The trade deadline is about a month and a half away and there are no signs that Antti Niemi will be wearing a different jersey this year.
The Sharks have most likely waited too long to move on from the average goaltender. Here’s Niemi’s 5v5 save percentage, by season, for his time in San Jose.
The drop from 2012-2013 to 2013-2014 was significant and it seems as though that’s where Niemi’s true value – or lack thereof – resides. Would it have been a wise decision to take a chance on Alex Stalock as a starter this year – moving Niemi in the offseason? We’ll never know what Stalock would have done with more regular starts, but he hasn’t been performing to the level he did last year behind Niemi.
Prior to the season Stalock should have been the starter, but he hasn’t lived up to his ’13-’14 form. Now, sporadic playing time to go with an injury for a backup goaltender isn't exactly conducive to gaining any confidence or consistency so take Stalock’s numbers for what they are – a small sample.
If they were to deal Niemi by the deadline – because we have to assume he’s not in the future plans for the Sharks – then Stalock would be given the reigns. Does that increase, decrease or have no effect on the Sharks season? I’d say over time it would have no effect. I’m pretty confident that Stalock could bump his 5v5 save percentage by a percent over the remainder of the year to stay on par with Niemi for this season. Returning near his previous season totals is another story.
Easier said than done, though. The goalie market is dry right now.
With no rumors of a deal surrounding the Sharks number one goalie it seems as though San Jose is going to be forced into playing out the year with mediocre netminding and watching a player who they could have traded and turned into an asset walk away for nothing.
With Niemi’s lack of puck-tracking ability, poor puck handling and drop off in play there’s no way the Sharks can bring him back beyond this season and legitimately compete. I wonder if, when Minnesota went searching for a goalie, did they contact San Jose about Niemi – or if Doug Wilson contacted them – and the Sharks GM held out for more than Niemi is worth. I would have taken the third round pick and anointed Stalock heir to the throne for the rest of the year.
Sharks vs Devils
Kevin Kurz’s projected lines for tonight look exactly the way the last game finished, which shouldn’t be surprising. An extended look at what doesn’t work painted an ugly picture and the Sharks went back to 8/19 and 12/39. The only thing shocking about the projected lines for today is that it took so long to return to them.
I’m disappointed the defensive pairings are still less than ideal, but you can’t win ‘em all. It also appears that Matt Irwin was the slowest player to put on his gear today so Hannan and Tennyson get the call for the third pair.
Here are the projected lines courtesy of CSN Bay Area.
Melker Karlsson – Joe Thornton – Joe Pavelski Patrick Marleau – Logan Couture – Tommy Wingels Tye McGinn – Tomas Hertl – Tyler Kennedy Barclay Goodrow – James Sheppard – Matt Nieto
Marc-Edouard Vlasic – Brent Burns Brenden Dillon – Justin Braun Scott Hannan – Matt Tennyson
Alex Stalock (likely starter) Antti Niemi
Kurz has Stalock in the cage, which is a nice sight. He has a chance to boost his save percentage against a Devils team that has had trouble finding the back of the net all season long.
Jaromir Jagr is out – thank the hockey gods – so San Jose has a great opportunity for two points. After a three-point game that fell in favor of Calgary a few nights ago, tonight’s game is even more important. Teams are chasing San Jose and that’s not going to change until everyone has played 82 games. The Sharks need to find 60 minutes of hockey and get the wins when they should.
Puck drop is at 1030pmET(730pmPDT)
Thanks for reading.