Hello, October. I've missed you.
1) It’s hard not to think about the captaincy when it’s been dragging on for way too long. There’s no way that Peter DeBoer can stand there with a straight face and say he doesn’t know who the captain is already. Cut the nonsense, Pete. Just tell everyone what’s going on. Is it one of the Joe’s? Patty again? Vlasic? Couture? Burns? It’s one of those six, and everyone knows it. Three of those six players will make up the C and two A’s. This is as ridiculous as last year.
2) I know I’m digging up old wounds, and for no good reason other than it crossed my mind, but would Doug Wilson actually consider letting Joe Thornton walk away when his contract ends? There’s no way that Thornton falls off the map completely in two seasons, barring an injury of course. He’s just built for longevity. He’s got too much hockey sense to become non-valuable to the team and, frankly, there isn’t anyone who can replace him yet in the Sharks system. This whole thought came about because I was thinking how I’d love to see Thornton pot 70 points and how that’s a good possibility. Spoiler alert, it’s one of my predictions for the Sharks 2015-2016 season.
3) There have been nothing but positive comments, reads and tweets about the play of Martin Jones so far in the pre-season. That’s fantastic to hear (read?). I’ll admit that I haven’t watched a full pre-season game for any team in the league, including the Sharks, so I’m not going to pretend to know he played fantastic – but the positivity is definitely in the digital air. That’s something that hasn’t happened surrounding a Sharks goaltender since…..?
4) Sticking with Jones, I wonder if he struggles early in the season (not that I’m predicting this) will the Sharks let him ride it out or give Stalock a chance. It’s a wild thought, yes, but Jones’ resume in the NHL doesn’t have much experience to it and I just wonder how much of a leash he’ll have if he does find the going tough early on. There are no goaltenders available right now that the Sharks can fit in – whether it’s for cap reasons or lack of assets to acquire – so there’s a lot riding on all that positive talk turning into actual results during the regular season.
5) A week ago, Kevin Kurz talked about the Sharks potentially dangling a “promising young forward… for some help on the blueline. If Doug Wilson did that after having the chance to either sign a player like Zidlicky at the cost of zero prospects, or make room for a player like Cody Franson on the cheap, then I’d be highly disappointed. Or outraged, you pick. At this stage I’m content with seeing what the bottom pair looks like with either DeMelo or Mueller riding with Dillon. Evaluate the defensive group at the end of October.
6) Every day I look at the Sharks setup on CapFriendy.com, not for any particular reason. Mostly because it’s an illness and I look at nearly every team each day, just because. Each day I get more and more convinced that this team will make the playoffs and the doubters out there will be pretty disappointed to see team teal back in the dance. Call me crazy, but that’s just how I feel. Maybe it’s just October and I’m excited to watch real hockey again, I don’t know.
7) I have this terrible feeling that Tomas Hertl is going to be a bottom six player again this year. That’s unacceptable. He’s got the skills to handle a bigger role on this team and it’s unfortunate that he’s been forcibly typecast into a lesser role after being drafted 17th overall in the NHL Draft. It’s not so much his draft postion, I guess (because there have been a lot of bad decisions made at 17th overall), that has me annoyed, it’s the fact that he is a good hockey player being slotted below lesser players. Please, Pete, don’t give in to preconceptions and give that kid a chance in the top six on the wing, let Tierney be the third line center and move on. It will work, I promise.
8) I don’t think the Pacific Division is going to be as close as everyone thinks. The Canucks are going to take a nose-dive, the Coyotes are still going to be awful and the Oilers aren’t going to push for a playoff spot. That crosses three off the list and we’re left with the same four from last year that had a chance. I was a big Flames hater last season, and I believe rightfully so, but they’ve improved, and that sucks for San Jose, although I still think the Sharks are at least their equal. The Ducks are running away with the division so it’s really a three-way race for two positions between LA, San Jose and Calgary. LA likes to toy with people during the regular season then explode in the playoffs, but sometimes (like last year) that toying blows up in their face. The Sharks have a real shot at being a divisional playoff seed and not just a wildcard option.
It’s October 1st, get excited. Meaningful hockey is around the corner and the Sharks are going to make the playoffs.