SB Nation Bay Area: All Posts by Rishi Narain

The Foundation Of The Los Angeles Kings Compared To The San Jose Sharks

2012-06-21T14:00:24Z

If you're a fan of the San Jose Sharks, there's precious little to feel good about lately. In a very mercurial season that saw one of the franchise's quickest playoff exits, the 8th seeded Los Angeles Kings put on one of the most dominant post-season runs in NHL history to win the Stanley Cup, leaving Team Teal as the only California team without a Stanley Cup Championship to its credit. For the most part, during the past decade, the Sharks have managed to easily handle the Kings, who have not been terribly competitive since the lockout. It was a forgone conclusion that the Sharks would contend for the Division Title, and possibly the Conference Title, while the Kings would struggle to make the playoffs.

But this season will have many questioning if the balance of power in the Pacific isn't shifting, and that the Kings might be poised to break out and become the sort of consistent contender that the Sharks haven't quite managed to be.

But even while Sharks fans bemoan the Kings current success, there may be some silver linings for the team, and lessons to learn. The Kings have managed to assemble an impressive roster, and find a style of play that has created success. Can the Sharks learn from it?

Here's a look at some of the key players for the Kings, and who the Sharks might turn to in order to find the same kind of success.

The Foundation

Jonathan Quick

The Kings are clearly built well from the net out. The team's most important player has clearly been Quick, who has had his name engraved along side the likes of Patrick Roy, Ken Dryden and Bernie Parent on the Conn Smythe trophy. The numbers speak for themselves. 16-4, 1.41 GAA, .946 SV%, 509 saves, 3 shutouts. Not too shabby for a third round draft pick who's only 26. He's been showing steady improvement every season, and now looks to be a fixture in net for the Kings for years to come.

Who will play this role for the Sharks?

Antti Niemi

Many people would be quick to dismiss comparisons between Quick and Niemi. But it's important to keep a few factors in perspective. Niemi has played fewer career regular season games than Quick, and still has a Cup to his credit. His regular season numbers are comparable to Quick's. And while Quick might be a more athletic netminder, capable of making dramatic saves, Niemi's more unorthodox style focuses more on using his size to take away quality chances down low and allow his defense to clear rebounds. It's very possible Niemi will be more reliable in the long run. So while Quick should rightly receive praise for his incredible season, there's no reason to believe Niemi isn't equally capable of delivering similar results.

The Playmaker

Drew Doughty

The 22 year old defenseman did it all for the Kings. Playing a team leading 26 minutes a night, including almost 5 minutes a night on the Power Play, chipping in 4 goals and 12 assists along the way. Doughty's star has been on the rise for several seasons now, and many look for him to become a fixture on Team Canada's blueline and in the Norris Trophy conversation for years to come. There's no doubt he spearheaded the King's attack this season, and rightfully so. Doughty is an extremely gifted skater who's strong on his skates, and has a solid grasp of the game.

Who will play this role for the Sharks?

Dan Boyle

While Dan Boyle gives up over a decade in age to LA's young phenom, he also boasts a Cup to his credit, and knows precisely what is required of an offensive defenseman who plays over 26 minutes a night and shoulders significant responsibility on the Power Play and on the team's breakout. Boyle has also posted comparable regular season numbers to Doughty, and has the benefit of experience on his side. While Doughty may be featured on Team Canada's Blueline in 2014, Boyle has already won Gold with Team Canada in 2010. Drew Doughty has all the potential in the world. Dan Boyle has already realized his.

The Driving Force

Anze Kopitar

Kopitar has largely toiled in obscurity, playing on some very mediocre Kings teams. And even in those situations, anyone who bothered to watch would have seen a player with all the makings of a superstar. The fact that he's Slovenian and plays in LA means that many fans were not acquainted with Kopitar. But his 22 minutes a night and team leading 20 points in this post season campaign have shown everyone just what this incredibly talented 24 year old centerman is capable of. For a division that, at one time boasted Joe Thornton, Brad Richards and Ryan Getzlaf, there's a case to be made to say Kopitar may, in fact, be the most talented center of that lot. If it's not true now, it's hard to imagine it won't be in as little as one to two seasons. He's scored at least 20 goals every season since breaking into the league in 2006, while becoming a true two way centerman, playing heavy minutes on the penalty kill and against tough competition. And with the new influx of talent on the Kings' roster, Kopitar's visibility and productivity are only going to go up.

Who will play this role for the Sharks?

Joe Thornton

Joe Thornton's numbers are crazy good. For those who like to label his as soft, as a choker and an underachiever, it can be only said that they are ignoring basic statistics, and not watching Sharks games. While Joe remains a dominant offensive centerman, he has rededicated his efforts to becoming a true two-way player, and very much leading the team. It's no coincidence his defensive renaissance has coincided with his captaincy. Joe is very much a leader for San Jose, and he leads by example. He's bigger than Kopitar, and has experience under his belt. And he can still do things with the puck that no one else in the league can. While there's no denying Kopitar's talent, most GMs would probably still pick Thornton to build a team around.

The Revelation

Dustin Brown

Dustin Brown is not a particularly liked player around the league, and most certainly not in the Pacific Division, where he has a reputation as a Diver and a Pest. But in spite of this reputation, he's also known as a hard nosed skater who can throw his body around, play tough minutes and contribute on the Penalty Kill. Brown hasn't always been the most consistent player, and there were rumors he was being shopped. Brown managed to overcome this reputation and tie Kopitar in Goals and Points in the playoffs this season, playing with the sort of drive that showed it was no accident that the team made him the youngest team captain in team history in 2008.

Who will play this role for the Sharks?

Patrick Marleau

The former captain has better numbers than Brown, and yet, is also plagued by constant trade rumors, and does not enjoy the reputation a player of his stature should. Marleau has also had trouble shaking the underachiever tag, in spite of scoring 30 goals in each of the past 4 seasons, and in 6 of the past 7. He also anchors the team's top penalty killing unit. And yet, whenever there are rumors of trades and other roster shake ups, it's a safe bet that Marleau's name will be the first one on the list. When the Sharks put together a successful playoff run, it's safe to assume Patty will be a major driver on that run.

The Redeemed

Dustin Penner

Lazy. Out of shape. Overpaid. Underachieving. Each of these had been used to describe Penner in the past few seasons. After a promising start to his career that included a Stanley Cup with the Anaheim Ducks on a line with Ryan Getzlaf and Correy Perry, Penner found himself at the center of the storm when the Edmonton Oilers offer-sheeted him for a whopping $4.25M, sparking a war of words between then GMs of the Oilers and Ducks Kevin Lowe and Brian Burke. His time with the dreadful Oilers left many criticizing Penner for never living up to his contract. His trade to the Kings was meant to lead to spark a renaissance for the once promising Left Wing. But the move only seemed to make matters worse. Penner's first season in LA was a huge disappointment, and he seemed destined for the bench and another trade. Instead, new head coach Darryl Sutter helped turn Penner's game around, and Penner contributed 3 goals, including 2 game winners, en route to the second Stanley Cup of his career. It would seem the man who couldn't stay healthy while putting a fork full of pancakes in his mouth might be on track for a productive career after all.

Who will play this role for the Sharks?

Ryane Clowe

Like Penner, Clowe is a big, physical winger who can be alternately brilliant and baffling. When he's at his best, Clowe is the team's best puck retriever, helping establish the cycle with his physicality. But when Clowe is struggling, his lack of speed can make him a huge liability, especially defensively. As covered in the season review, Clowe does represent an intriguing trade possibility, but the team does know what Clowe can provide at his best. He is coming off one of his worst seasons, and if he can turn it around, the Sharks suddenly look like a much different team, a much more dangerous one.

The Hired Guns

Mike Richards and Jeff Carter

It's not very often a team can pick up two cornerstone players from the same team. But the dictates of upper management and a perceived cultural war in the locker room meant that Philadelphia's loss (partially by way of Columbus) was LA's gain. On balance, the Kings acquired the pair in exchange for Brayden Schen, Wayne Simmonds, Jack Johnson, and 1st and 2nd round draft picks. Add in the fact that the Kings unloaded Ryan Smith for Colin Fraser, and added Simon Gagne in Free Agency, and it's clear that the influx of talent for the Kings played a big role in their success this season, and lays the foundation for future success.

Who will play this role for the Sharks?

Martin Havlat and Brent Burns

While the Wild might not have been coming off a Stanley Cup final, they too were looking to change the culture of their team. As a result, the Sharks were able to make major changes to their roster, though they paid a much steeper price, effectively sending Devin Setoguchi, Dany Heatley, prized prospect Charlie Coyle, and a first round draft pick for the former Minnesotans. The injury to Havlat and the demands on Burns to adapt to a new team limited their productivity in their first season, the foundation does exist for success moving forward.

The New Lease on Life

Willie Mitchell

After being part of one of the most impressive blue lines in the league with the Vancouver Canucks, a series of injuries left Willie Mitchell's future uncertain. When it was made known the Canucks would be parting ways with the big defenseman, teams jumped at the chance to sign him, especially knowing his injury situation meant he could be offered a bonus laden contract that could ease his cap hit. The Sharks were among the teams bidding for his services, but Mitchell chose to sign with LA, who offered him the security of an additional season in their contract. The move, which was a gamble by GM Dean Lombardi, looked to be a failure when Mitchell suffered a freak injury his first season in LA. But Mitchell recovered, and, in spite of being weighed down by Jack Johnson, managed to remain a productive defenseman. He provided effective mentoring for young Slava Voynov, who looks poised to be a much better all around defenseman that the highly specialized Johnson, and will help ease the burden on Mitchell, who remains one of the best shutdown defenseman in the league.

Who will play this role for the Sharks?

Brad Stuart

Everything old is new again, as the former 3rd overall pick returns to the team that drafted him. Stuart bounced around the league a bit after he was traded in a package for Joe Thornton. He landed on his feet in Detroit and won a Stanley Cup, but will likely be remembered for turning Max Talbot into a Pittsburgh legend. His game has suffered recently, and he's expressed a desire to be closer to his family, which still resides here in San Jose. Stuart does represent a minor upgrade to Douglas Murray, who is coming off one of the worst seasons of his career. Stuart is not quite what he once might have been, but it's possible coming somewhere new, and somewhere where he might be wanted, will help spark a change and return him to form.

The Taskmaster

Darryl Sutter

After 29 games, it became clear that Terry Murray would not be able to lead the Kings back to the post-season. Darryl Sutter, who had previously manage to take some very ordinary Sharks teams to the playoffs, and took the Flames to within one game and one blown call of a Stanley Cup, was brought in to bring structure to a clearly talented but underachieving squad. The results speak for themselves. Sutter's hard nosed approach led the Kings to a remarkable 25-13-11 record, and, of course, the 16-4 post-season run. Known for his taciturn and somewhat stern demeanor, the Kings were very much a reflection of Sutter's defense first mentality, capable of winning close games, and playing whistle to whistle.

Who will play this role for the Sharks?

Todd McLellan

While Sutter represents of a bit of a throwback in terms of coaching, Todd McLellan represents a bit of a new wave of thinking, studying advanced stats in order to determine the best matchups for his players. Sutter managed to get the most out of his players, and McLellan, who has shown he has a knack for matchups and in-game adjustments, will need to do the same for a roster which, from top to bottom, features players who, in one facet of their game or another, had severely disappointing seasons.

The Sharks may be the last California team to hoist the Stanley Cup. But, if they manage to get the best from their players, the wait may not be much longer.

San Jose Sharks 2011-12 Review, With A Look At The Roster And Potential Changes Next Season

2012-06-04T14:00:43Z

The 2011-12 season will likely be remembered as the season where the San Jose Sharks defied the percentages. In spite of finishing the season 2nd in the league in shots, the Sharks finished 13th in goals. By contrast, San Jose finished 8th in both shots and goals against. This was likely exaggerated by the Sharks' abysmal Penalty Kill, which finished theregular season below 80%, second from last, ahead of only Columbus.

San Jose allowed nearly 25% of their goals against while shorthanded. This was in sharp contrast to their 5-on-5 play, where the Sharks were one of the best possession teams in the league, posting impressive Fenwick numbers (measures of shots for and shots against) throughout the season.

So while the Sharks did many things well during the 2012 season, they will ultimately be judged for their failures. With the offseason sure to bring intrigue with the likes of Rick Nash, Ryan Suter and Zach Parise possibly available, many will be clamoring for GM Doug Wilson to make dramatic changes to the team.

How much change Wilson can make is up for debate.

For the upcoming season, the following players are under contract:

Joe Pavelski/Joe Thornton*/Patrick Marleau*
Ryane Clowe**/Logan Couture/Martin Havlat
Michal Handzus***

Dan Boyle*/Douglas Murray""
Brent Burns*/Marc-Edouard Vlasic**
Jason Demers**

Antti Niemi
Thomas Greiss**

Notes: * = No Trade or No Movement Clause ** = Contract Year

With these 14 players under contract, the Sharks are left with just under $8,750,000 in Cap Space (assuming the Cap does not increase) to round out the roster, which requires essentially two bottom lines and one defenseman, plus healthy scratches.

For the most part, the top two lines are set, and given that the 4 most expensive contracts (Thornton, Marleau, Boyle, Burns) all carry some form of No Movement Clause, it's very unlikely any of these players aren't on the roster in 2012-13. Dan Boyle's clause becomes a limited NTC on June 30th, similar to Dany Heatley's last season, which opens the door for a possible trade. However, Boyle is the team's de facto number one defenseman based on ice time and points. It's unclear whether the team would be willing to move forward with a toppairing of Marc-Edouard Vlasic and Brent Burns.

Both are very promising defensemen approaching their prime years, but the team has leaned very heavily on Boyle in recent years. Despite his advancing age, Boyle still averages over 26 minutes per night, and almost four minutes a night of Power Play time. The departure of Dan Boyle would put immense pressure on Burns and Jason Demers to carry the load with the man advantage, one of the few bright spots for San Jose in 2012.

Near the trade deadline, it was rumored that the Sharks were talking to Columbus about a trade for Rick Nash, but the conversation reportedly started with Joe Pavelski or Logan Couture, at which point negotiations broke down. There were similar reports from Philadelphia when the Sharks were rumored to have asked about James Van Riemsdyke. Considering that the Sharks weren't willing to part with either young centerman, even when a high profile player may have been coming back the other way, it is also unlikely either of these two players will be moved either.

Michal Handzus was the team's most prominent Free Agent signing of 2012, and was expected to anchor the third line and stabilize the Penalty Kill. And while he had a bright start to the season, and provided effective mentoring to Jamie McGinn, Handzus was still one of the biggest disappointments of this past season. Injury, age and off-season personal tragedies all contributed to the worst season of Handzus' career. His regression prompted the acquisitions of Dominic Moore and Daniel Winnick. Handzus has a full NMC, but he also has only one season left on his contract. The lengthy off-season and an emotional World Championship performance may help to turn things around for Handzus, though.

Ryane Clowe and Douglas Murray present interesting quandaries for the team. Both have been key contributors to the team's success in seasons past, but both are coming off disappointing seasons. Injury was certainly a factor for both players in 2012, but the St. Louis defeat may have exposed both Clowe and Murray, renowned for their physicality, as too slow to compete in the increasingly competitive Western Conference.

With one year remaining on their contracts, they make intriguing possibilities in trades for teams looking to put themselves back into the playoff picture in 2013. They also represent just over $6,000,000 in Cap Space, which could allow the team to make a splash in Free Agency.

The Sharks do also have decisions to make with regards to several of their own pendingUFAs and RFAs.

UFAs:

Daniel Winnick/Dominic Moore/Torrey Mitchell
Brad Winchester/Andrew Murray/John McCarthy

Jim Vandermeer/Colin White
Mike Moore

RFAs:

Tommy Wingels/TJ Galliardi/Benn Ferriero
Frazer Maclaren/Andrew Desjardins/Brandon Mashinter
James Shepherd

Justin Braun/Nick Petrecki
Matt Irwin

Tyson Sexsmith
Alex Stalock

The Sharks have a wealth of players, both from last seasons roster and some call upsfrom Worcestor, who could fulfill the depth roles that the team still needs filled.

Winnick, Moore and Galliardi, all acquired at or near the trade deadline, were brought in to help the struggling penalty kill. And while Winnick appears to have done precisely that, injuries likely prevented Galliardi and Moore from truly showing their potential .It seems reasonable that all three of these players would return next season, and would hopefully solidify a true third line for the Sharks that can be relied upon to forecheck and be accountable in their own zone. What this means for Torrey Mitchell, who has never quite lived up to the potential of his rookie season following a devastating leg injury, is uncertain. Unless he is willing to accept a pay cut and a diminished role on the fourth line, Mitchell would seem unlikely to return.

Andrew Desjardins also would appear to be a fixture centering the fourth line. Tommy Wingels was the most pleasant surprise of the season, able to play with any line and generally providing positive results. In many ways, he provided what Benn Ferriero was expected to, and may end up making the Boston native redundant in the lineup.

Justin Braun is probably the player from this group who made the biggest statement in 2012. While his game may still be developing, Braun certainly held his ground in tough defensive deployments. He also helped to turn Jason Demers' season around after a very rough start. Sharks fans should expect Demers and Braun to be a long standing pairing for Team Teal.

Colin While, Jim Vandermeer and Brad Winchester, all brought in to provide physicality and veteran experience, are not likely to be retained.

It's probably safe to assume San Jose will address the lower lines internally, and not have to spend significantly more than they did in 2012 to fill lines 3 and 4, and the bottom pairing.

When the Sharks travelled to Winnipeg this past season while Martin Havlat was injured, TSN color commentator Ray Ferraro said of the Sharks that they looked to be one forward short of being a real contender. If the Sharks are able to fill out the bottom lines and healthy scratch roster spots for $6,000,000 in cap space, they would have approximately $2,750,000 in cap space, plus Douglas Murray and Ryane Clowe as trade
assets, to acquire one impact forward and one impact defenseman. While it might not be enough to acquire the likes of Nash, Suter or Parise, there are intriguing options for the Sharks.

On defense, former Shark Matt Carle could provide an upgrade to Murray, and his current contract carries a $3,625,000 cap hit. For the same price, there's also Barret Jackman of St. Louis, whom the Sharks are sadly acquainted with, and his teammate, Carlo Colaiacovo, who made $2,125,000 in 2012. Jason Garrison had an excellent year for Florida and will be looking to cash in on his first lucrative contract.

At forward, the free agent market would appear to be dominated by top line talent that San Jose can't afford, aging veterans not likely to improve the team, or third liners who are largely on par with San Jose's own UFAs. The Sharks might be better served shopping Clowe for a replacement, or simply hoping Clowe has a turnaround season in 2013, which is certainly not outside the realm of possibility.

Changes are probably coming for San Jose in the upcoming season. But they won't be nearly as dramatic as most people expect. And San Jose will probably be better for it.

Banishing the Negativity Part 2: The Crunch Time Edition

2012-03-07T10:09:00Z

As of this writing, the Sharks have 17 games left in their regular season, and there is a legitimate question as to whether there will even be 4 games beyond that. It's almost inconceivable that such a question could be asked of this team. The faithful here have become used to a certain standard of excellence that is lacking in the current version of Team Teal.

Over the course of this season, Fear The Fin has been blessed to have such a talented and professional group of writers covering the team, and helping us to understand their performance, and the game of hockey in general. We've learned a lot about how the team works, and what they need to do to be successful.

And yet, most nights, it seems, we wind up scratching our heads and wondering how these results came to be. Some among us have maybe even come to mistrust the statistical analysis that's used here and many other places throughout the NHL and the blogosphere (including, it must be stated, in the Sharks' front office AND among the current coaching staff).

Worse than that, it can seem as though the community around these parts has become more and more about complaining about the team. Everyone has theories about what needs to be fixed. Maybe it's dumping Patrick Marleau, or ending the Joe Thornton experiment. Maybe Dan Boyle needs to be put out to pasture, and we need to acquire Rick Nash or Alex Semin. We never should have traded Dany Heatley or Devin Setoguchi or Jamie McGinn. And it all went south when we parted ways with Evgeni Nabokov, Jonathan Cheechoo and Kyle Wellwood.

Maybe one or all of these things is true, and we've spent a good 6 months belaboring every one of those points to death. And somewhere along the line, the Sharks played 65 games. And not a single one of these questions has been answered to anything resembling a certainty.

We're down to the wire here this time. Raise your hands if, when that goal was scored 10 minutes in tonight, you were ready to throw in the towel. Don't be ashamed if you were. I'll fully admit, I was. And I think any good fan can realize what a terrible thing that is.

Yes, we're all mad as hell, and we don't want to take it anymore. It's hard following a team for 82 games, and trying to stay with them through all the ups and downs. But that's what it means to be a fan. These players have spent their whole lives preparing for a chance few ever get. And for them to achieve their dream, they have to go through 29 other teams full of guys who want the exact same thing, to say nothing of the hours of practice, the years in juniors, the challenge of sticking, and the physical toll the game takes.

We're hockey fans, and somewhere deep down, we all subscribe to that Western Canadian ethos: playing hurt, never calling in sick, never admitting pain, never giving in and never giving up. And we expect the same of the men we root for. If we expect it from them, we should expect it from ourselves.

I'll reiterate what I said last season:

...I am also a man of faith. I know not everyone out there shares my particular faith, and they don't have to. But we could all use some right now. And, in my experience, sometimes, you can't wait for someone else to give you faith, you just have to have it for yourself.

I think we have to believe harder than ever in this team, because something is not right, and it needs to be fixed.

So what can we do? Will our clicking our heels twice and wishing we were in Kansas bring a Cup to San Jose? Rationally, no, not even close. Will our wearing teal on gamedays and starting new lucky routines have any bearing on the team being able to enter the zone effectively on a power play? Doubtful.

But not impossible.

Belief is an important thing. Not because it changes the world. In my experience, belief changes you.

I said last season that you couldn't be a passive fan. You had to invest yourself in the team and its success. I still believe that, and I'll count myself guilty on that count.

Somewhere along the line, this season became about who was right. And it became about watching the team to see it fail. And with the comedy of errors that this season has produced, who could blame anyone for being a bit fatalistic. Our coach got a concussion and our plane was grounded on the last night of the season's longest road trip!

All that means is that success is going to be harder to achieve, and that much sweeter when it finally comes.

The season is not over. Any calls that it is are entirely premature. As long as there are games to be played and points to be had, nothing is set in stone.

The past doesn't matter anymore. If we're going to dwell on the past, what's the difference between a bad road trip and back to back conference final losses, or two decades without the ultimate dream?

We don't keep coming back to this team because we're clinging to the past. We keep coming back because we have hope to the future. We didn't lose faith when the team lost 70 games. I refuse to lose it because we've lost 32.

I hope you all feel the same.

If you do, then I throw down the same challenge to you I threw down last season. I'm changing my avatar to the team logo, and, well, I never dropped the GO SHARKS from my sig.

But whatever you do, whether it's wearing your jersey every day, that good luck thong you have, or slaughtering a duck on game days, do it.

There's a choice everyone has. We can keep up with the same old routine. We can criticize the team for a lack of heart or chlamydia or not enough grit or bacon. We can criticize the coaches, the front office, the captains, the beat writers and the popcorn guy. And we can sit around and wait for the end to come, and pat ourselves on the back for calling it.

Or, we can pour ourselves into this fight and get behind the team. If they lose, no big. Next season's another season.

But if they win...

Don't let yourself consider the ramifications of that.

GO SHARKS

The Penalty Kill: A Painful Look at the Suckitude

2011-12-21T04:48:56Z

When the San Jose Sharks finished the 2010-2011 regular season with a 79.6% penalty kill percentage, and a 76.3% for the playoffs, it signaled major changes for the unit, which had been a bright spot for the team in seasons past.

Regular penalty killers Scott Nichol and Jamal Mayers were not re-signed, and the blue line was completely overhauled. In addition, new arrivals Michael Handzus and Martin Havlat were intended to change the complexion of the unit, and Patrick Marleau and Joe Pavelski were intended to take a reduced role compared to a very poor penalty killing campaign.

With the penalty kill currently languishing in 29th place, it's difficult to see any improvement from last season.

Firstly, a look at the numbers:

With the penalty kill currently languishing in 29th place, it's difficult to see any improvement from last season.

Firstly, a look at the numbers:

The PK currently sits at 73.6%, 0.2% better than the last place Toronto Maple Leafs, and 1.6% behind the 28th place Columbus Blue Jackets. The good news is that the Road PK is an even 80%, likely built on success during the earlier road trip, and hopefully a harbinger of success on the upcoming SAP Open road trip. The bad news is that the home PK is at 68.6%. For some perspective, the worst Road PK in the league is Columbus at 68.9%

To make matters worse for the PK, the Sharks are one of the least penalized teams in the league, with only 91 power plays against. Florida is the next most disciplined, having been shorthanded only 98 times, and they have the 10th best PK in the league at 83.7%. The Sharks have the 3rd lowest shots against total at 141, and have allowed 24 goals, putting them at 22nd.

As in years past, the Sharks remain one of the most disciplined teams in the league, playing a big role in their overall success shorthanded. And now, the PK is simply not getting it done by any measure. The PK is basically rolling over and not getting belly rubs for its trouble.

Most people associated with the Sharks have been left scratching their heads at the problem. It's unclear what the source of the problem is. Looking at the SHGA/60 for the primary penalty killers on the team, the problem seems even worse:

Player TOI/60 GA GA/60

Andrew Murray 0.53 5 20.93

Torrey Mitchell 0.76 6 17.56

Jason Demers 0.19 1 15.38

Dan Boyle 1.57 12 15.32

Michal Handzus 1.77 10 11.66

Joe Thornton 1.54 7 9.06

Marc-Edouard Vlasic 2.51 11 8.77

Joe Pavelski 1.71 7 8.21

Martin Havlat 0.85 3 8.11

Douglas Murray 1.99 6 7.88

Colin White 1.50 4 7.64

Logan Couture 1.07 4 7.51

Brent Burns 1.96 7 7.14

Justin Braun 1.03 2 6.82

Jim Vandermeer 0.90 1 6.70

Patrick Marleau 1.31 2 3.05

Wow. Those numbers make Steve Buscemi look like a candidate for People's Sexiest Man Alive. About the only player who can even look at themselves in the mirror is the gutless Patrick Marleau. It is somewhat troubling that Andrew Desjardins is only seeing 0.29 TOI/60, when he has yet to concede a goal against. The numbers look particularly bad for Boyle, Vlasic, Demers, Mitchell and Handzus. These are four players the Sharks were looking for to have big years on the penalty kill, and they have simply been wretched.

When looking at statistics, it's always tempting to say numbers are unsustainable when they are this low, but that implies that the players are playing at something akin to "normal." It's time to break down the game footage and see if that's the case. If you'd like to follow along, go to http://video.sharks.nhl.com/videocenter/console.

10/8/11 San Jose Vs. Phoenix, W 6-3

12:16 2nd period, SJ 4-1

The season opened badly for the PK. The unit on the ice is Vlasic, Burns, Marleau, Pavelski. One might argue this is the top unit. And the Coyotes make them look silly. There's a lot of open ice in the middle as Marleau and Burns pursue the puck along the near boards. Marleau can't quite win his board battle, but the puck kicks down towards Burns who makes an absolute mess of it, freeing the Coyotes to attack the middle. Joe Pavelski has been skating with his man and is out of position as the puck comes between the dots, and he's in no man's land as Vrbata passes to Doan who smokes a one timer past Greiss. There's a lot of questionable coverage here, but Burns has to do better with the puck. Joe Pavelski also needs to read that his partner, Marleau, has attacked the puck at the boards and come back to the middle, where the danger area is. Nothing more that Greiss can really do.

4:56 3rd period, SJ 6-2

Burns and Vlasic on the ice again, this time with Handzus and Mitchell. The Coyotes dump the puck deep and Burns goes after it, but is bodied off the puck by the pursuing forward. All the penalty killers are now out of position, as they had moved to become passing options for Burns. Instead, the Coyotes get the puck and send it to the point. Mitchell and Handzus scramble to get into the lane, but the Coyotes quickly go D to D and Oliver Ekman Larsson's quick shot beats Greiss. No one looks particularly good here, but if Brent Burns wins his physical battle, there is no threat on this play. Handzus and Mitchell could communicate a bit better, but everything stems from the lost battle down low.

10:25 3rd Period, SJ 6-3

It's not often you can give up three PP goals in a game and still win. This one comes on a well executed 5 on 3. The Coyotes move the puck well, and the killer's can never truly challenge. Not much anyone can really do about this one. The team simply has to wonder what they were doing on the PK again in the third period, this time down 2 men.

10/17/11 San Jose Vs. Anaheim, L3-2

9:42 1st period, ANA 1-0

I watched this one twice to make sure I really saw what I thought I saw. Michael Handzus breaks his stick, always tough luck on the PK. And yet, he is the one playing down by the net because Dan Boyle is up above the circles, and I have no idea why. We all know Boyle's had a rough start to the season, and has heroically been playing through a broken foot, but this play is simply inexcusable. What makes this worse is that Douglas Murray is clearly injured on the play, and Boyle vacates the front of the net to pursue a puck that he has little chance of getting to in order to clear the zone. Injury or no, Dan Boyle has to make a better decision. Literally every other Shark on the ice is scrambling to cover for his mistake.

10/21/11 San Jose At New Jersey, W (SO) 4-3

13:53 1st period, NJ 1-0

Penalty Killing 101. Don't. Let. The other team. Pass. Through. The Box! Andrew Murray, Handzus, Boyle and Colin White all know this. It's even why they put their sticks in a position to stop the pass. But they also decided it was cool for Ilya Kovalchuk to have a few minutes to think about it, and he makes no mistake, sending a perfect pass to the stick of Patrick Elias. Kovulchuk is allowed time and space, and he's also allowed to make the perfect play. The box will get broken sometimes, but for a pass to arrive that cleanly on the stick of an offensive player means that there was a lack of active sticks. Kovalchuk literally hypnotizes the penalty killers on this play, freezing them in order to find his lane. So while the PKers were mostly in the right place, a lack of movement shreds them.

10/25/11 San Jose at Nashville, W 3-1

13:12 3rd period, tie 1-1

The struggling Predators power play managed to tie this game late in classic Predators fashion, sheer hard work. I had to go to youtube to find a real highlight of this goal (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vL1dlbQSFcU), but the story is, the Preds manage to continually hold the zone and simply wear down the kill. In the end, the Sharks fail to clear the crease, and Craig Smith cleans up. Hard to fault anyone in particular, but any one clear probably allows the tired PKers to get off the ice and turn the tide. Very troubling to see Brent Burns clearly beat at the net, and Marc-Edouard Vlasic appears to be all by himself dealing with 3 passing options. Thornton and Handzus need to do a better job of supporting the play here.

10/28/11 San Jose at Detroit, W 4-2

14:44 2nd period, DET 2-1

Everything appears to be going well on this PK as the Red Wings work it up high. Handzus does his job following the puck. Inexplicably, Andrew Murray decides that the view of Handzus's ass is particularly fine on this play (and who are we to dispute him) and he remains stationary in the middle of the ice. Marc-Edouard Vlasic comes over to Murray to see what all the fuss is about. All four Sharks PKers basically end up in a straight line from the goal to center ice. It looks really cool, but it's a bad way to kill a penalty against a skill team like Detroit, who are able to pass tape to tape and fire one home. I don't really know what to say about this play except that the entire PK seems to have gone completely brain dead for about 5 seconds, and that's all Detroit needed.

10/29/11 San Jose at New York Islanders, W (OT) 3-2

3:15 2nd period, tie 1-1

The vaunted Islanders PP is the next to put San Jose to the sword. Everything is looking good until the Isles get a shot off. Greiss makes the save but does surrender a rebound. Brent Burns is out of position at the front of the net, and fails to take away his man's stick. The rebound continues to kick out, and the Islanders eventually punch it home. Things were going pretty good here, but Brent Burns HAS to win his battle at the net. Greiss could probably field this a bit cleaner, but in that situation, you'd expect a big man like Burns to help bail him out. Instead, Burns looks lost, and frankly, he looks soft on this play.

11:28 2nd period, NYI 2-1

Once again, the Sharks give up more than one PPG in a game, and still manage to win, although this one probably comes with a bit of an asterisk. But that's a separate issue. The issue here is that Michal Handzus is throwing stick checks in the neutral zone on the PK. Zeus should know better. He stops moving his feet, and suddenly, the Islanders are into the zone with speed and able to move the puck at will. This could be dealt with, except Brent Burns has decided it's totally cool for the Islanders to get the middle of the ice. Burns is late getting back and fails to read Grabner driving the middle. It's a good thing he gets the game winner, because he was all kinds of fail on the penalty kill. Burns has more than enough mobility to be able to make this play, but his read is just awful.

10/31/11 San Jose at New York Rangers, L 5-2

14:53 1st period, NYR 2-0

Stop me if you've heard this one. Brent Burns makes a bad read, and New York scores on the Power Play. One night after a disastrous spell of penalty killing, Brent Burns once again absolutely blows it on his read, jumping up as the last man against the rush and completely whiffing. The Rangers enter the zone with numbers and manage to send a cross ice pass for a wide open back door goal. This is pretty much all on Burns. There's no need to try and jump the puck in the neutral zone, especially when he's the last man back. He puts all of his teammates out of position by trying to make that play. It's a bad gamble, not worth the risk.

11/5/11 San Jose Vs. Nashville, OTL 4-3

5:58 3rd period, tie 3-3

Tough way to allow the Preds to force Overtime. This is also the second game since San Jose went to the 1-3 PK scheme. Joe Thornton and Douglas Murray never really get on the same page here. Joe collapses to the middle while Murray is WAY out wide, trying to take away the backdoor play. Joe gives up the pass to the point and then is unable to block the shot when it comes. Murray isn't in position to block this either, and Ryan Suter beats Niemi. Neither Joe nor Murray make a particularly bad play here individually, but their coordination is crap. Murray is expecting Joe to jump up to the point a lot sooner, but he doesn't really make it clear to Joe until it's too late. Joe does the right thing by collapsing low to take away the play at the slot, but he really needs to be hand off that responsibility to Murray, who is somewhat slow to come back to the net. It's good that Murray was aware of the backdoor play, but he has to be closer to the net in order to be effective. This is a bit of tough luck that could be improved by better communication.

11/7/11 San Jose Vs. LA Kings, W 4-2

6:19 1st period, LAK 1-0

You have to win faceoffs if you're going to have success on the PK. The first issue is that LA has a brief 5 on 3 here. Torrey Mitchell takes a dumb penalty to put the team down 2. LA has 17 seconds of 5 on 3. Obviously, a faceoff win is key here, but it's very hard to win a draw without support. As it turns out, Michal Handzus loses the draw cleanly. If he even manages to tie up his opposing centerman, it's probably a good thing. Instead, LA wins the draw, moves quickly D to D, and Jack Vastly Overrated Johnson scores on the one timer. Niemi should have this, but his angle is completely off. This is bad all around.

8:28 3rd period, SJ 4-2

Don't ask me how, but the Sharks manage to win another game in which they gave up multiple PPGs. This one is all on Niemi. Off the rush, Kopitar fires a hard shot which Niemi needs to handle better. Instead, he kicks the rebound right to Kopitar, who puts it home. Hard to fault goaltending on most of the goals given up thus far, but Niemi was not on his game. It's a good thing the team had a good offensive night, because ordinarily, 2 softies on the kill is a death sentence.

11/17/11 San Jose Vs. Detroit, W 5-2

17:23 1st period, DET 1-0

The Sharks put themselves behind the 8-ball again (by the way, how's that 1-3 working out?). This is pretty much textbook Red Wings PP hockey. Shot from the point. Holmstrom gets the tip in front. Pavelski makes a decent effort to block the shot up high, and that's pretty much been the Sharks' playbook against Detroit. This time, the Red Wings just execute better.

13:38 3rd period, SJ 5-2

So, apparently, the key to success on the PK is to give up multiple goals a game? A good win ends on a sour note as Detroit makes absolute mincemeat of the 1-3. The Sharks should expect heavy doses of this in the post-season. All 5 Detroit skates work together and the Sharks back into their own zone absolutely on their heels. Again, like the game on the 28th, the entire team ends up in a straight line between the goal and the puck, and once again, Detroit uses the space to shred the PK. Jason Demers is in front of the net, and that's about all that can be said of him, as he's doing nothing in particular. It's a free for all at the net, and everyone gets a shot. It's a good thing the team is up at this point, because they look absolutely foolish on this kill. This game should put to rest any notion that the 1-3 is any kind of an answer to the PK's struggles.

11/26/11 San Jose Vs. Vancouver, L 3-2

10:17 2nd period, VAN 2-1

Good teams don't need a whole lot to make things happen. There doesn't look to be much going on here, and the Sharks are doing a decent job on the kill. But Torrey Mitchell doesn't quite win his battle at the boards, Andrew Murray isn't quite in position to disrupt the pass, he doesn't quite get back to block the shot, and Niemi can't quite control the rebound, which goes right to Henrik Sedin at the backdoor, and Niemi can't quite get back in time to make the save. Dan Boyle and Jim Vandermeer make a hot mess of things infront of the net, basically running into each other and creating even more traffic which probably throws off Niemi's timing just a bit. It also prevents them from doing anything about the rebound. It's good that Mitchell goes after the puck at the boards, but Murray should probably be closer to the middle to support Mitchell.

12/3/11 San Jose Vs. Florida, L5-3

7:53 1st period, tie 1-1

Douglas Murray gets beat along the boards. Let that sink in for a moment. After that, it's pretty much chaos in front of the net before Florida finally cashes in. The Sharks could really use a freeze from Greiss, but Douglas Murray can not lose that battle behind his own net. That is inexcusable.

18:25 3rd period, FLA 5-3

San Jose was still in this game, but this is a howler from Greiss. Can't say much more than he just needs to make that save. No one really does anything particularly wrong here, and you can argue that shot should never get off, but Greiss just has to be better. So the Sharks finally lose one in which they give up multiple PPGs, but in their defense, they also gave up a short handed goal... yeah, okay, never mind.

12/6/11 San Jose Vs. Minnesota, L 2-1

19:48 1st period, MIN 2-1

This is the game winner. And it comes in the final minute of the first. Joe Thornton is a great hockey player, but he needs to be better here. He goes up high to block the shot, and forces a cross-ice pass. Good. But he doesn't get back to follow up. Instead, his man gets behind him for the cross ice pass which shreds the D. Niemi does get across, but the puck beats him short side. The team just needs better execution here, particularly in close games.

12/8/11 San Jose Vs. Dallas, W 5-2

6:30 2nd period, tie 2-2

You know, I hear Michal Handzus was a pretty good PKer in LA. I sure hope that's true, because I have no idea what he's doing here. His responsibility as the weak side forward is to stop the cross ice pass. Instead, his stick is out towards the blue line, and leaves the lane to Brendan Morrow wide open. Morrow makes no mistake. Everyone is working pretty hard here, but Handzus just absolutely goes brain dead, and the Stars make him pay for it.

12/10/11 San Jose at St. Louis, L 1-0

19:34 1st period, STL 1-0

This game was ugly. And while this goal is officially a PPG, it's effectively a 5-3 goal, as the man had just come out of the box. Pretty tired group out there, and Niemi should probably have this one, but the less that's said about this game, the better.

12/13/11 San Jose at Colorado, L (SO) 4-3

11:51 3rd period, COL 3-2

Oh dear me, Danny Boyle, what are you doing? Dan Boyle is again caught pushing up the ice and vacating the front of the net. Logan Couture does not immediately recognize this, and is late coming back to challenge Matt Duchene's shot. The play by Boyle is perhaps not as awful as it first appears, as he's supporting the pressure on the point provided by Martin Havlat. But this should be Logan Couture's responsibility. With Boyle pushing up the ice, the Sharks are severely overloaded on the near boards. Logan Couture is suddenly covering no one, and Justin Braun is unable to do anything of merit in front of the net. No one really does anything particularly well this play, but Dan Boyle really makes a mess of things for his teammates.

12/15/11 San Jose Vs. Colorado, W 5-4

5:51 1st period, tie 1-1

Textbook PP goal. Joe Pavelski loses the draw cleanly. It goes to the point quickly, a good hard shot is tipped, and Colorado scores. Again, if the draw is at least tied up, this play might not happen the same way, and considering this game is at home, Joe Pavelski can not lose the draw this badly.

19:49 1st period, COL 2-1

So, basically, if the Sharks give up multiple PPGs against, they end up having an epic period, so we're going to stick with this strategy, right? Drew Ramenda takes the PK to task for not blocking shots, and it's not hard to see why. The PK has not been effective in blocking, or even denying shots all season, and this time, the shot gets through again, creating problems for the team down low. Colin White is unable to find the puck, and the forwards were not high enough to block the initial shot, and not low enough to help White clear the rebound.

CONCLUSIONS

Ugh... that was painful. It's hard to see any silver linings in any of this. The PK is just bad. It's not one particular player. There's plenty of suck all around. Some very good players just make some absolutely horrendous decisions at times. And there's just too many instances of individual players losing individual battles. A few outlying games aside, it's hard to blame the goaltending, but it's getting to the point where the PK seems like it has to ask its goaltenders (both of them) to just start stealing a few here and there.

I've made some attempt to look at numbers and positioning and such, but it has to be said, the PK just plain doesn't work hard enough. There's no urgency to its play, and the opposition is given tons of time and space, enough to make those pretty plays that beat the PK.

Looking at the stats, you'd think the numbers are unsustainable for a team this talented. And they may well be, but that assumes that their effort level will increase. The season is past the quarter point. This is not a lull or a statistical aberration. This is an honest to god weak spot. All the players (maybe outside of Marleau) who are relied upon to do the job are being beaten, and beaten badly.

I've contended that the Sharks are in danger of missing the playoffs if they don't improve their PK. When it comes to very good teams in the NHL, there's generally not much separating them. The margin for error ends up being very thin. And a bad PK just rips that margin wide open.

A few of us (myself included) have advocated a coaching change in terms of special teams. Watching to clips, I don't know how much I can fault the coaches for players just absolutely crapping the bed on their assignments. Good coaching might help, but when experienced professionals make such poor decisions, that's all on them, not the coaches. The fact that it's chronic doesn't speak well of the coaching staff, but it speaks worse of the players.

This all sounds very doom and gloomish, and yet, as of December 20th, the Sharks sit in 8th place in the West, 2 points out of first in the Pacific with 2 games in hand. So they're not out of it by any means, but the way the season is shaping up, it's very likely only 2 teams from the Pacific will make the playoffs. The Sharks currently have the inside track on their division rivals, but the whole point about the poor PK is that it cuts in to the thin margin for error.

The SAP Open trip still looms, along with a heavy dose of division games to close the season. All of which means this is still very much up in the air and the Sharks aren't doing themselves any favors with their penalty killing.

Fear The Fin: Night At the Pizza Place Episode IV, A New Hope, 12/17

2011-12-14T09:32:33Z

Greetings Ladies and Gents,

I've had some last minute family obligations come up, and will not be able to attend our first installment of FTF Pizza nights. However, I know several people expressed interest in the 17th as one of the potential dates. So I'd like to get a quick headcount of who was going to be available this Saturday so I could figure out if we needed to book a room. Round Table basically requires a minimum $50 food purchase to get a room with a TV, and 2 Larges, plus drinks usually covers this.

So, Please respond to this post with the following ONLY IF YOU PLAN ON ATTENDING:

1.) Number of people you're bringing

2.) If you have a preference for the South Bay (San Jose, Santa Clara, Sunnyvale), Peninsula (Mountain View, Palo Alto, Redwood City) or East Bay (Milpitas, Fremont).

Based on the responses, we can see what the logistics would be.

Let's hope our commitment to get out and see each other contributes to a drilling of the Oilers!

GO SHARKS!

Greetings Ladies and Gents,

So, Please respond to this post with the following ONLY IF YOU PLAN ON ATTENDING:

1.) Number of people you're bringing

2.) If you have a preference for the South Bay (San Jose, Santa Clara, Sunnyvale), Peninsula (Mountain View, Palo Alto, Redwood City) or East Bay (Milpitas, Fremont).

Based on the responses, we can see what the logistics would be.

Let's hope our commitment to get out and see each other contributes to a drilling of the Oilers!

GO SHARKS!

FTF Night at the Pizza Place

2011-11-30T01:11:39Z

Greetings fellow Fin-atics and Fin-addicts. Due to real life commitments, our benevolent blog overlords have been unable to plan the third annual FTF Night at the Tank. In related news, Plank's WoW guild has been on a f***ing tear, and I think Matt has made, like, a bazillion dollars in Farmville. Anywho, I know several of us have been itching to have some sort of real-time get together to enjoy unhealthy food and an unhealthy love for the men who wear Teal.

With tickets being hard to come by, especially in the numbers we might need, I reckon the next best idea is to do a pizza night, similar to the one PNK organized towards the end of last season. Something low-key, at a Round Table or Mountain Mikes with a semi-private room and large screen TVs where in we can eat pizza and insult each other in person as opposed to over the internets. And hopefully, we can attract some of the folks who appear to have abandoned posting on FTF for the twitter-pating.

I'd like to poll people on when and where they might like to do this. I'm profering up the following potential dates (and feel free to recommend more than one. I see no reason to limit this to a one time thing:

Saturday, 12/3 vs. FLA, 7:30 pm

Saturday, 12/10 @ StL, 5:00 pm

Sunday, 12/11 @ CHI, 4:00 pm

Tuesday, 12/15 vs COL, 7:30 pm

Saturday, 12/17 vs EDM, 7:00 pm

Friday, 12/23 vs LAK, 7:30 pm

As for locations, this depends on who would be coming out. I know the majority of us are in the South Bay, which makes San Jose/Santa Clara convenient, but if a more central location like Palo Alto or Mountain View on the Peninsula, or Fremont and Milpitas in the East Bay would attract more folks, I think we can consider that.

There's also a good chance I won't be able to make the first three dates I posted, so if anyone else would like to be on top of organizing, I'd appreciate the help. I know that 6 choices seems like a lot, but I'm hoping to be somewhat flexible in choices as I know December is when a lot of you young rabble rousing college students will be home, plus folks might be in town to see family and such. Also, does anyone who's interested in coming have any major dietary restrictions that should be taken into account?

So, please check your calenders and check in with your parole officers to make sure you can make it out to see us. I know this is a Fear the Fin event, but please not that pants are REQUIRED, not optional. Stupid laws.

GO SHARKS!

Saturday, 12/3 vs. FLA, 7:30 pm

Saturday, 12/10 @ StL, 5:00 pm

Sunday, 12/11 @ CHI, 4:00 pm

Tuesday, 12/15 vs COL, 7:30 pm

Saturday, 12/17 vs EDM, 7:00 pm

Friday, 12/23 vs LAK, 7:30 pm

GO SHARKS!

How the Sharks have scored their goals: a look at the 30 goals scored this season

2011-11-02T03:07:02Z

The 2011-2012 campaign for the San Jose Sharks has reached the 10 game mark. And already, the team has seen a bit of everything. A dominating win against Phoenix that showed that the current squad is capable of, a pair of controversial wins in Detroit and Long Island that featured some dubious decisions that impacted the final outcome in a big way, a comeback shootout win in New Jersey, a nearly blown lead in Boston and some textbook road hockey in Nashville. There have been disappointing loses, including a shutout by noted Shark killer Jonas Hiller, a pair of star performances by backup netminders, and a general all around stinker most recently in New York.

The team has seen a significant amount of roster turnover, and some key players in key positions are either new to the team, or new to their role. Most notably, Brent Burns, Martin Havlat and Michael Handzus joined the team in the offseason as a #1 defenseman, a top-6 winger and a shutdown center. Joe Pavelski finds himself with new linemates (also, the sky is blue), and several young players are fighting for roster spots. So while several big names are the same, this is a very different team from last year’s squad. Some growing pains are inevitable. While no one expected the team to be 10-0 at this point, a 6-4 record tastes sour for some fans, as the manner of the losses seems all too familiar.

This has reignited a mini-debate that has been following the team for several seasons now: should the Sharks commit to screening the opposition goaltender? Many expected Coach Todd McLellan to emphasize this strategy, given his work with the Detroit Red Wings, and players such as Thomas Holmstrom and Johan Franzen. The strategy has made the Detroit Red Wings one of the premier teams in the NHL since the lockout. And fans in San Jose have heard the mantra of "pucks and people to the net" in many interviews with the coaching staff and the players.

So when the Sharks lose, it seems as though there is a huge imbalance between the pucks and the people to the net. Many fans are left puzzling over loses where the Sharks outshoot their opposition by a significant margin, but are not able to win. There’s a perception that there are too many "easy" shots.

So, at the 10 game mark, a point at which the Sharks have scored 30 goals, it seems a good time to take a quick qualitative look at the offense.

I’m going to take a quick look at the goals scored so far, and try to assess a few things. I’m going to look at Even Strength versus Special Teams, whether the team was trailing or leading or tied, the relative position of players (by trying to assess how many players were above the circles versus below the circles), whether there was any significant net front presence, and whether the defense was involved.

Quick disclaimer, I’m relying on highlights from NHL.com, and my own memory of the games. The assessments are my own opinions, and you’re free to view the highlights and see if you see something I don’t. I’ll draw my own conclusions, and leave you to draw yours as well.

GAME 1, vs. Phoenix, 6-3 W

1. Pavelski, PPG, 4:01 1st period, 1-0

Joe nets his first of the season on a feed from Marleau behind the net. Brent Burns jumps up on the play to get the puck low to Marleau, and Pavelski goes to the front of the net to receive Patty’s pass. When Burns jumps up, he goes down to about the circles, and keeps the play alive. Patty does a good job staying with the puck.

2. Handzus, ES, 8:23 1st period, 2-0

Torrey Mitchell skates down the wing and manages to cycle the puck down low to Handzus, despite being covered by two Coyotes. Handzus scores a bit of a flukey goal from almost behind the net. Mike Smith should stop this one. All three forwards got deep in the zone off the rush here and backed in the Coyotes defense.

3. Clowe, PPG, 7:33 2nd period, 3-0

Some very slick passing and good movement off the puck creates the goal here. Clowe is isolated on the far side, nearly at the blue line while the Power Play operates at the near boards. Logan Couture goes deep and attracts the attention of the Penalty Killers before slotting a beautiful pass to Clowe in the slot. Clowe makes a nice move and lets a backhand shot go just as Tommy Wingels skates through Smith’s line of sight. It’s a partial screen a few feet out from the net, but beautifully timed. Demers does a good job skating towards the top of the circles and makes the Penalty Kill respect him as a passing and shooting option. Kyle Chipchura SHOULD have Clowe on the play, but Demers’ weaving kept him engaged just long enough for Clowe to get to space where Couture finds him with the pass.

4. Desjardins, ES, 8:33 2nd period, 4-0

Desjardins gets himself a breakaway by getting a good jump on a puck just exiting the zone. Andrew Murray does a great job of pressuring the puck carrier, and Desjardins has speed to gain separation and makes a great move.

5. Pavelski, PPG, 16:54 2nd period, 5-1

Some good work from Thornton and Marleau down low gets the puck back to the point where Dan Boyle lets a rocket of a shot go. Pavelski gets a stick on it the inside edge of the faceoff circle. Thornton is right in Smith’s face. This is a classic case of screens in layers, and shows good work by Joe to go to the net after winning the puck. The shot arrives at just about the time Thornton gets there. Patty and Joe do the work at the boards, leaving Pavelski free to go to the slot, and Joe does a good job getting to the net.

6. Desjardins, ES, 18:42 2nd period, 6-1

Andrew Desjardin slays a hundred men and impregnates every female in a ten mile radius. He gets hit in the head, gets up, and just skates for the net, and puts an awkward backhander by Smith. This is another bad goal that comes out of basically nothing. Smith should stop this, but good work by Desjardins to stick with the play.

GAME 2, at Anaheim, L 1-0

The Sharks scored no goals. This is a bad thing.

GAME 3, vs. St. Louis, L 4-2

1. Handsuz, PPG, 18:44 1st period, 1-1

A good cross ice feed allows Demers to skate down to the half boards and take a shot which Handzus cleans up. Handzus and Clowe both go to the net off the faceoff win, going in layers. Clowe gets there first, but it’s Handzus who gets to the rebound first. This isn’t a screen, but there are players going to the net once the shot is taken.

2. Burns, ES, 11:18 2nd period, 2-1

Brent Burns lets his freak flag fly, letting off a monster shot from the point, off a feed from down low by Ryane Clowe. Couture and Mitchell are both trying to get open for Clowe as he works it along the boards, but as soon as he makes the pass to Burns, both head for the net. The puck deflects off a St. Louis player and Elliot isn’t able to field it cleanly. All three forwards were low, and there was significant traffic for Elliot to deal with.

GAME 4, vs. Anaheim, L 3-2

1. Vlasic, ES, 6:39 2nd period, 1-2

The highlight says this is Vlasic’s goal, but it’s actually an own goal off an Anaheim defenseman on a botched clear. Torrey Mitchell and Vlasic skate together and get the puck in deep. Mitchell falls but manages to get the puck to Vlasic who puts a pretty innocent looking backhand towards Ellis, who kicks out a rebound. His own man then puts it through his five hole. That sounds just about as dirty as this goal looked. The positives are that Vlasic continued to go to the net to create the scoring chance. Patrick Marleau is in position for the rebound as well, but the Sharks catch a break here on a flukey goal.

2. Burns, PPG (2 man advantage), 11:01 3rd period, 3-2

Brent Burns with another rocket. The Ducks actually do managed to clear the zone, but some good skating by Dan Boyle lets them re-enter the zone before the Ducks can complete a change. Everyone does a good job of touching up and turning back towards the net. Boyle sends the puck wide to Thornton who holds up, allowing Pavelski and Marleau to go to the net, which backs the Ducks in. This opens up the ice for Burns who skates in. Thornton puts it right in his wheelhouse, and Burns rings one in off the piping.

GAME 5, at New Jersey, W 4-3 (SO)

1. Thornton, PPG, 15:18 2nd period, 1-2

There’s no substitute for being a stud. Joe Thornton enters the zone after a good up pass from Boyle springs Pavelski and Thornton on a 2 on 1. Pavelski dishes off to Thornton who disguises his release beautifully, using the defenseman as a partial screen to beat Hedberg. This goal happens because Joe Thornton is very good at hockey.

2. Clowe, ES, 16:21 2nd period, 2-2

Ryane Clowe and Logan Couture just have a bromance going. No big deal. Some sustained pressure in the zone results in a classic mad scramble around the net. Couture gets a point blank chance that’s saved. Martin Havlat collects the rebound and skates it out to the boards, giving Couture time to regain his skates and get in Hedberg’s eyes. Havlat sends a puck to the crease that’s kicked out and Clowe just fights to get to the rebound. This is a perfect mix of puck retrieval and being stronger in the opponent’s crease.

3. Pavelski, ES (Sharks Empty Net), 19:27 3rd period, 3-3

Just your average clutch goal from Joe Pavelski. With the net empty, Marc-Edouard Vlasic jumps up to keep the puck in. Thornton works the puck to the front of the net. Logan Couture comes flying in to try and stuff it home. Three Devils come with him. The rebound comes out to Pavelski who snipes it home. Hedberg never sees it as there is a mass of humanity between him and the puck. Super Slow Motion replay shows Pavelski clearly mouthing the words "yippee ki yay m***********" before picking his corner.

GAME 6, at Boston, W 4-2

1. Pavelski, ES, 1:12 1st period, 1-0

Joe Thornton makes a steal at center and dishes to Pavelski who comes into the zone with Marleau. Both have speed and the lone Bruin defender is forced to back in. Pavelski can be seen on Super Slow Motion replay revealing that he does, in fact, have the All Spark in his chest before letting off a rocket that beats Thomas. Thornton does a great job making the steal, and Patty and Pav’s speed do the rest.

2. Couture, ES, 8:54 2nd period, 2-0

Ryane Clowe came to do two things, kick ass and chew bubble gum, and he left the gum on the bench this shift. Clowe follows the puck behind the net. He plays the body and the puck squirts out to Havlat, who’s providing him with good puck support. Havlat makes a beauty of a pass to Couture who’s waiting at the top of the crease because that’s where he had the best view of Clowe’s booty. This is again a good mix of puck retrieval and having someone go to a good scoring area.

3. Ferriero, ES, 8:48 3rd period, 3-2

Benn Ferriero is obviously not ready for the big club, because he only ever scores goals. Ferriero chases the puck into the Bruins’ zone and manages to win it in the corner. He sends the puck back up high to Jim Vandermeer and immediately heads to the front of the net. Thomas does not field Vandermeer’s shot cleanly, and Ferriero cleans up, beating his man to the puck. This is great work by Ferriero who stats skating the moment the puck leaves his stick, and is rewarded for it while most everyone else, including his man, are puck watching.

4. Marleau, Empty Net, 19:55 3rd period, 4-2

Mike Grier was not consulted on this goal.

GAME 7, at Nashville, W 3-1

1. Couture, SHG, 14:22 1st period, 1-0

Havlat breaks up the power play and breaks out with Couture. He dishes to Logan who dishes back and then drives the net, taking both Predators with him. Havlat takes a shot, and Couture collects it, putting it over Rinne. This is all possible because Havlat and Couture back back the D in. Couture drives the net to open up space for Havlat, and is rewarded when he finds the rebound.

2. Pavelski, ES, 14:09 3rd period, 2-1

Joe Pavelski does not like it when other teams score. So less than a minute after they do, he tells them to turn that sumbitch sideways, and stick it straight up their candy ass. Thornton, Marleau and Pavelski get a good cycle going. Pavelski gets the puck from Patty, walks out from behind the net and slips one past Rinne. You expect Rinne to make those saves, but the good cycle clears out the front on the net and gives Pavelski a chance to go one on one with the big Finn. Pavelski tells him to Fear The Fin.

3. Pavelski, Empty Net, 18:49 3rd period, 3-1

Joe Pavelski finds your lack of a goaltender disturbing.

GAME 8, at Detroit, 4-2

1. Clowe, PPG, 2:10 2nd period, 1-1

The Power Play is able to enter the zone cleanly and get set up deep, thanks to some nice work by Havlat. Everyone comes in with speed. The puck comes to Havlat in the middle who quickly turns and finds Clowe driving the net. Clowe gets his shot off before Howard has time to make the read. This play looks almost effortless, but it’s very good execution with speed. Detroit is never able to establish any pressure because the Sharks are skating so well on this play. The play goes deep and the point of attack changes quickly, which is pretty much a death sentence for the PK.

2. Marleau, ES, 7:56 2nd period, 2-1

Patrick Marleau is a lousy model of consistency. But it turns out he’s a great hockey player. Ian White definitely misplays this puck, and Jimmy Howard should probably stop this, but take nothing away from Patty. This play happens because Marleau gets on his horse and makes something happen. Jamie and Dan noted on the radio that they liked this play because Patty didn’t line up as a stretch forward. He was, in fact, deep in the zone, playing good D, and he had to really skate hard to go get this puck. They liked the fact it forced him to use his best asset, which is his skating. With results like this, how can you argue?

3. Thornton, ES, 18:18 2nd period, 3-2

JOE THORNTON SHOT THE PUCK!!!111!!! Another defensive breakdown from the Red Wings lets Joe Thornton skate in all alone on Howard. Joe just has an amazing wrist shot. He’s so good at disguising his release, it’s almost not fair. If only he’d do this more often… This is another goal that happens because we have someone on our team who is very good at hockey.

4. Thornton, Empty Net, 19:25 3rd period, 4-2

This is probably the softest goal scored on the entire road trip.

GAME 9, at New York Islanders, W 3-2 OT

1. Pavelski, PPG, 0:17 1st period, 1-0

Joe Pavelski. Okay, fine, for those of you who need more of a description, Joe Pavelski wins the puck in the corner and dishes up top to Dan Boyle. Pavelski skates immediately to the front of the net and collects the rebound. Pavelski does pause momentarily to submit a formula for curing cancer, but no one understands how his plan of "just be awesome like me" is supposed to work.

2. Couture, 13:19 2nd period, 2-2

Sometimes, it’s good to be lucky. Couture collects the rebound in the high slot and pounds it back at the net. No one is doing anything in particular here, but the puck hits someone in front and deflects past DiPietro.

3. Burns, 1:07 OT, 3-2

Never look a gift horse in the mouth. Boyle calls for Burns to switch places with him before dishing down low to Pavelski, who immediately dishes to Burns, who makes no mistake. The interchange and quick passing, combined with all the open ice give DiPietro and the PK no chance.

GAME 10, at New York Rangers, L 5-2

1. Pavelski, 17:50 1st period, 1-2

After this goal, a young man, who would only give the name Clark Kent, walked into the arena store at the Tank and asked if they had any Joe Pavelski jerseys in stock. Thornton makes a nice dish up top to Murray, who rattles one off the pipe. Pavelski, who had been providing a partial screen, is first to pounce on the rebound.

2. Couture, 11:03 2nd period, 2-2

For really the first time that night, the Sharks were able to pin the Rangers deep, matching the Thornton line against the bottom pairing. The Rangers were able to clear after a full two minutes of pressure, but some good work by the Sharks in the neutral zone was able to turn the play right back the other way and lets them enter the zone with speed, backing in the D. Pavelski gives Couture a beautiful pass right in his wheelhouse that Logan cranks home.

So, from just looking at the highlights, I still think getting people and pucks to the net is the way to go. It doesn’t have to be a screen, but the Sharks have had success getting to rebounds first. A LOT of this, in my opinion, happens when the man making the pass makes a move to the net.

The other thing that is obvious is that when the Sharks use their speed, they’re lethal. Good teams and good defenses have been made to look silly when the Sharks are able to skate with any semblance of speed through the neutral zone. The passing in those cases has been superb.

Getting shots from the blueline also appears to be key, as it forces the defense to spread itself a bit thinner, opening up some of those lanes where guys can get to the net and find rebounds.

The Sharks have been the beneficiary of some fluky goals as well, but in each case, the fluke goal seemed to have happened because someone went to the net.

In either case, whether it’s a screen, someone chasing down a rebound, or driving to the net with speed, or watching the goaltender flub one, I still see a common thread of the Sharks needing to get pucks AND people to the net, preferably at the same time. The Sharks should be an up tempo skating team, and they can score from a lot of different ways: off the cycle, off the rush, from the point, on breakaways.

Any and all of this can be made moot by a game in New York where the team is clearly tired and can not skate. The Sharks MUST skate if they want to be successful. The results are pretty clear when they do. There are some pretty goals scored by this team.

But when they stagnate… it’s pretty awful. So far, at 6-4, they’ve been good. They could be better, but they certainly could be worse.

At the end of the day, this is still a very good hockey team, but they have big expectations, the biggest of which they put on themselves. The evidence shows that they’re clearly aware of what works for them, and they probably don’t need to be told how to play the game. It just means that the losses are all the more frustrating, because everyone in Teal knows what works for them, and they just can’t always deliver.

Interesting article about the World Series, could be about the NHL

2011-10-27T02:49:45Z

Interesting article about the World Series, could be about the NHL

Jeff Passan has generally given pretty fair and even handed coverage to every sport, so I found this article to be pretty interesting.

I feel as though his message, "one day, just one day, watch one game" is the same rallying cry for me trying to convince people to watch hockey.

It's also interesting given the NBA lockout. Everyone keeps saying that this will be the time the NHL really grows. I'm not sure I feel as though it NEEDS to do anything different. The NHL's core strength is local teams, and so long as fans in markets are invested in the game in large enough numbers, the league will be just fine. It has an entertaining product, and shouldn't worry about comparing itself to anyone else. Get fans in a seat, and let the game sell itself.