Remember this is a team that just like last year, has been put on the radar as a contender for the Cup. As big as a Sharks fan as I am, I believe they will suck this year. Don't take me wrong history will prove this. For starters, they let go two very key players in Mark Smith and Scott Hannan. Mark Smith may not be a scorer but he can sure as hell grind down the opposing team and set up plays. Scott Hannan may not be the best defender in the league but he was the only veteran defender in the team.
Two, Roenick and Sandy jumping on board sound kinda queliche. Maybe two years ago this would have been fine but not know.
Three, does anyone other than me remember the All-Star Shark team from a couple of years that was picked to go all the way but didn't even make the playoff's and ended up getting all traded away or never resigned. Hey the one with Selanne, Matteau, Sandstrum, Strum, Marleau, Nolan, Nabby, Suter, Marchment, Rathje, Ragnarson, Stuart, Ricci, Dampousse, and Scotty Thornto
2007-09-20 16:16:00 · 9 answers · asked by trex550 2 in Sports ➔ Hockey
I do and its not because i'm a Sharks fan.
Yes, the previous years they have been put on the radar and it sure seemed like they were a good team until their weaknesses were exposed in the playoffs. Very soft against Calgary, a feeling of intimidation against Edmonton, and last year.....a lack of killer instinct against Detroit. They are no longer soft, no longer intimidated, and i'm sure the drive and passion to win is finally there.
Mark Smith and Scott Hannan will be missed, especially the latter. I felt Hannan was the defense. He didn't put up the points but half the stuff he did that counted doesn't even show up on the stat sheet. The Sharks go and sign Semenov and thats a joke. Hopefully he proves me wrong but that is not the answer. Ozolinsh is trying out (obviously for experience reasons) and if they sign him, i really don't see that as a lost. Throw his experience and Semenov's size (i guess) and we have somewhat of a replacement. Maybe Ty Wishart or Derek Joslin will be the next Vlasic? We'll have to make due until they make a mid season trade for a better d man.
Mark Smith's lost isn't too threatening to me. Guys like Goc, Grier, Rissmiller, and Brown can all grind the way Mark Smith did. Youngster Devin Setoguchi will make a fine replacement.
I see Roenick and Ozo jumping on board as pluses. With the attitude demonstrated from last year's playoffs, we need guys in the clubhouse to tell the youngsters how to seal the deal and keep their heads up. Guys who have been around long enough and played in enough playoff games to know what it takes to finish the series with a killer instinct. JR has also never won the Cup so his drive is right up there while Ozo has won it with the Avs.
Yes, i do remember that team very well. Basically that team was older while this team is younger. We'll be fine. The Cup is travelling 500 miles north to the Bay Area this year.
2007-09-20 18:02:15 · answer #1 · answered by TDK 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It would be nice to see the names of Douglas Wilson and Jeremy Roenick on the Stanley Cup, and I think this year the Sharks have a team that can do it. They made some of the better moves among the teams in their division and winning the division will get them to face a lower seed in the first round.
The only argument I have against the Sharks, and indeed the West in general, is that there are a lot of 'bad' teams in the west (Columbus, Phoenix, Chicago, Los Angeles, Edmonton) that inflates the point totals, so while there are a handful of very good teams in the west (Vancouver, Calgary, Colorado, Dallas, Detroit, and Anaheim) the top 7 will have a tough time in the playoffs. This is a conference where you want to finish first because there will be a huge quality drop-off between 7th and 8th place (I have Nashville, St. Louis, and Minnesota fighting for 8 through 10).............so, 1 vs 8 will be a much easier series than 2 vs 7.
2007-09-21 10:15:17 · answer #2 · answered by Like I'm Telling You Who I A 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
First of all, I've just gone through the last 20 years of the Hockey News Yearbook, the last 20 years of The Sporting News Hockey Prediction issue, and the last 14 years of the FAN Forecaster, and none of those publications has ever picked a San Jose team to go all the way. So, must have been a bay area publication.
Now, having said that, I think that San Jose can go far this year. I think the loss of Niedermayer, Selanne and now Schneider in Anahaim makes them vulnerable (and beatable). I also look at this version of the Sharks as similar to the Islanders of the late 70s...coming close every year before finally winning it all. I think the Sharks are on the verge of winning it all.
2007-09-21 09:15:13 · answer #3 · answered by Canadian Biology Man 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
What kind of question is this. The Sharks had always been a good team. They've been making playoff the whole decade. The question is will they win Stanley Cup. Can't tell much, but they have a very good chance. I would say better than last year. However, it would heavily depend on Nabby. The pressure on him would be time-2. Can he take it?
2007-09-21 09:21:08 · answer #4 · answered by Huey L 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I have a feeling the Sharks will win it all this year. I think Thornton is due for one, I can see the troops rallying around JR to get him his ring, I can see Nabokov (although I am not sold on him) having a Khabibulin type of run in TB's cup win. Actually this team reminds me quite a bit of their winning team. I think their defence is suffice.
I picked Anaheim to win it all last year (not a stretch I know) but it is also not a stretch to say the Sharks have as good of a shot as anyone and better than most.
While the west is strong, I think the other contenders have more question marks than the Sharks.
2007-09-20 23:41:44 · answer #5 · answered by Bob Loblaw 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Chris, Joe Thornton will score 60 goals only when pigs learn to fly. And when the NHL allows flying pigs into the arena. And when Joe Thornton buys a flying pig, therefore giving him an advantage over everyone else. Joe Thornton on a flying pig will score 60 goals. Thornton by himself, will not.
~
To answer the actual question, I think the Sharks will do good this year anyway. I think they are favorites for the Stanley Cup, look for Cheechoo to really regain his scoring touch. Hannan was a big loss, but the Sharks have youngsters such as Marc-Edouard Vlasic and Matt Carle to fill in. So, don't worry dude, they'll be fine.
~~
BTW, I didn't give you the thumbs down Chris, don't hate me! lol!
2007-09-20 23:23:46 · answer #6 · answered by N/A 6 · 3⤊ 0⤋
The only significant change I see to this team and the team from last year, is that Nabokov is going to be overplayed (they have no worthwhile backup goalie without Toskala) and the team is going to be more experienced. I don't see that being enough to win them a Stanley Cup. If anything, I see them dropping a few seeds in the playoffs and getting eliminated sooner.
2007-09-21 08:22:15 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
I do.
Young team makes it to the 2007 Western Conference semifinals, has series lead but loses to Detroit... I'd say as a team we have a lot of potential to be even better this season.
2007-09-21 04:19:16 · answer #8 · answered by Manchester Hooligan 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Joe Thornton - 60 goal season
Joe Thornton - 90 assist season
Joe Thornton - 150 Point season
That's why they will be a good team, those are thorntons stats this year.
2007-09-20 23:20:23 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 2⤋