Speculation: 2023-24 Sharks Roster Discussion

[OrrNumber4]

I’d give Kovalenko and Kostin a try but I can also see them moving on. Warsofsky’s interview the other day talks about Kostin’s potential and I agree, actually, I think he has the ability to be really, really good. He hasn’t put it together yet but if Warsofsky thinks he can get them there he’s worth the experiment.

Kovalenko I don’t super get - I think he started off very well, then got dropped for no real reason down to the bottom 6, then got hurt and sort of fell off. Maybe it’s the whole “effort/defense” thing, I’m not sure. Grier obviously loved him and Wars seems to like him… less, so I can see them moving on if Wars doesn’t want him.

Grier seems to like Kovalenko (and Kovalenko has a higher reputation around the league). I think he's earned another contract.

But everyone's fuse with Kostin should be blown. He's gotten multiple opportunities and squandered them. As an organization, you can't hold on to "potential" forever.

Kostin hasn't proven anything, and his opportunities should be given to someone else. If Warsofsky thinks he can get something out of Kostin at this point, it's simply due to his size related tunnel vision.

Very well said.

 

[Juxtaposer]

He either would really want to be here or have no interest in being here. Not much grey there I don't think. Could either be a positive or negative place for him with the tragedy of his dad passing away and the memories in SJ.

Right, you'd be counting on some sort of affection for the org for Mason to waive to come here, I think.

 

[TheBeard]

Kostin and Kovalenko are the same player in that they're both mid 20s and they'll both always frustrate you by expecting more.

 

[Red Light Lover]

I think we should just walk away from every RFA/UFA period save for Shak.

Qualifying Kostin at $2.2M would be insane. The guy has 1 goal in 34 games and is useless defensively.

Maybe Kovalenko is worth keeping around but he hasn't really done anything to make a case for himself either.

When a team is this bad, if it's not a "hell yes" on bringing a player back it should be a no.

This is generally my take too. Though I might also consider Thompson, Romanov and Carriere for the bodies on the backend.

 

[gaucholoco3]

Everyone who is frustrated with Kostin needs to realize that is the likely future of at least one of Halttunen, Chernyshov, and Musty.

I do think there is talent there with Kostin but he needs to play with 2 other players drivers. The problem is that the Sharks have only 2 play driving forwards right now and I don’t think Kostin should play with Eklund and Celebrini instead of Toffoli.

Granted I could see Kostin being productive and successful with those 2.

 

[STL Shark]

Everyone who is frustrated with Kostin needs to realize that is the likely future of at least one of Halttunen, Chernyshov, and Musty.

I do think there is talent there with Kostin but he needs to play with 2 other players drivers. The problem is that the Sharks have only 2 play driving forwards right now and I don’t think Kostin should play with Eklund and Celebrini instead of Toffoli.

Granted I could see Kostin being productive and successful with those 2.

It's fine if that is their style initially. If they're still that guy at almost 26 with 200 games and 4-5 years of NHL experience then we will need to cut bait with them too. Kostin will keep getting chances because of the physical package, but mentally he doesn't think the game at a high level and that is his issue.

 

[Hodge]

Kostin and Kovalenko are the same player in that they're both mid 20s and they'll both always frustrate you by expecting more.

At least Kovalenko has the excuse of being a rookie smurf. Kostin hasn't figured out how to use his size effectively after 4 NHL seasons and 7 years in NA.

 

[OrrNumber4]

Everyone who is frustrated with Kostin needs to realize that is the likely future of at least one of Halttunen, Chernyshov, and Musty.

Yeah, that's certainly a worry.

I do think there is talent there with Kostin but he needs to play with 2 other players drivers. The problem is that the Sharks have only 2 play driving forwards right now and I don’t think Kostin should play with Eklund and Celebrini instead of Toffoli.

Granted I could see Kostin being productive and successful with those 2.

Even if this is true, there exists an abundance of players who could succeed next to that kind of talent.

Plus, while I don't disagree that Kostin lacks hockey sense, I'm not sure his work ethic/attitude is up to snuff. Too often he'll try and make the skill play when he should just use his size.

 

[TheBeard]

I personally like Kostin. I also understand how easy it would be to dislike him if you're constantly expecting him to evolve into a premiere power forward.

 

[hohosaregood]

I almost like Kostin but he's kinda like a lesser Liljegren where he's almost really good but he f***s up just enough to not build consistency

 

[Cas]

I dislike Kostin because he's not an NHL-quality forward and isn't going to be. He's almost 26, has played nearly 200 NHL games, and peaked as a mediocre third liner three seasons ago. He belongs in the AHL or KHL, because he does not have the skill set to play in a defensive bottom six role, and does not have the motor or talent to play in a middle six scoring role.

 

[Jargon]

I personally like Kostin. I also understand how easy it would be to dislike him if you're constantly expecting him to evolve into a premiere power forward.

Same, yeah.

 

[weastern bias]

Kostin is upsetting because he has all the physical tools to be a high level complimentary piece but neither the processing ability nor the consistent effort to use those tools to his advantage

When you see his combination of size, speed and skill you'd think he could be a great plug-and-play-up-and-down-the-lineup guy who can be a pest in front of the net next to a couple of top-6ers or an effective bottom-6 wrecking ball, but he's constantly floating around without any mind to the play at hand, he's just disengaged from the events around him on the ice like 90% of the time (100% of the time on defense where he is just truly awful)

Those few moments where he flashes brilliance only make him that much more annoying because he shows you a glimpse at the alternate timeline where he could have been Boston Milan Lucic, instead you're lucky of he plays as well as Calgary Milan Lucic, he's a bummer to watch

 

[Jargon]

I think ultimately Grier is pretty aggressive about ripping off the band-aid and jettisoning guys he doesn’t think play the way he wants them to play. Kostin hasn’t learned it consistently, so he’s likely gone. Kovalenko is dependent on whether Warsofsky wants him, I think. I imagine Grier would give him another chance.

Otherwise, I think Hodge is likely right that most of the guys are gone. I think Grier will be pretty aggressive this summer.

 

[cheechoo]

Kostin and Kovalenko are the same player in that they're both mid 20s and they'll both always frustrate you by expecting more.

I think Kovalenko back on another prove it deal is worth the gamble, it's stern to expect him to really be standing out so far and we've seen in the past some guys really do need that second season to start feeling comfortable.

He flashed some chemistry with Mack early on and seems do to everything somewhat okay at a moderate level, even if unspectacular.

The track record of brutal inconsistency with Kostin is getting extensive though. I think it's best we part ways.

 

[TheBeard]

I think Kovalenko back on another prove it deal is worth the gamble, it's stern to expect him to really be standing out so far and we've seen in the past some guys really do need that second season to start feeling comfortable.

He flashed some chemistry with Mack early on and seems do to everything somewhat okay at a moderate level, even if unspectacular.

The track record of brutal inconsistency with Kostin is getting extensive though. I think it's best we part ways.

I wouldn’t be surprised and I wouldn’t hate it, but I don’t care all too much either way.

 

[ThePlanet]

I love the fact that Kunin has been gone ten days, and we've already found out next dead horse.

 

[weastern bias]

I love the fact that Kunin has been gone ten days, and we've already found out next dead horse.

IMO the dead horse is losing our minds over the Zetterlund trade

 

[CHALUPA]

IMO the dead horse is losing our minds over the Zetterlund trade

Maybe the real dead horse is the friends we made along the way…

 

[Hodge]

IMO the dead horse is losing our minds over the Zetterlund trade

A literal dead horse would be getting more ice time than Zetterlund on the Senators

 

[TheBeard]

A literal dead horse would be getting more ice time than Zetterlund on the Senators

I think it's really because the team is clicking now so they're not gonna make changes until they have to

 

[Hodge]

I think it's really because the team is clicking now so they're not gonna make changes until they have to

For sure but I also think Sharks fans overrated him for reasons that have nothing to do with his impact on the ice (friendship with Eklund, being part of the Meier return, etc.)

 

[coooldude]

I love the fact that Kunin has been gone ten days, and we've already found out next dead horse.

The King is Dead, Long Live the King!

 

[TheBeard]

For sure but I also think Sharks fans overrated him for reasons that have nothing to do with his impact on the ice (friendship with Eklund, being part of the Meier return, etc.)

Ottawa isn't giving up a 2nd and a prospect just for a 4th liner playing 9 minutes a game. I know you know better than that.

 

[Hodge]

Ottawa isn't giving up a 2nd and a prospect just for a 4th liner playing 9 minutes a game. I know you know better than that.

The GM who made the trade doesn't set the line combinations and they didn't actually give up a 2nd, they traded down from like 50th to 97th overall.

Zetterlund still helps them as a 4th liner/2nd PP unit guy who can move up into the top nine in case of injury.