Confirmed with Link: Sharks trade 20th pick to Sabres for 27th and D Michael Kesselring (RFA)

[sampler]

This would be the closest lineup to what we were playing at the end of last season:

Orlov-Muk
Dick-Spence
Cagnoni-Kesselring
LSW

The nice thing about starting the year with a lineup like this is that we will get to see what we have become making any overly large commitments. Spence > Klingberg. Kesselring > Ferraro (I think). Obviously, still not a great D corps and still missing that established top pair guy. But we also get to see if Dick, Mukh, Cags, Pohlkmap, or LSW can step into a top 4 role.

We also can retain assets (prospects and picks) that can be moved to get a top Pair that hits the market, which happens every year. And, we will still have 20M in cap space even after extending mukh, spence, kesselring, Graf, and Osty. So, grier can be active in free agency.

 

[Sharksfan66]

This would be the closest lineup to what we were playing at the end of last season:

Orlov-Muk
Dick-Spence
Cagnoni-Kesselring
LSW

I wouldn't mind going into next season with that lineup. Would love to see what Cagnoni does with Ghost-like deployment on the third pair but running PP1.

I have a bad feeling we're getting the guy in your avatar though.

 

[jMoneyBrah]

Exactly! I am actually a general Hodge fan, and I like many of his takes. But the speed at which he labels every sub 6'0 Dman with skill as a "Smurf Offenseman" no matter what flies in the face of a lot of very good 5'10 and 5'11 Defensemen. Walker, Hutson, Hughes, Fox to name a few. Gostisbehere played a huge role for carolina too. 5"11 is not that short. 5'8 or 5'9 is pretty short. Only spurgeon crushes it that small. But even makar is around 5'11 (maybe 6') and under 190 lbs. Sydney Crosby is 5'11 for god's sake.

Spence's size does not worry me at all. 5'11, 190 is NHL sized, and he's not a Smurf offenseman. His defensive metrics are excellent.

Spence strikes me as the next possible Adam Fox. He just needs his chance to shine.

What about Spence’s game, how he plays on the ice, makes you feel like he is the next Adam Fox?

 

[sampler]

What about Spence’s game, how he plays on the ice, makes you feel like he is the next Adam Fox?

he skates well. his advanced metrics are excellent. scored 7 goals, all EV with 28 pts at EV. He was big plus, he knows how to jump up in the play.

Love this kind of goal. Spence jumps up and creates a 2 on 1 and then snipes the finish. How many sharks goals by D looked like this last year?

 

[timorous me]

Why’s that? I’d be a bit surprised if he wasn’t pencilled in on the second pair right now.

Orlov-someone
Mukh-Kesselring
Dickinson-Desharnais

Yeah, I mean, if Grier can acquire two RD better than Kesselring this summer, hat's off to him, but good luck with that. There's going to be tons of competition in that market, and I don't think Grier is at the point of giving up many assets for short-term fixes. So to me, Kesselring is a great start, but we may need to temper expectations a bit for now.

 

[Cas]

Exactly! I am actually a general Hodge fan, and I like many of his takes. But the speed at which he labels every sub 6'0 Dman with skill as a "Smurf Offenseman" no matter what flies in the face of a lot of very good 5'10 and 5'11 Defensemen. Walker, Hutson, Hughes, Fox to name a few. Gostisbehere played a huge role for carolina too. 5"11 is not that short. 5'8 or 5'9 is pretty short. Only spurgeon crushes it that small. But even makar is around 5'11 (maybe 6') and under 190 lbs. Sydney Crosby is 5'11 for god's sake.

Spence's size does not worry me at all. 5'11, 190 is NHL sized, and he's not a Smurf offenseman. His defensive metrics are excellent.

Spence strikes me as the next possible Adam Fox. He just needs his chance to shine.

Adam Fox has been one of the absolute best defensemen of the past decade. I think we might want to pump the brakes a little bit around Spence.

 

[Jargon]

Love this trade. Love Kesselring’s Instagram post. Love having a young, large RD with something to prove. I think it’s fairly obvious more moves are coming, I see it as…

Orlov - ??!
Mukh - Kesselring
Dickinson - Desharnais

But also honestly can see Muhk traded, getting Reilly and one more RD. Man, I know we won’t but Hronek fits so perfectly.

Orlov - Hronek
Reilly - Kesselring
Dickinson - Desharnais

…it’s not winning a cup but it’s not embarrassing (btw I don’t want Reilly I just think it’s a foregone conclusion that it’s happening).

 

[jMoneyBrah]

Love this trade. Love Kesselring’s Instagram post. Love having a young, large RD with something to prove. I think it’s fairly obvious more moves are coming, I see it as…

Orlov - ??!
Mukh - Kesselring
Dickinson - Desharnais

But also honestly can see Muhk traded, getting Reilly and one more RD. Man, I know we won’t but Hronek fits so perfectly.

Orlov - Hronek
Reilly - Kesselring
Dickinson - Desharnais

…it’s not winning a cup but it’s not embarrassing (btw I don’t want Reilly I just think it’s a foregone conclusion that it’s happening).

I keep seeing Desharnais mocked as 3RD, but I figure if he was going to re-sign it’d have been done already. Am I missing something?

 

[TheBeard]

Adam Fox has been one of the absolute best defensemen of the past decade. I think we might want to pump the brakes a little bit around Spence.

Hyperbole is his shtick.

 

[Sharksfan66]

Adam Fox has been one of the absolute best defensemen of the past decade. I think we might want to pump the brakes a little bit around Spence.

I can't speak to Spence, but I think you might want to pump the brakes on Fox a bit.

 

[Star Platinum]

YEAH, WELL I LIKE TO COUNT MY CHICKENS BEFORE THEY HATCH BUDDY!

I did that when we signed Klingberg. I'm a bit more cautious now with recently injured defenders.

 

[TheBeard]

I can't speak to Spence, but I think you might want to pump the brakes on Fox a bit.

The guy finished 14th in Norris voting while playing only 55 games.

 

[Star Platinum]

Why’s that? I’d be a bit surprised if he wasn’t pencilled in on the second pair right now.

Orlov-someone
Mukh-Kesselring
Dickinson-Desharnais

Desharnais is a UFA - can't count on him being on the roster yet

 

[anthonyyy]

Spence strikes me as the next possible Adam Fox. He just needs his chance to shine.

Lmao first off, no. Secondly, if he WERE the second coming of Fox, why the f*** would they give him away?