So what are your expectations this year?

[spintheblackcircle]

I can honestly say that the only result that would surprise me this year would be a Stanley Cup win.

I think they can win the division. I think they could miss the playoffs. I don't have any clue how this team will perform, none.

What say you?

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[Fistfullofbeer]

I think they will make the playoffs and lose in the first round. And if that is really the case, I would rather have a lottery pick.

 

[HOOCH2173]

The figure heads over on the power play yesterday on XM/Sirius (Brophy and Loughlin) have the Sharks not even making the playoffs. I think one said 10th place or something.

And that the Kings will win Pac and West and make it to cup final again where they would lose against the Rangers! (Loughlin) and Brophy sait Pittsburgh where the Kings would lose to them in a cup final.

As for me. One half could care less of this joke of a season and the other part of me is like ok Sharks show me what you learned from last year and your PK damn it!

prediction finsih 8th and probably one and done.

 

[hockeyball]

It really depends on health but the team is a lot better off than last season. Better coaching mainly, but a healthy Havlat and Burns will go a long way, not to mention Murray (wasn't Couture injured too he said?). If everyone stays healthy I bet we make the 2nd round again.

 

[anthonyyy]

I think they make the playoffs...unless the injuries to the D are longer than anticipated. I don't think they can make the finals though. Unless the players become grittier and scrappier, I don't think Tmac's system matches with the personnel very well. Hope I'm wrong though.

 

[Gene Parmesan]

This season is a wash..i want good hockey.

 

[rangerssharks414]

I think they will make the playoffs and lose in the first round. And if that is really the case, I would rather have a lottery pick.

Completely agreed, although getting a lottery pick would mean watching this team lose a hell of a lot, and it would probably cost McLellan (and possibly Wilson) their jobs.

 

[hockeyball]

Completely agreed, although getting a lottery pick would mean watching this team lose a hell of a lot, and it would probably cost McLellan (and possibly Wilson) their jobs.

Probably not just because of the shortened season, lack of camp, and injuries. They'd be a short leash though.

 

[zombie kopitar]

I am naively optimistic, on paper if they get a solid 3rd line winger that can chip in on scoring they can contend imo. They have one of the best top 6 fw's and bluelines in the league.
It's also a matter of how the lockout affect the league as a whole, will it have a greater benefit on the young guns or the veterans?

 

[SJeasy]

The advantage goes to teams that have had low turnover. Familiarity and the short season. The short season will also bring surprises. At 48 games last year, TO was a playoff team. If it was a full year, the odds are in favor of the Sharks being a bubble team as it is hard to change year to year results. Don't even dream about a cup, the moves weren't there to do it as it is usually one key move (not multiple moves due to the familiarity thing).

Health will be even more critical with the short season and lack of time to compensate for lapses in play due to injury or other reasons. It would not be in the Sharks favor to do a major overhaul on systems so the effect of new coaches will not likely be felt this year. Major overhauling of systems would be a knife to the heart of the team in terms of the standings for this year although it might bode well for next year. Not doing a system overhaul will also tend to push the team towards duplicating last year's results.

 

[hockeyball]

The advantage goes to teams that have had low turnover. Familiarity and the short season. The short season will also bring surprises. At 48 games last year, TO was a playoff team. If it was a full year, the odds are in favor of the Sharks being a bubble team as it is hard to change year to year results. Don't even dream about a cup, the moves weren't there to do it as it is usually one key move (not multiple moves due to the familiarity thing).

Health will be even more critical with the short season and lack of time to compensate for lapses in play due to injury or other reasons. It would not be in the Sharks favor to do a major overhaul on systems so the effect of new coaches will not likely be felt this year. Major overhauling of systems would be a knife to the heart of the team in terms of the standings for this year although it might bode well for next year. Not doing a system overhaul will also tend to push the team towards duplicating last year's results.

If you are going to have a 29th ranked PK the rest of that stuff really doesn't matter anyway, you are not going anywhere.

 

[Rude]

...

I'm almost convinced the Sharks will win the Cup this year simply because it would come with an asterisk. I can honestly see Sharks fans forced to defend their only Cup win against charges of an illegitimate half-season for another twenty years. Seems about right.

-Rude

 

[Tkachuk4MVP]

Call me an optimist, but if they're healthy they're still on the short list of Cup contenders (particularly when you factor in the coaching changes, which I think will have a huge impact).

 

[sr228]

Call me an optimist, but if they're healthy they're still on the short list of Cup contenders (particularly when you factor in the coaching changes, which I think will have a huge impact).

I'm with you...if their PK had been even league average last season they would've run away w/ the Pacific Div. Based on what I've seen in camp (and that I don't think it could get much worse) it should be much better this season.

Their top 6, defense and goaltending can compete with anyone in the league and they're going to have a pretty good 4th line. The 3rd line is the wild card here.

 

[crunchyblack*]

I hope Burns and Demers are back soon

 

[Coily]

Miss the playoffs.

Doug will excuse the season for being short and having injuries.

 

[SharksFan1]

Going to Vegas tonight and putting some money on the Sharks to win it all. Last time I checked they had 20 to 1 odds.

 

[HOOCH2173]

Going to Vegas tonight and putting some money on the Sharks to win it all. Last time I checked they had 20 to 1 odds.

Let me know if that changes? Since I'll be in Vegas next friday!

 

[Juxtaposer]

If Burns is out long-term, no playoffs IMHO.

 

[magic school bus]

I really believe we are a playoff team. We have largely the same team, the same strong top-6, the same weak bottom-6, the same defense (minus a few due to injuries), and the same goalie. If this team doesn't finish between the 3rd seed and 7th, I will be shocked.

The window might be closed but that doesn't make us a non-playoff team. At least not yet, I hope.

 

[Paka Ono]

I voted lottery. Team is the same as last year, esp Patty. But with the shortened season, there's not enough time to bounce back from their habitual horrid starts to the season.

 

[NWShark*]

I think they put it together this year. Best and deepest defense in the history of the team IMO. Good mix of old vet and young legs. PK HAS to get better than last year so that means they'l win the division, be top 2 in the west, easier route potentially to the cup. A few things have to go their way as far as injuries and goaltending but every team has to worry about that...

 

[NWShark*]

I voted lottery. Team is the same as last year, esp Patty. But with the shortened season, there's not enough time to bounce back from their habitual horrid starts to the season.

They've had one maybe 2 bad start in the last few years. A few years ago they had one of the greatest starts in the history of the NHL. Don't know how you can make a claim like bad starts are the norm...

 

[NWShark*]

The advantage goes to teams that have had low turnover. Familiarity and the short season. The short season will also bring surprises. At 48 games last year, TO was a playoff team. If it was a full year, the odds are in favor of the Sharks being a bubble team as it is hard to change year to year results. Don't even dream about a cup, the moves weren't there to do it as it is usually one key move (not multiple moves due to the familiarity thing).

Health will be even more critical with the short season and lack of time to compensate for lapses in play due to injury or other reasons. It would not be in the Sharks favor to do a major overhaul on systems so the effect of new coaches will not likely be felt this year. Major overhauling of systems would be a knife to the heart of the team in terms of the standings for this year although it might bode well for next year. Not doing a system overhaul will also tend to push the team towards duplicating last year's results.

Not sure I agree with the system thing 100%. When ROn wilson took over the sharks were last in the league in PK. He changed the PK strategy immediately and the rest of the way the sharks were top 5 in PK.

 

[Spacemania]

I think its lottery time. All teams are due to head there from time to time, and I think having a short season like this is gonna flip em like a half-cooked pancake.