Next Years Team

[TealManV]

For all the talk about which young forward(s) will make the team, we need to step back and look at the current forward group as a whole.

For 12-13 forward spots, 9 are already filled, IMO:
Thornton
Pavs
Logan
Hertl
Donskoi
Marleau
Ward
Boedker
Tierney

That leaves 3-4 spots open. With Karlsson, Nieto (still needs to resign but I imagine that will happen soon) and Wingles all being NHL regulars the past 2+ seasons. So with all the talk about Meier, Goldobin and Sorensen, there needs to be open spots for them to fill. Now, that's not to say that I don't think one or all three of them make the team, but that would require a trade or two (Wingles & Nieto?) before the start of the season. But as of right now, Pete could easily start next year with:
Hertl-Joe-Pavs
Boedker-Logan-Donskoi
Karlsson-Marleau-Ward
Nieto-Tierney-Wingles

Hopefully DW clears some room for Meier and Goldobin. I think Sorensen will play for the Sharks at some point this season, but I could see him starting off the year with the Barracuda.

 

[spintheblackcircle]

I think it would be REALLY wise to go into camp with the team as it is. Never know who may get hurt during pre-season. If, say, Wingels and Karlsson are dealt and the Sharks lose Ward and Hertl for 6 weeks, there goes any depth they have.

Get through camp healthy and see who is in desperate need of forwards, another team could get a rash of injuries and would pay more then than they would now.

 

[Pinkfloyd]

I think it would be REALLY wise to go into camp with the team as it is. Never know who may get hurt during pre-season. If, say, Wingels and Karlsson are dealt and the Sharks lose Ward and Hertl for 6 weeks, there goes any depth they have.

Get through camp healthy and see who is in desperate need of forwards, another team could get a rash of injuries and would pay more then than they would now.

I don't really agree with that because there is a lot more internal depth with guys like Sorensen, Goldobin, Meier, Carpenter, Goodrow, among a couple others that can step up for that time frame.

 

[Fistfullofbeer]

I think it would be REALLY wise to go into camp with the team as it is. Never know who may get hurt during pre-season. If, say, Wingels and Karlsson are dealt and the Sharks lose Ward and Hertl for 6 weeks, there goes any depth they have.

Get through camp healthy and see who is in desperate need of forwards, another team could get a rash of injuries and would pay more then than they would now.

I agree about going into camp with all players. However, we will absolutely need to trade one of Wingels, Karlsson or Nieto if even one of Goldobin, Meier or Sorenson prove that they belong.

 

[weastern bias]

I'm thinking Wingels and his cap hit are as good as gone this year if a single one of our rookies can score 10 goals and bang some bodies

 

[Fistfullofbeer]

I'm thinking Wingels and his cap hit are as good as gone this year if a single one of our rookies can score 10 goals and bang some bodies

This screams Meier. Sorenson and Goldobin are not very physical players.

 

[hohosaregood]

I could definitely see Meier making Wingels a redundant player.

 

[Limekiller]

It's getting 1 rookie into the top 12 is pretty easy, and it's not totally impossible to squeeze in 2. Though, if you do add 2 of them you do end up having to make what might otherwise be odd decisions like putting Ward or one of the rookies on the 4th line. Trying to add all 3 of Meier, Goldobin, & Sorensen gets really hard, barring a trade of someone more significant than Nieto or Wingels.

If just 1 of them makes it, maybe they look like this:
Hertl/<rookie> - Thornton - Pavelski
Boedker - Couture - Donskoi
<rookie>/Marleau - Marleau/Hertl - Ward
Karlsson - Tierney - Wingels/Nieto
Wingels/Nieto

Adding two:
<Rookie>/Hertl - Thornton - Pavelski
<Rookie>/Boedker - Couture - Donskoi
<Rookie>/Boedker/Marleau - Hertl/Marleau - <Rookie>/Ward
Karlsson - Tierney - Ward/<Rookie>
Nieto, Wingels

If we tried to add the 3rd guy in there, we'd have to sit Karlsson. Given the trust shown to him in the playoffs this year, I REALLY doubt they'd have him spend most of the season in the press box. So, I really don't think more than one, MAYBE two rookie forwards make the team out of training camp. Now, given the inevitable injuries, I am sure that all 3 will see at least SOME ice time this season. It also still wouldn't surprise me if the org would prefer to have Meier be in the AHL and only get 9 games max in the NHL to preserve his ELC. However, it's sounding like he may be doing a Vlasic, and just be too good to not keep up on the big club. We'll have to see.

 

[Lebanezer]

I would really like to see, in the preseason, a line of Goldobin-Hertl-Meier. Just for like one game. I want to see what would happen.

 

[Pinkfloyd]

I would really like to see, in the preseason, a line of Goldobin-Hertl-Meier. Just for like one game. I want to see what would happen.

I'm sure something like that will happen very early on when they do scrimmages and/or split squads.

 

[Lebanezer]

I'm sure something like that will happen very early on when they do scrimmages and/or split squads.

True, though I'd like to see them against another NHL team. I think it could be a good line. Two big bodied shooters who are very good on the boards and a shifty playmaker.

 

[hohosaregood]

True, though I'd like to see them against another NHL team. I think it could be a good line. Two big bodied shooters who are very good on the boards and a shifty playmaker.

I think about this line a lot. In like 4 years, that line could be a ridiculous if things pan out. More likely is that that line will only exist on the powerplay.

 

[Fistfullofbeer]

I think about this line a lot. In like 4 years, that line could be a ridiculous if things pan out. More likely is that that line will only exist on the powerplay.

What is your reasoning behind saying that it is less likely to happen? Is it so that we can spread the talent around? If yes, then who knows man. I mean 4 years from now Couture will still only be 31. Donskoi and Sorenson will be 28. We have a lot of prospects in our system that could turn into gems: Gregor, Letunov, Chartier, Labanc, etc. And that is not even counting the 4 years where we could trade for, draft or acquire (via FA) a player who is better than them?

I would like to be positive and hope that we can do the above ..

 

[hohosaregood]

What is your reasoning behind saying that it is less likely to happen? Is it so that we can spread the talent around? If yes, then who knows man. I mean 4 years from now Couture will still only be 31. Donskoi and Sorenson will be 28. We have a lot of prospects in our system that could turn into gems: Gregor, Letunov, Chartier, Labanc, etc. And that is not even counting the 4 years where we could trade for, draft or acquire (via FA) a player who is better than them?

I would like to be positive and hope that we can do the above ..

I'm just hedging my bet towards talent being spread out differently than I'd hope but I've ideally got it in my head that Hertl/Meier/Goldobin are on a line. Also, Couture and Donskoi get paired up and Labanc and Chartier pair up.

 

[Fistfullofbeer]

I'm just hedging my bet towards talent being spread out differently than I'd hope but I've ideally got it in my head that Hertl/Meier/Goldobin are on a line. Also, Couture and Donskoi get paired up and Labanc and Chartier pair up.

Assuming Goldobin and Meier pan out as expected, in another 4 years we could have a top-9 of:

Labanc-Couture-Donskoi (1A)
Goldobin-Hertl-Meier (1B)
Sorenson-Letunov/Tierney-Chartier/Gregor/Gambrell

Have a feeling about Labanc, dont know why. Also, I am a lot less nervous about Jumbo retiring after the work DW has put in over the last few years. We are probably not going to get a player like Jumbo for a while (if ever), but I am fairly confident that some of our forwards pan out and keep us competitive for years to come.

A little off-topic but the only area where I am a little worried is on D. Burns will be 35 in 4 years, Vlasic and Braun will both be 33. Outside of Roy, I am not sure if any other D prospect even makes it to our top-4. I am hoping Mueller turns it around but I am yet to see enough from him to think he crack our top-4.

 

[Sysreq]

I think someone commented on this earlier - but do the Joes not like playing with Marleau? If we move Hertl to 3c, maybe he is the best fit for that line??

 

[Pinkfloyd]

I think someone commented on this earlier - but do the Joes not like playing with Marleau? If we move Hertl to 3c, maybe he is the best fit for that line??

Of course they like playing with Marleau. They do it all the time on the power play and they were a line a few years ago.

 

[Kcoyote3]

I just don't think Marleau is the right fit for the line.

 

[Pinkfloyd]

I just don't think Marleau is the right fit for the line.

If you're moving Hertl to 3C, Marleau is probably the best fit for what's left to choose from.

 

[Limekiller]

If you're moving Hertl to 3C, Marleau is probably the best fit for what's left to choose from.

Depends on how Meier does in training camp. Given his purported skill set, he'd be a pretty good fit on the line, as he brings a lot of the same things Hertl does. So, if he makes the team right off, I think that might be a potential spot for him. Or I could see Marleau centering the 3rd line with Meier on his wing, while keeping our 1st line intact as-is.

 

[Pinkfloyd]

Depends on how Meier does in training camp. Given his purported skill set, he'd be a pretty good fit on the line, as he brings a lot of the same things Hertl does. So, if he makes the team right off, I think that might be a potential spot for him. Or I could see Marleau centering the 3rd line with Meier on his wing, while keeping our 1st line intact as-is.

I have sincere doubts about Meier's readiness. He's still got a lot of development ahead of him and his purported skill set around these parts is a little overblown at this point. He shows flashes but he's not great right now at any one particular aspect. He doesn't have a speed or puck possession element to his game yet that would compliment Thornton and Pavelski the best. You don't necessarily need both but one of those elements tends to help them the most.

I don't think you'll see Meier in the NHL past his nine games. He hasn't played against men yet and it's going to be really tough even with the team pumping his tires last year to step right in and succeed right off the hop w/o any experience against men consistently.

 

[tiburon12]

Do you think DW will sneak in on the Vesey sweepstakes? I just read an article where he said he loved Jumbo growing up; he was his favorite player.

Im sure other GMs will pay large sums for Vesey, but maybe DW gives a reasonable contract to him while dangling the possibility of playing with Jumbo.



Is summer over yet?

 

[Sysreq]

Do you think DW will sneak in on the Vesey sweepstakes? I just read an article where he said he loved Jumbo growing up; he was his favorite player.

Im sure other GMs will pay large sums for Vesey, but maybe DW gives a reasonable contract to him while dangling the possibility of playing with Jumbo.



Is summer over yet?

It's an ELC - so the $$$ is capped at 950k with bonuses being based off performance. I'm sure DW will kick the tires, but honestly, I don't think we are a good fit. Buffalo and others seem to have already promised him a spot in the top-6. DW isn't gonna do that. He'll have to come compete like everyone else.

But ya, Vesey with Jumbo and Pavs would be pretty sweet.

Seems like a really low probability thought.

Maybe McNally will give us an inside edge though. They were pretty tight at Harvard apparently.

 

[Lebanezer]

I'm kind of bored, so I'm just gonna write this all down. If none of Meier, Goldy or Sorensen make the team, the lines for the whole organization could be:

Karlsson-Jumbo-Pavs
Donskoi-Couture-Boedker
Marleau-Hertl-Ward
Wingels-Tierney-Nieto

Sorensen-Chartier-Labanc
Goldobin-Carpenter-Meier
Helewka-O'Regan-Goodrow
Schoenborn-McCarthy-Martin
Jevpalovs-Marchment-Willows/Gallant

Burns-Martin
Vlasic-Braun
Dillon-Schlemko
Demelo

Heed-Ryan
Brodzinski-McNally
Bergman-Mueller
Kelly

That's a lot more depth than I'm used to. The Barracuda should be quite good.

 

[Led Zappa]

Assuming Goldobin and Meier pan out as expected, in another 4 years we could have a top-9 of:

Labanc-Couture-Donskoi (1A)
Goldobin-Hertl-Meier (1B)
Sorenson-Letunov/Tierney-Chartier/Gregor/Gambrell

Have a feeling about Labanc, dont know why. Also, I am a lot less nervous about Jumbo retiring after the work DW has put in over the last few years. We are probably not going to get a player like Jumbo for a while (if ever), but I am fairly confident that some of our forwards pan out and keep us competitive for years to come.

A little off-topic but the only area where I am a little worried is on D. Burns will be 35 in 4 years, Vlasic and Braun will both be 33. Outside of Roy, I am not sure if any other D prospect even makes it to our top-4. I am hoping Mueller turns it around but I am yet to see enough from him to think he crack our top-4.

I guess it's fun to think about, but when is the last time an NHL team had anywhere near a self drafted top 9?