The sharks farm

[sjrules99]

Was glancing at the future since today isnt that exciting and something interesting really jumped out at me...

The sharks have a half dozen legit forwards, at least based on their junior and college performances. Granted I dont really have the chance to actually watch the junior or college games, and I know stats are incredibly deceiving, but they are stacked in terms of OHL, WHL, and NCAA leading scorers. Just last year they drafted three of 'em and all in the late rounds.

Sadowy leads Saginaw in points and +/- and is in the top 20 league-wide in scoring. Lebanc is 3rd on Barrie in scoring, but ranks in the top 15 leaguewide. Both of them are doing this as 18 year olds in a league with many underagers, but also several 19 and 20 year olds, so to have that level of success at 18 is nice.

Chartier is destroying the WHL. Ironically, he's 2nd on kelowna behind a real youngin', but he's 2nd in the WHL in scoring overall too. He's at a goal-per-game pace and is first in the WHL in goals by a wide margin. His stats are gaudy...

Goldobin is struggling a bit in the Finnish league, but hes playing against men, so it's hard to judge. Presumably he remains a blue chip forward prospect.

O-regan is crushing the league at BU at age 20 with 11 pts and +11 in just 8 games. Granted, he's playing on a line with the top prospect in the NHL (how the hell is Eichel this good at age 17, playing against 20+ year olds! What a stud he must be...). Nevertheless, O'regan still looks pretty good... A Nieto in the making?

Then there's Tierney, who may not have been NHL ready at age 20, but just put up 3 points in his first worcester game. If he's not ready now, I'd say its a pretty good bet that he will be by next year, and likely for a top 9 role.

I know some of those guys having success this year are undersized, which is no problem in the OHL or WHL, but doesnt translate well to the pro's. However, that said, it seems the sharks have drafted a nice crop of legit NHL prospects at forward, not to mention guys like tarasov, karlsson, and carpenter who are FA signings and have had some success at worcester.

Of course, they have basically no legit NHL defensemen in the system as far as I can tell. In jrs and college, brodzinsky and maybe bergman looks like the only real threats. I cannot tell how good Vanier or Bergman are (did bergman get hurt?), but it doesnt seem like they have a real legit NHLer in the system. At worcester, tennyson, abeltshauser, and doherty seem like solid AHL Dmen, but none seem to be making a big leap in their game to warrant excitement at the NHL level. They arent old, per se, but they are all at least 22, so they arent super young either.

All of this seems to point to some needs to target adding young Dmen in any trade while allowing the forward crew to develop over the next couple years.

 

[sjrules99]

I forgot to mention Sean Kuraly, who has 11 points in 10 games in his jr year at Miami, leading the team in goals (T1st in points). I dont know if he's all that good, but the stats were solid last year and he seems to be moving up as well. He and O'regan are T-7th among all NCAA players in points. More top performers league wide.

Thus the sharks have a 2 top 20 OHL scorers, the #2 overall scorer in the WHL, and 2 top 10 scorers in the NCAA. With Tierney and Goldobin to boot...That sure seems like a nice crop up front

 

[Cmon_WTF]

Chartier has real potential to be a good top six forward. He is a similar player to Tommy Wingels in that you can put him in any role and any situation and he'll succeed. Right now he's getting top line minutes in all situations, ES, PP, and PK. He's on a line with Nick Merkley, who should be a top 5 pick in this up coming draft, so his offensive numbers are a bit inflated.

O'Regan is playing on a line with Eichel. Anyone can post good numbers playing with him. The move to wing has helped his game a lot though and he looks like he could be a solid NHLer.

Goldobin's coach Tormanen on HIFK is considered the best developmental coach in Europe. Some would argue anywhere. Goldobin is learning a 200 foot game, how to play when he doesn't have the puck. He's getting limited minutes in a somewhat sheltered role but all reports about his development and and play have been very good.

Bergman was leading the Knights in ice time before his injury. He was playing really well for them and I wouldn't expect him to spend much time in the AHL before he makes the jump in a year or two.

I fully expect Tierney to be the Sharks third line center in the very near future. Much like Nieto when he first came in Tierney has been just a half step behind the pace of play. When he catches up like Nieto did he's going to be a solid player. Really needs a lot of work with Ricci to improve his faceoffs.

Abeltshauser has been Worcester's best dman so far this season. He might see a few games in the NHL this year, especially if Hannan and Irwin keep up their craptastic play. Fedun has also been really good in Worcester.

Tarasov has been in the doghouse for a while now. He's completely given up playing the defensive side of the puck. Coupled with his propensity to get injured his chances to make the NHL seem very slim now.

 

[sjrules99]

Chartier has real potential to be a good top six forward. He is a similar player to Tommy Wingels in that you can put him in any role and any situation and he'll succeed. Right now he's getting top line minutes in all situations, ES, PP, and PK. He's on a line with Nick Merkley, who should be a top 5 pick in this up coming draft, so his offensive numbers are a bit inflated.

O'Regan is playing on a line with Eichel. Anyone can post good numbers playing with him. The move to wing has helped his game a lot though and he looks like he could be a solid NHLer.

Goldobin's coach Tormanen on HIFK is considered the best developmental coach in Europe. Some would argue anywhere. Goldobin is learning a 200 foot game, how to play when he doesn't have the puck. He's getting limited minutes in a somewhat sheltered role but all reports about his development and and play have been very good.

Bergman was leading the Knights in ice time before his injury. He was playing really well for them and I wouldn't expect him to spend much time in the AHL before he makes the jump in a year or two.

I fully expect Tierney to be the Sharks third line center in the very near future. Much like Nieto when he first came in Tierney has been just a half step behind the pace of play. When he catches up like Nieto did he's going to be a solid player. Really needs a lot of work with Ricci to improve his faceoffs.

Abeltshauser has been Worcester's best dman so far this season. He might see a few games in the NHL this year, especially if Hannan and Irwin keep up their craptastic play. Fedun has also been really good in Worcester.

Tarasov has been in the doghouse for a while now. He's completely given up playing the defensive side of the puck. Coupled with his propensity to get injured his chances to make the NHL seem very slim now.

Abeltshauser is the interesting one for me. Obviously, he is a big guy, but from what I saw in the preseason and camps, he doesnt look NHL ready. Do you think he can make the jump and stick? If not, then I suppose Bergman is the only potential NHL dman in the system, and he's pretty young and not exactly a sure bet.

Nice to see the depth up front on likely NHL talent in the pipeline, but I would definitely feel better if they could move nemo for a top 4 Dman under 25. I know those guys dont grow on trees and teams dont usually part with them quickly, but I wonder who is out there that dougie could target. Schultz is the one Ive had my eye on for few years, but I wonder who else they could target, and who else could use a #1 goalie like nemo. Not sure, but they clearly need some help there...

 

[Cmon_WTF]

Abeltshauser is the interesting one for me. Obviously, he is a big guy, but from what I saw in the preseason and camps, he doesnt look NHL ready. Do you think he can make the jump and stick? If not, then I suppose Bergman is the only potential NHL dman in the system, and he's pretty young and not exactly a sure bet.

Nice to see the depth up front on likely NHL talent in the pipeline, but I would definitely feel better if they could move nemo for a top 4 Dman under 25. I know those guys dont grow on trees and teams dont usually part with them quickly, but I wonder who is out there that dougie could target. Schultz is the one Ive had my eye on for few years, but I wonder who else they could target, and who else could use a #1 goalie like nemo. Not sure, but they clearly need some help there...

Abeltshauser has the potential to be a really good 3rd pairing dman. Like most big dmen it's going to take him a while. I wouldn't expect to see him full time until the 16/17 season.

The Sharks are a bit thin on dmen who are showing real potential to be NHLers. Abeltshauser, Fedun, Brodzinski, and Ryan are it.

The problem with Schultz is that he's a right handed dman who plays the right side. Sharks have Burns, Braun, and Demers on the right side now and Schultz wouldn't unseat either Burns or Braun on the top two pairs. While, IMO, Schultz is an marginal upgrade over Demers you have to ask yourself is it smart deal the assets it will require just for a 3rd pairing dman. The Sharks primary need right now is a left handed left dman who can move the puck and keep Hannan and Irwin out of the line up.

 

[MrChangoT97]

Who cares!

 

[caliraftdude]

I watched that preseason game against Anaheim with the wife at the Arena. Clearly a lot of guys trying to make the team but you could see who the 'NHL' talent was. Couture and a few others just stood out: faster, got to places they should quicker, etc..

Tierney was in the category. He was all over the ice, knew where he needed to be and was making plays faster than those around him. I think we will see him soon.