GDT: Game 4: Sharks @ Blackhawks 5:30pm NBCSCA

[Anomie2029]

Those would be good changes

Hodge's path to the Stanley Cup:

Forwards
3rd line grinder - 3rd line grinder - 3rd line grinder
4th line grinder - 3rd line grinder - 3rd line grinder
4th line grinder - 4th line grinder - 4th line grinder
4th line grinder - 4th line grinder - 4th line grinder

Defense
4th D - 4th D
6/7D -6/7D
Big guy - Big guy

Goalies
Doesn't matter because everyone in front is playing "the right way".

 

[BaileyMacTavish]

I have never wanted to jump off the golden gate bridge more than ever

 

[TheBigDrunkPanda]

SNOG announcement​

Hey, we've got two SNOGs in a row... by one person!



Congrats @weastern bias on your 2nd SNOG of the season!

View attachment 918103

#	Date / Opponent​	SNOG Winner(s)​	Result​
1	Oct. 10 vs Blues	none	Blues 5-4 OT
2	Oct. 12 vs Ducks	none	Ducks 2-0
3	Oct. 15 at Stars	weastern bias	Stars 3-2 SO
4	Oct. 17 at Blackhawks	weastern bias	Blackhawks 4-2

Rank	2024-25 SNOG standings​	# of SNOGs
1.	weastern bias	2

Western bias is on a heater

 

[Hodge]

Hodge's path to the Stanley Cup:

Forwards
3rd line grinder - 3rd line grinder - 3rd line grinder
4th line grinder - 3rd line grinder - 3rd line grinder
4th line grinder - 4th line grinder - 4th line grinder
4th line grinder - 4th line grinder - 4th line grinder

Defense
4th D - 4th D
6/7D -6/7D
Big guy - Big guy

Goalies
Doesn't matter because everyone in front is playing "the right way".

I didn't realize we were trying to win the Cup

 

[TheBigDrunkPanda]

I’m kind of curious if Warsofsky has any type of connections to Darrel Sutter? I don’t understand why Goose is out of the line up he hustled hard in game 1 I didnt notice anything like not back checking or floating at the blue line waiting it a break away chance. He deserved to be on the second line much more then smith did

 

[Jargon]

Smith felt way more present in this game, by far the best game he’s played. I’m really hoping he can build off of this. You can see little sparks of his talent and I think it’s only a matter of time before he figures it out.

Eklund looked good, so did Granlund. Our defense outside of Walman and Ceci is pretty brutal, but I specifically thought Benning and Thrun had a rough game. Passes to no one or into people’s feet, etc etc. I agree that Thompson should be in tomorrow and Gushchin needs to be in the 2nd line.

 

[Star Platinum]

I really hope Mukh is legit and ready. His skill set is sorely needed.

He has an extremely low bar to clear, even on the left side

 

[karltonian]

Hey friends, is gasoline drinkable? Asking for a friend (me)

Mrs. Smith no!!!

 

[YouJustGotPavelskied]

Putting Smith out there with Kunin and Kostin is really frustrating. Smith put a great pass right to Kunin in the slot and he didn't even get a SOG. We might as well put Smith out there with two roombas with hockey sticks taped to them.

 

[OrrNumber4]

I'm sure Mukhamadullin can be good with time, but expecting him to step in and be a big contributor right away? Setting yourself up to be disappointed. It's the hardest position to learn...

 

[Anomie2029]

I'm sure Mukhamadullin can be good with time, but expecting him to step in and be a big contributor right away? Setting yourself up to be disappointed. It's the hardest position to learn...

Excuse me! Let us have unrealistic expectations only to blast him for not performing after two games!

 

[CHALUPA]

Putting Smith out there with Kunin and Kostin is really frustrating. Smith put a great pass right to Kunin in the slot and he didn't even get a SOG. We might as well put Smith out there with two roombas with hockey sticks taped to them.

Considering how he looked today, there was clearly some benefit to playing with Kunin. Tbh, I’ve liked Kunin and Goodrow’s performances to starts the year

 

[karltonian]

Considering how he looked today, there was clearly some benefit to playing with Kunin. Tbh, I’ve liked Kunin and Goodrow’s performances to starts the year

They are playing in a way that keeps the other team honest and thus opens space for the 3rd player on their line. Unfortunately for that 3rd player, the other two are Goodrow and Kunin.

 

[YouJustGotPavelskied]

Considering how he looked today, there was clearly some benefit to playing with Kunin. Tbh, I’ve liked Kunin and Goodrow’s performances to starts the year

You might be right since it was Smith's best game so far, and Kunin has been better this year. I'd still like to see him out there with our skilled guys especially on the PP. I think it's the best way to get him his first points which I think will help him get over some of his jitters.

 

[TheBeard]

Maybe I'm an idiot. I didn't think that the Sharks making the playoffs was probable, or even plausible...but certainly it was possible! Less than a 10% chance, but you could see the pathway:

1) Sharks get top-10 goaltending, with Vanecek a great bounce-back candidate
2) Celebrini and Smith come out with a bang
3) Thrun/Mukhamadullin make big strides in their game
4) Some of the numerous reclamation projects on the Sharks are golden

It's basically what happened in 2003-2004.

I thought there was a 1% chance of that "everything went right year" where we sneak in only to crash hard the following year.

Problem is nothing is going right.

 

[timorous me]

Warsofsky promises lineup changes tomorrow

I can't wait for Smith to be one of the guys to come out because he played a lot of minutes tonight and they want to protect him from the rigors of a back-to-back on the road like this.

 

[weastern bias]

Unfortunately for that 3rd player, the other two are Goodrow and Kunin.

 

[matt trick]

I thought there was a 1% chance of that "everything went right year" where we sneak in only to crash hard the following year.

Problem is nothing is going right.

Could be worse. We could be Calgary. Aging team with only Wolf and Parekh as top prospects and no other cornerstone young players. Start hot and now allegedly looking to acquire center help when what they really need is a long term solution for a first center. In a four year period where they’re unlikely to make the playoffs (now in year 3) there will have been ~8-10 guys who project as 1/1A type centers- Bedard, Celebrini, Fantilli, Carlsson, Hagens, McKenna, McQueen, Smith, and Lindstom. 5 of them are also from Western Canada.

Also if they end up outside the top 10 their first goes to MTL instead of Florida’s (likely to be a late first).

I think they probably end up bottom 7, but I still think sucking for the next two years is the way to build a contender*

*Maybe three, Landon DuPont might be the best RD prospect since Doughty, but that’s too much losing for Celebrini, Smith, and Eklund to experience. Two more years of sucking it is.

Worst this year, lose lottery, draft Martone. Win lottery from 7th (McKenna) and 11th (DuPont) the following years. Playoffs in A.C (after Celebrini) 4.

 

[OrrNumber4]

Could be worse. We could be Calgary San Jose in 2021.

Fixed that for you!

 

[matt trick]

Fixed that for you!

Those were dark times- can’t believe how much healthier things look now- and that’s saying something after last nights loss. Calgary is on their way to f***ing themselves up even worse, but there isn’t a team who’s future was as bleak as San Jose’s at that time period.

 

[spintops]

Best game for Smith so far. Tanking and developing, I will take it. A top 3 pick is huge

 

[coooldude]

Considering how he looked today, there was clearly some benefit to playing with Kunin. Tbh, I’ve liked Kunin and Goodrow’s performances to starts the year

Yeah, we need more time to see the advanced stats, but Goodrow and Kunin look like a good wing pair. With Wennberg at C they were a very solid shutdown line. With Smith they still look like a decent 3rd line. If Kunin were a better finisher he'd be playing scoring line minutes. Yeah he's frustrating but he's playing solid hockey and clearly their hustle helped Smith last game.

Wennberg is obviously a better 2C at the moment but definitely they should try Goose and drop Kostin tonight.

 

[TheBeard]

Could be worse. We could be Calgary. Aging team with only Wolf and Parekh as top prospects and no other cornerstone young players. Start hot and now allegedly looking to acquire center help when what they really need is a long term solution for a first center. In a four year period where they’re unlikely to make the playoffs (now in year 3) there will have been ~8-10 guys who project as 1/1A type centers- Bedard, Celebrini, Fantilli, Carlsson, Hagens, McKenna, McQueen, Smith, and Lindstom. 5 of them are also from Western Canada.

Also if they end up outside the top 10 their first goes to MTL instead of Florida’s (likely to be a late first).

I think they probably end up bottom 7, but I still think sucking for the next two years is the way to build a contender*

*Maybe three, Landon DuPont might be the best RD prospect since Doughty, but that’s too much losing for Celebrini, Smith, and Eklund to experience. Two more years of sucking it is.

Worst this year, lose lottery, draft Martone. Win lottery from 7th (McKenna) and 11th (DuPont) the following years. Playoffs in A.C (after Celebrini) 4.

I’m not really all that upset about the start of the year. A rebuild is a marathon not a sprint. We’ve got rosier years ahead than some fringe contenders now who have nowhere to go but down (Pittsburgh, Calgary).

 

[matt trick]

I’m not really all that upset about the start of the year. A rebuild is a marathon not a sprint. We’ve got rosier years ahead than some fringe contenders now who have nowhere to go but down (Pittsburgh, Calgary).

Agreed this is exactly what I expected, and I’m fine with it. Actually there’s been more pleasant surprises than disappointments. Add Washington to Pitt and CGY though they’ve got a few nice young guys.

 

[TheBeard]

Agreed this is exactly what I expected, and I’m fine with it. Actually there’s been more pleasant surprises than disappointments. Add Washington to Pitt and CGY though they’ve got a few nice young guys.

I dunno about the pleasant surprise part, but this was always going to be a long process and there’s no reason to get dismayed by the first 4 games of it no matter how underwhelming they’ve been.

With that said, with Smith and Eklund out tonight I don’t even know if the game’s worth wasting a Friday night for.