So the San Jose Sharks have blow a tire of late. Some can say they could have called it but with two of the teams top defenseman out of the line up, well lets just say the impact of this loss is great (hell one of them is an Olympian).

With Boyle and Vlasic out of the line up, the Sharks are forced to play Leech and Joslin as the number three paring and this is just a disaster. Against Detroit on Tuesday night, Jay Leech was a minus one and in 23 shifts ( avg. ice-time was  15:34) he regested only one shot and was giving up the puck left and right! Now lets take a look at Derek Joslin, he too was a minus one with 19 shifts ( with an avg. ice-time of 12:42). The way both of these guys kept coughing up the puck, well if it wasn't for the teal jerseys I'd call it some passing to the team in Red. After this game I was left with the awful realization, Derek Joslin is NOT an NHL defenseman!!

On this note, TSN reported today the the Sharks a close to a deal with the Carolina Hurricanes. According to this report San Jose would be getting NICLAS WALLIN from the Canes. This makes me think that Vlasic is going to be out for a wile folks, maybe long term IR status (not good). In Wallin, San Jose gets a defenseman that can log 15 to 18 mins. a night, can play the puck well and is a big body out there. The 6″3, 220 pound defenseman might add some more grit and a nice shot from the back end. Is this move going to fix the holes left by Boyle and Vlasic being out?? My answer is no but it sure is a start!

Sorry for the delay from my last BLOG, I've been battling the flu and being a full time student at the same time. Lets just say rest has been avoiding me but I'm on the mend and ready to talk some Sharks!!
Until next time! 

John Morales

Hello fellow Sharks and NHL fans,

This is the first of MANY discussions about the San Jose Sharks this season, so please feel free and join in! Just one rule: Keep it clean!!

Thursday night is going to be another challenge for the San Jose Sharks with the Blackhawks coming into town. The last time we hosted the Hawks…well…we all know how that one ended!! The Sharks need to play more of the “angry” Sharks game we've been seeing on the ice the last five games. Of corse you have the usual list of guys willing to drop the gloves like Jody Shelly and Brad Staubitz but guys like Dan Boyle, Devin Setoguchi and Tory Mitchell have all been playing a “rougher” game. And I for one like it!! When the Sharks step up for a battle and throws their weight around, the Sharks become a lot harder of a team to stop. So for me, this is an important key for this coming Thursday night.

Now let's talk a little about the play of Tory Mitchell. I know I just mentioned his angry play as a good thing and I think it is BUT what has happened to the overall play and production of this guy? In 27 games this year, Mitchell has one goal, one assist and a plus minus rating of one. Mitchell also seems like he's been losing a lot of races to loose pucks and lost his overall speed advantage. Now in the last five games, Mitchell has averaged about 9 minutes of ice time with four shots on goal in those five games. In the last three games Mitchell's face off precent hasn't been all that great coming in as follows:

Buffalo – 37%
Anaheim – 40%
LA – 25%

Now with the fourth line amounting for almost nothing (except for fighting), Tory Mitchell should be a healthy scratch and the Sharks should bring up a player like Logan Couture or Jamie McGinn. Both players are tearing up the AHL, Couture with 18 goals, 26 assists and 44 points in 32 games. Couture and McGinn might bring some jump and production to  what I like to call the “Ghost Line.”

We'll haft to wait and see what unfolds Thursday night BUT the Sharks faithful are hoping for another blowout and more salutes from Team Teal.

Welcome to Chumming the Waters!

- John Morales.