The Offseason Thread

There's a strike looming on the horizon 

Mike Johnson of the NHL Network names his all-decade NHL team.

He includes a second team too.

Dougie is waiting to strike. Thornton and Marleau are on the sidelines till then


Dan Rosen of NHL.com answers some fan mail,

Who will be the first big restricted free agent to sign?

It just seems right now that the RFA market is in a holding pattern waiting for Toronto Maple Leafs forward Mitchell Marner to sign. It's as if the top Group 2 RFAs, including Winnipeg Jets forwards Patrik Laine and Kyle Connor, Tampa Bay Lightning center Brayden Point, Calgary Flames forward Matthew Tkachuk, Avalanche forward Mikko Rantanen, Vancouver Canucks forward Brock Boeser, Boston Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy and Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski, are content to wait it out because they know Marner is expected to get the highest average annual value in his next contract, and what he signs for could dictate how the rest of the market plays out. I think Marner will eventually be the first of this elite group of RFAs to sign, and when he does you'll see the rest fall in line quickly. The soft deadline now is the first day of training camp. Toronto's players are scheduled to report for physicals Sept. 12.

In games of chance, there is no such thing as too much good luck.

But that’s not always the case in the National Hockey League.

Logan Couture helped San Jose eliminate Vegas with the benefit of an infamous major penalty call in Game 7. Then, his Sharks went up 2-1 in the Western Conference final against St. Louis thanks to a missed hand pass.

After that, they lost three straight to the Blues.

“I think it probably hurt us in the end,” said the star forward, who plays host to his third All-In for Brain Research charity casino Thursday night at Centennial Hall. “After that hand pass, which was obviously a mistake and the goal shouldn’t have counted, I felt like in the next couple of games if there was a close call, the other team got the benefit of the doubt.

“So in that aspect, it went against us. Obviously, it helped us win that game. But the rest of the series — and this is just my personal belief because I know the refs don’t go out to favour any team — when it comes to a 50-50 call, the other team is getting that benefit.”

Couture, who grew up watching his father Chet officiate lacrosse games, applauds the NHL’s recently announced enhancements to video review and the coach’s challenge. He also had some discussions with his friend Corey Syvret, a referee in the NHL, about the calls and playoffs.

“You feel bad for the refs because they’re trying to do the best they can,” he said. “The steps the league is taking are going in the right direction. That (hand pass goal) call should have been reviewed. The call against Vegas that made it a major penalty, that’s something that needs to be fixed.

“Whatever they can do to make the right call, that’s all you can ask for as a player and fan.”

Couture may get a shot at pleading his case to NHL refs on a more regular basis. Now that Joe Pavelski has moved to Dallas, there is a growing chorus to name the 30-year-old Londoner as the new San Jose captain.

He has worn an ‘A’ as an alternate captain the past four years and previously served as the Ottawa 67’s captain in junior. Last year, he signed an eight-year extension, which underlined the Sharks’ belief in him.

“I’m not sure what’s going to happen,” he said. “Last time, (Pavelski) was picked by the coaching staff. I talked to Pete (Sharks coach DeBoer) at the Kitchener event (a second version of Couture’s All-In casino operated last month). I’ve talked to Doug (Sharks GM Wilson) throughout the summer.

“I’m heading to San Jose (in two weeks) so I’m sure we’ll find out eventually. On our team, it’s just a letter on the jersey. You don’t need one to be a leader in our dressing room. It doesn’t matter who you are — you have a voice and an opinion and guys can speak up and lead by example. It doesn’t make a difference in how I approach the season.”

Joe Thornton, who just turned 40, and Patrick Marleau — a month away from that birthday — are skating at the Sharks’ facility this week. At this point, Couture can’t even fathom playing for another decade.

“My goal is the next season,” he said. “It’s special what they’re doing and you take it for granted playing with them. They’re still at an NHL-level and few players can achieve that. I remember watching them on TV as a kid and now I’m 30.

Every Shark and every Golden Knight has the San Jose-Vegas games circled on their calendars. It’s a young rivalry, but a heated one — especially with how the first round of the playoffs finished.

“If you told me two years ago Vegas would be our No. 1 rival, I’d say you’re nuts,” Couture said. “But we had two long series the past two years and then you play them multiple times. There’s so much going on between players on both teams going at each other, and the coaches and fans. No one saw it coming.

“But in my mind, they’re an upper echelon team and will be again next year. We’re going to have some battles and probably for years to come.”

Couture continues to be asked about Game 7 and how the Sharks scored four times on the power play during those plot-twisting five minutes. He scored two of them from the point — where he was moved after Pavelski was hurt — and went on to lead the Stanley Cup playoffs with 14 goals.

“The only way to make it louder in that arena would be to win the Stanley Cup there,” he said. “It was the greatest comeback I’ve been part of, probably one of the best 10-minute spans and overtime ever. The energy in the building was at a completely different level than any sporting event I’ve ever been at.

“It’s hard to feel the playoffs are a success when you don’t win, and when you lose to the team that wins it, it makes it sting a little bit extra. We had a couple of tough injuries, but I was proud of how we battled.”

The Sharks’ run of luck finally ran out. That won’t happen Thursday.


lfpress.com/sports/hockey/couture-wants-nhl-to-take-the-luck-out-of-close-calls

If Joe and Patty sign for peanuts and Dougie can acquire another piece with the left over... It's hard not to be optimistic for this season. Granted a guy or two from the Cuda make a case to stay in the big club.

I heard after the skate Patty thinking he could play on Coochs line; PM was going around Douglas Murray like he was a bag boy at Safeway all afternoon..

Agree. If Jones can get to, and keep a .910 save %, the Sharks will be tough to beat. If he can run it up to .925% or so, IMO, they’re a top 5 team. 

SAN JOSE SHARKS
3h ago

Report: Thornton will re-sign with Sharks
Joe Thornton announced his intentions to return for a 22nd NHL season in June and, according to Kevin Kurz of The Athletic, it is only a matter of time before the veteran re-signs with the San Jose Sharks.

Kurz writes that "Thornton is not going anywhere and will re-sign with the Sharks at some point in the near future," though he may wait until Sharks general manager Doug Wilson is done shaping his roster for this season.


Thornton, who posted 16 goals and 35 assists in 73 games, said in June he believes he could play up to five more seasons. The 40-year-old was pictured in full gear at the Sharks training facility on Monday along with former teammate .

Marleau, who was bought out by the Carolina Hurricanes in June, has also been linked to the Sharks this off-season, but Kurz reports there's "much more uncertainty" around his future. The 39-year-old desired a move from the Toronto Maple Leafs after last season in order to be closer to his family in San Jose, but Steve Simmons of the Toronto Sun wrote last week that the Sharks "don't want" the veteran.

A veteran of 21 seasons, Marleau scored 16 goals and added 21 assists in 82 games during last season and added a pair of assists in seven playoff games. Marleau said in June he believes he could play even beyond the 2019-20 season.

Both have been Sharks captain and are the top two in team history for every major offensive category.

According to CapFriendly, the Sharks have $4.68 million in cap space remaining for this season with 11 forwards under contract.

This is from Kurz, so...

Basically summarizing what we knew for the past 2 months.

You should read some of the shit coming out of TSN. It's a national crisis to them  

DW working the angles: