The date was March 8th, 2024, a day that will live in infamy for San Jose Sharks fans. Tomas Hertl, a beloved player, was traded to the Vegas Golden Knights, leaving fans in a state of shock and dismay. In this episode of the Fin Factor, hosts Paul and Aaron express their emotions and thoughts on this unexpected trade.
The hosts were clearly distraught and disarrayed by the news of Hertl's trade to Vegas. They discussed their initial reactions and how the trade caught them off guard, especially considering the approaching trade deadline.
As the hosts delved into the trade details, they expressed their concerns about the impact of the trade on the Sharks' future. They also shared anecdotes from their personal experiences at the Solar for America Ice, where they witnessed the emotional reactions of fellow fans to the trade news.
The hosts analyzed the trade from various angles, discussing the potential impact on the Sharks' lineup and the future of the team. They also expressed their reservations about the trade and the long-term implications of retaining salary for six seasons.
The discussion veered towards the ethical implications of cap circumvention and the treatment of players by certain teams in the league. The hosts voiced their concerns about the treatment of players and the potential consequences for the league as a whole.
The hosts also touched upon the trade involving Anthony Duclair and the implications for player loyalty and team dynamics. They discussed the contrast between the Sharks and other teams in terms of player treatment and future prospects.
The hosts discussed the trade involving Kaapo Kahkonen and the New Jersey Devils, providing insights into the dynamics of NHL trades and the relationships between teams and their front offices.
Capitalism at its finest. The hosts analyzed the trades involving Radim Simek and Nikita Okhotiuk, expressing their thoughts on the implications for the Sharks' lineup and future prospects. They also discussed the potential impact on the team's depth and the dynamics of NHL trades.
The hosts discussed the trade involving goaltender Devin Cooley and the Buffalo Sabres, shedding light on the potential impact of the trade on the Sharks' goaltending situation. They also shared interesting insights about Cooley's background and connections to the Sharks' organization.
Overall, the episode provided a comprehensive analysis of recent NHL trades and their implications for the San Jose Sharks, while also delving into the emotional impact on fans and the broader context of player treatment in the league.
For more insights and discussions on NHL trades and the San Jose Sharks, stay tuned to the Fin Factor podcast.
Remember, Sharks fans, you're not alone in your emotions. Let's ride out this rollercoaster together and hope for a brighter future for our beloved team.
]]>Hey everyone, welcome back to The Fin Factor. In this episode, we had a lot to cover, including a recap of the Sharks' recent games, analysis of player performances, and discussions about the upcoming trade deadline.
We kicked off the episode by discussing the latest addition to our set, a fantastic box full of fresh cookies that superfan Debbie dropped off for us. We had some fun conversations about enjoying the cookies on set.
The Sharks had a busy week with 4 games, and we delved into the analysis of each game. From tough losses to standout performances, it was an eventful week for the team.
One of the key discussions revolved around Kevin Labanc and his struggles. With trade rumors swirling around, it seems like his time with the Sharks may be coming to an end. The decision to scratch him and replace him with a defenseman playing as a forward highlighted the challenges he's been facing.
As the trade deadline approaches, we couldn't help but speculate about potential trade scenarios and the lack of movement in the league. We discussed the slow trade deadline and the impact it may have on the Sharks and other teams.
The conversation shifted to comparing players like Eklund and Granlund, discussing their potential, and the impact of experience on player performance. We also discussed upcoming games and how potential trades could affect team dynamics.
The recent games have shown both highs and lows for the Sharks, with standout performances from some players and struggles for others. As the trade deadline approaches, it will be interesting to see how the team navigates these challenges and positions themselves for the future.
Stay tuned for more updates on The Fin Factor and the latest in Sharks hockey.
Remember to catch the latest episode of The Fin Factor for more in-depth analysis and discussion on Sharks hockey.
Thanks for tuning in!
]]>Welcome back to The Fin Factor! In this episode, Paul and Aaron cover a wide range of topics, including trade talks, player loyalties, and future prospects. Let's dive into the key points from the latest episode:
Don't forget to subscribe to The Fin Factor and hit the notification bell to join in the conversation with other fans. And if you have friends and family who are Sharks fans, be sure to share the show with them.
In this episode, Paul and Aaron cover a wide range of topics, including trade talks, player loyalties, injury news, and upcoming games. They provide insightful analysis on the potential impact of trades on players' careers, injury updates, and the importance of future prospects and draft picks in trade discussions. Stay tuned for more engaging discussions in the next episode!
]]>Welcome back to The Fin Factor! In this special 200th episode, hosts Paul and Aaron reflect on the journey of the show and share their gratitude for the support of their fans. They also take a look back at some recent games and discuss the performance of the San Jose Sharks.
As the episode concludes, the hosts express their optimism for the future of the Sharks and the potential for growth and success in the seasons to come.
Stay tuned for more updates and insights from The Fin Factor as the Sharks continue their journey in the NHL. Thank you for tuning in to this special 200th episode recap!
]]>The Fin Factor: Episode 199 Recap
In this episode of The Fin Factor, Aaron and Devereaux discuss the recent games of the San Jose Sharks, including their victory against the New York Rangers and their loss to the Buffalo Sabres. Unfortunately, Paul was unable to join the podcast due to illness, so Devereaux filled in for him once again.
The New York Rangers Game
The Sharks managed to secure a three-game win streak by defeating the New York Rangers in overtime. Despite being down 2-0, the Sharks made a comeback and ultimately won the game. Some key highlights from the game include:
The Buffalo Sabres Game
In contrast to their victory against the Rangers, the Sharks struggled in their game against the Buffalo Sabres. Despite starting strong and taking a 2-0 lead, they were unable to maintain their momentum and ended up losing the game 5-2. Some key takeaways from the game include:
Retiring Jersey Numbers
The podcast also delved into the topic of retiring jersey numbers for former Sharks players. While there has been discussion about retiring the jerseys of players like Joe Pavelski, Evgeni Nabokov, and Owen Nolan, the hosts expressed their reservations about retiring too many numbers, as it could lead to a shortage of available numbers for current and future players.
The New Third Jersey Release
The Sands of Sharks just released their new third jersey, which sparked a lively discussion among the hosts. They shared their initial thoughts on the design and color scheme, as well as the significance of the team's decision to introduce a new jersey. Some key points from the discussion include:
Contract and Roster Analysis
The hosts also discussed the contract situation of Marc-Edouard Vlasic and the challenges it poses for the Sharks. They highlighted the value Vlasic brings to the team as a defensive player but expressed concerns about his hefty contract and the implications for the team's salary cap.
Conclusion
The episode concluded with a discussion about potential candidates for jersey retirement and the significance of the honor. The hosts emphasized the importance of reserving this honor for players who have made a significant impact on the team, potentially through winning a Stanley Cup. Overall, the episode provided valuable insights into the Sharks' recent performances and sparked thought-provoking discussions about the team's history and future.
]]>Welcome back to The Fin Factor, where we bring you all the latest updates on the San Jose Sharks. In this episode, we'll be discussing the Sharks' upcoming games, including the Pride game against the Buffalo Sabres.
Before we dive into the upcoming matches, let's take a quick look at the recent game against the LA Kings. The Sharks secured a 5-3 victory, with impressive performances from Mark Edward Vlasic, Kyle Burrows, and Jan Ruta. It was great to see Logan Kachur back on the ice, making a significant impact with an assist to Vlasic. Fabian Zetterlund also continued to impress with his scoring abilities.
The upcoming game against the Buffalo Sabres is a special one for the Sharks as it's their Pride game. The game will take place at 1pm at home, and there are a ton of exciting events planned for the day:
It's a fantastic opportunity to show support for the LGBTQ+ community and enjoy an exciting game of hockey.
Before we wrap up, we want to extend our thoughts and prayers to Kiki, one of the GMs in the Fantasy Hockey League, who is going through a difficult time. We're here for you, and we hope for a smooth recovery for you and your husband, Tyler.
As the Sharks gear up for their upcoming games, including the Pride game against the Buffalo Sabres, there's a sense of excitement and anticipation among fans. Stay tuned for more updates on the Sharks' performance and make sure to show your support for the team during the Pride game.
Don't forget to hit the like button and subscribe to our channel for more updates on the Sharks' performance. Stay tuned for more exciting content from The Fin Factor!
]]>Welcome back to The Fin Factor! In this episode, Aaron and guest co-host Devereaux discuss the Sharks' recent games and the challenges they've been facing. Let's dive into the key takeaways from the latest episode.
The recent episodes of The Fin Factor have shed light on the Sharks' ongoing challenges and the need for improvement in various aspects of their performance. As the team navigates through a difficult season, it's clear that hard work and determination will be crucial in overcoming obstacles and regaining momentum.
Stay tuned for more updates and insights from The Fin Factor as the Sharks continue their journey in the NHL.
The Sharks continue to face challenges in their recent games, highlighting the need for consistency and hard work. As the team navigates through a difficult season, it's clear that dedication and determination will be crucial in overcoming obstacles and regaining momentum. Stay tuned for more updates and insights from The Fin Factor as the Sharks continue their journey in the NHL.
]]>Welcome back to The Fin Factor! In this episode, Paul and Aaron dive into the recent games played by the Sharks and the challenges they've been facing. Let's take a closer look at the recap of the games and the insights shared by the hosts.
In this episode, Paul and Aaron provide a comprehensive analysis of the Sharks' recent games and the team's performance. They also share insights into the players' efforts, upcoming events, and the potential for improvement in the future.
Stay tuned for more updates and analysis on The Fin Factor!
]]>Welcome to the latest episode of The Fin Factor! In this episode, Paul and Aaron discuss the recent performance of the San Jose Sharks and the impact of injuries on the team's roster. Let's dive into the highlights and key takeaways from the episode.
As the Sharks navigate through a challenging season, the impact of injuries, trade speculations, and the team's performance remain key focus areas for fans and analysts alike.
Stay tuned for more updates and insights from The Fin Factor as the season progresses.
That's it for this episode recap! Be sure to catch the next episode for more in-depth analysis and discussions on the San Jose Sharks.
]]>Join Paul and Aaron for this week’s live episode as we discuss the Sharks week of games against the LA Kings, Arizona Coyotes, and Vancouver Canucks, check in on the Sharks prospects playing in the World Juniors, other Sharks prospects playing on the San Jose Barracuda, where the Sharks are and where they are going, and we take your questions and comments live!
]]>Welcome back to another episode of The Fin Factor! In this episode, hosts Paul and Aaron discuss the recent games played by the San Jose Sharks and address some controversial calls that have sparked discussions among fans. Let's dive in and see what they have to say.
]]>Welcome back to another episode of The Fin Factor! In this episode, hosts Paul and Aaron discuss the recent games played by the San Jose Sharks and address some controversial calls that have sparked discussions among fans. Let's dive in and see what they have to say.
Paul and Aaron start by addressing the elephant in the room - the floating boxes. They explain that the set still needs to be completed due to technical difficulties with the LED lighting. However, they assure viewers that once the set is 100% ready, they will be back on set to deliver the best possible show. They commend Superdrew's Jason for his dedication to providing a high-quality product and express their excitement for the final set reveal.
The hosts discuss the recent game against the Winnipeg Jets, where the Sharks secured a 2-1 win. They highlight Justin Bailey's first goal in a long time, emphasizing his hard work and the positive impact he brings to the team. They also praise the performance of rookie William Eklund, who showcased his scoring ability with a beautiful one-timer goal. Eklund's progress throughout the season is a key focus for the Sharks, and they express their excitement for his development.
Moving on to the game against the Arizona Coyotes, Paul and Aaron discuss the controversial calls during the match. They first address the goalie interference call on a potential goal by William Eklund. While some fans were upset with the call, the hosts understand the difficulty of making such decisions and acknowledge that it could have gone either way.
They then discuss the offside call that nullified a goal by Mikael Granlund. Anthony Duclair's lack of hustle to get back onside led to the disallowed goal. The hosts commend the Sharks' decision to hold Duclair accountable by benching him for the next game against Colorado. They emphasize the importance of rewarding hard work and disciplining players who do not meet the team's expectations.
Paul and Aaron touch on the penalty assessed to Jacob MacDonald, which resulted in a 5-minute major and a game misconduct. They discuss the controversy surrounding the call and express their understanding of the referee's decision to call it a major for further review. They also mention the potential role of fighting in self-policing the game and maintaining accountability.
The hosts briefly mention the 6-2 loss to the Colorado Avalanche, acknowledging the difficulty of playing in Colorado due to the altitude change. They praise the performance of Sharks' goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood, who has been a standout player for the team throughout the season. His consistent efforts have given the Sharks a chance to win in many games.
In other news, former Shark Aaron Dell has been given a professional tryout (PTO) with the Carolina Hurricanes. This comes after the Hurricanes waived their goaltender, Antti Raanta, and sent him down to the minors. Dell's experience and skills make him a valuable addition to any team needing goaltending help. It will be interesting to see how Dell performs with the Hurricanes and if he secures a spot on their roster.
Looking ahead, the Sharks have a few exciting games coming up. On Tuesday, they will face off against the LA Kings. Despite the Kings' strong performance this season, the Sharks have historically put up a good fight against them. It will be a competitive game, and the Sharks have a chance to come out on top.
On Thursday, the Sharks will take on the Arizona Coyotes again, at home. This game will also feature the "ugly sweater" shirsey giveaway. The Sharks are known to create unique and popular shirsey designs; this giveaway is no exception. Fans attending the game will have the opportunity to get their hands on this special holiday-themed shirzy.
During the episode, Paul and Aaron discuss Noah Gregor's recent performance and the number of goals he has scored. They mention that he has been playing on the top line, improving his scoring ability. However, they do not provide the exact goal total.
In conclusion, Paul and Aaron provide an update on the Sharks' recent games and address the controversial calls that have sparked fan discussions. They highlight the importance of accountability and hard work within the team and the impressive performances of players like Justin Bailey, William Eklund, and Mackenzie Blackwood. As the season progresses, they look forward to seeing the Sharks continue to develop and improve. Stay tuned for more updates on The Fin Factor!
Remember to retweet, repost, and share this blog post with your fellow Sharks fans to spread the word about The Fin Factor and join the fun conversations. If you enjoy the show, consider supporting The Fin Factor through the super chat function, Venmo, or by checking out their merchandise on The Fin Factor website.
]]>Welcome to The Fin Factor, where we recap the exciting games of the San Jose Sharks. In this episode, we cover three games that showcased the Sharks' resilience and determination. Let's dive into the action!
In the first game, the Sharks faced off against the New York Islanders. Despite being down 4-1 in the third period, the Sharks staged an incredible comeback. Kevin LeBanc and Tomas Hertl scored back-to-back goals to narrow the gap. Hertl's tying goal completed his hat trick, sending the game into overtime. In the final seconds of overtime, William Eklund scored the game-winning goal, securing a thrilling victory for the Sharks.
The second game was wild, with both teams exchanging goals in the second period. The Red Wings took a commanding 4-0 lead, but the Sharks fought back with four unanswered goals. Hertl's two goals, including a shorthanded goal, fueled the Sharks' comeback. The game ended in a tie, and the Sharks earned a valuable point.
In their third game of the week, the Sharks faced the Vegas Golden Knights. Once again, the Sharks found themselves down, this time by a score of 3-0. However, they refused to give up and pulled off another comeback. Timo Meier, Alexander Barabanov, and Hertl scored to tie the game and send it into overtime. Despite their best efforts, the Sharks fell short in the shootout but still earned a point.
The Sharks' performances this week showcased their resilience and determination. Despite facing deficits in each game, they never gave up and fought back to earn valuable points. This never-say-die attitude will serve them well as they continue their season.
Please note: Marc-Edouard Vlasic was scratched for personal reasons during the Vegas Golden Knights game. Our thoughts are with him during this time.
The NHL Mobile Museum is coming to Shark's Ice in San Jose on December 18th and 19th. This mobile museum is an 840-square-foot exhibit featuring exclusive artifacts from players across the league. Visitors can explore the history of the NHL, participate in a virtual reality experience, and learn about adaptive hockey. The museum also highlights players who have significantly contributed to the sport, such as Mike Greer, the NHL's first black general manager. Take advantage of this opportunity to immerse yourself in the rich history of the NHL!
If you enjoy The Fin Factor and want to show your support, consider purchasing our merchandise. We have hats, sweatshirts, hoodies, and stickers on our website. By purchasing our merchandise, you get to show off your love for the Sharks and help support our show. Visit thefinfactor.com to browse our collection.
We love hearing from our viewers and engaging with the Sharks community. If you want to be a part of The Fin Factor, subscribe to our YouTube channel and hit the notification bell. This way, you'll always catch an episode or a live stream. You can also follow us on social media @TheFinFactor and @FinFactor on Instagram. We appreciate your support!
The San Jose Sharks had an incredible week of comebacks, showcasing their resilience and determination. From thrilling overtime victories to hard-fought ties, the Sharks never gave up and fought their way back in each game. Standout performances from players like Tomas Hertl, William Eklund, Kaapo Kahkonen, and Noah Gregor fueled the team's comebacks. In the future, the Sharks' never-say-die attitude will continue to serve them well as they strive for success in the season. Remember to check out the NHL Mobile Museum at Shark's Ice in San Jose and support The Fin Factor by purchasing our merchandise. Stay tuned for more exciting games and updates from The Fin Factor!
]]>Discover the latest Sharks' victories and setbacks. Dive into thrilling recaps, standout performances by Granlund and Zetterlund, and insights from Paul and Aaron on the Sharks' MVP, Mackenzie Blackwood. Uncover progress, challenges, and what lies ahead in this exciting Fin Factor update.
]]>In this episode, we'll recap the latest Sharks games and discuss some positive developments for the team. Let's dive right in!
The Sharks faced the Boston Bruins in a game that ended in a 3-0 loss. Although the Bruins were on a three-game losing streak, they proved to be a strong team and came out on top. However, it's worth noting that the Sharks put up a good fight and showed some promising moments.
The Sharks finally secured their first road win against the New Jersey Devils. It was a thrilling 6-3 victory that showcased the team's resilience and determination. The game was marked by standout performances from players like Michael Granlund, who has been on fire lately, and Fabian Zetterlund, who exceeded his career-high goal record.
In their game against the New York Rangers, the Sharks faced a 6-3 deficit with only seven minutes left. However, they refused to give up and mounted an impressive comeback. They scored two quick goals to make it 6-5, putting the Rangers on edge. Although they ultimately fell short, the Sharks' never-say-die attitude was commendable.
While the Sharks may have faced some tough losses, there have been several positive developments and standout players worth mentioning:
Despite some tough losses, the Sharks show signs of improvement and resilience. The team's never-give-up attitude and the standout performances from players like Granlund, Zetterlund, Barabanov, Addison, and Blackwood provide hope for the remainder of the season. Fans can look forward to more exciting games and positive outcomes as the Sharks continue to develop and grow.
In the latest episode of The Fin Factor, Paul and Aaron discussed the Sharks' MVP for the season's first quarter. While several players have performed well, Mackenzie Blackwood stood out as the clear frontrunner.
Blackwood, the Sharks' goaltender, has exceeded expectations and has been a key factor in the team's recent success. He has consistently made saves beyond what was expected, showcasing his skill and talent in the net.
Blackwood has performed well statistically and leads the league in steals, further solidifying his position as a top performer. His numbers testify to his ability and show he can hold his own against the best in the league.
One of the exciting aspects of Blackwood's performance is that it raises the question of his numbers if he were on a stronger team. Despite playing for a team that has faced its fair share of challenges, Blackwood has consistently played at a high level and has been a standout player.
Paul and Aaron agreed that Blackwood was their favorite player for the season. They highlighted his consistent performance and his impact on the team's overall success. While other players have performed well, Blackwood's contributions have been exceptional.
Looking ahead, Paul and Aaron acknowledged that the MVP for the next quarter could change depending on various factors. However, they expressed their confidence in Blackwood's abilities and believed he would remain a key player for the Sharks.
In conclusion, Mackenzie Blackwood has been the Sharks' MVP for the season's first quarter. His outstanding performance, consistent saves, and leadership have made him a standout player. As the season progresses, fans can look forward to seeing Blackwood continue to excel and contribute to the team's success.
In addition to discussing the MVP for the season's first quarter, Paul and Aaron also talked about the progress and challenges the Sharks have faced.
One positive development is the improvement in the team's performance. Despite some tough losses, the Sharks have shown signs of growth and resilience. They have been more entertaining to watch and have displayed a never-give-up attitude on the ice.
Several players have stood out and contributed to the team's progress. Michael Granlund, Fabian Zetterlund, Alexander Barabanov, Kallein Addison, and Mackenzie Blackwood played key roles in the Sharks' recent turnaround. Their performances have been instrumental in the team's success and have given fans hope for the remainder of the season.
However, the Sharks have also faced challenges along the way. Luke Cunningham's placement on the injured reserve and subsequent assignment to the AHL is a setback for the team. Additionally, Mark Edward Vlasic's absence from the lineup and his high salary cap hit has been a disappointment. These challenges highlight the difficulties the Sharks have faced in managing their roster and making necessary adjustments.
Looking ahead, the Sharks have a challenging schedule with games against the New York Islanders, Detroit Red Wings, and Vegas Golden Knights. These games will test the team's resilience and provide further growth and improvement opportunities.
In conclusion, the Sharks have shown progress and resilience in the season's first quarter. While challenges have been overcome, the team's never-give-up attitude and standout performances from key players have provided hope for the future. As the season continues, fans can expect more exciting games and positive outcomes from the Sharks.
Stay tuned for more updates and recaps on The Fin Factor!
]]>Join Paul and Aaron for this week’s live episode as we discuss the Sharks week of games against the Seattle Kraken, Montreal Canadiens, Vancouver Canucks, and Washington Capitals, Tomas Hertl out of the lineup, Fabian Zetterlund and Mike Hoffman continuing their scoring ways, and we take your questions and comments live!
Join Paul and Aaron for this week’s live episode as we discuss the Sharks week of games against the Panthers, Blues, and Canucks, the roster situation, some stats the Sharks are leading the league in, and we take your questions and comments live!
Join Paul and Aaron for this week’s live episode as we discuss the Sharks finally getting their first two wins of the season, the trade to Minnesota for Calen Addison, Danil Guschin getting called up, Patrick Marleau being inducted into the San Jose Sports Hall of Fame, and we take your questions and comments live!
]]>Join Paul and Aaron for this week’s live episode as we discuss the Sharks losing prowess, how they have been historically bad for NHL standards, if they can fix the sinking ship, and we take your questions and comments live!
]]>Join Paul and Aaron for this week’s live episode as we discuss the unfortunate accident of Adam Johnson, Joe Thornton officially retiring from the NHL, the Sharks still winless on the season, and we take your questions and comments live!
]]>Join Paul and Aaron for this week’s live episode as we discuss the San Jose Sharks still looking for their first win, the week’s games against the Carolina Hurricanes, Boston Bruins, and Nashville Predators, Tomas Hertl’s reaction to Filip Forseberg’s bodyslam of Mackenzie Blackwood, and we take your questions live!
]]>Join Paul and Aaron for this week’s live episode as we discuss the San Jose Sharks season opener against the Vegas Golden Knights, the amazing performance by Mackenzie Blackwood against the Colorado Avalanche, the NHL’s poor decision backing off on themed nights, and we take your questions live!
]]>Join Paul and Aaron for this week’s live episode as we discuss the San Jose Sharks opening night roster, how to watch the Sharks this season, whether the team is really at the bottom of the league, how to enjoy this year’s in-game experiences, and we take your questions live!
]]>Join Paul and Aaron for this week’s live episode as we discuss Erik Karlsson being traded by the San Jose Sharks to the Pittsburgh Penguins! We will talk about the lead up to the trade, the pieces involved with the Sharks, Penguins, and Montreal Canadians, how the Sharks roster is shaping up for the upcoming season, and we take your questions live!
]]>The Fin Factor is back, and we're coming to you LIVE from the heart of the action at SAP Center! Get ready for an adrenaline-filled episode as Paul and Aaron bring you exclusive San Jose Sharks insights, in-depth analysis, and bold predictions on how the NHL Draft outcomes will shape the upcoming 2023-2024 NHL season.
We're thrilled to announce that we've got multiple special guests joining us for this thrilling episode! They'll share their unique perspectives and add serious firepower to the discussion. You don't want to miss it!
We want you to feel right here in The Tank, soaking up the excitement and joining the conversation! So join us live to ask your questions for the most epic NHL Draft coverage you've ever experienced! Let's dive deep into the draft and prepare to unleash some serious hockey madness!
Welcome to the season finale of The Fin Factor, hosted by Paul and Aaron. In this episode, we will review our predictions from the beginning of the season and see how they panned out. We also have some exciting news: Erik Karlsson has broken modern records by finishing with points on 101 of 233 Sharks goals this season (25 goals and 76 assists). We'll break down his incredible season, weigh the odds of him staying or leaving, and discuss what this means for the Sharks. The NHL Draft Lottery odds for the Sharks are up for discussion with the season closing. Who will they pick, and how will this impact the team going into the next season? We'll be sharing our thoughts and predictions. Finally, we want to hear from you! We'll be taking live Q&A during the show, so be sure to tune in and ask us your burning questions. Thank you for joining us this season on The Fin Factor. We hope you enjoyed the show, and we'll see you next season!
]]>In this week's episode, we talk about the Sharks' recent games, where they suffered two losses against the Colorado Avalanche and another against the Edmonton Oilers. There are rumors about the Oilers arranging a possible trade involving Erik Karlsson, who now has 98 points. Then, we will look at some standout performances in the last few games by Jacob Peterson, Danil Guschin, and Henry Thrun. They all played exceptionally well and showed serious potential for the team's future. Goaltender Magnus Chrona signed a two-year deal starting next season. Unfortunately, there have been some injuries to several Sharks players. The team has two final games to close their season. They'll be facing off against the Calgary Flames and the Edmonton Oilers. Tune in live and participate in our live interaction!
]]>Welcome to another episode of The Fin Factor, the show for San Jose Sharks fans! In this episode, we'll be discussing the standout performance of Noah Gregor, who scored an incredible hat trick in the Sharks' recent game against the Arizona Coyotes. We'll break down his goals and discuss what this performance means for the Sharks' offense. Next, Erik Karlsson advances his quest to reach 100 points. We'll also be taking a closer look at the Sharks' rookies, Kyle Criscuolo, and Danil Gushchin. Both players have recently made their NHL debuts and scored their first NHL career goals, and we'll be discussing their performances and what we can expect from them as they continue to develop. The Sharks have also been on a winning streak, defeating the Winnipeg Jets, Vegas Golden Knights, and Arizona Coyotes. Finally, we'll discuss the unfortunate news of William Eklund's season-ending injury and surgery. We'll preview the upcoming games and take your live questions on the show!
]]>Join us for this week's live episode as we discuss the San Jose Sharks recently signing Harvard captain Henry Thrun, a promising addition to the team's roster. The Sharks continue to experience more losses in recent games. However, Erik Karlsson has been on fire, breaking into an impressive 90 points on the season. Couture recently revealed that the team wants Karlsson to hit 100 points this season. If you're a Sharks fan, tune in, and we'll take your live questions to keep the conversation going.
Paul: [00:00:00] Hey everybody. Welcome back to The Fin Factor. I'm Paul. I'm Aaron. This is episode number 177, uh, folks for the podcast. Uh, the reason I'm [00:01:00] laughing is because we already have comments in here and, uh, I'll just start reading some of these. Well, the, the one that I'm laughing about here is Peter St. John saying, Hey, super producer Jason.
Have you ever been the one holding up the start of the show? Because we started about eight minutes. And he replies only when they want a graphic last minute, which is what tied me up. Just now. We're going live now. Uh, do not ask me to screenshot a tweet one minute before from going live. I'll lose my mind.
And actually that is fairly accurate. He does lose his mind regardless of when you ask for it. He, when you ask him to. Get a tweet in there. He does not like tweets. There's a very famous quote, we, we can't, we can't quote it, uh, from Super Jason, but he is very unhappy, uh, with tweets. Uh, going back to Peter, John though, evening boys, Kellen Foster with ales.
Go Baby. Uh, yes indeed, Kellen, let's go . Um, and then we've got, uh, Peterson John making the observation that Coach Quinn's getting the big bucks, but man, I kind of feel bad for him. Not exactly sending, uh, his coaching crew on fire as he [00:02:00] would want. Yeah, but you know what, he knew exactly what he was getting into Aaron, right?
I mean, he, he he knew,
Aaron: yeah, and he's still coaching in the nhl, so I don't think he minds so much. And NHL coaches kind of have that buffer. If they do get fired, they still get paid for the rest of their contract. So, um, I think he's doing just fine. Yeah, I'm, I'm sure he is frustrated, but
Paul: yeah, he's all right.
I think anybody having anything to do with San Jose, including fans, are a little bit frustrated right now, unrightfully, so, but you know what, before we get. To, well, okay, the folks that are looking for the tank card for a badard train, let's shoot you baby. Um, however, , we're gonna give folks, uh, some time to get in here.
In fact, why don't you guys help us out, get some more folks in here, if you can hit us with that retweet, hit us with that share. Uh, we certainly would appreciate that and get some more people in here chatting with us today. Uh, we've got a few things that, uh, might be a little bit interesting here for you guys.
So, uh, there's that. But while you guys are doing that, and I'm just gonna kill just a little bit of time talking about something [00:03:00] that's not Sharks related, talking about something that, uh, actually made me happy in the world of hockey. Uh, not this weekend, but the weekend prior, uh, the 10 u a. Cougars.
Coopertino Cougars became NorCal champions. The reason I bring that up is because my son played for that team. Uh, they, they had some really killer, crazy amazing games going on. Everything was really tight. Uh, big stick taps to the Sharks 10 u uh, one and three teams, uh, and to Capital Thunder, who was, uh, quite the opponent.
They were very, very good. So I just wanna call those teams out for the, uh, 10 u uh, division. Uh, guys did a really great job, but you know, again, congratulations to the Cupertino Cougars, uh, did a great job. NorCal Champs. So there's that. Now Aaron back to, uh, Sharks. Yeah. Nicholas Eagan throwing out the, uh, little party toot horn thingies, whatever those are.
What are those things called, man? What? What is that? A party horn? I don't know. Party horn. The thing you blow on and it go like a
Aaron: kazoo. Like [00:04:00] at New Year's you blow that thing. Yeah.
Paul: Yeah, whatever that is. Okay. So thank you Nikolai again, I appreciate you for throwing those in there. Um, so Aaron, again, let's take a look at some of the past games here and then we'll kind of move on, uh, into the more interesting stuff, if you will, because we kind of know how the games went already.
We just stunk and we just like already . So we know how they went, obviously because we saw them. And, and of course, because we're talking about the Sharks and we kind of know how these games have been going recently. So, uh, in Vancouver, uh, a seven to two loss. Now remember Aaron last week when we were doing the upcoming games, you know, at the end of the episode I had said, well, Vancouver, they're a pretty solid team, right?
And he said, no, they're absolutely not a solid team. Seven to two. I mean, how bad are the Sharks if, uh, a not so solid team is destroying '
Aaron: em seven too? I, I think the way they're playing that night, Columbus could have put up seven on the Sharks. It was pretty bad. And Columbus, for those that don't know, is the next worst team than the Sharks, cuz the Sharks are now in dead Last.
Paul: Yes, they [00:05:00] are. Um, by the way, Cullen Foster saying the Kao sounding thing, he says, VU . I think that was, uh, back in the World Cup. Um, what was that? Wow. Good knowledge there.
Aaron: That's
Paul: impressive. Thank you. I, I Hey, sometimes soccer things. Yeah, me too. Yeah. Who knows? I'm surprise. Um, Ben Andry says, officially leading the races for a best chance getting Badard.
Woo-hoo. Uh, absolutely. And we'll be bringing that up later on in the episode. So, Ben, stick around as I'm sure that you will. But, uh, Aaron, you had made a note here about the Vancouver game that Rhymer, uh, looked pretty off his game. Um, I've got maybe a question for afterwards, but why don't you just go ahead and talk about, uh, Reimer not looking, uh, himself in.
Um,
Aaron: I mean, we talk about soft goals and stuff and how we don't really categorize a lot of stuff as soft goals, but I feel like he gave up a fair amount of shots that I thought he normally would've stopped. Um, he just looked very off. And goal tending is very much a mental game. [00:06:00] Uh, you can ask Robin Leonard of the Golden Knights about this, but, um, it's a very mentally tough position to play because you are on for 60 minutes.
I mean, think about how many times, uh, what's the most ice time like a, a defenseman would get closer to 30 minutes. That's half the game. The goalies are on almost all the time. They don't get as many breaks. They don't get to hang out on the bench and rethink about that last shift. Like they just have to go to the next place.
So mentally, it's a very draining position. Um, and he looked very. off, uh, a lot of goals. That and out of position. He just, he didn't seem like his normal self. And obviously he let in seven, I'm actually shocked they didn't pull 'em. Um, considering the Sharks were not playing back to back, I thought they would've pulled him and, and putting CN in, but um, they did not.
Paul: Yeah, I was kind of wondering, um, if there were maybe some, cuz we remember last week, the whole controversy was that James Reimer didn't wanna wear the pride [00:07:00] jersey. Right. And he was questioned and, and he brought this thing up in the media and he got some backlash. He says he didn't really pay attention to the things that are out there on social media and whatnot, but I, you know, who knows?
Um, I'm kind of curious and I'd like to hear your take on it and, and folks, uh, in, in the chat, please feel free to give us your thoughts on this as well. Do you feel like maybe this game was kind of some lingering effects of kind of the backlash, uh, from Pride Night and what he had, uh, decided to kind of tell the, the world there?
Aaron: Yeah. I think, uh, that's part of it. And neither it's consciously or subconsciously that's just weighing heavy on him. So, um, it didn't, he he really just, it was not the James Reimer that we normally see. Even though Yeah. The Sharks are losing, you never see him really get blown out, especially this much into a team that's not like, uh, it's not like the Boston Bruins are leading the league.
Right. This is Vancouver who I don't even think they're gonna make playoffs, but I think, um, yeah, he's just gonna be, there you go. Callen, as a goalie, what is the toughest position you've been in [00:08:00] mentally or your most off night to Aaron? Um, I mean, for me, soccer's a little bit different because it's less active time versus hockey, you're not getting as many shots, but it is a very mentally tough thing because, Man, just, just playing.
Playing in college was crazy. Um, practice more so than the games, only because practice you're getting more shots, more volume of shots, and you're playing against your best players on your team. Um, but it's, it's tough to mentally, it's more of like the shaking off of the mistakes. That's the hard part. Um, because you get a goal score on you.
You're thinking about what you did wrong cause it's usually a mistake and how you could do better the next time. But also shaking it off and being prepared and ready for the next shot and being confident in yourself that you're gonna stop it. That's the part. Um, Aaron is nails ke ice water. He's never flinched his gully.
I've definitely been scored on many times, many, many times. . [00:09:00] It's funny, like, and I'm just gonna go off on a tangent here since, you know, the Sharks are terrible, but I didn't start playing goalie until, uh, seventh, eighth grade, and I was on a very bad soccer team. And that actually helped me because they were so bad that I got a lot of action, a lot of shots taken on me.
Um, I remember one , few funny, two, two funny stories here. One, the ball, like going through my legs. It's just embarrassing when it, you can't close your legs in time, basically five hole, like in hockey. But in soccer with the ball, it's much bigger. , um, going through my legs and then turning around to get it and kicking it in at the goal, it's very embarrassing.
Um, two, I was playing goalie for one of the first times, and as a, in soccer, you never, same with hockey. You never stay on your goal line. You're always off and cutting off angles. Well, I didn't know that. I was just starting off and I'm watching the play on the other side of the field and I'm watching, and I'm walking side to side, and I walked right into the goalpost.
Just boom, just hit my head. I'm just like, oh my God. Like, and I look around, I'm like, oh, nobody saw that. [00:10:00] I'm okay. All right, let's just keep playing , like, just embarrassing. But anyway, fun little anecdotes there. But, um, yeah, goal tending is, is a very mentally tough position and, um, it, it takes a lot out of you.
So even subconsciously, if you have a lot on your mind during the back of your mind, it's there and it's messing with you. So I think this absolutely played a role in it.
Paul: Yeah. Um, I couldn't help but notice that I didn't get to read the whole thing, but there was another article put out, um, just a few hours ago actually, uh, champagne.
And I think Corey Sack both put out, uh, articles if I'm, if I'm not mistaken. And, um, I thought it was maybe just old thing that kind of hashed up. No, it was like three hours ago, uh, from this show, uh, the start of the show. And, uh, it was asking Reimer kind of some of the same similar questions. . Um, and he was responding to it, and I'm wondering if they brought this stuff up or if he was saying, you know, I feel like I need to bring this back up again.
I don't know if I was, uh, you know, understood properly or whatever. I don't know who kind of, who [00:11:00] initiated that like, second conversation. But the fact that he had a second conversation, they had a second article come out about it, and this has been, it's over a week now, right? Yeah. So I really do feel like maybe there was some sort of lingering, like it was, it was affecting his, his mind just a bit.
And the seven two loss maybe is kind of a, a, a, a piece of that. I don't know. Yeah,
Aaron: I think, um, I would, I'm guessing that they asked this follow-up questions because it was a week later and because he played so poorly the other night and they know it's a mentally tough position, that would be my guess of why they brought it up again.
Paul: Nicholas Egan going after your heart here. He says to quote a great soccer show, goalies need to be a goldfish . Yes. Remember, I remember that sentiment you shared with me. I haven't seen Ted Lasso, but, oh geez. Come on man. No, no, no, no, no, no, no. I'm not gonna, I'm not gonna, I'm not gonna start in regarding You would, as a person who doesn't
Aaron: like soccer, you would like the show.
Paul: Oh, okay. Is, uh, is they making fun of it or what? Pretty much, yeah. Okay, good. I, I'll maybe I'll look into it then. Uh, [00:12:00] Calgary, uh, in Calgary, I think this was what, what was the Saturday game? I think the, the Vancouver game was the, it was the afternoon game, remember? Yeah. And so Calgary, uh, they lose to Calgary five to three here.
Now the, the main takeaway from this one is that, uh, Erik Karlsson picks up a pair of assist. Uh, he got one assist in the Vancouver game, but he picks up a pair here, extends his point streak, his current point streak to, uh, three games. Um, he's got two goals, three assist, and five points in that span. So five points in three games.
We're gonna be talking a little bit, just a little bit later on. It's actually coming up, uh, pretty close here. Um, in terms of his pace and where he's gonna end up. We had that as a roll call question, I think last week. So, um, But before we get to that, I guess like for this, it's kind of just more of the same, right?
The Sharks constantly making these, these little mistakes, these small mistakes, and it cost them the game, right? Yep. Anything to add regarding, is there something specifically about this
Aaron: game? [00:13:00] The, the turnovers in their own zone, which come right back to, to haunt them and score like it. Some of it's bad bounces, bad luck.
Like the, I think it was the tying goal. The Sharks had just scored to go ahead, just scored. And let me look at the timestamp. Actually, I have it up right here. Um, it's five 14 Martin count scores to put the Sharks up, three to two. Uh, I gotta do the math. 15 seconds later, Calgary scores the diet because the, the puck's dumped in.
Kaing goes to play, it tries to shoot it up. The. Kind of flicks it up, it hits co your skate. He can't control it bounces right to their guy who passes it to another wide open guy for a one timer in a goal. It's like, are you kidding? Like it was such a bang, bang play because it was just a mental breakdown.
Once again, just simple mistakes that end up with the puck ended up, um, going into the Sharks goal. So, uh, to me, I think, um, again, like, you know, you take out the outlier of these Vancouver seven to two losses blowouts, [00:14:00] right? The Calgary game, it was five to three. That was an empty neter. So it really was a four to three loss.
You take away all those mental mistakes and to me, these are fixable. The Sharks are gonna be a much better team next year. And now I'm not saying they're gonna win a cup. I'm not saying they're even gonna get to playoffs, but they're not gonna be rock bottom of the league if they can fix these things, cuz they're scoring goals, they're getting leads, they just can't hold.
you change that, you get a better goal tender in there. I don't know what they're gonna plan to do to me. I think Greer's gonna go out and get somebody, um, if he can this summer. Um, and you fix that part of it and you, you, he's already rebuilt the blue line in terms of prospects and, and up and coming players that are ready to play starting next season.
Um, you start building out of the back and work your way forward. Right now, the Sharks are scoring decent enough, not, not enough for a playoff team, but decent enough to not be at the bottom. I think they have a lot to work with here, and it's not as dire as it [00:15:00] seems. That's my opinion.
Paul: So not sure if Erik Karlsson is gonna be a part of that next season or not.
We'll have to see how the, uh, draft goes and if he gets moved at that point. GRE's got a lot on his plate, uh, to think about with that one. I know he's been, been listening to offers and that kind of thing. Obviously nothing happened. Uh, Carlson's still playing with the team. Uh, but honestly for me, that's okay.
It's, for me, it's the best of both worlds, right? You get to see a, a superstar like Erik Karlsson doing what he does, having a career year. Uh, but the Shark Star also , um, you know, again, in the hunt. They're in the hunt for that, that first overall, which again, it's, it sucks rooting for it, but at the same time, this is what's best for the team.
Right now. What's best for the team is to, if you're not gonna make playoffs, even if you know the, the 16th team in, right? If you're not gonna be that team, you, you really wanna be as low down in the standings as you possibly can be. Um, and so being able to watch Karlsson still make the game entertaining has kind of [00:16:00] been.
The thing that's drawing me back, like without, without watching this guy play . It's just, it's a train wreck. So, um, having said that, we're gonna jump into some stats here for Erik Karlsson, but, uh, you guys know what it means, uh, when he's getting points and whatnot, and we, we love doing this. So, super producer Jason, go ahead.
And the hall. And the hall. So, Erik Karlsson hits the 750 point milestone, uh, so far this season. 90 points. Okay. His previous best was 82, which I believe was in an 82 game season that he, he finished all 82 games, is what I'm saying. So, uh, he has done it before. He's, he stayed healthy the entire time. We'll get to that in a second.
Um, of those 90 points, 68 were assists. His previous best was 66. Uh, of those 90 points, 22 were goals. His previous best. [00:17:00] 21. So he's having a career year in all categories here. Now the other thing that I thought was interesting, and you brought this up, uh, last episode, I believe he's got an 11.3 an absolutely absurd 11.3 shooting percentage, and that demolishes his previous best of 8.5, which was last season with the Sharks.
So, and, and man, he hasn't missed a game. Like he's, he's, he hasn't missed a single game yet. There
Aaron: it is. There it is. You just jinxed it. Way to go. Way to go, Paul.
Paul: Yet, I'm, I'm saying he has, I'm not saying he won't, he, he may, he may not make it till the end of the season, but he hasn't missed a game yet. And by this time in the season, he's already missed like 20 games, like traditionally for the Sharks.
So for just the fact that he's been playing this entire time, hasn't missed a single game. Now you can see what the point totals would actually be if he was catching that rhythm and going and he's not even playing with a good team and he's not even playing with good players anymore cuz we traded him.
Right? Timo Meyers off the, off the team. So he's still doing, he is still [00:18:00] getting it done. Um, I think the last time that he played 82 games was in the 20 15, 20 16 season for Ottawa. Uh, and, and he's so far he is on pace obviously cuz he hasn't missed one. He's on pace to do 82 for the Sharks for the first time since joining him.
Pretty amazing stuff for me. I don't know. I, the, the fact that he's, he's eclipsed his previous bests in all three categories and well, four if you count the shooting percentage. Um, yeah, just amazing. Now Nicholas Ganson don't tempt the hockey God's ball. I think that was because, uh, , he's played 73 games outta the 82.
Uh, and there's only nine games left, but. Um, no. Hey man. Facts for facts. He just, I'm just saying he hasn't missed. That's it. So, uh, there's the stat pack. Aaron, did you wanna say something else before we uh, we move on?
Aaron: Here he is the second leading scorer on the Sharks. Now that Tim o's gone, who's the first?
He's the second leading
Paul: scorer. Goal scorer.
Aaron: Goal scorer. Goal scorer. Who has more
Paul: goals? It's gotta be Hertl. Nope. Really? [00:19:00] He has Hertl. Alright. Who? Logan
Aaron: Couture El Capita. Really? That's why he is the alternate captain cuz he doesn't have as many goals as Logan. Couture. Oh, okay. Fair enough. URA is 25, Karlsson is 22.
Hertl has 20. Wanna take real quick guess for the next? Honestly,
Paul: that's surprising. Don't you say no. Gregory, I know people got more than four. No.
Aaron: Bar Bonoff, who I would like to highlight is having a phenomenal season. He's three points away from hitting 50 points, which I think he will get there in the next nine games.
Nice 50 points from Bar Bonoff is amazing. Remember, this is the guy we got for Auntie Sue who's no longer in the NHL and we got a 50 point player out of it that he's a great
Paul: trade. Say what you will. I got nothing bad to say about Doug Wilson. Okay. And on that note, we're gonna go ahead and close out the alternate Captain Jack Karlsson.[00:20:00]
Ben, Ben Andry. Were a great comment here. Imagine how far down the standings we would be without DK 65. Oh wait, guys. Were as low as you can get. You'd be lower.
Aaron: We've been there.
Paul: That's all. Um, so the, the takeaway here, isn't it, as you guys are saying, don't jinx it, don't, uh, don't tempt the hockey gods, but there's still nine games to go.
Um, the man is on pace for 101 points, okay? Um, if he gets a point per game from here on out, he's gonna hit 99. Um, and I'll be asking you guys a, a question later on. I think some of you kind of know the direction that the question will be going. We've asked something similar, but I'm gonna give a little twist.
Um, but before we do that, uh, there is a clip here from, uh, captain Logan Couture, and he was saying, um, talking about how he, he, one of the things they really want for the [00:21:00] season is for Erik Karlsson to editor points. Um, so we have this clip. Uh, I think we have the, the reporter asking the question even here.
So why don't you go .
Reporter: Erik Karlsson now the franchise leader in single season assist among the defenseman passing Brent Burns. He reaches 90 Points. What's he meant to those group so far this year?
Logan Couture: Tremendous. Uh, I really hope we can get a hundred, uh, think that would mean a lot to him. It would mean a lot to every guy in this room. Uh, he's had a incredible year. It's been, it's been coming to rank fun, to, to watch him play and part of, uh, you know, his year that he's having. Uh, so that would be, uh, that'd be a highlight to finish year.
Paul: So like, just, just like I was saying for myself, just, this is kind of one of the things that kind of keeps me coming back and to, to watch, you know, the, the train wreck that is this season. And, and for the players, I think this is one of the reasons that they kind of helps get them up in the morning to come to the rink is to kind of help him get there and, and kind of play with this greatness.
I don't know. What do you, what do you, what's your take
Aaron: on this? [00:22:00] Absolutely, you're around the best defenseman, not just in the league, but in the world. This guy is doing things that a lot or almost nobody else can do. Um, it makes you a better player. You see how many passes he does, how many geeks in the blue line, how many times he dances around that blue line.
There's not a lot of players in the N NHL that can do that. Even kale macr has some limits to what he can do compared to Karlsson. So, um, it makes it fun to go to work and see greatness happen. You're going to practice and playing with this guy and learning from him. You're, you're going, you're playing these games that sure they're losing and not like they're meaningless, but they're still competitive and still fun because this guy just does amazing things.
It is a lot of fun to be around. Um, when I played at Sonoma State, there was this guy, Tony, who was our leading goal scorer, and he, I don't know if he led our league, but he was up there and he was amazing and it just made. everything. So much more fun to go to both practice and to games. Cause you just, like, [00:23:00] you're also a fan, you wanna see what they can do and you get a front row seat at doing it.
So absolutely everyone's pulling for him. Uh, it's not like Carlson's like a mean dude and, and for lack of better words and, um, very friendly and, and a good teammate. Uh, he's an alternate captain as well, so, and leader in the room. Um, so yeah, they're all pulling for him and they want him to get to a hundred points just to kinda stick it to the NHL and to the other guys of saying, Hey, everyone said he was too old.
And look at him at 32. He is gonna be hopefully winning a Norris Trophy from a team from the bottom of the standings. It's amazing.
Paul: Yeah. The other thing is, uh, you know, kale Macr, he's an amazing player, don't get me wrong. And, and he's probably one of, if not, uh, well, I would say, let's just say he's one of the best, uh, offensively minded defensemen in the league.
Um, but he's also got guys like Nathan McKinnon, Mika Ranton, and I mean, he's got a lot of really big name players that he's. Uh, you know, superstars that he can play alongside. Um, Karlsson doesn't have that luxury. Carlson's, uh, biggest threat [00:24:00] offensively just got shipped out. So, um, for him to have the season that he's having, like, as you said, playing from the bottom of the standings is really, uh, truly an amazing thing.
Now, here's kind of, one of the things I think is, is also interesting here is that we, we are witnessing, I think the best version of UK 65. You know, like you say, he's 32 years old. Um, but as I just went through his numbers, he's, he's having a career year. He's never scored more goals, he's never had more assists.
He's on pace to play as many games as you can. So he is showing everybody that I'm not the glass cannon that you all think that I am. Right? Um, e everything down to his shooting percentage. I mean, he's, this is the best version of e K 65 that not just we as San, Jose, Sharks fans, but that the league I think has ever seen.
So we talk a little bit about, I think at the beginning of the show we said, you know, will Greer end up trading. Karlsson at the draft, and I know there's been discussions with Edmonton and et cetera, et cetera. Um, do you think that any potential trade partners, not just Edmonton, but any of 'em, um, have [00:25:00] any leverage anymore just because he's like, quote unquote past his prime?
Because I mean, if this is what he can do past his prime, uh, do they just, do they think he's just gonna fall off a cliff all of a sudden? I mean, what, what's your, what's your
Aaron: thoughts? Uh, maybe a little bit. I mean, finishing out and playing all full 82 games would be a big deal for him and for his trade value, obviously.
Um, the longevity and everything. Kind of going back, what I was saying earlier about mental, like not every position, you know, it's not just goalies that have to have mental toughness here. Um, he mentioned himself specifically a couple months ago about, you know, the resurgence. Like where did it come from, what happened, what's different this year versus the last four years as a shark.
Um, since Covid hit, he hasn't been able to go back to Sweden in the off season. So this was the first summer he got to go back in the off season. His kids grew up a little bit, so they're not baby babies anymore, they're little kids. So it made it a little bit more, you know, less mentally tough cuz you're sleeping through the night and not worrying [00:26:00] about your wife and anything else going on.
So, um, mentally he was in a much better space he could finally focus on just himself and it's a big deal when he can do that. And going back to his, uh, strength coach that he originally worked with in Sweden back in the day when he was, before he was the N N H L, um, that helped him a lot. So I think, I'm not gonna say he's gonna play 82 games every season from the end of his contract, but I think at least 70 plus games, I think that's more reasonable.
Um, I think gone are the days of him playing 50 to 60 games unless something terribly breaks down or he has some freak accident. But, um, I think his, his value goes up. I think, uh, we might see a situation. Where someone gets bounced in the playoffs because they didn't have that outlet pass or that power play quarterback and they're gonna shoot for the moon and try and get Karlsson.
It also depends on the, the cap next year and what that goes up to. Um, any other moving pieces of players [00:27:00] getting shuffled around? I think the Sharks don't, I think they're in a good spot. I think, um, Greer's in a good spot because he doesn't have to trade Karlsson. There's nothing forcing him to do it. Um, sure it would, it would, you know, free up obviously a lot of cap space.
But then for what, like what are they, what are the Sharks going after? They're not going after free agents. They're not gonna be signing any big huge name players yet, so they don't really need to have that much cap flexibility just yet. Um, that, that I think kind of helps Greer get a little more value out of a trade because he doesn't need, he's not forced to trade.
So, um, it would be, it would be more like, okay, if you really want this guy, you're gonna have to really. Shoot for the moon here and give me what, what I want versus what you're only offering me. You know what I mean? So I think he's got more cards in his hand because of it.
Paul: Nikolai Deagan. I wanna go through some of these comments here.
Nikolai Deagan saying Karlsson hitting a hundred and winning the Norris would probably be the only highlight from this [00:28:00] season. Uh, yeah, I mean, I'd, I'd have to agree with you on that one. Um, and then you've got one here saying, uh, from lm. I hate hearing when people say EK shouldn't get the Norris cuz he's on a bad team.
The award didn't mention what kind of team they have to be on. It's, uh, a true statement. I, I honestly, I think when you're having a season like this without support, I think it's, it should make it just that much more convincing that you're, you're worthy of that trophy, right? I mean, the next comment LM has here, macr has Ranon and McKinnon.
EK has Gregor and Lial. .
Aaron: Do, do you remember when, uh, when Mc Davidon first came in the league and was leading the league in scoring and yet Edmonton wasn't even close to playoffs? Right. ,
Paul: there was
Aaron: a huge debate on if he should win the heart trophy, which is the v MVP of the league. Right? How could somebody who is leading the league, how could someone win the V MVP if their team doesn't get into the playoff?
I feel like the same thing for Karlsson, not for the Norris, but for MVP talks, is people are talking, some [00:29:00] people are like, oh, he should win Har for that, like doing what he's doing. But if he were dragging the shark single-handedly into the playoffs, absolutely, I think he'd be up for the heart. I also think that um, uh, Quinn would be up for the Jack Adams if they were able to make playoffs with this bare bones, I feel like, of a roster going into the season.
So, yeah, I, again, going back to I think what I said either last week or two weeks ago about the Norris, it should be split into two trophies. They should have the Norris trophy for best defensive defensemen, which could be voted on by, let's say the forwards or the players of the N H L, and then you. The Bobby or trophy, which is the defense of the most points, cuz for forwards they have, whoever has the most points is, uh, what is it?
The Ted Lindsay Trophy. I'm blanking on the name of it. Um, anyway, there's a trophy for someone who just gets the most points and then there's a trophy for mvp. Then there's a trophy for just goal scoring. Right. Which I also think that's the, the rocket Rashard. Rashard, [00:30:00] yeah. Yeah. I think which John the Chichi won, you know, back in the day.
Um, I think they should also add a Wayne Gretzky award for the most assists in the league. So you have one for the most assists, one for the most goals, one for the most points. There's nothing wrong with that, I don't think. But that's my own little
Paul: rant. I'll get off my pedestal. Sounds like you're starting to get into participation awards, but that's okay.
Ben Gundry says, imagine we have this version of EK 65 in the very first year we got him when we were in contention for the cup. If that was the case, we did. He got hurt.
Aaron: Yeah, that was a problem. He got hurt in the St. Louis series. If he didn't get hurt in the St. Louis series, we beat St. Louis and I'm pretty sure the sheriff's going and win a cup.
Paul: It is unfortunate.
Aaron: That was a brutal series. St. Louis got away with a lot of stuff in that series. A lot of dirty stuff that, that's what kind of made me mad. I think that's what Greer's kind of changing this team into is a team that would be able to battle through that [00:31:00] adversity and dish out some stuff.
Back then the Sharks would be like, oh, you hurt me. I'll score on the power play to make it hurt you versus I'm gonna pumble you and beat you into the ice. You know? Yeah. So I think he's remaking that team so that they're going to be, that whole culture is going to be like that St. Louis team where they're gonna.
Paul: Nikolai Egan coming up with facts right now. He says Art Ross is the most points. Thank you. I could not remember what the name of that trophy was. Ted, we go. Ted Lindsay is the best player as voted on by the players. That is also correct. Um, the, the, uh, what's the other one? The lady Bing is most gentlemanly player.
That's the one where you have the least amount of penalty minutes. But we'll see a high scoring
Aaron: forward. That kinda Ted, Ted Lindsay is the best player. Voted on by the players have one that's usually a forward, that's usually, so you have one for defenseman, one for Ford?
Paul: Absolutely. I think that'd be great.
Uh, Kellen Foster, um, also throwing down some facts who says, so Benning and Karlsson and Paul was voting for offensive and or by the way, around defensive. And offensive. [00:32:00] Fair enough. Um, okay. , so. We, we talked a little bit about, you know, the players that Kama Carr has to work with. We talked about some of the guys that Erik Karlsson has to work with.
One of those, uh, jokingly of course was Noah Gregor , and I wanted to give just a brief update on Noah Greggor, just because I like to watch you squirm. Um, two game assist streak. Good on you buddy. Way to go. Noah, Gregor, uh, that puts him at four goals and five assists, nine points on the season so far. Now Aaron, there are nine games left in the season.
Just got them talking about Erik Karlsson and uh, the pace that he's on. Uh, he's got nine games to go where he can get 10 points right and that would put him at a hundred points. Uh, Noah Gregor has nine points. So my roll call question to you guys is gonna be, we'll know first of all, where, where are you watching us from, right?
Not [00:33:00] your couch, but the city. Please. Uh, and then we'll know Gregor, get to 10 points before Erik. Karlsson gets to a hundred. It's a fair, valid question because they're both 90% of the way there. Right? I'll take Gregor on the over
Aaron: You don't take Gregor one point in 10 games or nine games.
Paul: He's got nine points in in all the games he's played so far.
Plus you're not, you're not counting the fact that he might
Aaron: get scratched. That's fine. He's on a roll, man. Just saying he's not two game point streak. It's
Paul: coming. You know who else is on a point Streak? Erik Karlsson. Three game point streak. Five points across that span. I'm just
Aaron: saying Stay on that pace.
Man's an animal. Stay on that pace. Eric
Paul: sj and LM says, yes, Noah Greggor will get to 10 points before Karlsson. It sounds, it sounds crazy that you even ask that because it's only one point. But the pace at which they're doing this, you know, it'd be great. Carl's pace is just so much better if
Aaron: Karlsson just rips off a 4.9 [00:34:00] and then a 3.9 and then a 2.9, and then he is at 99 in three games,
And then they'll be like, oh boy. Oh boy. And then what if they get a point on the same goal ,
Paul: then it won't be before. It'll be at the same time. It's a push. Yeah. Right. Do you think we could get, can we convince Windex to sponsor Gregor in the Bay Area? Like a radio commercial? well played Kell. Nice job. Uh, pie Bet.
Aaron no Aaron is still, uh, owed the outcome of the last bet before we start making new bets. We'll,
Aaron: we'll make it whole once we get a, a set in studio built.
Paul: I can't Virtually pie Aaron. Yeah. Well maybe Super du Jason can figure that one out, but I don't know. Uh, Kellen says Orange County and yes, Gregor can do it.
I'm not saying he can't do it, I'm saying I don't think he will do it. , just remember two games [00:35:00] ago, he was at seven out of 10. Come on now. I don't know guys. I don't know. It's gonna happen. I have faith. You have faith. I have faith. No secret. Maybe next week he'll get it, but uh,
Aaron: is he gonna get it on a goal or an assist?
Paul: A goal or an, I mean, it better be a goal if he's supposed to creep up 10 goals. He's only got four.
Aaron: There you go. Nicholas San Jose. Gregor scores a goal in front of 4,000 people this week
Paul: at Mullet Arena. . You could have said 4,000 people in San Jose and it would've been just as accurate, but obviously they're playing away.
Oh my God. Gregor will score a goal before EK hits a hundred harder to answer. Oh, okay. Will he score a goal? Hmm. I say no. That's hard. Hard. I say he does not score a goal. I think he will get an assist cuz he's gonna just touch a, a puck before Erik Karlsson gets an assist. Or he had
Aaron: a goal the other night, it got called back because offsite.
Paul: So then he didn't have a goal is what you mean to say [00:36:00] regardless. Andrew Aino Aaron. This is a guy you wanted to talk about.
Aaron: Uh, yeah. He's been called up, he's got three games, he's got three points, and that's not three points in one game. He's gotten one point in each game. So even longer streak than Noah Gregor.
Wow. I think's a fantastic call up. Think about it. He's, he's the leading scorer for, uh, the Barracuda. So it's kind of a reward for him. What's funny is these three points are a career high for him. He's never had more than two. So he's got three in three games, uh, career. He's played for Colorado, Pittsburgh, Anaheim, Ottawa, and now the Sharks.
And combined, he's had 47 games. This is his career stats, 47 without the Sharks 47 games going into the shark season, he had two goals, seven assists. So he is got one goal in two SISs in three games either that shows how [00:37:00] bad the Sharks are or how good Andrew Aza is. His goals are actually, was it Aino?
Aino? Sorry, what'd I say?
Paul: Aza, aino. , blah, blah, blah. It's also Aho, not Aho. . What? Sebastian. Huh?
Aaron: Oh, you know,
Paul: I can lie. Was a lot last.
Aho. Not you. You always call them Aho.
Aaron: I used to work with a guy, his name was Alex Ho, and he went by Ajo. So it just rolls off the tongue better. Oh
Paul: yeah, it really does. . Oh my God. Okay. Um, hey, here's a que I love a question for you. Any guys in the chat? You go ahead. Far away too. Does Andrew Aino end up with more points or the same amount of points as though Gregor, uh, by the end of the season?
No,
Aaron: he's three for three.
Paul: No. No way. [00:38:00] Dude. I don't know. There's nine games left. If he goes on this pace, he gets 12 total points. He'll absolutely blow No
Aaron: Greggor away. Yeah, he's on this pace. He's gonna do it. Come on. Come on. It's
Paul: three for three, bud. You're ridiculous. Just saying. All right, well, we'll see if, uh, anybody else throws any other, uh, comments in there.
But while we're doing that, um, there's uh, some interesting things going on here. These Sharks are bolstering up their armed forces. You heard me correctly, folks. Uh, we've got the captain. Sure. Right. We have alternate Captain Karlsson, and then we have Grand and Admiral Henry Thrun . If you're, if you're not a Star Wars fan, you won't get that one.
Uh, but he is a defenseman from Harvard, six foot, 290 pounds. He is got a two year contract. They just signed this guy, um, couple days ago, I think is what it was. Uh, 1.825 million. It's a, uh, 900 something, uh, thousand dollars cap hit. Um, Dobber Prospects has him as a well-balanced defenseman. He's a good puck [00:39:00] mover that can shoot the puck and, uh, play smart defensively.
So, , um, by all accounts, uh, sounds like a guy that could, we could certainly use in our system. He's got 33 points and 33 games in the ncaa. He was a named defensive defenseman of the year. Kind of feels like a puck moving, um, Vlasic perhaps in the making. So who knows? Um, my question really is, I mean, is this a guy that we should be excited about?
We, we've been excited about other players before, namely, uh, goaltenders, right? Zach Amon, for instance. We were all pumped about him. Um, and, and some of the other prospects that we've brought in, we thought, oh yeah, these guys could be really, really good. And then maybe it doesn't really pan out. Is this a guy that we should be getting our hopes up about Aaron?
Do, do you know?
Aaron: Uh, I mean, he is not gonna light the world on fire, but he is gonna be a solid defenseman. I think this is gonna, this is a guy with potential pretty much to be in the kind of like, think of like, um, Mario Ferraro. Like he's not leading the team in [00:40:00] scoring. , that's, that's not his role. His role is to be defensive guy, shut down, work hard.
This is this kind of guy. But when he does have the puck on a stick, he's not stone hands either. He can move the puck and pass and, and get the exit pass, uh, to get out the zone. So I think, um, I'm excited to see what he can do. It's gonna be very limited with these nine games left, but, um, maybe because he is waiver exempt, they could send him down to the Barracuda and help them out and make the playoffs once, either when they're close to getting to the playoffs, if they need help sooner than later.
Um, but uh, yeah, I think I'm excited just because we trade a third round pick for this guy. So is he worth the third round pick? I hope so. I hope so. I think, uh, the, the Sharks have a good read on him because of Todd Marchman, um, in the Anaheim system and that's who originally had drafted him. So I, I'm confident that he will be a solid, solid, maybe another Matt Benning.
How about that?
Paul: It's not bad. [00:41:00] Yeah, no, that'd be great. That would be amazing if he could live up to Matt Benning. You know, , I thought you'd like that. . Not bad. Not bad. Uh, but yeah, he was, so we trade a third for, he was originally a hundred first overall, uh, in the fourth round, uh, picked by the Anaheim Ducks.
And he had come out saying that he has no intention of playing for the Ducks. So, um, this is, you know, kind of interesting. I, I wonder why he decided he didn't wanna play for the Ducks, but he wants to play for the
Aaron: Sharks. Uh, because the Ducks had, since they had drafted him, drafted a bunch of defensemen ahead of him that leaped over him on the, basically his path that NHL got blocked because they drafted so many other players that are better than him.
Not to say he is not good, but a different type of player. And it got clogged up, which happens a lot in organizations. So, um, they decided, he decided what would be best for him is to. Not sign with the ducks because he would become a free agent or unrestricted free agent. He could sign anywhere he wants this summer.[00:42:00]
So the Sharks knew that somehow and then traded, traded to get his rights and then, um, were able to sign him to play. So he had a much forward path to getting to the nhl, playing for the Sharks. Now again, this is, we've talked about this before, right? There's no loyalty to teams, there's no loyalty to who drafted you or anything really.
It's, you wanna play in the N H L you play for any team, even in the Sharks at the bottom of the league, that means more ice time for you. That's exactly why Nico Stern wanted to come to the Sharks because he knew he was gonna get third line minutes versus fourth line minutes on another team. Um, there's potential and ice time, which is what you want to forward your career.
Paul: So there you go. Which is kind of interesting because didn't the Sharks just go and grab a whole bunch of defensive prospect?
Aaron: Yeah, but he's NHL ready probably by next season, you know, fighting for a starting role.
Paul: Okay, so you put him ahead of mok, Melan and a hok.
Aaron: Yeah, I could see them staying another year in the [00:43:00] NHL
Paul: next year.
I guess, uh, that, that must have been a discussion that they had then because, um, you know, again, you take a look. That was one of the things that, uh, kind of impressed me with Grier for this season so far, was after the trade deadline, what they had done was they, they kind of bolstered up that, that defensive, uh, prospect pool.
And, you know, hopefully the idea is you're gonna get, um, at least one or maybe a couple of these really high-end forwards. Obviously with your first, uh, round pick, you're gonna get somebody who's amazing and then hopefully, you know, you do make some trades. Get like a late round first or a second. , um, you, you're gonna be drafting some guys a little bit more forward heavy.
This draft will be, so you'll be drafting some guys that are still, you know, pretty good, uh, coming in that later first or maybe in the second sometime there. So, uh, if you could pull in some forwards from, from the draft, but you've got some good defensive prospects from the trades that you've made.
Really all you're doing is, you had said earlier, find a young goalie that you can, you know, kind of groom in, in a couple years, you can trust to have 'em take over the net. So, um, [00:44:00] I, I think they're doing a really good job, at least, uh, in theory, with the, with the, uh, the initial bones of a rebuild here. So, um, yeah, if, if run is, is part of this, um, of the Sharks feature, that'd be a really amazing, uh, pickup there.
So a third, he,
Aaron: he signed a, he signed a two year entry level contract, but one of those years is this year? Yes. So he really signed a one-year contract for next year. He'll be a, um, It's a ten two C, whatever. That is kind of an RFA in a way. Uh, he's not accrued enough professional seasons required for group two RFA status.
They're ineligible for an offer sheet, so they can't give him an offer sheet after next season. Maybe I'll change, I don't know what the number of games are. I'm not that nitty gritty into the details here, but, um, regardless, he basically has next season to prove that he's an NHL player and fight for a position for beyond next season, fight for that next contract.
So that gave him [00:45:00] the Sharks are giving him basically a springboard to show that he is an NHL player and he can either sign up the Sharks or somewhere
Paul: else. Well, he's gonna get the opportunity to show, uh, everybody what he can do at the N H L level, and that'll be starting either tomorrow or on Thursday.
Uh, cuz apparently, according to San Jose hockey now with Great Xang, uh, says that, uh, throne will make his debut. sometime this week. So we got upcoming games here. Uh, the ones we're talking about, there's Tuesday versus Winnipeg, Thursday versus the Vegas Golden Knights. One of those two games, perhaps both, uh, Throne's gonna get the call and he's gonna be able to, uh, kind of lace them up for the first time in the N
Aaron: H L.
Yeah, it's exciting. It's, it's fun to see these, uh, The NCAA players, they finish their seasons cuz the, the frozen four, whatever the tournament is, the NCAA tournament is finishing up. So their seasons are done and they sign with, uh, with their respective teams and play a little bit of NHL action. And it's always funny because they're coming straight from college, [00:46:00] so they're going to the pros and, and they're, they're on par.
Like they can play, they're, they're there. But then when they play in a full season, the next year, they've never played more than 50 games in a year and they're going to 82 games. That's why you see a lot of these guys kind of falter into their next year. So it'll be a tough, long road for those guys. But it's fun to see when they come out of the NCAA tournament, they're at the top of their game.
They're in shape, they're ready to go, and they're excited. And everyone coming into the NHL is very, you know, excited for the first couple games. Your adrenaline is just going. So, um, it'll be fun. It'll be fun to watch.
Paul: Colin in the comments here saying, I give Greer credit for stacking the defensive prospect pool before the seasons.
It wasn't looking too great. That's exactly what we were just talking about. Absolutely, Colin. Uh, and, and you know, again, doing things in the right order. You, you make the trades, uh, to get defensive prospects and you're gonna make the picks for your offensive prospects. And then again, all you really need to do is find, uh, uh, some goal tending prospect that'll actually stick.
We've kind of gone through quite a few of 'em and, uh, you know, one disappointment after [00:47:00] another. Even with capital Kanan, I was kind of the higher hopes for him. I mean, even we brought in Aiden Hill, I had really high hopes for him as well, but, uh, just doesn't seem to be panning out with those guys. So hopefully.
Uh, this staff here will be able to get a good eye on a, uh, good Goldie prospect and kind of solidify us for years to come. Also, Nikolai Egan here saying Lan will probably need some time on North American ice to get used to the size next season. Well, he is playing with the Barracuda right now. Is that right?
Aaron?
Aaron: Yeah. But it's only, he's only gonna give at how many games are left, a dozen games or so, and then maybe, well, depends
Paul: if they make playoffs, right? Maybe
Aaron: playoffs. If not, then yeah, he's, I think he needs more seasoning. And from what Greer's done, he's kept all of those prospects for the most part down there the entire season to really groom 'em and, and get 'em hungry and excited and hone in on their games so that when they do come to the NHL, they are more than ready versus like forcing them into the lineup because you need somebody.
So it's very, a very different philosophy [00:48:00] and one that I think will be better for the Sharks in the long term because these guys are gonna be overcooked and ready for the NHL by the time they are ready. I
Paul: don't think he's ready yet. Uh, on the topic of Golden, he actually, Nick Hbk one 50 says, speaking of the frozen four, Denver was eliminated.
So no repeat for Magnus Corona. And that's another guy that we had some, uh, some pretty high hopes for. Um, again, he won, uh, last season. He was in the frozen four and they won last season. But, uh, again, no, as, uh, Nick said, no, no repeat. So
Aaron: there you go. That's, that's a, goalies are tough because if you have a very good team in front of you, is the goalie good?
Is he the reason that you're there? Probably not, because your team is so good. And we're talking about college where these are all amateurs, right? Unless these guys are going to class during the week, so they're not, they're not professional players. So it's a little bit different, um, talent pool every night.
But, um, I'm not trying to knock Magnus Corona either. , he's not picking up the team and putting him on his back at the same time. So [00:49:00] he's a guy that I, I don't think is gonna be an NHL regular, he's not gonna be a starter starting goalie. I, I would think kind of that, um, backup role if anything. But he does have the coolest name, so I'm excited to see him at some point.
Paul: Colin, echoing that sentiment says he read somewhere that all the goal ways that Sharks have, including the prospects are at best NHL backups. Yeah. Uh, again, echoing kind of what you've just said there. So, uh, uh, but again, for Throne at least, uh, grant Admiral Throne, uh, you've got, he should be in there either on Tuesday or Thursday, uh, against Winnipeg or Vegas, respectively.
But, uh, there's also another upcoming game that week or this coming week, uh, Saturday in Arizona. Uh, as you said, there's all 4,000 fans at the, uh, mullet Arena. Who were you talking about with the 4,000?
Aaron: No, it was one of the comments in here. Um, I'm excited, I'm not gonna do it this season, but maybe next season or the season after that, especially if we get, uh, Conor Badard on the [00:50:00] Sharks, fly out to Arizona and go to a game at Mullet Arena.
Cuz it would be awesome to be in a 4,000 arena with all the NHL players. So, um, especially a Sharks game, I think it would be fantastic. You want to go, should we do a show from there?
Paul: So, I do wanna go. Um, I, I, I've already talked to my wife about this. I'm, I have a bit of a bucket list that, uh, I'm not gonna get to anytime soon, but I would like to visit every NHL arena and, um, I I, I think I have to prioritize this one because, uh, they may not be around, uh, very long.
Right. So,
Aaron: well they do have a four year lease I think there, which is absurd. Maybe five
Paul: years. Yeah, just the team the team might not be around very long. Right. I know, I know.
Aaron: Yeah, they might get moved. We'll
Paul: see. Well, yeah, I don't know. Anyway, those are the games for this week, Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday.
Uh, and then of course we'll be back on, uh, Monday. Correct. So talking about these games and, uh, talking about all the points we didn't get that we don't want. So it's okay. Um, [00:51:00] Aaron, let's take a look at the standings here real quick. Uh, they're actually just like we said before, nine games left on the season.
Uh, so these three upcoming for this week and then six more after that, and the Sharks, uh, are in a tie for dead last in Columbus. Now, for the folks that were with us from the very beginning of the show, this is the reason that we started late. Super producer Jason had to take this screenshot, make it all beautiful, and then, uh, and then get it ready for you guys.
So thank you supervision. Jason, we appreciate you, uh, the Columbus Blue Jackets. However, as you notice there, they have one game in hand. Now, even if they lose that game, that does nothing. And as far as standings wise for, for us, right? Normally when you're talking about, you know, if they. , if they win a game, it, it changes the standings.
They, they, you know, they go up and they increase and they can catch us, whatever. But we're talking from the bottom now. So we, we, if they win a game, it just gets us farther away, which is good. So, um, you know, it can only be good things that they have more games to play. Even if they, they lose that extra game.
It doesn't move [00:52:00] them down below us. It just means that, uh, they stay put. So, um, Aaron do, do you have high hopes here? Do you really think that we can do this, that we can stay at the bottom, we can get the best shot at, uh, getting Conor Ard?
Aaron: Well, if they keep playing rhymer the way he was playing, absolutely.
I think it'll be a given. Right. Um, , it's, it's cool as Columbus, the Sharks, if they tie, if they end up tied, um, in points, they're, they go by regulation wins, and right now the Sharks have one less than Columbus. So I think this next two weeks, a lot of Sharks fans are gonna be the biggest Columbus Blue jacket fans, as well as the Chicago Blackhawks and Anaheim Ducks, because they're pretty close as well.
But that's it, those bottom four, there's a pretty big gap. There's 10 points between Anaheim and Montreal, which is going from 29 and 28th. So it looks like it's a race between those four teams, and it's crazy as two of those are in the Pacific. So Conor Baard has a 50% chance of being in the Pacific Division.
Well, probably a little bit less than that, but [00:53:00] yeah, we just stunk .
Paul: If he's not gonna come here, I would hate for him to end up in the Pacific Division against us, uh, for, for a decade plus.
Aaron: Right. I do not wanna see him on Anaheim. I would prefer Chicago or Columbus over Anaheim. .
Paul: Absolutely. Um, Ben says Hawks and ducks are on a hot streak.
Well, Columbus in L five. Oh, of losses. You mean hot streak of losses? Oh, man. Yeah. Right now they've lost,
Aaron: Chicago's lost their last five games. Anaheim's lost their last four. Sharks have lost their last two. Columbus has lost their last
Paul: one. Oh, that's another guy actually. There you go. Um, uh, Kellen Foster back on the topics of gold tenders.
Gau. Uh, Benjamin Gau, I believe didn't have a great world Juniors, but he plays really well, uh, for Sarnia. Yeah, I mean, again, another promising, uh, young goal tending prospect. Uh, hopefully, you know, somebody, one of these guys catches fire and, uh, becomes, you know, the goal of the future for the San Jose Sharks.
But [00:54:00] who knows, man? Just who knows? Uh, Boash wouldn't that be like the perfect storm and, and such a great introduction to, uh, being a GM for my career to make all the right moves in like the first two years? You know what I mean? You, you, you trade for the defensive prospects that you need. You draft the offensive prospects that you need and you hit on, on a, on one of your goalies, right?
and then, you know, maybe it takes a year or two, but then all of a sudden you've got a pretty solid
Aaron: roster again. I mean, he signed, he signed as a GM three days before the draft. So one year later you're gonna tell Mike, Mike Greer at that draft a year ago, that in one year you're gonna be possibly drafting number one overall
Like that's crazy. And getting a generational talent. Yeah, possibly. And even if not, you're gonna get a franchise player. You're getting a franchise player. It's almost guaranteed at this point because they're so low in the standings. Um, I think mathematically they were guaranteed top nine pick, like they cannot do [00:55:00] worse than top nine at this point based on the standings.
Oh,
Paul: if they win all their games and all the guys around us would lose all their games, we would still end up in that worst seventh from the bottom and then therefore ninth it'd be okay. I got what you're saying. Exactly. That's how
Aaron: bad it is. . Wow. Or good it. How good it is. It's great. I'll stick with that.
Paul: It's great. It's great. Yes. So again, there's, you know, we always talk about Badar, but there's, there's other players there that are still incredible talents, right? Adam Fan Till, yeah. Uh, Matt Vay, I think is the first name. Mitch Kav. And then Leo Carlson's another big one too. So there's, there's a lot of guys that are in that top four, top five that are extremely good hockey players.
And, you know, while Badard would be amazing to get, you're not gonna be sad with any of the other ones. Exactly. So, um, you know, for them to pick up either of those, any of those, uh, in that top four, I think top five, maybe even, I think Graham Slam might be able to speak a little bit more to that. Uh, but any of those guys are gonna make you better offensively.
And then again, it's a deep draft [00:56:00] and it's an offensive draft. So, you know, again, those, those late round first, if you could pick one up, uh, get your second, or maybe you p pick up another second. Again, the Sharks have a fair amount of picks, so, um, and, and, and you know, if they do happen to trade Erik, Karlsson.
You're getting, you know, a little bit more from everybody else there as well. So, you know, who knows, there's a whole lot that could happen in this draft and it'd be really interesting to see at this point next season what the Sharks are looking like. You know, if they're not looking too good, uh, in the standings, but they've got a lot of good young prospects and maybe the Cuda is doing fairly well, uh, that could bode well, uh, for the future of the franchise.
So, I don't know, man. Uh, I'm looking forward to next season already and, and it kind of sucks doing that. But like , I really am, I'm looking forward to seeing how this, this kind of starts shaking out.
Aaron: I'm looking forward to the draft. I love the draft. I love seeing like who the Sharks are gonna do and I'm really excited because this'll be really Greer in his staff's first draft.
They didn't really do anything last season that was still the Wilson era doing the drafting. So, um, I'm excited to see what they do [00:57:00] because I mean, they have a guy on payroll who's specifically for the first and second round, that's it. And they have three of those picks. Cause they have two first rounders and the second round pick.
Now the first overall pick or the, their first. , I guess the Sharks own first round pick will be easier than the, the New Jersey pick that we got in the Timo Meier trade. I think it's gonna be a little bit tougher, cuz that's gonna be a late first round pick. Um, but then you're following that up with the Sharks drafting in the second round, they have their own pick.
So that's gonna be a very high, um, second round pick. It's gonna be three guys in the top. What is that? 35 players? You're gonna get three of those guys. That's pretty good in, in a draft. That's deep. Right? That's pretty
Paul: good. That's amazing. And that's, that's, that's before again, if they do trade Karlsson, that's before getting those picks.
So I, I mean, again, you can get a whole line worth of guys that could be ready, you know, either immediately or within a year or [00:58:00] two. And, um, I mean that again, that's, that can change the franchise. That it really can change the franchise. . Um, I do wanna address Kellen Foster here saying this Cudas season ticket owners, who's your most likely to move from tech to s sap.
And he's asking about co Robbins, uh, boards, if there's anybody else on Aaron, but I'm thinking Blo. Um, I, I think that, you know, they, they had him sign that contract and immediately, uh, burned that first year of that contract by let him, he signed two years, but really, he's really gonna have one year, uh, next season.
He's just gonna finish off the rest of this season, and it Burns one of those two years. So I think they, they had pretty high hopes for Blo and I, I feel like after being an a l all-star and having a pretty solid season, uh, if he comes out and has a rip roar in camp after going, you know, to, with, with training camp and maybe bulking up a little bit, getting a little bit more speed, uh, working on, uh, a few parts of his game [00:59:00] and he impresses in training camp, I, I really think he can make a push for the roster next season.
Aaron: Yeah, I think, I think what the Sharks are doing though is they're showing him that nothing's a given. You gotta work your tail off to get anywhere. So I think it's a good thing because nothing is handed to him. Nothing was handed to Eklund. He worked, he was consistently the best player on the Barracuda for a month before they even called him up.
I think that's what they're looking for Now, if the Barracuda can get into the playoffs and they do some damage and get a little bit, I mean, I don't expect them to win the Calder Cup, but if they can even get to the Calder Cup playoffs by winning, what was it? The a h l playoff, so I forget how it's all structured.
It's all crazy. But, um, just getting to that point and showing that they can lead the team and, and do well, uh, as a leader and being the best players on our team, uh, that's gonna go a long way going. Turn off. Oh, turn off the fax machine, Paul. Yeah,
Paul: you apparently went full. Uh, full robot mode there. Yeah.
Apologize, computer again. Technology [01:00:00] man. It's is what it is. Hey, by the way, speaking of, of technology and me freezing up and remote things and everything else, uh, hopefully for the start of next season, uh, we'll be done with all this remote stuff. We're really, uh, we're really working on it. We're really cranking out.
I know we've been talking about it for a few seasons now. Uh, but, you know, kind of covid got in the way. Um, so lots of things have changed since then. We've, uh, we've been trying to figure out how to get the, the studio back, uh, and, and working and, uh, I think hopefully we've gotta figure it out. And that next season, during this downtime, we'll have the opportunity to get the, the studio back and in place.
And then, yes, like , why am I small now? What happened? , what did I do? Your quality just cut out. That's why. I cut out again. Your video quality just dropped. That's fine. Oh my goodness. All right. Well I guess that's, uh, the, the Internet's way of saying, uh, wrap things up here, so maybe we'll have to do that. Um, I've heard Bola still needs to work on his two-way game, especially his defense.
That's, yeah, I'm, [01:01:00] I'm sure a lot of guys that are prospects offensively need to do that. Anybody who's talented offensively, um, and is a prospect is probably needs to work in their 2, 2, 8 game. Just ask Kevin, Labanc. So there you go. Uh, Aaron, anything else you wanna say here, or should we just, uh, yeah.
Nicholas Egan
Aaron: real quick, what bandwagon should the Sharks fan jump on for the playoffs? Kanes for Burn Devils for Meier. A different one. Definitely the devils because if the devils get to the conference finals, they're second round pick that they traded turns into a first round pick next season. So for me, I'm rooting for the devils.
Um, I don't want them to win the cup. I'd rather see Carolina win the cup, but, Whatever. I wanna see Burns win a cup. So personally I would like to see Burns for the Sharks organization. I would like to see New Jersey get there to the, to the conference finals at least. I think that's, that's the trade, right?
Not win the conference finals, but get to the conference finals, I feel like. Yeah,
Paul: I think it's to get to the conference finals. Um, I could be wrong on that. It's
Aaron: been a while since [01:02:00] if they make the conference finals, the pick becomes the first. So Yeah. Is it possible? I, I gotta look cause I didn't look at the way it's set up, but if it's New Jersey versus Carolina, then I'm rooting for Carolina.
I like Carolina too. I like their team. They're fun. They're, they're, they're a team that does fun things that not a lot of NHL teams do. Like when they celebrate after the ice and they do something different every time, remember? Yeah. Um, I like that stuff. I think the NHL needs more of that and it kind of gives the personality of the players kind of come out a little bit more.
So I like that
Paul: stuff. Okay. Very good. Okay, well, uh, I think the toaster's overheating cuz I keep skipping around over here. So, um, Aaron, if there's anything else that you wanna bring up, uh, fire away right now. Nope. There's the toaster. That's it. , get on with it. Yes,
Aaron: get on with it. .
Paul: We, we should have new, uh, get on with it, uh, clips too, by the way.
That'll be fun. Uh, once, [01:03:00] once
Aaron: we get more guests coming on. Yeah, we'll have somewhere we just stunk. We just
Paul: All right. Sounds good. Uh, well, hey guys, again, we appreciate you stopping in. We appreciate the chat. Uh, it's always so much fun going through the questions and, and the comments here. Um, makes the, the show a whole lot of fun. So, uh, uh, thank you for that. If you'd like to contribute and uh, support the show, you can do that, uh, by the super chat function or you can go to Venmo at The, Fin, Factor, anything you put in the comment there.
We can read out live on the show or on the next one. Uh, you can also go to The Fin Factor dot com and check out all of the merchandise that we have as a link that says support the show, cuz that is what you're doing. Uh, you're helping us, uh, keep the lights on and the virtual background virtual. So, uh, thank you for all that you guys contribute.
Uh, I do appreciate that very much. We have lots of cool stuff in there. Hats, shirts, sweatshirts, canteen, water bottle, uh, whatever that thing is called. Um, fanny packs as well. Stickers, all that stuff. So , we [01:04:00] need to get some, uh, Fin Factor branded turtle wax, so you can wax your head with it, bud.
Aaron: We need to get some, uh, bumper stickers, like, what do you call it?
Uh, magnetic ones and yeah, some other cool stuff. I think that'd be fun. That says it's called
Paul: a water bottle. Yeah, it's just a water bottle. All right, sounds good. So four, super producer, Jason, I'm Paul. And I'm Aaron. And we will see you guys next week. Next week. Bye. Thanks for tuning in. If you like this episode, check out our other content specialty interviews.
You can interact with us directly through social media at The Fin Factor, and on Instagram at Fin Factor. And don't forget to join our live streams on YouTube. Visit
Aaron: our website at The Fin Factor dot com where you'll find all of our episodes as videos or podcasts. You also find our exclusive merchandise to help support our show.
]]>Join us for this week's live episode as we talk about San Jose Sharks goalie James Reimer and his decision to boycott the warmup skate before the team's Pride Night game. With Pride Night being a meaningful event for the LGBTQ+ community, Reimer explains his reasons for opting out of the traditional warmup routine celebrating inclusivity in hockey. Plus, we'll take your live questions to keep the conversation going.
Join us for this week's live episode as we talk about San Jose Sharks goalie James Reimer and his decision to boycott the warmup skate before the team's Pride Night game. With Pride Night being a meaningful event for the LGBTQ+ community, Reimer explains his reasons for opting out of the traditional warmup routine celebrating inclusivity in hockey. Plus, we'll take your live questions to keep the conversation going.
Join us for this week's live episode as we break down the latest developments with the San Jose Sharks’ rollercoaster season. We've got you covered from their ongoing freefall to the bottom of the league, to Erik Karlsson's journey toward 100 points. Plus, we'll take your live questions to keep the conversation going.
Join us for this week's live episode as we break down the latest developments with the San Jose Sharks’ rollercoaster season. We've got you covered from their ongoing freefall to the bottom of the league, to Erik Karlsson's journey toward 100 points. Plus, we'll take your live questions to keep the conversation going.
This week’s live episode discusses the San Jose Sharks trades from last week, the freefall tank job happening with the Sharks games this week, the Legends game, Patrick Marleau’s jersey retirement, William Eklund’s call up from the Barracuda, and we take your live questions!
]]>This week’s live episode discusses the San Jose Sharks trades from last week, the freefall tank job happening with the Sharks games this week, the Legends game, Patrick Marleau’s jersey retirement, William Eklund’s call up from the Barracuda, and we take your live questions!
]]>