The Sharks have yet again gone flat when reaching the western conference finals. The good news? We got a game further than last year. Anyway, I see fit to rebuild and make some drastic moves to the sharks current roster. My goal, although I love the offensive depth, is to create a more balanced team that is younger and has more cap space. Here is what I envision:
1. Do not fire Todd McClellan or any of the Sharks coaching staff. They have done a great job with the Sharks and will help in the future. Also, is it worth it to fire a coach of McClellan's skill and just hire a coach that was fired from a team that finished in the bottom of the league. The problem with the Sharks lies in other areas.
2. Trade Dany Heatley and Torrey Mitchell for Zach Parise and a 1st round pick. Dany Heatley needs to leave town due to enormous 7.5 million dollar contract and lack of production. When Heatley is not scoring, he is not playing strong defense or playing physical and also he has been cited as a poor teammate and crybaby. Zach Parise is an excellent young forward who has the potential to score 50-60 goals in a season playing with the likes of Thornton, Marleau, and Couture. Also, Parise is looking for a new contract, something the Devils may not want to pay him and may rather accept a reasonable trade.
3. DO NOT resign Kent Huskins or Nick Wallin. These two defensemen have outstayed their welcome and signing ineffective aging defensemen will not help us. Also, this clears about 4.5 million off the books to acquire better defensemen.
4. Resign Kyle Wellwood (1.0 million), Devin Setoguchi (2.0), Ben Eager (800,000), Scott Nichol (750,000), Ian White (3.0 million), and Jason Demers (1.0 million). Wellwood, White, and Eager all have performed extremely well since joining the Sharks and it is very important to resign Wellwood and White. Wellwood brings an outstanding pair of hands with a very creative and shifty mind to go along. White is a solid all around defensemen that is very young and will be the cornerstone for the defense for years to come. Ben Eager is a very fast and physical forward that brings a youthful side to the lineup. Nichol does all the right things and never takes a shift off and the Sharks need to resign him for his veteran grindness (Don't know if thats a word). Demers is a puckmover to be that will, with white be the foundation of the Sharks defense in the future.
5. Trade John McCarthy and 1st and 5rd pick for Alex Burrows. Burrows would be a perfect addition for the Sharks to add to their offensive depth.
6. Trade Antero Nittymaki for a 3rd round pick. Nittymaki has played his way into a back up spot behind Nemo and is now obsolete and too pricey (2.0 million) for a guy thats gonna sit on the bench all season.
7. Sign Kevin Bieksa or Eric Brewer. A solid, physical two way defensemen with excellent offensive skills both in the 3 million range. This is the final missing piece to take the Sharks to the promised land.
1. Do not fire Todd McClellan or any of the Sharks coaching staff. They have done a great job with the Sharks and will help in the future. Also, is it worth it to fire a coach of McClellan's skill and just hire a coach that was fired from a team that finished in the bottom of the league. The problem with the Sharks lies in other areas.
2. Trade Dany Heatley and Torrey Mitchell for Zach Parise and a 1st round pick. Dany Heatley needs to leave town due to enormous 7.5 million dollar contract and lack of production. When Heatley is not scoring, he is not playing strong defense or playing physical and also he has been cited as a poor teammate and crybaby. Zach Parise is an excellent young forward who has the potential to score 50-60 goals in a season playing with the likes of Thornton, Marleau, and Couture. Also, Parise is looking for a new contract, something the Devils may not want to pay him and may rather accept a reasonable trade.
3. DO NOT resign Kent Huskins or Nick Wallin. These two defensemen have outstayed their welcome and signing ineffective aging defensemen will not help us. Also, this clears about 4.5 million off the books to acquire better defensemen.
4. Resign Kyle Wellwood (1.0 million), Devin Setoguchi (2.0), Ben Eager (800,000), Scott Nichol (750,000), Ian White (3.0 million), and Jason Demers (1.0 million). Wellwood, White, and Eager all have performed extremely well since joining the Sharks and it is very important to resign Wellwood and White. Wellwood brings an outstanding pair of hands with a very creative and shifty mind to go along. White is a solid all around defensemen that is very young and will be the cornerstone for the defense for years to come. Ben Eager is a very fast and physical forward that brings a youthful side to the lineup. Nichol does all the right things and never takes a shift off and the Sharks need to resign him for his veteran grindness (Don't know if thats a word). Demers is a puckmover to be that will, with white be the foundation of the Sharks defense in the future.
5. Trade John McCarthy and 1st and 5rd pick for Alex Burrows. Burrows would be a perfect addition for the Sharks to add to their offensive depth.
6. Trade Antero Nittymaki for a 3rd round pick. Nittymaki has played his way into a back up spot behind Nemo and is now obsolete and too pricey (2.0 million) for a guy thats gonna sit on the bench all season.
7. Sign Kevin Bieksa or Eric Brewer. A solid, physical two way defensemen with excellent offensive skills both in the 3 million range. This is the final missing piece to take the Sharks to the promised land.
Projected Roster
Setoguchi Thornton Marleau
Clowe Couture Parise
Wellwood Pavelski Burrows
Eager Nichol Ferrio
*Desjardin, Mcginn, Coyle, McCarthy worked into the lineup in the coming years.
So deep. It is a real joke to have Pavelski on the third line but that is what makes this team so good. I also see a great faceoff team with a team that can average 4 goals a game. The only missing piece might be a defensive centerman.
So deep. It is a real joke to have Pavelski on the third line but that is what makes this team so good. I also see a great faceoff team with a team that can average 4 goals a game. The only missing piece might be a defensive centerman.
Boyle White
Brewer/Bieksa Murray
Vlasic Demers
*Braun, Petrecki, Moore work into the lineup in the coming years
This is an excellent d-core that I feel is all two way players. No one player can hurt us with his defensive but they will contribute on offense. Physical and puck moving, the coaching staff should never play one pairing too much because all the pairings are even, keeping everyone fresh and rested.
This is an excellent d-core that I feel is all two way players. No one player can hurt us with his defensive but they will contribute on offense. Physical and puck moving, the coaching staff should never play one pairing too much because all the pairings are even, keeping everyone fresh and rested.
Nemo
Griess
*Stalock
Cap:
*Stalock
Cap:
This teams cap comes to a grand total of 59.2 million dollars. That is all approximate due to my guess at what many players may sign for and my potential errors in the hand computation. Also, there are reports that the salary cap may be somewhere in the ballpark of 63 million, so I am definitely under that and the current 59.4. Comment and tell me what the Sharks will do with that extra 4 million or so. Hope you enjoyed.
That is my roster for upcoming 2011 2012 year. In a few years I see we need to trade our older verterans such as Thornton, Marleau, and Boyle in about 4-5 years when they become too expensive for their skill. But now they are our stars and are in their prime. How much longer that will be and where that will take us. Who Knows?
 |
| Zach Parise |
 |
| Devin Setoguchi |
 |
| Kevin Bieksa, haha he looks like my goalkeeper |
 |
| Antti Niemi |
 |
| Dany Heatley |
 |
| Marc-Edward Vlasic |
 |
| Alex Burrows |
 |
| Eric Brewer |
With such a weak d core why loose one of our stornger d men.
ReplyDelete