The Sharks will close out their five game, eight day, road swing in Boston tonight against a Bruins team that has had an up and down start to the 2014-2015 campaign. The Bruins sit with a 3-4 record that shouldn't be taken as an indication of strength. The Bruins are still a top Eastern team regardless of their sluggish start.
Sharks head coach Todd McLellan has done some line juggling after a 4-0 loss to the New York Rangers on Sunday. Out of the lineup is Mirco Mueller, Chris Tierney and fellow third liner Tye McGinn. Replacing them will be Scott Hannan, John Scott and James Sheppard, who makes his season debut. The top nine has been shuffled and Antti Niemi will get the start as the one on, one off, goaltending carousel continues.
Here’s how the lines look:
Marleau-Couture-Wingels Nieto –Thornton-Pavelski Hertl-Sheppard-Desjardins Scott-Burish-Hayes
Vlasic-Braun Irwin-Burns Hannan-Demers
Prior to the Rangers game the Sharks had averaged four goals a game and I don’t think getting shutout by one of the best goaltenders in the world should be cause for this much shuffling. Tomas Hertl’s demotion to the third line is clear indication that the staff isn't happy with his performance to date. Hertl has two goals in six games with a mere seven shots on net and has a two game goal drought. Hertl hasn't played great, but he hasn't played horrible enough to warrant this. The Czech forward is one of the best Corsi players on the team and should get the same patience that Couture received before he had a three point night against New Jersey. It will be difficult to break out of a funk with a demotion to the new make-shift third line.
Speaking of the third line, it now features three new players in comparison to the rest of the season. Fourth line center Andrew Desjardins will move up and play the wing with Hertl as they flank James Sheppard who is fresh off the injury list. I’m a big Desjardins fan but in no way is he a third line player. The hard-nosed #10 is just not skilled enough to play on the third line, especially with a talent like Tomas Hertl. James Sheppard is returning to his 3C role he left last season where he had good success but it will be interesting to see how much ice-time he sees while he adjusts to NHL game speed.
The fourth line is, well, a line because it has to be. Rules are rules. If you need a bathroom break, a snack or a drink then my advice would be to wait until 20-37-76 jump over the boards and into the play. You’re not going to miss anything of value to the Sharks. The big bad Bruins just aren't big and bad anymore so there’s really no need for John Scott to be inserted into the lineup.
Mirco Mueller is the defender sitting out and I’d guess this is just another rotational break to prolong his regular season before a decision has to be made on whether he stays or goes. The rookie has played well for the majority of time but he hasn't been outstanding. I think if the Sharks had serviceable defenders better than him that he would be sent back to junior. Since they don’t, I expect him to stick with the Sharks beyond the rookie-look.
For whatever reason, the Rangers game appears to have sent McLellan over the edge and he’s removed pieces from every line and replaced them with other lines’ pieces. Tommy Wingels has the speed and drive to be successful with Marleau and Couture but I don’t understand why the top six is needed to be shuffled at this point given their production this year. It should be an interesting game in Boston to say the least. It’s a huge two points that will help the Sharks to a 3-1-1 road swing record should they get the win. That’s important as they move forward with more road trips ahead.
Injury Update:
Raffi Torres will not have another surgery right now and will begin another rehabilitation avenue to return to the ice. There is no timetable set for his return. Milestone Watch:
Patrick Marleau is three assists away from 500.
Thanks for reading.