I think the deals we are seeing for UFA's this offseason is definitely a big red flag for the important of drafting well. Drafting a top 6 forward can give you a 6M+ player for 1M or less for 3 years and then another 2-3M per for several more. Point no further to the roles that guys like kruger, saad, Bickell, and shaw played for the hawks for a combined salary of under 3M TOTAL.
if you have to pay a player like pavelski 6M but bickell plays for 600k, it's clear how to build a cup winning team. This is why although I love pavs, and Im happy to see him in teal for a long time, I would rather have seen dougie focus on the draft more and pick up some nice packages of young players for his vets to compliment the young D and Cooch up front. Dougie insists on have a "refresh" instead of a rebuild, but the lack of elite talent on the farm is sure gunna make it harder and harder to maintain any kind of cup worthy roster.
I guess dougie figures that with this deal he'll squeeze everything he can out of pavs and pray that pavs is hot at just the right time. He also must figure that he can squeeze another couple years out of the jumbo-patty-boyle combo. As I see it, the following ALL have to happen for the sharks to have a remote chance of a cup:
1. Hertl needs to be very good. Not top line good, but at least top 9 forward good. (15-20 goals, 35-40 points good).
2. Torres has to stay healthy and stay out of the press box while playing on the edge and playing hard. If he can do this, I have faith that hell put in 15+ goals easy.
3. The young D has to mature. fast. Boyle is old and he cant east 30 mins, particulaly not in the 2nd or 3rd playoff round after nearly 100 games Pre+reg+post season. This means that players like Braun, Demers, and Irwin will need to become very solid at both ends.
4. Havlat needs to be effective in the PO's. I think they can make the PO's without him much, but they wont go far unless he is healthy and contributing. Their forward depth sux and they will need that help (this was so clear this past PO's)
5. Kennedy needs to step into a top 9 role like he did with the pens a few years back. If he is ineffective the O will still be lacking.
6. No major injuries to any of Boyle, Thornton, Marleau, Pavelski, Vlasic, Nemo, Burns, or Couture. With the severe lack of depth this year, any loss of those guys will really hurt.
7. Nemo must stand of his head, particular in the 2-1 type PO games. For whatever reason, the sharks have had a major power outage in every playoff year. Nemo will need to steal a game or two 1-0 for them to have any chance.
If all of these factors come together, and the North star aligns perfectly in the sky with the constellation of Scorpio and the average temp in the winter is exactly 58.7 degrees, and every other team in the league catch the flue in the months of april and may, then the sharks have a half a chance.
In other news, is there anyone other than hertl who might have legit chance at a roster spot sometime this year? I always love getting excited about the kids and the last couple years were pretty sad with mcintyre disappearing, stalberg stalling, Petrecki never making the leap, Sheppard still not cracking the top 9, coyle dealt, and basically noone else really coming up and making a top 9 forward or real top 4D impact. I would reallllly love to see a shocking success like abeltshauser, nieto, Hamilton, Doherty, tarasov, tennyson, acolatse, or Reid make a surprise run into SJ.
if you have to pay a player like pavelski 6M but bickell plays for 600k, it's clear how to build a cup winning team. This is why although I love pavs, and Im happy to see him in teal for a long time, I would rather have seen dougie focus on the draft more and pick up some nice packages of young players for his vets to compliment the young D and Cooch up front. Dougie insists on have a "refresh" instead of a rebuild, but the lack of elite talent on the farm is sure gunna make it harder and harder to maintain any kind of cup worthy roster.
I guess dougie figures that with this deal he'll squeeze everything he can out of pavs and pray that pavs is hot at just the right time. He also must figure that he can squeeze another couple years out of the jumbo-patty-boyle combo. As I see it, the following ALL have to happen for the sharks to have a remote chance of a cup:
1. Hertl needs to be very good. Not top line good, but at least top 9 forward good. (15-20 goals, 35-40 points good).
2. Torres has to stay healthy and stay out of the press box while playing on the edge and playing hard. If he can do this, I have faith that hell put in 15+ goals easy.
3. The young D has to mature. fast. Boyle is old and he cant east 30 mins, particulaly not in the 2nd or 3rd playoff round after nearly 100 games Pre+reg+post season. This means that players like Braun, Demers, and Irwin will need to become very solid at both ends.
4. Havlat needs to be effective in the PO's. I think they can make the PO's without him much, but they wont go far unless he is healthy and contributing. Their forward depth sux and they will need that help (this was so clear this past PO's)
5. Kennedy needs to step into a top 9 role like he did with the pens a few years back. If he is ineffective the O will still be lacking.
6. No major injuries to any of Boyle, Thornton, Marleau, Pavelski, Vlasic, Nemo, Burns, or Couture. With the severe lack of depth this year, any loss of those guys will really hurt.
7. Nemo must stand of his head, particular in the 2-1 type PO games. For whatever reason, the sharks have had a major power outage in every playoff year. Nemo will need to steal a game or two 1-0 for them to have any chance.
If all of these factors come together, and the North star aligns perfectly in the sky with the constellation of Scorpio and the average temp in the winter is exactly 58.7 degrees, and every other team in the league catch the flue in the months of april and may, then the sharks have a half a chance.
In other news, is there anyone other than hertl who might have legit chance at a roster spot sometime this year? I always love getting excited about the kids and the last couple years were pretty sad with mcintyre disappearing, stalberg stalling, Petrecki never making the leap, Sheppard still not cracking the top 9, coyle dealt, and basically noone else really coming up and making a top 9 forward or real top 4D impact. I would reallllly love to see a shocking success like abeltshauser, nieto, Hamilton, Doherty, tarasov, tennyson, acolatse, or Reid make a surprise run into SJ.
