LeBrun: Tomas Hertl not likely to sign extension with the Sharks

[Pinkfloyd]

True, I just don't know if being a playoff bubble team is enough for Hertl to re-sign. Vegas is clearly the top in that division and the Oilers should comfortably have one of the #2/3 positions. So that leaves one spot left for San Jose, Vancouver, Calgary, and LA (i'd bet that Central takes the other WC spot). It's possible, but unlikely that they'll clearly be ahead of the rest of the pack.

Edit: Objectively, I'd say San Jose's roster on paper is either on par or weaker than the other 3 teams they're competing with unless the vets find the fountain of youth.

Depends on a lot of things. They need to hope that Karlsson finally being healthy in an offseason where he can train can help him turn his play around. They need to hope their goaltending can do better than an .896 save percentage for a season. They have rookies like Eklund and Dahlen coming into the fold and Eklund in particular looks like a potential gamechanger. They're not as far off as people like to think they are.

 

[jetsv2]

Look at the Pacific and you'll understand quickly why that simply isn't true. The division is weak and the Sharks have some young talent stepping in. If they get just decent goaltending, they will be competing for a playoff spot.

Competing for a playoff spot and competing for the cup are not the same team. The San Jose Sharks are in no danger of competing for a stanley cup in the next few years. I doubt the resigns to play for a team that is just hoping to scrape their way into the playoffs.

 

[Martin Skoula]

Any rumors as to what he's looking for in UFA?

 

[Drew311]

LeBrun is not some super insider on the Sharks. Even this is a very uncertain opinion of the situation. Hertl very much likes it here and wants to compete. The team wants to compete too. A lot of this may depend on how the Kane situations concludes.

Sure the team wants to compete...but with so many anchor contracts they basically have their hands tied. Add to that the Sharks prospect pool is one of the worst in the NHL. If the kid wants to compete, the Sharks are way down on the list of places to play to potentially win a cup in the next 1 - 5 years.

 

[Drew311]

Any rumors as to what he's looking for in UFA?

I think he could get 8 - 9M.

 

[jay from jersey]

Sure the team wants to compete...but with so many anchor contracts they basically have their hands tied. Add to that the Sharks prospect pool is one of the worst in the NHL. If the kid wants to compete, the Sharks are way down on the list of places to play to potentially win a cup in the next 1 - 5 years.

this. The only reason for him to stay in San Jose is because he likes it there and doesn’t want to uproot his family or lifestyle.
If he wants to compete for a cup, there are 4-5 other teams that will pay him similar money and give him top 2 C minutes.

Could see Boston Going hard after him. He’d be an ideal replacement for Krecji
NYR could potentially have some interest.
CBJ could too, if they get their act together.
The capitals still have the firepower to go for it in the next 3 years or so.
LV would certainly move some cap off the books to fit him in.
Minnesota would love his services etc
If he chooses to go the UFA route because he wants to compete for a cup in the next 5-6 seasons, he’ll definitely have a couple of teams to choose from.

 

[Nakawick]

Look at the Pacific and you'll understand quickly why that simply isn't true. The division is weak and the Sharks have some young talent stepping in. If they get just decent goaltending, they will be competing for a playoff spot.

They need Karlsson to look someone like an all star caliber player too.

 

[Syckle78]

Which they very well could be this season considering how weak the division is and if Eklund is the real deal riding shotgun to Hertl, they can absolutely compete for that spot. We'll see.

Being bad in a bad division isn't competing. Even if you somehow make the playoffs you aren't competing. The Sharks are a train wreck of some of the worst contracts in the league.

 

[CamPopplestone]

Makes sense for him to at least consider leaving, and play that hand. Centres of his caliber and age don't hit Free Agency all too often. So there's a good chance a team desperate to get help in the middle massively overpays in FA compared to him re-signing in San Jose. So it makes sense to at least consider testing the market

 

[fasterthanlight]

I'd probably leave SJ if I were him, we kind of suck

 

[Pinkfloyd]

Competing for a playoff spot and competing for the cup are not the same team. The San Jose Sharks are in no danger of competing for a stanley cup in the next few years. I doubt the resigns to play for a team that is just hoping to scrape their way into the playoffs.

They aren't but to a lot of these guys just getting to the playoffs is enough to call it competing because anything can happen. The Stars just the past two years went from Finals to out of the playoffs. A lot of teams turn around really quick and a lot of teams drop real quick. The Pacific is weak and that last divisional spot is up for grabs. Hertl will be playing with their top draft pick who is looking like a gamechanger. Yeah, they need a lot of things to go right but that happens for teams sometimes. I think your bar for competing in this context is probably much too high for what it really is for Hertl but we'll see. There are honestly only maybe a handful of teams that are likely competing for a Stanley Cup but it doesn't mean you don't go for it.

Sure the team wants to compete...but with so many anchor contracts they basically have their hands tied. Add to that the Sharks prospect pool is one of the worst in the NHL. If the kid wants to compete, the Sharks are way down on the list of places to play to potentially win a cup in the next 1 - 5 years.

Their hands being tied is competing with what they have. It's certainly within the capability of the guys that they're paying big money to for them to have a good season. This will be the first season that Karlsson starts without having to spend the offseason recovering from an injury. The Sharks prospect pool is hardly one of the worst in the NHL. That talking point is about two years out of date. That prospect pool could very well claim five different spots in the lineup come opening night including one like William Eklund with Tomas Hertl. If the two improve on their chemistry, which would be a given with time, they could produce a lot based on their talents.

They need Karlsson to look someone like an all star caliber player too.

That would help and hopefully a healthy offseason for the first time assists in that. Karlsson will also look better with a more talented, motivated, and cohesive forward group taking his passes and better goaltending making things better than what an .896 save percentage the past three seasons has done.

 

[Pinkfloyd]

Being bad in a bad division isn't competing. Even if you somehow make the playoffs you aren't competing. The Sharks are a train wreck of some of the worst contracts in the league.

That's not how players are going to view it.

 

[Mr Positive]

I suppose this is their all-or-nothing season.

It sounds like the issues with Kane stem back since they got him basically. Maybe he's been a distraction and a cancer this whole time. I bring this up because when you look at the Sharks, they still have some great talent. Maybe they could put a great season together. If they did that, I bet Hertl would stay. If the Sharks still suck, then just sell him at the deadline.

 

[Kcoyote3]

Just going to turn into another thread where 3 times a page someone mentions that the Sharks have bad contracts like they’re clever

 

[Jeune Poulet]

If he's smart he won't extend.

The Sharks' window has closed and it's not reopening anytime soon.

 

[Gaylord Q Tinkledink]

Just going to turn into another thread where 3 times a page someone mentions that the Sharks have bad contracts like they’re clever

If people didn't reuse the same tired thing over and over again and used an actual intelligent comment, you wouldn't be on hf anymore.

 

[Tkachuk4MVP]

Just going to turn into another thread where 3 times a page someone mentions that the Sharks have bad contracts like they’re clever

And don’t forget, they have one of the worst prospect pools in the NHL!

 

[Kcoyote3]

And don’t forget, they have one of the worst prospect pools in the NHL!

What a shithole franchise. The Red Wings would never ruin Eklund like the Sharks are doing

 

[jetsv2]

That's not how players are going to view it.

If that is the fantasy world you have chosen to live in the so be it, but players are not stupid and they know the difference between a team that makes a miracle playoff run and a real contender. The sharks have no chance at being a real contender in the next 3-4 years.

 

[Just A Bit Outside]

Imagine that Vegas somehow gets him for a song.

They have to at least thrown in a dance.

 

[kp61c]

Strange, they have a nice core in Kane, Vlasic and Karlsson.

 

[BruinsJoe]

Gonna be a Bruins at deadline book it

 

[Drew311]

Their hands being tied is competing with what they have. It's certainly within the capability of the guys that they're paying big money to for them to have a good season. This will be the first season that Karlsson starts without having to spend the offseason recovering from an injury. The Sharks prospect pool is hardly one of the worst in the NHL. That talking point is about two years out of date. That prospect pool could very well claim five different spots in the lineup come opening night including one like William Eklund with Tomas Hertl. If the two improve on their chemistry, which would be a given with time, they could produce a lot based on their talents.

The better prospect pools have multiple high end prospects. In my opinion Elkund is the only one with star potential. Every team has multiple B and C prospects which the Sharks are flush with.

The fact that there might be five prospects who make the team is due to there being 8 - 10 roster spots currently filled by borderline NHLers. Just because a few propects make the team out of camp doesn't prove that they will be difference makers in the future, as of now they are simply outplaying bad players.

 

[Cas]

And don’t forget, they have one of the worst prospect pools in the NHL!

Did you know Timo Meier has a large qualifying offer?

 

[supsens]

Depends on a lot of things. They need to hope that Karlsson finally being healthy in an offseason where he can train can help him turn his play around. They need to hope their goaltending can do better than an .896 save percentage for a season. They have rookies like Eklund and Dahlen coming into the fold and Eklund in particular looks like a potential gamechanger. They're not as far off as people like to think they are.

I hate to tell ya but a healthy EK is at the beach taking it easy so he can 'bulk up'.