worst defensive pairing in the entire league.

Yup, the downfall of that series was the Hertl injury and the complete ineptitude of Roman Polak.

If Hertl hadn’t gotten hurt on a dirty-ass play (I feel like it was maybe Malkin who kneed him?), resulting in Donskoi and
Marleau being moved up to the first and second lines respectively, and Doug Wilson hadn’t given DeBoer a shiny new Polak to play over the far superior Dylan DeMelo, it would have been a pretty even series. The Dillon-Polak pairing neutered the Thornton line and Donskoi moving up ruined the depth.

As it was, series was totally one-sided other than Jones.

 

[Lebanezer]

Yup, the downfall of that series was the Hertl injury and the complete ineptitude of Roman Polak.

If Hertl hadn’t gotten hurt on a dirty-ass play (I feel like it was maybe Malkin who kneed him?), resulting in Donskoi and
Marleau being moved up to the first and second lines respectively, and Doug Wilson hadn’t given DeBoer a shiny new Polak to play over the far superior Dylan DeMelo, it would have been a pretty even series. The Dillon-Polak pairing neutered the Thornton line and Donskoi moving up ruined the depth.

As it was, series was totally one-sided other than Jones.

Wasn't it Hornqvist?

Edit: Of course it was.

https://thehockeynews.com/news/sharks-hertl-suffered-right-knee-injury-in-game-2-but-will-avoid-surgery

 

[Juxtaposer]

Wasn't it Hornqvist?

Edit: Of course it was.

https://thehockeynews.com/news/sharks-hertl-suffered-right-knee-injury-in-game-2-but-will-avoid-surgery

Yup, you’re totally right.

 

[OrrNumber4]

Yup, the downfall of that series was the Hertl injury and the complete ineptitude of Roman Polak.

If Hertl hadn’t gotten hurt on a dirty-ass play (I feel like it was maybe Malkin who kneed him?), resulting in Donskoi and
Marleau being moved up to the first and second lines respectively, and Doug Wilson hadn’t given DeBoer a shiny new Polak to play over the far superior Dylan DeMelo, it would have been a pretty even series. The Dillon-Polak pairing neutered the Thornton line and Donskoi moving up ruined the depth.

As it was, series was totally one-sided other than Jones.

I think this is a lot of revisionism WRT DeMelo. Everyone loves their shiny prospects, but don't forget that once DeMelo got more responsibility the next two seasons he struggled mightily. I have confidence that DeBoer knew this and hence didn't dare play him in the playoffs.

 

[Hodge]

Polak was part of the reason we even got to the SCF in the first place.

As with all DW teams, the forward depth was an absolute joke. I'm pretty sure Spaling and Zubrus never played in the NHL again. Melker never belonged in the NHL to begin with. Tierney was probably one of the worst 3Cs in the league.

 

[SjMilhouse]

Yup, the downfall of that series was the Hertl injury and the complete ineptitude of Roman Polak.

If Hertl hadn’t gotten hurt on a dirty-ass play (I feel like it was maybe Malkin who kneed him?), resulting in Donskoi and
Marleau being moved up to the first and second lines respectively, and Doug Wilson hadn’t given DeBoer a shiny new Polak to play over the far superior Dylan DeMelo, it would have been a pretty even series. The Dillon-Polak pairing neutered the Thornton line and Donskoi moving up ruined the depth.

As it was, series was totally one-sided other than Jones.

I've never felt quite as anxious/stressed as I did that series every time Polak touched the ice. I swear, every single shift that pairing was getting absolutely buried and just doing everything they could to get off the ice without giving up a goal. It was wild to watch

 

[Alaskanice]

I think this is a lot of revisionism WRT DeMelo. Everyone loves their shiny prospects, but don't forget that once DeMelo got more responsibility the next two seasons he struggled mightily. I have confidence that DeBoer knew this and hence didn't dare play him in the playoffs.

I know it’s not a popular stance to take here but I’m a believer that Polak was a force in the first 3 rounds. Demelo wouldn’t have been that. He’s just not a physical player as Roman was. That was vital in the playoffs.

 

[ChompChomp]

I know it’s not a popular stance to take here but I’m a believer that Polak was a force in the first 3 rounds. Demelo wouldn’t have been that. He’s just not a physical player as Roman was. That was vital in the playoffs.

Yes that was vital through the West Playoffs. But PDB should have had the sense to appreciate that Polak was not what was needed against the speedy Pens. Especially as that series progressed.

Of course, history has borne out that Peter DeDumbass is terrible when it comes to adjustments in a playoff series or from series to series. He is the king of "well it worked against x team, so it will work against y team." And then when it's not working against y team, "I'm just going to keep at it. Everything will figure itself out." But it usually doesn't lol.

 

[OrrNumber4]

Of course, history has borne out that Peter DeDumbass is terrible when it comes to adjustments in a playoff series or from series to series. He is the king of "well it worked against x team, so it will work against y team." And then when it's not working against y team, "I'm just going to keep at it. Everything will figure itself out." But it usually doesn't lol.

DeBoer is actually fantastic at making adjustments. His mistake against the Pens was that he waited until after game 1. He should have come in realizing that Pittsburgh was a different beast.

 

[Juxtaposer]

Polak was part of the reason we even got to the SCF in the first place.

As with all DW teams, the forward depth was an absolute joke. I'm pretty sure Spaling and Zubrus never played in the NHL again. Melker never belonged in the NHL to begin with. Tierney was probably one of the worst 3Cs in the league.

Wildly untrue, Polak was garbage from the day he got to SJ.

 

[Alaskanice]

Wildly untrue, Polak was garbage from the day he got to SJ.

To call him garbage is extreme. He wasn’t brought here to supplant Burns.
He was brought to be a third pairing with Dillon to be physical and hit through players and kill penalties. He did that. For 3 rounds.
Was he overmatched against the Penguins? Yes. So were many of our players. But all of these players brought us to the only Stanley Cup final we’ve been in.
I see no garbage there.

 

[LadyStanley]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1801737660479738209

 

[Barrie22]

To call him garbage is extreme. He wasn’t brought here to supplant Burns.
He was brought to be a third pairing with Dillon to be physical and hit through players and kill penalties. He did that. For 3 rounds.
Was he overmatched against the Penguins? Yes. So were many of our players. But all of these players brought us to the only Stanley Cup final we’ve been in.
I see no garbage there.

He hit (as much as Pavelski), but he for sure didn't make a difference on the PK. Him and Dillon were the only Sharks to be a minus player (that takes a extra special kind of player to do that).

Nearly every single stat that pairing is at the very worst on the team. There is no stat or footage of those 2 that shows they were a key part of that team making the cup finals.

 

[Alaskanice]

He hit (as much as Pavelski), but he for sure didn't make a difference on the PK. Him and Dillon were the only Sharks to be a minus player (that takes a extra special kind of player to do that).

Nearly every single stat that pairing is at the very worst on the team. There is no stat or footage of those 2 that shows they were a key part of that team making the cup finals.

I didn’t claim he was key to the team making the finals. I agree with that even so. He did what he was brought to do. Necessary in the playoffs. Someone has to be the worst, even on Stanley Cup winning teams. Everyone has a part.

 

[Juxtaposer]

An oldie but a goodie.

 

[DG93]

View attachment 882956
An oldie but a goodie.

But Polak big and make hits, no compute

 

[karltonian]

Yup, the downfall of that series was the Hertl injury and the complete ineptitude of Roman Polak.

If Hertl hadn’t gotten hurt on a dirty-ass play (I feel like it was maybe Malkin who kneed him?), resulting in Donskoi and
Marleau being moved up to the first and second lines respectively, and Doug Wilson hadn’t given DeBoer a shiny new Polak to play over the far superior Dylan DeMelo, it would have been a pretty even series. The Dillon-Polak pairing neutered the Thornton line and Donskoi moving up ruined the depth.

As it was, series was totally one-sided other than Jones.

I know it's already been mentioned but it was Hornqvist and he will always be garbage to me for it.

Regarding Polak, he was an example of intangibles IMO. His physicality WAS a factor in making the finals however it was completely nullified by the Pens in the finals.

 

[hohosaregood]

Man Dougie was so bad at acquiring depth players. So many guys like Spaling and Tye McGinn and Hansen whose careers basically ended after their stint in SJ

 

[DG93]

Man Dougie was so bad at acquiring depth players. So many guys like Spaling and Tye McGinn and Hansen whose careers basically ended after their stint in SJ

Yep, two massive weaknesses in his GMing (acquiring depth/goaltending and coaching hires) that buried some very good f***ing Sharks teams. Oh well...

 

[Bizz]

Man Dougie was so bad at acquiring depth players. So many guys like Spaling and Tye McGinn and Hansen whose careers basically ended after their stint in SJ

He was bad at acquiring players period. He just lucked out on Thornton, Boyle, Ward, and Burns. Everything else has been varying levels of disaster.

 

[hotcabbagesoup]

Yep, two massive weaknesses in his GMing (acquiring depth/goaltending and coaching hires) that buried some very good f***ing Sharks teams. Oh well...

Don't let your "oh wells" stay "oh well."

Join our Sharks support group where our job is to remind people that Dougie and Dougie Jr. (aka Dumb and Dumber) ruined our only chance at a Cup with his horrific signings. And to effusively praise all the moves our new savior Mike Grier makes as he rids us of all of Junior's draft picks one by one. You can ask Hodge for an application, he's the Secretary. Of course, he wants the President position like Snape wants the Defense Against the Dark Arts position but not yet.

 

[Jargon]

Don't let your "oh wells" stay "oh well."

Join our Sharks support group where our job is to remind people that Dougie and Dougie Jr. (aka Dumb and Dumber) ruined our only chance at a Cup with his horrific signings. And to effusively praise all the moves our new savior Mike Grier makes as he rids us of all of Junior's draft picks one by one. You can ask Hodge for an application, he's the Secretary. Of course, he wants the President position like Snape wants the Defense Against the Dark Arts position but not yet.

come at the secretary you better not miss