Predictions

[Cmon_WTF]

Is Karlsson still injuried?? If not why the heck was he sent down? Everyone was all over his nuts last season including management... I was super excited for wednesday with our F lines with Torres & Karlsson... Now after seeing this lineup Im not really excited at all... Hertl being wasted on the 3rd line again. Not a fan of the move to C, and Tierney being wasted as 4th line C... Hertl should be line 1, Tierney line 3, Donskoi line 3, Nieto line 5... I also dont like Mueller being sent down just cause side D-side was full...

With the Torres suspension sending Karlsson down is as much a cap move as it is so he can rehab and get his game back. I doubt he'll be there very long. He will take Goodrow/Brown's spot on the 4th line.

Personally I like Hertl at the center position. He's more engaged in the play there. It's his natural position and he is clearly more comfortable there. He never worked on the wing with the Joe's. Donskoi's skill set is a much better fit for them.

Mueller is better off logging 25+ minutes in the AHL than the press box time he'd get if he stayed in the NHL. Tenny, DeMelo, and Dillon are all better players than him right now. Soon that won't be the case but let him get experience and confidence in the A.

 

[sjrules99]

With the Torres suspension sending Karlsson down is as much a cap move as it is so he can rehab and get his game back. I doubt he'll be there very long. He will take Goodrow/Brown's spot on the 4th line.

Personally I like Hertl at the center position. He's more engaged in the play there. It's his natural position and he is clearly more comfortable there. He never worked on the wing with the Joe's. Donskoi's skill set is a much better fit for them.

Mueller is better off logging 25+ minutes in the AHL than the press box time he'd get if he stayed in the NHL. Tenny, DeMelo, and Dillon are all better players than him right now. Soon that won't be the case but let him get experience and confidence in the A.

I agree with Cmon on all fronts. I think the top 3 lines are quite respectable with Tierney able to move into the top 9 with injury. Karlsson is still hurt from all accounts, but it shouldnt be long. No need to rush him at this moment. The 4th line is not great with Smith and goodrow playing with Tierney, but it's no biggy at this moment. I expect once karlsson is back, which wont be too long I expect as they actually only have 22 guys (with torres suspended), the fourth line will be respectable as tierney-smith-Karlsson is a very good 4th line.

as for mueller, he's get top pair mins, and its good for him. He was not ready last year, ut hes bigger and stronger this year. let him build confidence for the first 10-20 games in the cuda, and I'd expect him to be in the big teal sometime this year. At any given time, there are always 3-5 guys out of the lineup with injury, suspension, maintainence days, etc. I predict both Goldobin and Mueller will see NHL time this year.

The big thing Im watching for is the goals against. Their forward lineup should be able to score some goals, but the big issue is the PK and D. In theory, both should be vastly improved, so Im looking forward to see if thats the case.

p.s.: Perfect choices by deboer for the leadership. Pavs should have the C, but giving jumbo an A was very smart as he wouldnt been pretty angry to be fully left out. Cooch is the other future captain of the team, so giving him the other A was right. Patty left out is perfect as he just needs to play his game and not worry about anything else and vlasic being out is OK too as he doesnt strike me as the leader type, instead just a steady solid performer. I think deboer got it right.

 

[Cmon_WTF]

I think the article said the players picked who would wear the letters. I think I would like Vlasic over Couture but no real issue with the choices for me.

 

[Likewall32]

I wanted Burns over Thornton

 

[Cbrower91]

Can't believe Derek Roy didn't get a contract

 

[MrFlyingV]

I revise my predictions. I think the Kings may not be as good as the Sharks. We'll see. Christian Errorhoff? Yikes. The Ward, Jones, Martin additions are really going to help.

 

[sjrules99]

So, training camp is officially beginning... I thought it would be interesting to get predictions of how this season is going to go, since there are so many different ways it could from complete disaster to cup contender.

Which do you think?

1. Total Flop. Miss the playoffs badly. the Unproven elements like Jones and DeBoer dont really work out. The young guys dont really step up as Hertl, nieto, tierney, karlsson and company remain as they are. Jumbp and patty continue their decline. Martin gets hurt, Mueller still looks like an AHLer, dillon still stinks, and the D collapses too.

2. Just missed: In the Po hunt until the last few games, narrowly missing. The young guys step up, and the team is improved, but just not enough to get in amidst a tough western conference.

3. Sneak in. They make the PO's barely as a wild card team largely because Jones stands on his head, the youth picks it up, and they scrounge enough Shootout wins to sneak in. Then eliminated in the 1st round by a #1 seed like a Chicago.

4. Solid Contender. Deboer restores the chemistry. Jones lives up to his touting. The youth make huge strides as Hertl returns to pre-injury form, nieto uses his speed well to pot 20, Karlsson and tierney solidify themselves as bona fide top 9 forwards, and maybe even donskoi or goldobin step in and make a big impact. The D is steady as mueller ande Dillon make nice strides and martin complements Burns nicely while braun and pickles make one of the best shut down pairings in the NHL. They dont win the cup but they qualify as the equivilent of a 4/5 seed, win a round or two, and make noise in the POs.

5. Stanley cup finals, and maybe win. Deboer pushes all theright buttons, Jones wins the Vezina. The youth not only step up, but emerge as stars. the PK goes from worst to first with ward, martin, jones, and deboer/boughner fixing it. Marleau has a bounce back and jumbo continues his possession dominance. Everything goes well, and the team explodes.

Whatcha guys think? 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5?

So, I posted the above message in mid september. lots of interesting predictions... I had put a 3, or possibly a 4. Sounds like a 3.5 was pretty much where we are. I wouldnt say they snuck in and jones hasnt stood on his head. The youth picked up some, but its still burns/jumbo/pavs/pickles that are leading the way.

I don't know how solid a contender they are either. the chemistry is obviously better. no drama all year with the leadership. Hertl has been better and donskoi, karlsson, tierney have been very useful. Mueller obviously fell back but dillon has been slightly better (still sucks). the rest of the D has been much better, and they qualify as an equivalent #6 seed. #4 appears to be likely, though who knows in the PO's.

How did your predictions go?

 

[sjrules99]

btw, does Haley do anything other than fight. its like another shitty mike brown who hurts the team. The sharks were so so succesful when they had 4 lines that can score. Why not bring up a guy like goodrow or carpenter to fill the 4th line spot? haley is a disaster out there, and the key to their team success is NOT having a guy like that in the lineup. Shitastic coaching.

 

[Cbrower91]

Jones has stood on his head on more then one occasion this season, considering its his first year as a starter and had zero help from his back up and say he's done outstanding. I think my prediction was wait and see when the team had a full healthy line up, they are actually doing far better then I thought. I thought for sure theyd be an 7 or 8 seed

 

[Cmon_WTF]

btw, does Haley do anything other than fight. its like another shitty mike brown who hurts the team. The sharks were so so succesful when they had 4 lines that can score. Why not bring up a guy like goodrow or carpenter to fill the 4th line spot? haley is a disaster out there, and the key to their team success is NOT having a guy like that in the lineup. Shitastic coaching.

Haley is actually a really good offensive player in the AHL. At the NHL level he's just a checking face puncher. Carpenter is a center which is probably why he didn't get the call and Goodrow is battling a lot of injuries right now.