Sharks town hall

[sjrules99]

I dont know if you guys are season tix holders, but I just got back form teh season ticket holder sharks town hall event at SAP. Lots of annoying blabbering about the Cuda, into to boughner and hedberg, etc. However, the breakout session with dougie was enlightening and he gave a lot of interesting info. Nothing crazy interesting and don't know if you guys were there, but here are some highlights:

1. Irwin not coming back.
2. Mueller now 210 lbs, and seems slotted into the NHL lineup. Ultimate decision goes to Deboer, but dougie basically sucked his cock all evening talking about how elite he is.
3. Tennyson and Demelo in case of injury on the D. Pretty slim pickens for depth but dougie doesnt seem worried.
4. Dougie took a stab to get Hamilton from Boston. "He's a new GM. We had many discussions and they asked for some assets we werent ready give up, but the trade they ended up making was.... ummm.... interesting." Obviously dougie was surpsied at how cheap hamilton went.
5. Torres is skating. They hope he will be ready... the staff infection is full gone, blah blah blah
6. Lots of competition at the forward position.
7. Thinks Hertl will be uber superstar. Said he was still dealing with injury mid year last year, but that it was in his head moreso. He's 100% now, explosive, tested, and confident.
8. Basically threw McLellan under the bus for last year. didnt like the way they played, the style of game, disorganized, players didnt know their roles. He didnt mention McLellan, but he spoke alot about how Deboer is gunna fix it.
9 There will be a captain. Up to Deboer. (duh)
10. Knew Dillon was a "project" upon acquisition, but Larry Robinson loves his game. Thinks he can be a premeir physical, pk shut down guy. (Im not sold, but dougie spoke highly)...
11. Said he put a good offer to move up to #20 to draft Roy. When he fell to 31, he knew he overpaid to get him, but since he was #31 (first pick), there was no chance to miss him. Sees him as elite.
12. Said that Meier will compete for an NHL spot. already has a "man's body".
13. Lots of focus PK. Deboer had great PK. Martin, Ward both large PK players. Saw PK and effort/system as the big problems.
14. and the top BS moment: when asked (by me) about what happened with patty... "Patty had a lot more Dzone starts, and took on the role of a shut down forward, so he stopped using his tools." And why is that BS? he had 51% Offensive zone starts, 3 highest in the last decade, and much higher than the last two years, when he had far better numbers. I wish I had had the stat in front of me to call him on it on the spot... D'oh.

 

[MrChangoT97]

Thanks for the info. Would like a stronger defense but I guess Doug is finished this offseason.

 

[sjrules99]

Thanks for the info. Would like a stronger defense but I guess Doug is finished this offseason.

He said he is done in free agency. "trades? maybe..." He said with a nod. I would guess nothing will change and he sure implied that he is happy with the current roster. He ruled out other UFA's, but not trades. Still doubt it, but not impossible.

He was pretty high on Dylan Demelo. His numbers and game in wooster dont seem that amazing, but I guess hes only 22. also really liked mcnally.

 

[Cbrower91]

Actually hes right, I know it was discussed all season on how the Couture line was always starting in the defensive zone. Its something Cmon had brought up countless times, Thorntons line never started in the defensive zone unless they got trapped on the ice from an icing call.

 

[Cbrower91]

And damn Mueller bulked up to 210? That's huge! That was his biggest problem last season he was physically weaker against larger forwards.

 

[sjrules99]

Actually hes right, I know it was discussed all season on how the Couture line was always starting in the defensive zone. Its something Cmon had brought up countless times, Thorntons line never started in the defensive zone unless they got trapped on the ice from an icing call.

well, Hockey-reference sees to disagree.

Patrick Marleau NHL Additional Statistics (Summary) | Hockey-Reference.com

Also, jumbo apparently started far more in the Dzone (52.9%) than O-zone (47.1%).
Joe Thornton NHL Additional Statistics (Summary) | Hockey-Reference.com

Cooch was 51.4% o-zone, very similar to patty (as they usually played together).

Logan Couture NHL Additional Statistics (Summary) | Hockey-Reference.com

Pavs was 52.1% D-zone (very similar to Jumbo as they usually played together)
Joe Pavelski NHL Additional Statistics (Summary) | Hockey-Reference.com

There may have been an impression that Cooch's line always seemed to start in the Dzone while jumbo's started in the O-zone, but unless hockey reference is just flat wrong, the actual data tells a different story.

 

[Cmon_WTF]

I actually referenced dzone and defensive side neutral zone starts for Marleau which when I checked during the season was highest on the team just ahead of Couture. Pavelski was fairly close and everyone one else was a ways behind.

Thornton's zone starts are always misleading because it counts the times he's just out there to take a face off as a zone start.

 

[Cmon_WTF]

Unfortunately I didn't get to go to this.

On Demelo: I don't know what Wilson and the scouts see in him because whatever it is I don't see it. He is a good puck mover and decent offensively but his defensive positioning and ability to read a defensive play are a disaster. I never see him being more than a regular AHLer who gets a spot call up here and there.

Wilson's conversation with Sweeny on the Hamilton trade should have gone something like:

Wilson: Don, what do you want for Hamilton?

Sweeny: I want this, this, and this.

Wilson: I'll have the papers ready in 15 minutes.

The hardest thing to come by in this league is a true #1 dman and while Hamilton isn't there yet it's just a matter of time. So much for thinking Wilson learned from his mistake when he turned down the Pronger trade.

 

[sjrules99]

Unfortunately I didn't get to go to this.

On Demelo: I don't know what Wilson and the scouts see in him because whatever it is I don't see it. He is a good puck mover and decent offensively but his defensive positioning and ability to read a defensive play are a disaster. I never see him being more than a regular AHLer who gets a spot call up here and there.

Wilson's conversation with Sweeny on the Hamilton trade should have gone something like:

Wilson: Don, what do you want for Hamilton?

Sweeny: I want this, this, and this.

Wilson: I'll have the papers ready in 15 minutes.

The hardest thing to come by in this league is a true #1 dman and while Hamilton isn't there yet it's just a matter of time. So much for thinking Wilson learned from his mistake when he turned down the Pronger trade.

Haha, Cmon, I couldnt agree more on the hamilton trade. Dougie has said on multiple occcasions that it is extremely rare for #1dmen to come available and that you have to trade alot to get them. He did it for boyle (carle, who was a legit top 4 guy, Wishart who was still young, and a 1st) and for Burns (seto, who was still very good then, coyle and a 1st). He has shown willingness to pull a big trigger, so I dont know what Sweeney wanted, but I gotta side with you that pretty much whatever it was, its a go.

My theory is that he likely asked for Hertl and the #9 pick. I think doug did not want to move the pick, and I think he sees hertl as a 40 goal scoring super power forward. To me, you deal him and the #9 in a flash to get a guy who can be your #1 Dman for the next decade. It was a goof, pretty much no matter what was on the table. Needless to say, dougie wasnt going to state the offer, but based on his adamant nature not to move the #9 pick and the absolute deep-throating he gave hertl in describing him, I gotta think those were central pieces that canceled the deal.

In the meantime, calgary has a amassed a cup contender out of absolutely nowhere. Hamilton, Giordano, Brodie, Wideman, Russell as your top 5 D. that's gotta be tops in the league.

And their forward crew is rounding into respectability even though its not spectacular. Frolik, Hudler, Jones, Goudreau, Monahan, Colborne, Bauma, Backlund, Stajan... Its not a great top 9, but could be if a few guys progress. As a team though, they are pretty solid...