Does it surprize you to learn the Sharks would be on pace for a 100 point season?

[AnderFunk]

With 44 points in 36 games, we are averaging 1.222 points per game which would be equivalent to over 100 points when extrapolated to an 82 game season.

Are you surprized the Sharks record is that good?

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[Gene Parmesan]

Considering how awful they played in February, I am. They did shed the slowest skaters on the team (Murray, Handzus, Clowe) and added more speed to the line up. They no longer try and play a slow grind game on the boards. Its more transition play and quick set ups but still strong on the boards. They can forecheck harder due now because they have guys that can get on the puck carrier quickly. Its like watching two different teams. They are playing better now than they were during the 7-0-0 start.

 

[SharksAddict]

Heh, would have never guessed. Easy to lose sight with the shortened season. I suppose two 6-game+ winning streaks will do that.

 

[CrazedZooChimp]

Yep, definitely didn't realize that after February. Thank goodness for all those shootouts. Aren't we below .500 when only looking at ROW and ROL (is that a thing?) though?

 

[Kitten Mittons]

No, I extrapolate the numbers myself all the time

Someone learned a big word.

 

[Alwalys]

Yes and no. Obviously we must be doing pretty well if we're talking about how the 3rd seed is always a conference winner so we can't get that seed ... but yeah the short season plays tricks on the mind. Each game swings our fortunes so wildly.

I guess when you think about it, each game is worth about double, so for a game we get 1 point in, it's equal to a win and a loss in a normal season. So for all those games we got 1 point, it was like alternating wins and losses, which isn't nearly as bad.

 

[ChompChomp]

With 44 points in 36 games, we are averaging 1.222 points per game which would be equivalent to over 100 points when extrapolated to an 82 game season.

Are you surprized the Sharks record is that good?

It's easy to extrapolate that with the current 6 game win streak. What was the point extrapolation immediately prior to the win streak?

I'm guessing it wasn't even close to 90. (Edit: Did the math with 32 points in 30 games, comes out to 87.4 points).

 

[Audio Outlaw]

I'm just glad the Sharks are winning again. February was awful. Wasn't it in February last season as well when the Sharks had that miserable road stretch that cost them the division?

 

[JoeThorntonsRooster]

They aren't really "doing that well"

They're currently still in the lower portion of the league in ROW, I know they're somewhere around 5-10 in points percentage but that's due to a lot of Shootout wins and Shootout losses.

Points are an incredibly flawed number IMO, I think that ROW is the most important statistic here.

 

[Juxtaposer]

Yes. This team sucks.

 

[SJeasy]

The Sharks are a very two-faced team right now, home and road. Very dramatic differential.

 

[Brent Burns]

Snoop dogg thread title

 

[Alwalys]

They aren't really "doing that well"

They're currently still in the lower portion of the league in ROW, I know they're somewhere around 5-10 in points percentage but that's due to a lot of Shootout wins and Shootout losses.

Points are an incredibly flawed number IMO, I think that ROW is the most important statistic here.

Actually I would say that this season points are probably more indicative than ROW, since points are the larger sample and there isn't any cross-conference play. Looking at the teams above us in ROW and I see at least 9 we are better than.

 

[one2gamble]

The Sharks are a very two-faced team right now, home and road. Very dramatic differential.

bi-polar in more ways than one. Road vs Home, first 6 games vs the next 25 vs the last 6.

 

[Hatrick Marleau]

I'm not surprised. I knew from day 1 that this team would set a record for points in a season had it been a full 82 games.

 

[hockeyball]

The Sharks are a very two-faced team right now, home and road. Very dramatic differential.

They really haven't played much with this system on the road though, so i think that's tough to quantify at the moment.

It's hard to understate how dramatic the shift in strategy is. It's the kind o thing you see with a new coach, which really makes me wonder what happened. They went from a conservative, prevent, cycle and grind puck possession strategy to a north-south, transition, score on the rush strategy overnight. It's exactly what they needed to do (and most of us have been saying), but what prompted it? Did Wilson come down and tell Todd to play the other system? Or this new system? Did Todd just have a sudden epiphany? I dunno.

Either way, the Sharks are playing the kind of hockey they started the season with, and the kind of hockey this team is suited for. Sadly, I'm not sure we have the personnel to get it done at this point but my projections are a LOT higher than they were a month ago. The special teams are fantastic, the scoring is where it should be, everyone is producing now as they should... I really don't see anything to complain about.

 

[Alwalys]

The amount of breakaways has gone through the roof!

 

[JoeThorntonsRooster]

They really haven't played much with this system on the road though, so i think that's tough to quantify at the moment.

It's hard to understate how dramatic the shift in strategy is. It's the kind o thing you see with a new coach, which really makes me wonder what happened. They went from a conservative, prevent, cycle and grind puck possession strategy to a north-south, transition, score on the rush strategy overnight. It's exactly what they needed to do (and most of us have been saying), but what prompted it? Did Wilson come down and tell Todd to play the other system? Or this new system? Did Todd just have a sudden epiphany? I dunno.

Either way, the Sharks are playing the kind of hockey they started the season with, and the kind of hockey this team is suited for. Sadly, I'm not sure we have the personnel to get it done at this point but my projections are a LOT higher than they were a month ago. The special teams are fantastic, the scoring is where it should be, everyone is producing now as they should... I really don't see anything to complain about.

The first game with the new system was the 5-3 win in Anaheim after Douglas Murray was traded. And they looked the same way they have every game, except for maybe the 3-2 win against Phoenix.

And I think that Todd basically was told that after Murray was traded, he would be next, along with many other players, if the team didn't fix the act.

 

[hockeyball]

The first game with the new system was the 5-3 win in Anaheim after Douglas Murray was traded. And they looked the same way they have every game, except for maybe the 3-2 win against Phoenix.

And I think that Todd basically was told that after Murray was traded, he would be next, along with many other players, if the team didn't fix the act.

Yah was thinking that somewhat. Especially after McLellan's comments about not getting in a trackmeet... now we are winning the track-meet most nights. I'm kind of wondering if he was forced to ice Handzus and Murray (as I said before) and actually tailored the entire system around those two/three (Clowe) specifically for that reason. If so, he's still an idiot, it didn't work, at all. Whatever the reason, just glad he figured it out, and hopefully someone doesn't whack him in the head again and he reverts.

 

[SJeasy]

They really haven't played much with this system on the road though, so i think that's tough to quantify at the moment.

It's hard to understate how dramatic the shift in strategy is. It's the kind o thing you see with a new coach, which really makes me wonder what happened. They went from a conservative, prevent, cycle and grind puck possession strategy to a north-south, transition, score on the rush strategy overnight. It's exactly what they needed to do (and most of us have been saying), but what prompted it? Did Wilson come down and tell Todd to play the other system? Or this new system? Did Todd just have a sudden epiphany? I dunno.

Either way, the Sharks are playing the kind of hockey they started the season with, and the kind of hockey this team is suited for. Sadly, I'm not sure we have the personnel to get it done at this point but my projections are a LOT higher than they were a month ago. The special teams are fantastic, the scoring is where it should be, everyone is producing now as they should... I really don't see anything to complain about.

A lot of coaches open it up at home and shut it down on the road. We'll have to see if TM goes with the pack or understands what is good for the team. We also have to see how he integrates the new faces. How much rope does he give to vets who aren't earning their place in the lineup? Strategy and aristocracy/meritocracy are the two issues.

BTW, the home record is a big pointer to matchups. Not as easy to get matchups on the road. Right now he is using Couture/Marleau as shutdown and it is showing on their offensive side. Pavs is frequently getting second tier, often allowing JT buttersoft qualcomp. Minny tried to two-time it after the Sharks went ahead. Tried to get Suter on both JT and Couture. I would pay attention to matchups as well.

 

[Church Hill]

That surprised me. You know what surprises me more?

Antti Niemi is:
2nd in wins
5th in GAA
3rd in SV%
3rd in shutouts (tied)

 

[hockeyball]

That surprised me. You know what surprises me more?

Antti Niemi is:
2nd in wins
5th in GAA
3rd in SV%
3rd in shutouts (tied)

If you only count goalies who have played at least 2/3rds of their teams games, which is about 24 games at this point (any less than 2/3rds and they are likely not up for the Vezina).

2nd in wins
2nd in GAA
2nd in SV%
3rd in shutouts

I think it's going to come down to Bob, Crawford and Niemi.

 

[Juxtaposer]

If you only count goalies who have played at least 2/3rds of their teams games, which is about 24 games at this point (any less than 2/3rds and they are likely not up for the Vezina).

2nd in wins
2nd in GAA
2nd in SV%
3rd in shutouts

I think it's going to come down to Bob, Crawford and Niemi.

Probably the last three names anyone was expecting.

 

[Negatively Positive]

Probably the last three names anyone was expecting.

Hahaha. I know. Crawford and Nemo has always been average to slightly above average to me. Bob was a backup last year but didn't really expect much from him going to Columbus who many people expected to be bad.

I wouldn't count out Lundvquist and Rask though. They're not far behind.

 

[Coily]

100 pts is more than last year.

#winning.