Steve Palumbo: Why Can't The Sharks Get Out Of Their Own Way?

I dont know who is coming to play on a given night. Time to pony up for a D man I have been clamoring for. Average is not good enough, Boston is lickin their chops with regards to our first rounder.

I dont know who is coming to play on a given night. Time to pony up for a D man I have been clamoring for. Average is not good enough, Boston is lickin their chops with regards to our first rounder.
- BeastModeS62

I am with you on that. I wish we had a little better D.

cause they're garbage

At the risk of stating the obvious, I think this team's problem is that it is average, and the belief they are better than that is wrong. For nearly a season and a half now the challenge has been to explain why the team does not perform better. It is pretty clear that the coaching change has resulted in things being somewhat different but not necessarily better.

Perhaps they have been performing up to their ability this whole time and there is no answer other than increasing the talent level on the roster. Easy to say, tough to do.

At the risk of stating the obvious, I think this team's problem is that it is average, and the belief they are better than that is wrong. For nearly a season and a half now the challenge has been to explain why the team does not perform better. It is pretty clear that the coaching change has resulted in things being somewhat different but not necessarily better.

Perhaps they have been performing up to their ability this whole time and there is no answer other than increasing the talent level on the roster. Easy to say, tough to do.
- Waterwork

Yeah, I see what your saying but we have seen a great team in two spurts this year. I cant figure this team out. Right now im trying to figure out who to start next to Quick on my fantasy roster. Bench Jones and start Hellebuyck or vice versa, hard to trust Jones atm. But the last time I did that Jones killed it

cause they're garbage
- Bigern4MVP

Says the Flames guy

We don't have the depth at Defense so we have to keep Burns back there and he's a disaster...that accounts for many of those goals against because he is too far out of position..
This team needs a different chemistry...you never know who's going to show up shift to shift and period to period...let alone game to game. There have been very few 60 minute efforts over the past couple of years. Marleau for a credible D Man so that ytou can move Burns up to wing (He can still quarterback the power play ) would be an improvement.
Better scouting and development of D Men would help..Can we hire someone from Nashville perhaps? They find D Men and Goalies...
Just a few of my observations....

Their scoring outside of Marleau, Pavelski, Burns, Thornton and Ward is a joke. Realistically our injuries have been pretty average compared to most teams but the big difference is that we don't have the kind of depth needed to compete. Watching this team struggle through injuries because of our depth is extremely similar to watching this team struggle through the playoffs because of our depth. Relying too heavily on our top players has never been a winning strategy.

Jones and Martin have been ok at times but they make so many mistakes that lead to goals. So despite all we gave for/to them it is hard to argue that they've really improved our team.

DeBoer hasn't done much to improve this team either. Other than a few exceptions (Marleau and the Vlasic/Braun pairing), not many guys have played better than they did last year. Our special teams has improved which is great but he still continues to dress players like Brown. And let's not forget he gave Torres a letter so his judgement is at least partially flawed.

There is still hope (our forward group looked pretty good on paper the other game) but we can no longer say it is early in the season or that we are still in a good position. We are in a very bad position and time is running out to get things straightened out.

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Sure thing.

Ghost + Provorov for Goldobin, Chartier, Lebanc and a 2nd

Sure thing.

Ghost + Provorov for Goldobin, Chartier, Lebanc and a 2nd

- j0e Th0rnton

I didnt say young Dmen or good ones

Ummmm.......to get to the other side.

Bottom 6 is total Garbage so 25 min a night SJ gets nothing out of what is on the ice.

Burns is a liability on D. At some point you have to think Burns is having such a huge year scoring what kind of package could be gotten for him?

Bottom 6 is total Garbage so 25 min a night SJ gets nothing out of what is on the ice.

Burns is a liability on D. At some point you have to think Burns is having such a huge year scoring what kind of package could be gotten for him?
- vols94

Well Burns is a forward playing D. He should be on forward again and put an actual Dman on D

Bottom 6 is total Garbage so 25 min a night SJ gets nothing out of what is on the ice.

Burns is a liability on D. At some point you have to think Burns is having such a huge year scoring what kind of package could be gotten for him?
- vols94

I agree. We should at least look around for what we could get for him. I love watching him make plays. He is an incredible athlete. but his defensive miscues are pretty ridiculous. He's on a very reasonable deal and these type of offense 'defensemen' aren't available very often. There would be a bidding war and we could get a boat load for him. Easily a 1st, defensive roster player, offensive roster player, and prospect.

Just 2 years ago the Sharks finished 4th in the league.
They lost in 7 games to the Cup champs and totally hit panic mode. I understand the way they lost was a big hit, but LA and Chicago also lost to the Kings in 7, and they didn't freak out.

Major changes:

1- Moved Burns to defense

2 - Vowed to play the younger - pass the torch from young to old but they resigned Hannan? - played Mueller way too much

3- The big thing - change in leadership - stripped Jumbo of the C, let Boyle. Trade Stuart.

Since these changes - missed the playoffs last year and on their way this year.
I do believe they thought Hertl would be making a bigger impact than he is.

I think it's to start reversing things a little and put Burns on forward and see what that gives them.

We all know this blogger isn't frustrated over the Sharks, Ducks are catching up in the standings

I'm starting to sound like a broken record, but the Sharks are still leading the league in road wins (tied w/Washington and LA, now) but still dead last at home. My guess is that the problem can be found somewhere within the culture of the organization--i.e. player/management relations. The Sharks just don't have the fire at home that they have on the road. A new D man would be great, too. Niemi seems to be doing pretty well this year with a better defense around him. Get a quality D man, move Burns to forward and have some hotel stays before home games. But foremost, figure out what's going on at home and fix it. Wilson?

We all know this blogger isn't frustrated over the Sharks, Ducks are catching up in the standings
- getzlaugh

The Oregon Ducks dont play hockey

Well Burns is a forward playing D. He should be on forward again and put an actual Dman on D
- xShoot4WarAmpsx

Or was he a D playing F? We bought him as a D...

Bottom 6 is total Garbage so 25 min a night SJ gets nothing out of what is on the ice.

Burns is a liability on D. At some point you have to think Burns is having such a huge year scoring what kind of package could be gotten for him?
- vols94

Goldy got a hatty in the A, maybe time to give him another go? I know his D is suspect but how many of our bottom 6 have suspect D?

I didnt say young Dmen or good ones
- xShoot4WarAmpsx

Ghost for Mike Brown and a face punch?

I didnt say young Dmen or good ones
- xShoot4WarAmpsx

Actually, you said fire sale, everything must go

Some of the things I think that are making for such inconsistency:
1 - Lack of forward depth.
2 - Lack of defensive depth.
3 - Inconsistent goal tending.
4 - Bad use of resources (IMHO).
5 - Young players not emerging as planned.
6 - Some of the key older players showing signs of slowing down (Thornton and Martin in particular).