There probably will be but it may not happen until the deadline in a couple months. I'm just confused as to why you'd send down Muk when the Barracuda don't play until Saturday but not call up a forward when Kostin and Kovalenko aren't traveling with the team to start the road trip. I'd rather Muk travel with them and sit instead of leaving a roster spot open.
If they trade Ferraro before the deadline, it will be for minimal value and done as a favor to Ferraro to get him to a playoff team a la Burns. I would be shocked if Thrun were moved at the deadline too. Hence the issue. All four of Walman, Ferraro, Thrun, and Vlasic are almost certainly here until the summer.
Other than a lucky goal, it's hard to say that he stood out in a good way from a guy like Thrun.
I think the only thing that's kept Graf up here as long as he has been is that they've been able to keep swapping out guys on injured reserve, but that's gonna end soon.
Good enough to stay in the lineup is not a real high bar to clear on this team. I think you're overstating how well he played up here.
I don't think it's that they think Thrun needs to play over Mukhamadullin. It's that Mukhamadullin didn't make a case that he is better than Thrun and so he goes back to the AHL because he doesn't need to be put on waivers. I don't think Grier has any illusions that any of our current LHD other than Walman are core pieces going into next year, especially if he's listening to offers for Ferraro.
Thrun is closing in on 100 games where as Shakir is sitting on 13.
That wouldn't really help the problem since Jones is another LD who needs to be playing in the NHL to develop/see what's there. And he wouldn't be ideal for the Sharks, anyway, as he's more offensive-oriented and from what I've seen, kind of soft and not a great defender. I feel like we already have some guys who could become that type of player (who fits on the third pair, likely at best).
Mukhamadullin wasn't exactly killing it with the Barracuda either. Go down and play at a high level and if the Sharks clear out a few LHD who aren't exactly killing it at the NHL level, make a new case for yourself when you come back.
So we now have seven goalies in the system? Georgiev, Askarov, Vanacek, Romanov, Dell, Carriere, and St. Hilaire (and I suppose Trevor Gorsuch under contract with Wichita).
There were 8 healthy defensemen on the roster. Mukhamadullin is the only one who is waiver exempt. Hence he was sent down. This isn't some mystery.
Not the point! The point is that there shouldn't be seven healthy waiver-eligible defensemen on this roster when you have a 23 year old defense prospect that needs NHL ice time.
So what's the solution? Break Vlasic's knees? 2-3 of these defensemen will be traded by the deadline and Shak will get his minutes.
Yes. Or waive Thrun. Or make the years-overdue Ferraro trade.
Yes the issue is not with the RD that will be traded. This will be the same issue next year in one of Walman, Ferraro, or Thrun are not moved in the offseason.
Who do you think will get called up for the final 20 games of the season after the Ceci trade?
Honestly? It might be Thompson. I don't think Warsofsky has played a lefty on the right side all season.
I don't think the LD vs. RD thing matters in this case. All our LD can play the right side if necessary so even if they are all brought back for next season that doesn't squeeze out Shak.
Thompson is not getting called up over Mukhamadullin. Warso hasn't needed to play a lefty on the right side since he has had Ceci, Rutta and Liljegren/Benning at his disposal the entire season. That changes if one or more of them are traded.
I disagree. While this team needs to focus on developing young players it also needs to raise the floor on its overall performance. You don’t do that with too many rookies and reclamation projects in the lineup. With the current roster, both Thompson and Mukhamadullin have played 20-25% of the games because of injuries. I also expect Ceci and Rutta to be traded at the deadline giving Shakir less competition for playing time. As it stands, I don’t think it’s a bad thing to ask a player to outplay guys like Thrun or Ferraro to earn ice time. How about, go dominate for the Cuda (has he done that?) then come take a job.
Mukhamadullin hasn't looked very good, and the Sharks' defense is jammed, so it makes sense that he's been demoted. Carrots and sticks only work when, occasionally, you actually use the stick!
