Around the NHL XXXIX

[Blacephalon]

Dang, San Jose is probably gonna win

 

[Gil Gunderson]

Sharks are back and the rest of the Pacific sucks again!

 

[Sensfan4life]

Sharks are back and the rest of the Pacific sucks again!

EK with another point and +3.

5 points and +8 in his last 5 games.

 

[Mark Stones Spleen]

It was a lot more fun before SJ won 5 straight

We can't have anything nice.

 

[stempniaksen]

Sharks have won 5 straight and are still in the bottom-10, with the teams being them having games in hand in most cases. They aren't out of the water yet. Crazy how big of a hole they dug themselves.

People expecting a top-5 pick might need to re-calibrate, but this could still be a lottery pick.

 

[Silencio]

Sharks have won 5 straight and are still in the bottom-10, with the teams being them having games in hand in most cases. They aren't out of the water yet. Crazy how big of a hole they dug themselves.

People expecting a top-5 pick might need to re-calibrate, but this could still be a lottery pick.

Yeah this is also a pretty easy month for them schedule wise.

 

[AchtzehnBaby]

EK with another point and +3.

5 points and +8 in his last 5 games.

I bet he put that article up in his locker

 

[Sensfan4life]

I bet he put that article up in his locker

Or he is a notoriously slow starter who underwent some major off ice distractions in the 1st month of the season and is now returning to his usual elite level of play as things in his life settle down.

 

[BonkTastic]

Or he is a notoriously slow starter who underwent some major off ice distractions in the 1st month of the season and is now returning to his usual elite level of play as things in his life settle down.

Man, get out of here with all that context.

 

[Alex1234]

LA won over DET in OT so thats that
Plus MIN won too
But obviously someone has to kidnap Pageau

 

[Icelevel]

This just in,
Erik karlsson, Tomas Hertl, Timo Meier, Evander Kane, Brent Burns, Logan Couture, Patrick Marleau, Kevin Labanc etc are good hockey players

 

[Sensfan4life]

This just in,
Erik karlsson, Tomas Hertl, Timo Meier, Evander Kane, Brent Burns, Logan Couture, Patrick Marleau, Kevin Labanc etc are good hockey players

Playoff team.

If they get any goaltending, cup contender.

 

[Nac Mac Feegle]

I think a lot of HF Sens posters are going to have ulcers by the time this season is over.

The picks will be whatever they'll be (Que será, será). Our bigger concern should be Belleville and making sure the kids we do have are on track.

 

[Alex1234]

This just in,
Erik karlsson, Tomas Hertl, Timo Meier, Evander Kane, Brent Burns, Logan Couture, Patrick Marleau, Kevin Labanc etc are good hockey players

Hertl is hurt(l) though

 

[BatherSeason]

Or he is a notoriously slow starter who underwent some major off ice distractions in the 1st month of the season and is now returning to his usual elite level of play as things in his life settle down.

Seems more like the SJ goalies are stopping a few more pucks. When a guy plays almost half the game and his goalies can't stop a beach ball, the "minus" numbers get inflated quick quickly.

 

[The Devilish Buffoon]

Hertl is hurt(l) though

Did he get hurt yesterday? I saw him score two goals last night but I did not watch the 3rd

Seems more like the SJ goalies are stopping a few more pucks. When a guy plays almost half the game and his goalies can't stop a beach ball, the "minus" numbers get inflated quick quickly.

This is obviously part of it but Karlsson was playing the worst hockey of his life earlier this season. I am a huge fan and still hold on hope that he will return to being one of the best players in the world, and it was legitimately painful to watch him earlier this year

 

[Sensfan4life]

Did he get hurt yesterday? I saw him score two goals last night but I did not watch the 3rd



This is obviously part of it but Karlsson was playing the worst hockey of his life earlier this season. I am a huge fan and still hold on hope that he will return to being one of the best players in the world, and it was legitimately painful to watch him earlier this year

He is back in form.

 

[The Devilish Buffoon]

He is back in form.

He's looked elite, but not quite vintage. There was a time where he was up there with Crosby and McDavid, the best player on the ice every time he played.

 

[Micklebot]

Or he is a notoriously slow starter who underwent some major off ice distractions in the 1st month of the season and is now returning to his usual elite level of play as things in his life settle down.

Both can be true...

That said, in terms of him being a notorious slow starter, idk. I think that reputation is a bit unfair when you look back with all the context.

2011-12: Pre all star and post allstar were both similar in terms of production. He was over a pt per game in October with 13 pts in 12 games, so not really a slow start, though he did go into god mode for Feb with 18 pts in 12.

2012-13: Only played 17 games, but his first 14 before the injury were considered some on his most complete and best play of his career. Pts were a bit down, in part likely because Spezza got injured, but again, I certainly wouldn't call his level of play a "slow start" that year.

2013-14: Definitely had a slow start, but this was coming off surgery and clearly not fully recovered.

2014-15: This year he was healthy and did have what I would consider a slow start, but as always there is a caveat; Methot was holding out, so he was playing with a mix of Boro, Phillips and Cowen. Upon Methot's full time return in Jan, things turned around.

2015-16: Karlsson got off to a hot start with 26 pts in his first 23 games and was pretty consistent in terms of production throughout.

2016-17: Another pretty balanced season. Pt per game in October, a slight downturn in Nov, but otherwise fairly balanced year.

2017-18: Coming back from offseason surgery, he actually had a really quick start in production but cooled off quick. He was clearly not 100% until late in the season.

2018-19: Started slow adapting to a new SJ system. Turned it on before getting injured.

2019-20: Started slow along with the rest of the team, seems to be turning it on.

 

[GCK]

Playoff team.

If they get any goaltending, cup contender.

Lol, they are not a playoff team. The max out at 6th in the division and 10th in the conference. They are better than Anaheim and LA in division, but the 3 Canadian teams along with Arizona and Vegas are better. In the Central STL, Nash, Col and Dallas are better. Winnipeg was better before the injuries and Big Buff leaving. If SJ hits injuries to Burns or Couture they will be in huge trouble.

 

[Icelevel]

He's looked elite, but not quite vintage. There was a time where he was up there with Crosby and McDavid, the best player on the ice every time he played.

The period of time right before that scum of the earth matt the complete moronic ahole cooke intentionally cut his leg open, he was playing absolutely incredible hockey. Up and down the ice at twice the speed of everyone else. All game long.

 

[The Devilish Buffoon]

The period of time right before that scum of the earth matt the complete moronic ahole cooke intentionally cut his leg open

Definitely then, but he's gotten to that level since then. Just hasn't been able to maintain it for a full season.

 

[Icelevel]

Definitely then, but he's gotten to that level since then. Just hasn't been able to maintain it for a full season.

I’m not sure about that.

 

[HSF]

Sharks are really talented

again the people who were selling them short after 1 month into the season are going to be eating crow soon.

They have two ELITE defensemen and they have depth talent upfront Meier, Hertl, Kane, Couture, Labanc

 

[The Devilish Buffoon]

I’m not sure about that.

2016-2017, at the end of the year and throughout the playoffs he was right up there as arguably the best player in the league, and he was bringing it every night.

Sharks are really talented

again the people who were selling them short after 1 month into the season are going to be eating crow soon.

They have two ELITE defensemen and they have depth talent upfront Meier, Hertl, Kane, Couture, Labanc

Replacing Heed with Simek is a huge upgrade too. You're going from a #7 D to a #4/5.