Sheng Peng
San Jose Sharks GM Mike Grier held his mid-season availability on Tuesday night.
Grier spoke on a wide range of topics, where the Sharks are in the standings, Macklin Celebrini and Will Smith’s seasons, the Trade Deadline fates of Mikael Granlund and Cody Ceci and Luke Kunin and Nico Sturm and Jan Rutta, RFA Fabian Zetterlund’s future, and where the Sharks are in their rebuild.
This is part one of a two-part transcript, this part will focus more on the current San Jose Sharks team, part two will be more about the San Jose Barracuda and the organization’s prospects.
Other questions covered here: Could the Sharks send Celebrini and Smith to the AHL for playoff experience? Replacing Logan Couture as captain? And is the locker room environment better for Sharks youngsters this year?
Sharks’ Expectatations?
Grier, on how he would assess Ryan Warsofsky’s performance so far this season:
I think Warso’s done a really good job. I think his staff is doing a good job.
Right away from day 1 in camp, you guys saw the tempo of it. The pace, pushing guys to work and give more. He holds these guys to a standard of competitiveness and work ethic, and he’s also installed some structure in a system that guys are trying to grow into and play. He’s been good, I think he’s done a good job. We’re a young team and we have young players playing in key moments and a lot of minutes. He’s done a good job communicating with those guys and helping develop them. At the same time, he’s making sure that the veterans and the older guys feel valued and important. He’s done a really good job with that.
Momentum and confidence is a big part of sports, and I think we’ve played probably a little better than what our record is. When things start to snowball and the game starts to turn, we’ve had a little bit of trouble getting out.
Grier, on whether the San Jose Sharks are playing ahead or behind expectations in the standings:
You don’t know how it’s going to go.
At the end of the day, I figured we’d probably be in that No. 8 pick range or so, but it is what it is. I wouldn’t say I’m surprised, it’s just a situation where it’s a tough league. Like I said, I think we’ve played better than our record is. Going into this year, I think we thought we were going to still—this is going to be an important Draft for us, as far as trying to add another really good player to our group. Wherever that pick may fall, it’s a good opportunity to do that.
If it was going the same way that we went last year, then you’d be extremely disappointed in it, but I think right now, there’s a lot of positives, and I think it’s moving forward and going in the right direction. I don’t think any of us are happy with the actual results, waking up and looking at the standings and being on the bottom. That part of it is frustrating, but like I said, it’ll be another opportunity for us to add another player to hopefully be a part of our core and be here for a long time.
Celebrini & Smith
Grier, on if Macklin Celebrini has been everything that he expected:
He’s probably been more, if I’m being honest. Not to put too much pressure on him, but he’s had a heck of a first half of his pro career, he’s driving play, pushing his teammates. Driving practice. The competitiveness is off the charts. For an 18-year-old kid, the way he’s done defensively, defending on the puck and winning puck battles and things like that, it’s been super-impressive to watch.
Grier, on what people around the NHL are saying about Celebrini:
I think people are just impressed with how hard he plays. I think that’s what probably surprises other teams, players, and general managers, is he plays a complete game, and he plays hard every night.
Grier, on Will Smith’s season overall:
Even just talking to other GMs around, he’s doing what 19-year-old kids do in this league: They play well for a bit, then they slide and have a little dip, it’s hard for him, and things like that. It’s been up and down, it’s been a roller coaster.
To his credit, he’s never hid from it when he wasn’t playing well. I think he’s taken the coaching from Warso and his staff really well, and he’s always agreed that he needs to do things better and work on certain things.
Just for me, it’s kind of like your typical 19-year-old season. What Mack’s doing isn’t your typical teenage season.
I think Will’s on the right track. I think he’s playing some of his best hockey of the year. He’s more and more comfortable with his game, he’s making more plays, holding onto pucks a little bit longer. Those natural offensive instincts that we’ve seen his whole life, they’re starting to come out a little bit more and more as he gets more comfortable. He’s on a good little run right now, but I’m sure there will be a little dip here as well, but it’s typical of a teenager.
Like all of our guys, I think this 10-day break will be good for him to get some rest and gear up for the home stretch.
Grier, on how AHL post-season play could help Will Smith and Macklin Celebrini:
I think that playoff hockey at the pro levels, it can be very helpful and a big part of development.
Playing those games that mean something, where every puck touch, every decision you make can determine the outcome of the game, whether you’re still playing hockey or going home.
As far as Will goes, it’s just a bridge we’ll have to cross at the end of the year and see how he’s feeling physically. He’s going to be playing a ton of games, more than he’s ever played. You just have to see how his body is holding up and have a conversation with him to see how he’s feeling. With [Mike] Potenza, look at what his numbers look like, how much weight he’s lost and things like that. We just have to be smart about him. He’s a big part of the future, we don’t want to put him at risk. It would be good for him if possible, but we also have to be smart about it as well.
Both of them, I think we need to have a conversation about where they are physically and see if it’s the best thing for them to keep playing hockey after doubling the amount of games they’ve ever played in their life playing this schedule. It’s a conversation we’ll have to have at the end of the year to see where they are physically and mentally. I think the mental part gets overlooked too—it’s exhausting for these guys to try and perform every day. Sometimes when you hit game 82, it’s almost like a little bit of a relief for these kids that they can then take a little bit of a break.
Sharks Locker Room
Grier, on if he’s worried about how losing affects his younger players:
Yeah, losing is tough on young guys, who maybe [don’t] have the experience, or older guys who’ve won a lot. It’s not an easy thing. So I think for me, some of the encouraging part was that guys are still playing hard. They were practicing hard. We talked to Wars about, it’s almost surprising to him, but the guys show up and they work their tail off every day at practice. So there’s a little better feeling.
We were losing games but in all those games, or most of them, I should say, we had stretches of playing good hockey and having the lead. Whether that’s losing games in the third period, or whatever it may be, or giving up a goal at the wrong time, at the end of a period, or something like that, where it’s kind of flipped momentum and we end up not being able to recover.
But I think overall, the Florida game [for example], it’s a 7-2 loss, but I actually thought we started the game well and had a good first period, and [it] got away from us.
We’re just [in] that little bit of the stage of going through, momentum and confidence, it’s a major part of sports. I think our team is struggling with that, to fight the momentum and find our confidence in certain moments. Part of all that is being a young team, learning the league, and kind of growing and trying to figure out what it’s going to take to kind of settle a game down or find a way to get through those tough times.
Grier, on if the San Jose Sharks’ locker room environment is better for youngsters this year:
Yeah, I would say so. I think the veterans have done a good job of keeping the group together, and there’re a lot of the guys setting the example.
I think they also feed off the energy of the young guys. I think Mack and Will come in every day, and Zetts and Eky, they come in and they work there. They’re young kids, they’ve been able to kind of put losses behind them and show up and be ready to work and have fun. And I think as an older player, I think it’s almost contagious to have some of that exuberance of someone who’s not, you know, 29, 30 years old and been beaten down by the league.
Not that guys take for granted being in the NHL, but these young kids, every day, it’s like Christmas for them. They wake up, they’re excited to come to the rink and be in the league. I think that it’s worn off on our group. So, it’s a positive, for sure.
Grier, on some of the veteran leaders like Barclay Goodrow and Tyler Toffoli who have impacted the room:
Yeah, I think they’ve been really good with our group. They’ve stayed positive, I think you can look at what Goody did in the Nashville game, right? He’s been on winning teams his whole career, and things weren’t going right, he took it upon himself to try and get the group going. So all those older guys who’ve had success in the league, they’ve been positive.
Toff, he’s been really good in the room, been good on the bench, and had a good attitude. So I think those older guys, like I said, they’re kind of enjoying being around some of that youthful exuberance. At the same time, I also think that they see we have some good young players here, and I think they’re excited to be a part of it.
Grier, on naming another captain in Logan Couture’s place in the off-season:
Cooch is the captain, and as long as he’s here, he’ll be the captain. I’m not someone who’s going to go out and feel like there’s a need to name a new captain the next day.
All that stuff is earned over time, and people lead in their own ways. I think we have a good group.
I think that some of the young guys, like I said Mack has his leadership by how hard he practices and plays every day.
Toff with his calm demeanor and [Ceci] with his calm demeanor. Mario with his all-out compete. Granny being Granny, pulling guys aside and having conversations with them. [Kunin] putting it on the line every day.
We have a lot of guys leading, even Zetts and Eky. They lead in their own way, as you know, by doing extra every day in the gym, showing up and working hard. Sturmy, his preparation and his habits.
So we have a lot of guys who are leading. We obviously miss Cooch, on the ice and and off the ice a little bit, but I think the group in general has done a good job grabbing that leadership as a group and doing it that way.
Trade Deadline Plans
Grier, on possibly re-signing pending UFA Mikael Granlund:
I have to do what’s best for the organization both short-term and long-term. Granny has been great for us. He’s been good on the ice, he’s been good in the room.
I haven’t had any conversations about extensions with any of our guys, any of our UFAs, any of our RFAs. That’s not to say it won’t happen prior to the Deadline, after the Deadline, in the summer.
It’s important for me to have an open mind about where we’re going and what another team might be willing to offer for one of our players and weigh it against the value of keeping those players around and having them with our group.
Grier, on Cody Ceci, Luke Kunin, Nico Sturm, and Jan Rutta being in the same status boat as Granlund as UFAs:
They’re all kind of in the same boat, and we’ll see what happens. I’ll have conversations with them as we move forward and let them know where they are and where things stand.
Grier, on his approach to deciding whether to bring veterans/UFAs back:
Where we are, it’s important for me to be thorough, do the due diligence, and listen to what’s out there.
We have a certain value on our players, what we think they’re worth in the market, and what they’re worth to us individually and internally to our group. We’ll just see how it goes over the next month or so.
Like I said, I’m not ruling anything out as far as if those guys get moved or if they end up staying here long-term. They’re good players, guys that we like, and guys who have been good soldiers for us.
Grier, on if it’s possible one of these UFA’s gets re-signed before the Trade Deadline:
I would probably say it’s not likely, but we’ll see. Like I said, I haven’t had any real extension talks with any of these guys, but who’s to say? As you get into it a little bit, you kind of see what’s out there. If it’s not what we think, then maybe it goes the other way, maybe you start working on an extension.
Grier, on the San Jose Sharks’ lack of salary retention spots making it harder to move pending UFAs:
It adds a little layer to it.
I don’t think any of the guys are at salary points that are outrageous for a team to be able to—if they really want the player—to make it work. It’s not like in the past with [Karlsson] or those guys where you’re asking for 8 or 10 million [of space], whatever it may be.
I think Granny is the highest guy we’ve got at 5. If a team really wants them and thinks he’s going to help them win a Stanley Cup, I think that’s a number that can probably be swallowed.
Grier, on what he’s looking to get for trade returns:
I’m open to anything, really.
It’s just how you line up the values—if it’s picks, picks, but I think we’re also open to getting players who can help us right now, whether that’s someone in their mid-20s, someone in their early 20’s, or a young prospect who maybe needs a year or two.
Everything’s on the table for us.
We’re just not in the mode of just gathering picks for the sake of gathering picks. We’re always looking to improve our team now if we can or improve our team later—probably the sooner, the better.
Sometimes, the best thing you can do is—if you can get a first or second-round pick, it’s a pretty good thing, and maybe that’s something you use at the draft or maybe it’s something to use like we did with Asky.
Grier, on if he believes there are players on the current roster who could garner high picks and if this is a buyer/seller’s market:
It’s kind of crazy—especially out East—how tight it is. If you lose a couple of games out East and someone wins a couple, the whole standings flip. I think there’s a lot of teams that still think they’re in it, so it’ll be interesting. We have some good players available and I think there’s guys who can impact winning and help teams win rounds or win the Stanley Cup. There’s a steep price to pay for that.
Grier, on whether he wants to bring back pending RFA Fabian Zetterlund and considers him to be part of the core:
Zetts has been good. I haven’t had any talks with his agents about getting something done.
Like all of our guys, it’s still about evaluation, but I’m very happy with his development and his play. He’s been fairly consistent last year and this year. He’s someone who could definitely be a part of this team long-term because I think he’s got the right mentality as far as work. He’s a tough kid, he plays hurt, plays through things, blocks shots, plays hard.
He’s one of those kids who never makes excuses, whether he’s tired or whatever, he gets his work done—and tells the other young guys the same, get your work done and be quiet. He’s been good, I think we’re happy with where he’s at.
Grier, on any harm in talking with players about their future on the team while still testing the market:
There’s no harm. I have an idea of what all the UFAs are looking for—or what they think their value is, so I have an idea of that. I don’t think there’s any harm in it, but I also don’t know if there’s any real advantage or point of locking into negotiations or anything if we’re going to keep an open mind of not knowing what’s going to happen and exploring. All those players and their agents know how I feel about the players, and the players know how I feel about them as people and players. It’s just something—just that time of year where you have to take the short and long-term view of things.
Grier, on bringing a Shark back after trading him at the Deadline:
It’s not something I would get into with his agent at all. It’s something where I’ll let the players know—if that comes [to it]—how I feel about them and how much I appreciate them, and we’ll see what happens in the summer. It’s not anything I’d approach with his agent and it would probably be more of a conversation with the player.
The Rebuild
Grier, on if he’s happy with the pace of the rebuild:
I think we’re on track of what we hope to do. When I say go too fast, it’s you go out and sign three guys for nine million bucks apiece, two of them don’t work out, then you’re on the hook five years from now when we have some young players and we need to pay them, or we’re stuck with some contracts we’re not thrilled about.
Hasso has been great, I think we’re willing to spend money, but it’s got to be on the right people for the right term. Going out and getting someone like Asky, maybe it doesn’t speed it up, but it kicks it up a notch or two, right? When you have someone who can maybe be your No. 1 goalie. We’ll keep trying to do things like that and push it forward, but I don’t think we’re going to step on the gas and go crazy—then, you’re in a situation where maybe you need to recycle it and try to retool it again. We just want to stay steady here and keep it moving forward and going upwards.
Grier, on the type of personnel he wants in the future to help maintain leads in games:
I think some of it is going to come with some internal growth from our own group. Maybe another vet or two, because it goes back to the saying about momentum and confidence—it’s something that we have trouble with. Hopefully, maybe a guy or two can help turn that, but some of it’s just going through it and getting over the hurdle of it not working out. We have some good, good personnel in those roles, but you know, momentum in sports, it’s a funny thing. When it gets going, it gets going, and we just haven’t been able to turn the tide.
Grier, on where he sees the team a year from now in relation to the postseason:
Hopefully, we’re more in the mix next time next year. It’s hard to say, but I think that’s the next step for the group. The standings are the standings, but I think the group’s moving forward and pushing forward. If we can, as a management staff, add some pieces to it and things like that, then hopefully, this time next year, we’re talking more about—maybe we’re not sellers. Not necessarily that we’ll be buyers. Maybe there’s more talk about us hanging around the race and seeing what happens down the stretch.
Special thanks to Maddie Dutra and William Espy for their help transcribing.