My thoughts on tonight's game.

So I finally used my season tickets, and here's what I thought, both about the Avs and Sharks...I'll start with the Avs.

Selanne is HATED by Sharks fans. Think Fluery. Belfour. Boo'ed every time he touched the puck. He got an assist because he went uncovered, and the place let him have it. Lots of "traitor" messages and the like. His line played well, for the most part, but lacked that power guy to give them space. It really should be an ongoing issue for the Avs, if they keep their two lines the way they are. The Sakic-Selanne-Kariya line will just get pushed around, but still score one or two per game. All or nothing, I suppose. It's an amazing 2nd line, though, for sure.

At the end of the game, it was Hejduk out with Selanne and Sakic. Nice combo, IMO. Hejduk almost broke free once, but aside that, was relatively silent. No Fors. Tanguay played great, and came off with some NICE moves, but that line was missing a piece (only the NHL's point leader last season, nothing big).

Didn't really notice much from the rest of the Avs forwards. Ho-hum, which is pretty much what I'd expect in the regular season, as well.

Rob Blake, Shark-killer that he is, played an amazing game. Blast of a shot, positionally sound, and big. He's the obvious leader of what is, in all respects, not the best D in the NHL. Morris also played...made a few miscues, but nothing too horrible. The rest of the D was pretty much indesribable. Nothing big. Liles looks like a good offensive threat, which adds to Skoula, Morris, et al. The Avs need another defensive-type D...look for that to be their big trade this year.

Aebischer (Abby) played great. He's positionally sound, and an obvious Roy-style keeper. It's all about being at the right place at the right time. He didn't really have a shot at any of the goals, though luck wasn't on his side tonight. Played a very solid game. Looks like a #1.

Abby's foe in net was Nabby. Nabby's worked hard on his positioning, and it showed tonight, though he still flopped like the Nabby of old. Made some stops that he had no right making, and almost let an easy one get by him, but dove backwards to keep the puck out. A good overall game for the Sharks' #1.

Davison played VERY nice tonight. Offensively alert (shot that led to a goal), defensively sound, and a fight/grapple match. Obvious why he's the #6, according to Wilson. He's worked hard on positioning and firing the puck at net.

Ehrhoff played well. Not great, not horrible. Steady is the word I'd use. Same with Preissing. Rat played his old poke-the-puck-away style, and took a penalty when Ehrhoff gave the puck away. Though the penalty prevented a goal, the Avs scored on the PP. Hannan was OK...not the Hannan that I know he can be.

Fahey. Where do I start? He got pushed around, but doggedly stayed in the plays. No great offensive stuff, and a giveaway or two, but a solid game overall.

Michalek. Everything I expected and more. I saw tonight what I'd seen for a year, now. He was going into scrums and positionally alert, great passing, and used his heavy shot (and it was well-placed, too), to get a goal. When you're on a 2-on-1 with Scott Parker, you might as well be out there alone. He did great. Was used on a Cheech-Ricci line, though Parker took Cheech's spot at the end of the game.

Ekman was invisible. Not his fault. He was out there with Primeau and Parker. Parker was involved in the play tonight. It was nice to see.

Patty-Thorty-Korky. A mixed bag. Patty sure has wheels. He seems like he's easily the fastest guy in the league. Korky...he likes to hang on to the puck. He got a gift penalty shot (it looked a lot better than some other things that were going on out there, IMO), and put it away, and came out with some nice moves, but he's Korky. He doesn't quite know what to do with the puck once he's gotten his nice moves out of the way. He goes into 1-on-4 situations and expects to come out with the puck. Thorty was Thorty. Solid game, nothing spectacular, just Thorty.

Once the Sharks were up 2-0, the team went into full neutral zone trap. It's how this team will win, sadly. They pulled it off great, and forced the Avs to ice the puck multiple times. When/if the puck gets through the trap, though, the Sharks are dinner. Their defensive coverage leaves some to be desired.

PK was awful. I'd expect it to be like that all year if the Sharks don't watch for defensemen cutting in. The Sharks seem set on their positions, which works in some instances, but when the opposing team crashes on net, you've got to collapse and protect your keeper. SJ didn't do that today, and from what I've seen, haven't done so all preseason. It could be a long, long year.

Overall, I'll say that tonight, the Sharks played like a playoff team. The key this year will be getting an early lead and shutting the opposition down from there. This team won't score as many as people are hoping, and will use the trap to win, if they are to do so.

Any questions?

~Crazed.

Michalek. Everything I expected and more. I saw tonight what I'd seen for a year, now.

That's great and good to know. How have you been watching Michalek for a year now?

Todd

Sure, I got questions.

I can figure out who Patty and Thorty are, but who's Korky?

How did Sturm look? He's pretty much my favorite Shark.

Did McLaren play? I tried to get what I could from the radio broadcast, but missed a lot of it.

Also, who is left from the pool of prospects? The Avs are likely not going to make any more cuts due to the injuries to Worrell and Smith. Who do you think will make the Sharks squad?

I've been watching Michalek on video for awhile, now. I get video from all over the place, mostly through my connections in the Sharks' organization, but I have friends throughout the world that send me videos.

Korky = Korolyuk.
Sturm looked good. There are a few Sharks on lines that aren't best for them, but are great for the team. See Marleau. Sturm is another of them. He and Vinny should be on a line this year, but they both could use another winger to set them free. I'd expect a repeat of last year's performance, personally. 25-30 goals, and comperable assists. Great overall play. Speed. Opportunistic hitting, but not a power player by any means.

I didn't notice McLaren. Didn't really pay attention to scratches, though. I believe he was, indeed, scratched, as the Sharks were taking a look specifically at Preissing, Ehrhoff, and Davison.

Pool of prospects: The above-named 3 defensemen and Michalek. Am I missing somebody?

~Crazed.

Thanks, crazed.

Yeah, I was walking around today when I realized you were talking about Korolyuk. D'oh! Good to see the little guy's back in action.

I slated this team as being dead last in the Western Conference, but the infusion of youth and a return to what looks like a more fundamental game has made me change my mind. It's very possible that this team will give the Kings and even the Ducks a run for their money.

And the Sharks have Colorado College's Tom Preissing!? Awesome, I hope he makes the team. He could be the 2-way blueliner the Sharks needed Jillson to be.

I've been watching Michalek on video for awhile, now. I get video from all over the place, mostly through my connections in the Sharks' organization, but I have friends throughout the world that send me videos.

The Sharks brass has been quoted as saying Marleau needs a puck-handling winger, Korolyuk isn't it. Do you think Michalek would be better suited with Marleau?

The Sharks brass has been quoted as saying Marleau needs a puck-handling winger, Korolyuk isn't it. Do you think Michalek would be better suited with Marleau?

i had that same thought. korky was handed the top line position coming into camp, and in my opinion, hasn't done anything to earn it. if you look at michalek's skill set (fast, good playmaker, good size, solid defensively), he seems like the perfect complement to marleau's game. however, moving michalek up leaves a hole on the 3rd line that korolyuk has neither the definsive game nor checking ability to fill. i'd rather see ekman or harvey on that third line, with korky as a scratch. but to scratch korky would be for management to admit that he wasn't the top-6 solution they proclaimed him to be, and its unlikely that they'll be willing to admit that quite yet. but michalek is gonna wind up on that top line eventually, even if it isn't this season. i don't think there's any need to rush him, and he seems to be doing quite well on that 3rd line with ricci and cheechoo. hopefully korky can step it up and the sharks will have an effective top line. it'd be a shame to see marleau's progress continue to falter because of a lack of adequate linemates.

The Sharks brass has been quoted as saying Marleau needs a puck-handling winger, Korolyuk isn't it. Do you think Michalek would be better suited with Marleau?

Korky can handle the rock, don't question that. The question becomes one of how well he can dish it, and that's debatable. I think he's got the ability to do it, but it's more a question of whether or not he has the desire to do so.

That said, I think that Michalek is an obvious pick there, but where he is, he helps the team out a bit more. He's got more of an offensive responsibility on his line than he would with Marleau, where he'd be used in a defensive capability. With Ricci and Cheechoo taking a majority of the D, it leaves Milan to work on his offensive game. Also, with Korky on the right side of Marleau, it leaves Marleau to round out the defensive side of his game and learn when to use his jets.

Personally (and this is from a non-Sharks fan perspective), I'd love to see Michalek shine. That said, the way the lines are is, sadly, probably best for the team. It works on areas of key players' games in ways that they could use the work, and gets them a bit more ready for prime time. I wouldn't expect Marleau to break out this year, by any stretch, but for him to round out his game, assuming the lines stick (which, with Ron as head coach, they almost assuredly won't).

In the end, my feelings haven't changed much on either Marleau or Michalek. Marleau still seems like a 40-50-goal guy (40 assist or thereabouts...mostly by luck...he couldn't hit the side of a barn if he tried) if he gets a passer, and I think Michalek can be a 35-goal, 50-assist guy.

If SJ gets Malkin, the M-Line could be born. Chances it'll happen? Slim-to-none.

~Crazed.

I wouldn't be so quick to assume Korky will stay put even if he's subpar. Both doug and Ron have "clean" slates and keeping in a guy who isn't working means they lose some of that credibility with avid followers and prospect hunters.

If Ekman or Michalek are better with Patty or even Damphousse, I would expect that changes are made accordingly.

One of the good things that I hope mnmgt and players remember alike, noone has a large enough contract or is "invincible" enough not to get the boot or get sat if they suck it up. (atleast I hope that's the case....)

later days :p

Wow. What do you know. Even Sports Illistrated is raving about Michalek.

No surprise, THN left out Michalek and Ehrhoff as rookies to watch for...if you compare some of the guys who they have on the list...this is the main list with the article of rookies to watch, the article headline Krajicek.

Back to the drawing board on the Thrashers' season. We'll miss you Dan Snyder. Heatley would likely miss the entire season due to injuries anyway, let alone litigation and possible jail time. (Unless they accept a plea bargain, it's pretty clear that Heatley would have to serve 3 years minimum...what a shame this all is.)

Seriously though, without Heatley, I can't see Atlanta doing anything special. That team would have to rally around playing for the Dans BIG TIME. It'd mean Dafoe playing the best year of his career...Stefan stepping up big time...

I'm glad things are calmer in San Jose right now.

Staal and Fleury are in the mix...maybe even Fritsche for Columbus. We may have a fun Calder Trophy chase this year. Some true rookies (Michalek, Staal, Fleury, etc) may make a run for it. And there are others like Ehrhoff who aren't dinosaurs competing for the Calder. Seriously, Ehrhoff has an outside chance if he plays all year in San Jose getting time on the second power play unit. Can't imagine he won't get that time if he's up with the team. I mean, he becomes the team's second best pucking movie defenseman behind Fahey instantly. (Rathje fits in there too, but he's not a point producer in the same way Fahey and Ehrhoff will/should be.) We'll see about Preissing too...I'm not banking on him playing the whole season. He could if injuries continue to occur and he's fielded ahead of Davison. That's two big if's.

I'm hopeful that Ehrhoff at least makes the All-Rookie Team.

Right on Kevin, this won't be an easy year for Calder hopefuls. There's almost no doubt in my mind that Michalek and Ehrhoff can make the all-rookie team, but they have a ton of competition as far as the Calder goes. Big names like Pitkanen, Horton, Staal, and so on.

Back to the drawing board on the Thrashers' season. We'll miss you Dan Snyder. Heatley would likely miss the entire season due to injuries anyway, let alone litigation and possible jail time. (Unless they accept a plea bargain, it's pretty clear that Heatley would have to serve 3 years minimum...what a shame this all is.)

If Heatley is smart he pleads guilty.

Here is a typical vehicular homicide law:
Vehicular homicide is the unintentional killing of a human being committed by the operation of a vehicle or means of conveyance in a manner which creates an unreasonable risk of injury to the person or of another and which constitutes a material deviation from the standard of care which a reasonable person would observe under the same circumstances. Simple negligence does not constitute a legal basis to charge Vehicular Homicide.

Heatley is going to have to balance the risk of spending AT LEAST 3 years in the pokey or taking a plea bargain, which one would have to think would be about 1 maybe 2 years in jail, or maybe getting out altogether.

I would assume, based on what I've heard, that he's going to have a hard time getting away with this one on the basis of jury sympathy, and its not like he is a Maple Leaf in Toronto. He was likely going 80+ mph in a 35 or 45 zone. To most rational people that's more than simple negligence. I don't know how it works in GA, but in the federal system, pleading guilty, even without getting a plea bargain (having your charge reduced), earns you some MAJOR sentencing brownie points. If he knows that he can get good rehabilitation (for his injuries) in the jail, he should start serving time ASAP, and then he could maybe play hockey in the middle of next year and be free and clear. This year is shot for him professionally, and its going to be ruined personally either way. I'm guessing the DA's office would be happy to avoid the media circus and put him away for only a year. To be honest, without having all the facts its likely that Heatley deserves to be in the pokey for a year.

As a matter of disclosure, I'm a law student who worked for federal prosecutors last summer, so I'm a wee bit biased against bad behavior.