Confirmed with Link: Sharks acquire Egor Afanasyev for Ozzy Wiesblatt

[The Nemesis]

Look at the size of him!

 

[TheBeard]

I didn't live through the trauma that apparently shapes many posters' interactions with Hodge (or I did but don't remember?), but he's far from the only poster with a strong, consistent, borderline obsessive POV. I mean, we're all weirdos. And given the draft results from DWjr's tenure, it's not the worst hill to die on to criticize every one of his picks.

Eklund has turned out okay so far. That's literally the only success. That's a rough record.

I don’t think it’s THAT rough when you consider where we were picking, the picks we did have, and the fact a lot of these guys (ok a couple) still have future NHl potential. Guch and Cardwell look promising and then Laroque probably had a shot if injuries didn’t derail his development.

 

[Jts4thgoal]

Bords is deff on his way out and I wouldn't be surprised to see Eky traded for some D.

 

[Munnyro]

Didn't Ozzy have a ton of injuries? Even back in Juniors?

 

[Alaskanice]

Someone on twitter says that Afan is wanting NHL time, a la McGroarty.

 

[Bizz]

Someone on twitter says that Afan is wanting NHL time, a la McGroarty.

dude has all of 1 point in 19 NHL games and we already have plenty of NHL ready forwards ahead of him on our depth chart.

 

[Jargon]

DWjr wasn’t great but his drafting is pretty average, maybe slightly below average, but that remains to be seen based on guys like Gushchin, Bordeleau, Cardwell, etc. the jury is ultimately still out but mostly, MOSTLY, this conversation has become painfully boring and rote.

 

[Alaskanice]

dude has all of 1 point in 19 NHL games and we already have plenty of NHL ready forwards ahead of him on our depth chart.

I understand your point but how many points and games does Ozzy have in the NHL?

 

[Gecklund]

dude has all of 1 point in 19 NHL games and we already have plenty of NHL ready forwards ahead of him on our depth chart.

What NHL ready forwards? Right now Sharks have 9 forwards signed for next year. 10 with Celebrini. That includes Graf and Givani Smith neither of whom are guaranteed an NHL spot.

 

[Bizz]

I understand your point but how many points and games does Ozzy have in the NHL?

Ozzy had even less of a shot at making the NHL roster.

 

[Caser]

Sounds like Afanasyev is returning to Russia next season though.

 

[Alaskanice]

Sounds like Afanasyev is returning to Russia next season though.

Then we gain a contract spot.

 

[Bizz]

What NHL ready forwards? Right now Sharks have 9 forwards signed for next year. 10 with Celebrini. That includes Graf and Givani Smith neither of whom are guaranteed an NHL spot.

Celebrini
Eklund
Smith
Granlund
Zetterlund
Couture
Sturm
Kostin
Goodrow
Dellandrea
Borderleau
Kunin

That's 12. And that's not including rookies that may still make it out of camp such as Musty, Gushchin, or Bystedt, all of whom would likely make it in over Afanasyev.

I know the latter 3 are unsigned RFAs but I don't expect any of those 3 to not get QOs and expect to be on the Sharks next season.

 

[Gecklund]

Celebrini
Eklund
Smith
Granlund
Zetterlund
Couture
Sturm
Kostin
Goodrow
Dellandrea
Borderleau
Kunin

I know the latter 3 are unsigned RFAs but I don't expect any of those 3 to not get QOs and expect to be on the Sharks next season.

I did forget about Dellandrea who is absolute guaranteed a spot and a contract. Kunin I agree. Couture I hesitate to pencil in at all. Bordeleau I dunno we will see.

I think the big thing you are missing is Egor only played on the fourth line in NSH. This probably is nothing let’s be honest but I think saying he is guaranteed to not win a spot isn’t quite correct. Ozzy is nothing. Egor is probably nothing but at the very least he can be a big (size wise) scorer in the AHL.

 

[Sysreq]

DWjr wasn’t great but his drafting is pretty average, maybe slightly below average, but that remains to be seen based on guys like Gushchin, Bordeleau, Cardwell, etc. the jury is ultimately still out but mostly, MOSTLY, this conversation has become painfully boring and rote.

My favorite metric for second guessing the draft is who was picked immediately after. I see it as a pretty fair litmus test simply because it shows who a different organization valued highest at that point in time. It's a clear cut case of who would someone else in that spot have chosen without the burden of introducing hind-sight into the equation.

2018: Sharks pick Ryan Merkley. New York picks K'Andre Miller. Winner? NYR
2019: Sharks pick Artemi Kniazev. New York picks Matthew Robertson. Winner? NYR

By that metric, it's pretty obvious the Sharks value metric under DW/DW Jr. where miss placed.

 

[Bizz]

Then we gain a contract spot.

usually trades like this are followed by another trade. Looks like Grier might be cookin'.

 

[Gecklund]

Sounds like Afanasyev is returning to Russia next season though.

I mean Grier changed Gawanke’s mind last year who literally had a contract signed in Germany.

 

[Alaskanice]

I mean Grier changed Gawanke’s mind last year who literally had a contract signed in Germany.

True. I had forgotten.

usually trades like this are followed by another trade. Looks like Grier might be cookin'.

Cook away!!

 

[Mr Fahrenheit]

I don’t think it’s THAT rough when you consider where we were picking, the picks we did have, and the fact a lot of these guys (ok a couple) still have future NHl potential. Guch and Cardwell look promising and then Laroque probably had a shot if injuries didn’t derail his development.

Hodge: "You cant get good playesr without top picks!"

Also Hodge: "Loser couldnt get good players without top picks!"

 

[ChompChomp]

I mean Grier changed Gawanke’s mind last year who literally had a contract signed in Germany.

Probably not a good data point for Afanasyev to consider. lol

 

[Gecklund]

Probably not a good data point for Afanasyev to consider. lol

I mean Gawanke got a chance and when it didn’t work Grier allowed him out of his contract. I actually think that would be a huge data point for Afanasyev to consider.

 

[Soundgarden]

Pissed Nashville fan here, clear win for you guys. Afanasyev did nothing but improve and do what was asked of him. He has been NHL ready for several seasons now.

 

[mogambomoroo]

Pissed Nashville fan here, clear win for you guys. Afanasyev did nothing but improve and do what was asked of him. He has been NHL ready for several seasons now.

Sorry to hear that, even though it's great to hear that from Sharks POV.
We'll see if Sharks can make something out of this move, there is a logjam of young projects battling for spots. You guys get a good one in Wiesblatt, even though he didn't work out here. Hopefully both teams ultimately get a good player.

 

[ChompChomp]

I mean Gawanke got a chance and when it didn’t work Grier allowed him out of his contract. I actually think that would be a huge data point for Afanasyev to consider.

Alternate POV: Regardless of what people will say about Gawanke still not being good enough to make the NHL squad for one single game, they still could have thrown him a bone for that crapfest of a team and let him get into an NHL game. That's what I'm getting at.

 

[DG93]

Wiesblatt has been a bust for years, and he was not one of those picks where the process was good and it didn't work out (Goldobin type upside in the late first, for example). He was always a big reach with limited upside kind of like like Mirco Mueller. Never really understood the pick then and not too surprised he busted. If Afanasyev stays, maybe we get a player out of it. If he goes back to Russia, oh well, it's a contract slot.

If Afanasyev does stay though, I'm a bit worried about about the forward group for this coming year. I understand and support using the available NHL playing time to pick up guys with upside (Dellandrea, Afanasyev) or overpaid vets for leadership (Goodrow), but with Kunin likely being re-signed for the same reason Goodrow was brought in, that projected middle-6 is looking concerning even if Couture can actually play.

I thought the point was going to be to feed the Lund line to the wolves while insulating Smith and Celebrini. I don't think you bring in guys like Afanasyev and Dellandrea (+ obviously Goodrow) to put them in the pressbox or the AHL, so is our bottom-9 really going to be Kostin-Celebrini-Dellandrea/Kunin, Afanasyev-Smith-Couture, Goodrow-Sturm-Kunin/Dellandrea? That seems like a primetime contender for Hagens and a solid tank roster...kind of concerning.