GDT: Preseason game 6: Sharks @ Vegas 7:00pm stream on sharks.nhl.com

[Beethovens 10th]

Hol’ up, anyone seen Gushchin and Joe Thornton at the same time in the same place????

 

[Sharkz4Fun]

Gushchin and Cardwell are better than Grundstrom.

 

[Hodge]

Maybe it's a narrative about Guschin...but obviously, this was a "last chance" effort for players to show that they should be on the team. With all that pressure he goes out and has a massive game...those are the kinds of players you want on the team.

He deserves to make the team over Kostin for sure but I don't know how you get him consistent top six ice time without shortchanging Celebrini, Smith, Eklund, Toffoli, Granlund or Zetterlund. Probably makes more sense to call him up when one of those guys gets hurt.

 

[karltonian]

scratch that. Daniil Thornton.

did jumbo ever have 5 apples?

 

[sampler]

Gushchin belongs on the 1st line. Fight me.

The one missing spot on the team was on the wing with celly and toffoli in order to keep the lund line intact.

We found it. Gush looks like marty st louis out there. Quick, small, but so dangerous and the defensive effort is improving too.

Cardwell doesnt have the celing gush does, but he does look like a possible third line energy player in the future. Love the effort from those guys. Guys like Smith, musty, and some of the other newer prospects (aside from celly) can take note of the always moving feet and the effort and quickness needed to play at the higher levels.

 

[Kcoyote3]

I swear to god if I hear “well it’s the little things he has to work on” one more time. Dude just Labanc’d Vegas with close to a full lineup.

 

[Erep]

So just to clarify, I said he was second in the league in scoring, as the sixth goal was happening. That moves him into a tie with Barzal with 9 points as the league lead.

 

[sampler]

He deserves to make the team over Kostin for sure but I don't know how you get him consistent top six ice time without shortchanging Celebrini, Smith, Eklund, Toffoli, Granlund or Zetterlund. Probably makes more sense to call him up when one of those guys gets hurt.

Smith should start in the AHL. Gush is head and shoulders better right now.

Ice time is earned, not given. Smith hasn't earned his. Gush has.

 

[timorous me]

He deserves to make the team over Kostin for sure but I don't know how you get him consistent top six ice time without shortchanging Celebrini, Smith, Eklund, Toffoli, Granlund or Zetterlund. Probably makes more sense to call him up when one of those guys gets hurt.

Unclear if Granlund's going to be ready to start the season at this point, right? So that could be the opening needed. But really, if Gushchin can consistently put in the effort that he did tonight (he'll make mistakes, but who on this team won't?), it does open up more opportunities to play him outside those top two lines. Look who he was doing this with tonight, after all?

 

[karltonian]

lol drew insists on calling it Timo Bile Arena

 

[Patty Ice]

I swear to god if I hear “well it’s the little things he has to work on” one more time. Dude just Labanc’d Vegas with close to a full lineup.

So are you suggesting he will be signing with Cbus after a few seasons of tongue-lashings courtesy of HF Sharks board?

Smith should start in the AHL. Gush is head and shoulders better right now.

Ice time is earned, not given. Smith hasn't earned his. Gush has.

Shelter Smith on the third line with Wenneberg and Kunin.

 

[sampler]

Smith should start in the AHL. Gush is head and shoulders better right now.

Ice time is earned, not given. Smith hasn't earned his. Gush has.

I would add that cardwell may be better than he is too right now.

Note: Im not saying cardwell is overall a better player. He is three years older than smith and has a year of Pro hockey. But right now, Smith is not an NHLer, Gushkin is, and cardwell is next on the list.

 

[karltonian]

Shout out to Cagnoni, for as much as he got beat on defensively this game, he had icewater in his veins down the stretch. It is so noticeable how much better he is with the puck than pretty much all the rest of the D.

 

[timorous me]

Smith should start in the AHL. Gush is head and shoulders better right now.

Ice time is earned, not given. Smith hasn't earned his. Gush has.

He's played two preseason games, just getting used to the speed, the physicality, the system, and what it's like playing with teammates who aren't shoulders above the competition, as he's accustomed to.

Give him a chance to show how he can make that adjustment over a brief period before deciding for sure what he is and isn't.

 

[Patty Ice]

Shout out to Cagnoni, for as much as he got beat on defensively this game, he had icewater in his veins down the stretch.

I think Cags handled himself very well all game. I'd be hesitant to start in the NHL right now but he did very well at both ends against a near full depth Knights team.

 

[Erep]

So are you suggesting he will be signing with Cbus after a few seasons of tongue-lashings courtesy of HF Sharks board?

I know you are being sarcasting, but it is very possible he is unable to keep it together long term, but that doesn't mean you don't play Labanc while he is providing you 4 goals in 5 minutes.

(I think Labanc's issues were more mental, in addition to losing Thornton, and I see a lot more drive from Gushchin than I ever saw from Labanc, so I don't think that will be an issue, but it is worth noting.)

 

[sampler]

Unclear if Granlund's going to be ready to start the season at this point, right? So that could be the opening needed. But really, if Gushchin can consistently put in the effort that he did tonight (he'll make mistakes, but who on this team won't?), it does open up more opportunities to play him outside those top two lines. Look who he was doing this with tonight, after all?

Gush on a checking lin makes no sense. This kid is all skill. Did you see the patience in the nuetral zone on the gwg?? Every other lower player just dumps that deep with 15-20 secs left in a tie game. But Gush knew he had a little time and space, and knew he needed to buy time for the rest of the sharks to join the rush. The pass to Sturm wasnt perfect, but it didnt have to be, he knew that he drew the knights attention and just had to get it in the vicinity.

Its high IQ, high effort play. Its 1st line play. Its Celly-toffoli type play. Gush should be on that line, so the lun ine can happliy reunite. If both those lines start clicking then the sharks could not be absolutely horrific

 

[timorous me]

I think Cags handled himself very well all game. I'd be hesitant to start in the NHL right now but he did very well at both ends against a near full depth Knights team.

Yup. I want to see him to learn to defend properly in the AHL--but the important thing is showing he's got some other tools that look absolutely translatable to the NHL. But I don't want to see him suffer too much by getting smoked by the best in the world.

I see it differently based on him and Smith just because it's one thing for an undersized defenseman to make this adjustment and another for a decent-sized center to try it.

 

[OrrNumber4]

He deserves to make the team over Kostin for sure but I don't know how you get him consistent top six ice time without shortchanging Celebrini, Smith, Eklund, Toffoli, Granlund or Zetterlund. Probably makes more sense to call him up when one of those guys gets hurt.

Guschin-Celebrini-Toffoli
Eklund-Granlund-Zetterlund
Goodrow-Wennberg-Smith
Grundstrom-Sturm-Kostin

 

[timorous me]

Gush on a checking lin makes no sense. This kid is all skill. Did you see the patience in the nuetral zone on the gwg?? Every other lower player just dumps that deep with 15-20 secs left in a tie game. But Gush knew he had a little time and space, and knew he needed to buy time for the rest of the sharks to join the rush. The pass to Sturm wasnt perfect, but it didnt have to be, he knew that he drew the knights attention and just had to get it in the vicinity.

Its high IQ, high effort play. Its 1st line play. Its Celly-toffoli type play. Gush should be on that line, so the lun ine can happliy reunite. If both those lines start clicking then the sharks could not be absolutely horrific

I don't mean a checking line with Stone Hands Kunin, but something like Wennberg and...well, we can think about it a little more. But he has made Kostin look better, so even that's an option.

Let's see. I'm just trying to be realistic as to what an NHL head coach might be thinking. The first thing for Gushchin is making the team, and in whatever context he does that, he just has to come out and do his thing--he can impress the coaches and Grier by playing hard and smart no matter who he's with, and if he does that, he'll move up the lineup.

 

[Hodge]

Guschin-Celebrini-Toffoli
Eklund-Granlund-Zetterlund
Goodrow-Wennberg-Smith
Grundstrom-Sturm-Kostin

Why are we hurting our 2nd most important player's development by putting him on a line with two guys who can't finish?

 

[sampler]

He's played two preseason games, just getting used to the speed, the physicality, the system, and what it's like playing with teammates who aren't shoulders above the competition, as he's accustomed to.

Give him a chance to show how he can make that adjustment over a brief period before deciding for sure what he is and isn't.

Im not deciding for sure what he is in any way. Im just saying hes not ready yet.

Your post is spot on. He's played two preseason games and he is not used to the speed, physicality, etc. Yes, I agree!! That's exactly why hes not ready yet, and exactly why the AHL exists. Its the stepping stone between college/Jr and the NHL. VERY few players successfully go from jr or college straight to the NHL and belong, and ever fewer are still teenagers, rather than 21 or 22 having spent 3 years in college (see matt Carle). The vast majority do a stint in the A, even if only 20-30 games.

Pavs: Winconsin star--> Worcester for 16 games (where he put up 26 pts)--> NHL forever
Seto played 23 games in the A before his call up.
Cooch: Ottawa jr star--> 42 AHL games, then called up.

Im not saying that Smith doesnt get NHL time this year. Just he breaks camp at the #1 and top PP guy with the cuda. Have him put up 20 pts in 15 Cuda games and prove he's ready. Then he'll come up MUCH better prepared, far more confident, and far more ready in late november or early december.

 

[Pinkfloyd]

A checking line that has Gushchin throwing passes that even Kunin and Sturm are catching is more than a checking line. It’s a dangerous depth scoring line.

 

[StanleyCup2035]

did jumbo ever have 5 apples?

Did Jumbo ever say what he would do if he had 5 apples???

 

[Grinner]

In all fairness to Doug Sr. at least he only gave his son an extremely important front office job and didn't sign him to a NHL contract like the Canes just did with Brind'Amour's kid

Doug Sr was grooming Jr to be his heir apparent