Does(Has) the core lack(ed) grit?

[SJeasy]

Really the Sharks depth isn't terrible. It's not great, but other teams have worse. The top 6 and defense, both of which should be very good, are more worrisome to me. They just seem to be getting the least out of their players on all fronts.

edit: except the pk.

Statistically, the scoring on the lower lines is pathetic. It has been since JT arrived with the short term exception of Mitchell/Pavelski/Wellwood. That has been shown statistically on more than one site. Bottom ten or worse in the league. Their blueline has barely been better for goals. Sure Boyle scores, but the rest of the crew is subpar. The Sharks have been carried by their top 2 lines for a long time.

For a quick rule of thumb, average for the bottom two lines of any team over a season is 60 goals spread over 6 forwards. For good teams, there is usually one bottom 6er with 20 goals. The Sharks have not been close to this standard since Thornton/Ricci/Cheech. For this season, you can use a 1.6 multiplier for projected goal totals over a season and you can go to TSN for projected goals for all of the individual players.

The above is part of why I don't buy the noise about Sheppard, Galiardi, etc. being OK. A true third liner should be good for 30 pts over 82 games. A true fourth liner should be around 10 to 15.

 

[OrrNumber4]

Statistically, the scoring on the lower lines is pathetic. It has been since JT arrived with the short term exception of Mitchell/Pavelski/Wellwood. That has been shown statistically on more than one site. Bottom ten or worse in the league. Their blueline has barely been better for goals. Sure Boyle scores, but the rest of the crew is subpar. The Sharks have been carried by their top 2 lines for a long time.

For a quick rule of thumb, average for the bottom two lines of any team over a season is 60 goals spread over 6 forwards. For good teams, there is usually one bottom 6er with 20 goals. The Sharks have not been close to this standard since Thornton/Ricci/Cheech. For this season, you can use a 1.6 multiplier for projected goal totals over a season and you can go to TSN for projected goals for all of the individual players.

The above is part of why I don't buy the noise about Sheppard, Galiardi, etc. being OK. A true third liner should be good for 30 pts over 82 games. A true fourth liner should be around 10 to 15.

Though scoring is down league-wide...

 

[Pinkfloyd]

Statistically, the scoring on the lower lines is pathetic. It has been since JT arrived with the short term exception of Mitchell/Pavelski/Wellwood. That has been shown statistically on more than one site. Bottom ten or worse in the league. Their blueline has barely been better for goals. Sure Boyle scores, but the rest of the crew is subpar. The Sharks have been carried by their top 2 lines for a long time.

For a quick rule of thumb, average for the bottom two lines of any team over a season is 60 goals spread over 6 forwards. For good teams, there is usually one bottom 6er with 20 goals. The Sharks have not been close to this standard since Thornton/Ricci/Cheech. For this season, you can use a 1.6 multiplier for projected goal totals over a season and you can go to TSN for projected goals for all of the individual players.

The above is part of why I don't buy the noise about Sheppard, Galiardi, etc. being OK. A true third liner should be good for 30 pts over 82 games. A true fourth liner should be around 10 to 15.

The problem with Sheppard and Galiardi have been they haven't been in the lineup and when they have, they don't get the minutes. Sheppard is among the bottom three of regular forwards in minutes per game. Galiardi gets significantly less time than Handzus and is 11th among forwards in ice time...12th if you include Burns.

The simple reality among the bottom six, especially this year, is that they simply don't get an opportunity to gel and become cohesive enough to anticipate what the linemates will do.

The depth players need the help from the coaches more than anyone on this team. And what helps from that angle is consistency especially if you're not going to put a top producer with them to help it out. You can't expect chemistry to be manufactured like lightning in a bottle. It takes time and they haven't given them that at all. How many times over the course of this season has the bottom six had set lines from one game to the next, let alone finish a week of games the same way? It never does.

 

[SJeasy]

Though scoring is down league-wide...

Yes, but not that much. The top teams are still on pace for last year's rate.

The problem with Sheppard and Galiardi have been they haven't been in the lineup and when they have, they don't get the minutes. Sheppard is among the bottom three of regular forwards in minutes per game. Galiardi gets significantly less time than Handzus and is 11th among forwards in ice time...12th if you include Burns.

The simple reality among the bottom six, especially this year, is that they simply don't get an opportunity to gel and become cohesive enough to anticipate what the linemates will do.

The depth players need the help from the coaches more than anyone on this team. And what helps from that angle is consistency especially if you're not going to put a top producer with them to help it out. You can't expect chemistry to be manufactured like lightning in a bottle. It takes time and they haven't given them that at all. How many times over the course of this season has the bottom six had set lines from one game to the next, let alone finish a week of games the same way? It never does.

The shuffle is partly at fault, but you can take the rate by minutes to find who rates out as 3rd and who as 4th. Gomez and Wingels are certainly 3rd. Burish and Sheppard 4th. I also agree that part of the problem is how these guys are played. The coach can tell them to freeze the puck in the ozone as a strategy. He can remove their ozone starts and lots of other things that reduce scoring opportunities. Things like very short shifts for the lower lines.

I will say that it looks like TM has pressed the panic button and the TOI for the top 2 lines is starting to rise.