Aftermath

First, a few words for the departed. Big Bear, you showed flashes of brilliance in between endless droughts of mediocrity. I'm still a big fan of the one-hand-on-the-stick move and your nickname. Please don't get too good and make me regret this trade. Not likely.

Davey, A for effort on trying out LW this year. You were everything we could've asked for in a 6th defenseman. I hope you get more playing time.

Alright, enough of that! Now, let's take a look at those lines, under optimal circumstances:

Michalek-Thornton-Cheechoo
Clowe-Marleau-Pavelski
Rissmiller-Mitchell-Grier
Shelley-Roenick-Goc

Campbell-Rivet
McLaren-Vlasic
Carle-Murray

Nabokov
Boucher

The Sharks Stanely Cup hopes rest on that second line. Clowe, Marleau, and Pavelski have combined for 25 goals in 131 games. San Jose is tied for 28th in the NHL in scoring with 157 goals, and only 4 ahead of Columbus in 30th. Horrible. We need some punch from the second line, badly.

Doug Wilson did a fantastic job at the deadline, which comes as no surprise. He acquired one of the top D-men in the league for an underperformer and a first rounder in the mid-to-late 20's. More importantly, he sent the signal that Sharks management is willing to spend some cash this offseason. We've got McLaren locked up for one more year after this, Rivet signed through 2010-2011, and word is Campbell will be looking for a 6-year/$36M deal. I'm confident DW acquired Campbell with the intention of resigning him. Shipping off Davison and acquiring Boucher were also simple but helpful moves.

San Jose walked a fine line this deadline - too talented to blow up the whole project (trading away Marleau) yet still needing a jump start from somewhere. A long term acquisition - in the form of Brian Campbell - was just the prescription.

Now, onto more important matters. Did you realize our blue line now consists of Big Mac, Pickles, and Soupy? Food related nicknames for Rivet, Carle, and Murray are welcome in the comments. Oh, and your thoughts on the deadline deals too, I guess.

WHOO HOOOOOOO!!!!

Adios Big Bear, I'll take the puck-moving power play specialist D-man any day of the week.

Welcome to the family, Soupy.



Also, this is the Chum Bucket's 100th post. Good day in San Jose.

I Hope They Make Equipment For That

We all knew Toskala was a special player, but I had no idea...

Pollack for President

Finally someone said it - from David Pollack's Working the Corners blog:

The video board: All year I’ve waited until the New Jersey trip before passing judgment on the new video boards at HP Pavilion, figuring the league’s newest building would be the competition. Now I can say that, when it comes to size and clarity, the new video screens at HP Pavilion are the best I’ve seen anywhere. Now if only those in charge can make better use of it as far as showing to more replays and less of the tedious barrage of sponsorship-driven gimmicry that it’s used for most of the time.

Maybe it's just me, but the crowds at HP Pavilion seem just a little less raucous this year. That will very likely change come playoff time, but even regular season games used to have more buzz around them.

I can't help but think this is due to the new scoreboard system. Other fans in other arenas get to see controversial calls shown on the big screen, and boo or cheer justifiably. If 17,000 fans in the seats can see the correct call that the ref can't, the ref deserves to get booed. I never understood why arena management tries to protect the refs and calm the crowd after controversy. Instead, we get the Playstation 3 Stars of the Game and the Gieco intermission report and the Commonwealth Credit Union lucky draw thing and the Blue Cross secret seat and STOP IT JUST STOP IT! Show me replays, hits/saves/goals, and out of town scores!

That Was A Close One

I was really worried for a second there that the Sharks 4 game losing streak was somehow related to Patrick Marleau's absence. Nice to know we still suck ass, with or without Marleau. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm gonna go turn off the lights and cry.

The Silence is Deafening

Well we're just about a week away from the NHL trade deadline - February 26th, 12 p.m. local time. It's been hard to keep up with all the action, considering absolutely nothing has happened. Still, watching a stagnant transaction wire has been more thrilling and promising than the Sharks lately. But here's a few links that might be worth keeping up with:

• That link above to all the deals that have been completed to date. Boring now, required reading Feb 26th, 12:30 p.m.
• cantstopthegrier over at Hockey Analysis has a very well thought out breakdown of the Sharks needs and the deals that could help our team. The guys that write this blog are entertaining and actually know what they're talking about - 2 things you won't find at The Bucket.
• The NHL Trade Rumor site is ESPN Insider only, and good lord the Sharks are all over it - rumored to be interested in Dan Boyle, Tomas Kaberle, Brian Campbell, Mats Sundin, Olli Jokinen, and Rob Blake. The juiciest rumor, though, involves Marian Hossa - "Sharks GM Doug Wilson has upped the ante by offering C Patrick Marleau as part of a trade for Thrashers F Marian Hossa, according to the Toronto Sun."

Trippin'

The team is heading out on a 16-day, 8 game road trip after shitting all over themselves the past two games. This should be fun.


View Larger Map

The travel itself is not as brutal as you might think. From Manhattan, NY to St. Louis, MO is 1,400 miles, while a one way trip to Dallas, TX is 1,700.

What is brutal is the following:

• The back-to-backs. The Sharks have 3 back-to-backs: the 17th & 18th, the 20th & 21st, and the 29th & 1st. Anyone want to bet Setoguchi and Greiss get the call up? Worcester is just up the road...
  
• The goalies:
• Henrik Lundqvist - NYR - 2nd in the NHL in shutouts with 7
  
• Rick DiPietro - NYI -Starting goalie for the East in the 2008 All-Star game
• Martin Brodeur - NJ - No introduction necessary
• Martin Biron- PHI - Uh, also named Martin?
• Ty Conklin - PIT - 1st in NHL Save Percentage at .930
• Pascal Leclaire - CBJ - 1st in NHL shutouts with 8, also 2.12 GAA (3rd)and 9.25 SV% (T-2nd)
• Hasek/Osgood - DET - 2.09/2.07 GAA respectively, good enough for 1st and 2nd in the league.
• Legace - STL - 2008 NHL All-Star

Not exactly facing Jason LaBarbera night in and night out

• The reason. SAP Open? Disney on Ice?!?!? San Jose's premiere sports team turns into a traveling circus so a bunch of 2nd rate ball smackers and little girls with Princess Wishes can chew up our ice and pussify our arena? Shit like this makes me want to move to Edmonton. Ha ha ha, no it doesn't, Edmonton can still go to hell.

San Jose's impeccable road record vs. some pretty horrific conditions - let's see what's still standing when we get to March.

Bottom Heavy

You may have noticed a small disparity between the Sharks' play on the ice versus the Sharks' position in the standings. Namely, the Sharks lose a lot in unbelievably frustrating fashion, but they're one of the top 5 teams in the NHL standings. Wha-huh?

I sent the Chum Bucket's crack research team (me, bored at work) to work on the statistics and found something that may shock and awe you: we suck against good teams.

Here's a comparison of how many points the Sharks have earned vs. points the Sharks have given up to each team in the Western Conference. The teams are ranked by their current percentage of points:

	Earned		Given Up
Detroit	0	-	6
Dallas	6	-	9
Minnesota	4	-	0
Anaheim	5	-	11
Calgary	4	-	6
Colorado	4	-	4
Nashville	6	-	0
Vancouver	8	-	0
St. Louis	4	-	0
Phoenix	9	-	4
Columbus	4	-	3
Edmonton	3	-	2
Chicago	6	-	1
Los Angeles	5	-	6

Other than the Wild, the Sharks have given up an equal or greater amount of points to the top 6 teams in the WC.

Other than the Kings, the Sharks have earned a greater amount of points to the bottom 8 teams in the WC.

Good lord, it's like statistical proof the Sharks are due for a second round playoff exit. I don't think I could make up those stats.

Christmas in February

In response to my last post, I feel it necessary to point out that I don't think the San Jose Sharks have, right now, what it takes to win the Stanley Cup.

First, some things the Sharks have going for them as the season moves to a finish:

• Hart and Vezina trophy candidates in Thornton and Nabokov. Not many other teams have an MVP candidate on the attack and a top goaltender between the pipes - Detroit, Calgary, ...?
• Strong special teams, including a top-3 Penalty Kill unit and a rapidly improving Power Play
  
• Ridiculously good road winning percentage (17-5-3? That's better than most teams' home record)
• Units are finally starting to click, including Michalek-Thornton-Cheechoo and Rissmiller-Mitchell-Grier
• Luck always has a huge factor in the NHL playoffs. Don't pretend like it doesn't.
  

Those first 3 points are particularly important in post-season hockey. Now if I were Doug Wilson, here are the things I'd be looking for from a personnel standpoint:

• An experienced defenseman that can play both ends of the ice. I think we should plant Rivet in the ground and see if he'll sprout into an experienced, two-way D-man tree; that way we'll never run out. I'd be very satisfied going to war with Rivet, McLaren, Murray, Ozolinsh, either Vlasic or Carle, and dear God please, Brian Campbell.
• A veteran, cup-winning forward with leadership experience. Drew Remenda pointed out that no current Shark has ever won a Stanley Cup. We need someone to show us the way.
• A goal-scoring forward. As of now, only Thornton, Michalek, and Cheechoo are on pace to score 20 goals this season, and none more than 30. That's terrible. We could use some offensive firepower that doesn't require a tape-to-tape from #19. I'm looking at you, Hossa.
• I don't buy the argument the Sharks need a backup to Nabokov. If Nabokov goes down, we're totally fucked anyways (KNOCKKNOCKKNOCK).

I should note one of the points that would be on there was Tough Guy Enforcer, but Dougie did a good job shoring that point up.

That's a pretty extensive wishlist, but I think any of my 3 requests would be a huge boon to our boys in teal. For now, I've got Brian Campbell on the top of my Christmas in February list. Make a deal, Doug!

What are you worried about going into the playoffs? Who are you pining for this magical trade deadline season?

Suck It Up And Be A Man

It's shit like this that pisses me off:

No to Dan Boyle. Seriously. Does anyone in San Jose have a clue? Doug Wilson is trolling for a bargain and will pull out of his hat Blake or Kabrele. If anything at all. He won't trade Marleau, God forbid he get rid of his prize. Let's all just get ready for the 2nd round exit. Unless of course the Ducks or Wings have a complete breakdown. It's going to come down to luck for the Sharks. Light a candle and say a prayer shark fans. That's all you can do now.

I'm as critical of the Sharks as anybody, but shit like this is just pathetic. Why even go to games? Why even watch on TV? Why bother taking time out of your day to post on an internet message board if you think supporting the Sharks is not even worth a minute of your goddamn time?

Criticize your team. Call for the coach's head. Call for the captain to be stripped of his title. Call for blowing up the whole team and starting over again. But don't give me this pathetic, self-loathing, sorry-for-yourself crybaby bullshit.

Why don't you go write a poem and listen to some Elliot Smith while you sob about how unfair this cruel world is? Go hang out with the Emo Eagles fans, the rest of us will be drinking beer and yelling obscenities and always hoping and wishing the best for the San Jose Sharks.

Bilo Escapes From Cage!

Welcome home, Bilo!

If you good, we might even let you out of cage tonight to play in goal!

Sharks Acquire Forest

Sweet, we can totally swim in the river and collect pine cones and start a campfire!

Wait.... ohhhhh... Forrest... We got this guy:

J.D. Forrest - a 5'9", 185 lb., left-handed defenseman. Just what the Sharks need - a short, slight, left handed D-Man. I think I'd rather have the trees, honestly.

New All-Star Skills Competition

I didn’t write anything about the All Star Game because a) the game is pointless and needs some incentives so the players actually compete, and b) I didn’t watch it.

The All Star Game is hard to watch because while Joe Shmoe casual hockey fan might like to see 13-10 scores, the rest of us can enjoy those little things called goaltending, defense, fighting, and hitting. I know, people watch hockey because there’s fights and checks, crazy.

So let’s bring some of that goodness back to the ASG festivities – let’s introduce the Hardest Check skill competition.

Get 3-4 of the biggest, fastest D-Men in the game, and have them go to town in 3 different competitions – checking into the boards, open ice, and the celebrity judging contest

It would be easy to set up a crash test dummy, and measure the force of each impact. You’d have a meter on the right hand side giving a comparison for viewers at home – Scott Stevens hits equivalent to an F150 going 25 mph, Martin St. Louis hits like a stiff breeze or getting licked by a kitten.

And since no All Star Game is complete without celebrity crossovers, we’ll get the Jackass guys to suit up and get laid out. A panel of judges will give scores based on style and pain inflicted.

Would you watch this? Would you like to see Big Mac lay out Bam Margera?