- The Sharks have officially signed Finnish playoff MVP Joonas Donskoi to a two year deal. Donskoi is 23 years old and coming off a championship season that saw him record 6 goals and 16 assists in 19 playoff games. In the regular season he had 19 goals and 30 assists for 49 points in 58 games – finishing 5th in league scoring.
Low-risk, high-reward signing by the Sharks. It’s hard not to like the signing, even if you’re like 95% of North America and had no clue who Joonas Donskoi was a few days ago.
- The Sharks have received the OK to talk to Dan Bylsma. Bylsma is one of the coaching candidates I’d be fine with hiring. I will give credit to Doug Wilson for not rushing into things with regards to the coaching search. The last thing the Sharks want to do is make a rushed decision on who is going to hold the reins of the sleigh.
- San Jose plans on getting compensated for mutual parting ways with Todd McLellan.
The expectation by the way is that San Jose will indeed seek a third-round pick compensation for Todd McLellan as per the new rule
— Pierre LeBrun (@Real_ESPNLeBrun) May 18, 2015This is one of the dumbest things ever in the NHL. Compensation for fired personnel. I can understand those currently under contract, but people who were fired? They shouldn’t net you anything. Of course taking a 3rd round pick from the Edmonton Oilers is always going to be considered a good time, but it’s still a dumb option. The Oilers shouldn’t owe the Sharks anything, nor should they owe the Bruins anything for Chiarelli.
- Brent Burns was amazing at the World Championships. He finished second only to Oliver Ekman Larsson in defensive scoring, was a terror on defense, got named to the all-star team and won Top Defender of the tournament.
He’s legit, boys and girls. To think he got this Top Defender award solely based on his point totals is ignorant and a pretty clear indicator the ten Canadian games weren’t watched. Burns was team Canada’s best on the blueline.
- After watching the Gold Medal game I switched over to Anaheim and Chicago. I felt like I was watching hockey in slow motion and I couldn’t continue after a few minutes of play. I’m all for making the NHL ice bigger. I enjoy watching Chicago and Anaheim play hockey, but imagine them playing on International sized ice? Imagine the plays those two teams could make.
- Shame on the Russian team – minus the six Russians that stayed on the ice – for leaving prior to O Canada. What a disgrace. I feel bad for Ovechkin, strangely, because he was trying to right the wrong that Ilya “the baby… Kovalchuk was creating. Ovi flies all the way over the Prague after a heartbreaking game seven loss only to have his countrymen put on a disgusting lack of sportsmanship.
Thanks for reading.