Sheng Peng
“I wouldn’t say they’ve thrown in the towel, but they’re kind of winging it.”
That’s one scout’s opinion of the 2020-21 San Jose Sharks’ roster.
Is that industry consensus? In the midst of training camp, I talked to three NHL scouts from outside organizations to get their takes on the Sharks, especially the forwards.
They all agree, as Doug Wilson has repeated over the months, that the bones of the team — Erik Karlsson, Brent Burns, Logan Couture, Tomas Hertl, Evander Kane, Timo Meier — are “good.” But…
“You gotta have more than the bones,” Scout #3 said.
So is the San Jose Sharks’ forward depth better now than last season’s? Who’s most likely to emerge to round out their top-nine — Fredrik Handemark, Matt Nieto, or Noah Gregor? What are their thoughts about the Sharks’ long-term plan?
Sheng Peng: Are San Jose’s forwards better now than they were last year?
Scout #1: They’re probably a little thin in their top-nine.
Scout #2: Their top-five is pretty set — after that, you really don’t know how it’s going to go.
I thought they were reaching with their depth a little more last year than they are this year. I think they’re in better shape this year.
But it’s about the same.
Scout #3: I don’t see them being very creative or very engaged at this point [of the off-season].
Scout #2: There are bargain players out there and they can use some of them.
Scout #1: They’ve got plenty of question marks.
Scout #3: I wouldn’t say they’ve thrown in the towel, but they’re kind of winging it.
Scout #1: Are they that much better than they were last year? Probably not.
SP: Beyond their top-five forwards — Couture, Hertl, Kane, Meier, Kevin Labanc — and Ryan Donato, who is most likely to round out the Sharks’ top-nine and form a third line?
Scout #1: That’s tough. I don’t think anybody really jumps off the page.
Scout #2: Sorensen, Gregor first. Maybe Handemark, then Nieto.
Scout #3: Probably Gregor. But he might also be a year away.
Scout #1: So does Nieto play third-line wing? If he does, what does that do to your fourth line?
On a good team, he’s a solid fourth-line player, but ideally, he’s not your third-line wing.
Scout #2: Nieto is a guy who came into the league as a skill player and couldn’t really make it as a skill player. Didn’t know how to be a fourth-liner until he went to Colorado, figured it out and became good at it. But it’s not like those players forget how to be skilled. They just rounded out their games.
I think there’s more to him.
He’s a really good fourth-line left winger. I’ve always maintained he can play higher in the line-up.
Scout #1: Blichfeld’s got a chance because of the size, the shot, the skill.
Scout #2: Every time I watch [Handemark], I like him more and more. He’s really crafty. Crafty skill set. I wonder how good it is compared to the NHL. But I think he’s got a good-enough brain, whatever he needs to do, he’ll figure it out. Whether he puts up points or not, I think he’ll be a good pick-up for them.
I see him as a pretty good 4C. I don’t know if there’s much more there.
He does a lot of good things. He has a good stick. He words hard. He’s good in the defensive zone. Every game I watched, he was ready to play at the drop of the puck. I thought he made the most of his shifts.
Scout #3: [Handemark] doesn’t have great foot speed, there’s a lack of separation.
Big and strong, good sense, navigates well, but lacks pace in his game. Operates slow.
He does protect the puck well down low, hard to separate him from possession. Plays 200-foot game.
Scout #1: Viel could be a sneaky fourth-line winger. He adds an element to their forward group that’s kind of missing. Aside from Viel and Gabriel, I don’t see a whole lot of grit in that group.
Scout #2: Marleau, you really don’t know what he has left in the tank. He didn’t have a ton last year.
Scout #1: Chmelevski, I have some concerns about his skating, but he’s smart.
Scout #3: Chmelevski, I don’t see him being ready. He’s got a little bit of a spark, but he’s two years away. He’s a ways away from being a player.
SP: What’s your opinion of the San Jose Sharks’ long-term plan?
Scout #1: It seems like a similar position they were in last year.
Scout #3: What it tells me: They’re looking to re-group. It’s kind of a lost year. Last year was a lost year. This year, because of the 56 games, it’s a lost year.
They don’t even know if they’re going to play in their building. Are they just writing this off? Hoping to sell some people at the Deadline? That’s what it seems like when I look at this.
If they get in, great, if they don’t, we have our draft picks.
Scout #1: They know their own prospects better than we do; they must be pretty content with where they’re at.
Scout #3: [Doug Wilson] seems to be that way when our group talks to him. He always thinks he’s got a lot in the minors. I’m like, fuck, what’s he watching? Maybe he does. Maybe he sees something I really don’t.
You gotta have more than the bones.
It’s almost like they’re trying to create an illusion, that we’re okay.
Scout #1: Some of it is, I feel like they owe certain guys an opportunity to show what they can do.
Scout #3: [When their young players] are ready to be good, their older players will be bad. It doesn’t add up for me. They’re going to be in walkers while their young guys are starting to take over. (laughs)
There’s a plan there somewhere. He’s done this before. He’s had some good success, so I’m not going to write him off.
I think they’re putting it off a year. It’s a real enigma to me.