Sharks News & Notes (8/30/22)

 There are two significant transactions announced today regarding the Sharks, and I felt it was best to combine them into one post. Let's dive into them: 

The Sharks traded goalie Adin Hill to the Vegas Golden Knights for a 2024 4th-round pick. This all came down to the Sharks having too many goalies in their organization and needing to part ways with one of them. The Sharks went with Kaapo Kahkonen and James Reimer for their goalie tandem next season, who were their two best goalies last season and leaves Hill as the odd goalie out. As for the other end of the deal, although the Golden Knights are one of the Sharks' biggest rivals, Vegas was in desperate need of goaltending after it was announced that Robin Lehner would be out for all of next season due to a hip injury. Adin Hill is a solid goalie, but he dealt with injuries that kept him sidelined for a significant amount of time and was inconsistent at times in net last season. The Sharks made the right decision in trading Adin Hill, but it was somewhat unfortunate that he had to be dealt to the Golden Knights.

The other transaction the Sharks made before they traded Adin Hill was the re-signing of their last remaining restricted free agent, Jonah Gadjovich, to a one-year deal worth $750k, the NHL league minimum salary. Gadjovich appeared in 43 games for the Sharks last season, recording one goal and two assists for three points and 74 penalty minutes. He is more known for being a physical, enforcer-type player than one who is productive on offense. Many of you may recall that Gadjovich dropped the gloves with Nicolas Delauriers in my most recent NHL game back in late February against the Ducks in Anaheim. This was the first fight I have ever seen while attending a hockey game. Gadjovich fits the mantra that the Sharks are aiming for this coming season as a physical, tough-to-play-against team, but I don't feel too strongly about this signing otherwise. 

Stay tuned to CPF Hockey for more Sharks updates.

Source: SJSharks.com 

Buy CPF Merch: CPF Store

Sharks Announce New ECHL Affiliate

 The Sharks now have an affiliate in the ECHL, a league below the AHL and two leagues below the NHL. They announced that they have come to an agreement with the Wichita Thunder to become their new ECHL affiliate for the 2022-23 season. 

The Thunder will be entering their ninth season in the ECHL and their 31st as a franchise, having played in the defunct Central Hockey League for most of their existence. Before joining the ECHL in 2014, the Wichita Thunder were Central Hockey League Champions in 1994 and 1995 and made the Finals in back-to-back years in 2012 and 2013. They also finished fourth in the ECHL in the 2020-21 season with a 41-22-8 record. 

This is the Sharks' first affiliate in the ECHL since their affiliation with the Allen Americans ended in 2018. It also comes just after the Sharks' AHL affiliate, the Barracuda, just opened their new arena, which is known as TechCU Arena and part of the Sharks' practice facility at Solar4America Ice in San Jose. 

Source: SJSharks.com 

Buy CPF Merch: CPF Store

Sharks Re-sign Noah Gregor to 1-Year Deal

 The Sharks have agreed to terms with one of their remaining restricted free agents, Noah Gregor, on a new one-year one-way deal worth $950k.

 Gregor recorded eight goals and 15 assists for 23 points in 63 games and 156 shots. He also set career highs in goals, assists, points, games played, shots, adn power-play points (3).

In other news, the Sharks added Brian Wiseman as an assistant coach to David Quinn's coaching staff. Wiseman will oversee the forwards and power play and was previously on the Oilers' bench.  

Sources: SJSharks.com, NBC Sports Bay Area/California 

Buy CPF Merch: CPF Store

NHL Mascots Ranked from Worst to Best

 The fun personal rankings are back, and in this post, I will cover a lighter aspect of the game of hockey that plays a key role in the fan experience: mascots.

 In this post, I will rank the NHL mascots from my least favorite to favorite and give brief explanations for their respective rankings. Keep in mind that these rankings are completely subjective, and the Rangers and Kraken currently don't have mascots. Although the Red Wings retired their most recent mascot, he will still be considered in this ranking. Also, if I use any photos in this post, they will be ones that I have taken myself. Without further ado, let's begin:

30) Spartacat (Senators)

I have at least a few reasons why I ranked Spartacat last. He is hideous, kinda creepy, and looks like he regularly smokes bowls of crystal meth or snorts lines of cocaine. In addition, there is another team in the NHL that has adopted a lion as its mascot, and that other mascot is much, much better and cooler overall.

29) Stinger (Blue Jackets)

 Like Spartacat, Stinger is also hideous. He could have a better name as well. What doesn't help his case is that I am afraid of and get uncomfortable around real stinging insects.

28) Harvey the Hound (Flames)

Harvey the Hound doesn't look that great and seems kinda basic.

27) Victor E. Green (Stars)

Another example of a rather ugly mascot with a not-so-creative name. 

26) Stanley C. Panther (Panthers)

Not terrible, but rather boring and generic in comparison to most NHL mascots. In addition, I think there are better name ideas for the Panthers' mascot than just naming him after the Stanley Cup.

25) Iceburgh (Penguins)

Decent mascot, but a bit too cartoony for me. 

24) Bernie (Avalanche) 

Another decent mascot but a bit boring in comparison to most NHL mascots.

23) Stormy (Hurricanes) 

 See previous ranking.

22) Youppi! (Canadiens) 

 Solid choice for a mascot and makes sense from a historical perspective, but I find him a bit weird at the same time.

21) Sabretooth (Sabres) 

 Not bad by any means, but a bit cartoony and has a very generic, non-creative name.

20) Fin (Canucks) 

 Cool mascot, but I like others in the NHL more.

19) Hunter (Oilers) 

 Great-looking and appeals to all ages, but not entirely sure how having a lynx as a mascot directly correlates with the Oilers. I feel like there may have been better choices for the Oilers' mascot, but still solid.

18) Mickey Moose (Jets) 

 Another solid mascot and very fitting since he is based on one of Canada's national symbolic animals. Also looks a bit goofy and cartoony.

17) Nordy (Wild) 

 Great representation of the Wild's primary logo, but no Minnesota Wild mascot can match the amazing design and cool factor of one of the greatest logos in all of sports.

16) Sparky the Dragon (Islanders)

 Looks awesome, but I think there are better ideas for the Islanders' mascot than a mythical creature.

15) Thunderbug (Lightning)

 Looks a bit weird, but has grown on me quickly. Besides that, I think he's cool.

14) Chance the Gila Monster (Golden Knights)

 Solid choice for a mascot, especially since Las Vegas is in the middle of a desert. However, Vegas' live mascot, which is a Golden Knight, is more fitting for Vegas hockey. In addition, Chance the Gila Monster looks a bit goofy, and I don't want to be subject to his antics if and when I attend a game at T-Mobile Arena.

13) Carlton the Bear (Maple Leafs)

 Cute, cuddly, and represents one of Canada's national symbolic animals.

12) N.J. Devil (Devils)

 The idea for N.J. Devil was very well-executed, but he's a bit generic and could use a less generic name.

11) Louie (Blues)

 There aren't really any better options than Louie when it comes to the St. Louis Blues' mascot, but he is a bit generic compared to the NHL mascots I have listed in my top ten above him.

10) Al the Octopus (Red Wings)

 A truly amazing mascot. Too bad he was mired in controversy and had to be retired. Also, octopi aren't one of the first things that I think of when it comes to the Red Wings.

9) Howler (Coyotes)

 Great mascot, but Howler would be more appealing if his name was less generic and the Coyotes had a better track record in their franchise history.

8) Tommy Hawk (Blackhawks)

 An incredibly fitting mascot that pays tribute to the native tribe that the Blackhawks honor.

7) Blades (Bruins)

 An all-around great mascot and the best of all the bear mascots in the NHL.

6) Wild Wing (Ducks)

 

 There isn't a better duck mascot in sports than Wild Wing. He is inspired by a character from Disney's Mighty Ducks movie series, and a goalie mask and pads are integrated into his appearance. On top of that, Wild Wing is just an overall cool mascot. I'm not a huge Anaheim Ducks fan by any means, but the Ducks knocked one out of the park with their mascot.

5) Bailey (Kings)

The Kings are one of my least favorite teams, but if there is at least one thing I like about them, it is their mascot Bailey. He looks plain awesome and was named to honor someone significant to the Kings organization. In addition, the lion is often referred to as the king of the jungle, so it only made sense for the Kings' mascot to be a lion.

4) Slapshot (Capitals)

 Slapshot is a well-designed, amazing mascot who does some incredible things on the ice before games and during intermissions. In addition, he is the perfect embodiment of American patriotism.

3) Gnash (Predators)

 Like Slapshot, Gnash is another well-designed, amazing mascot who does some incredible things on the ice before games and during intermissions. However, I have Gnash ranked a tad above Slapshot because Gnash seems more original.

2) Gritty (Flyers)

 When Gritty was first introduced publicly, I thought he was very creepy and looked like a Sesame Street character on crack. I also had no idea what the Flyers were thinking when they created Gritty. However, after some time passed and Gritty had more of a presence at Flyers games and other events, Gritty grew on me quickly. I now see him as one of the greatest things to happen to the Flyers, the city of Philadelphia, and the hockey and sports worlds. Gritty's antics and shenanigans are nothing short of entertaining, and he created a ton of buzz on social media and across the sports and entertainment sectors. Gritty is an absolute goofball who loves to have fun, and I love that. The hockey world needs more of personalities like Gritty in an area that significantly lacks any sort of personality.

1) S.J. Sharkie (Sharks)

 

 I may sound biased because I am a huge Sharks fan, but S.J. Sharkie is by far my favorite mascot in the NHL and possibly all of sports. Sharkie looks amazing, supports great causes, and interacts very well with everyone. He is also a mascot of many talents, from gliding down to the ice from the rafters at SAP Center before games to crashing weddings. There isn't a mascot in sports that I would want to directly interact with more than S.J. Sharkie, and that's why he tops my NHL mascot rankings. 

I plan to release more fun personal rankings before the start of this coming NHL season, so be on the lookout for those soon.

 Buy CPF Merch: CPF Store

Sharks Add Tommy Wingels and Luca Sbisa as Development Coaches

 The Sharks have added two former players to their development staff, including one of them being a familiar face and a fan favorite. Those would be Tommy Wingels and Luca Sbisa. 

Both Wingels and Sbisa will work alongside Mike Ricci under Todd Marchant. 

Wingels spent most of eight seasons with the Sharks and retired from playing hockey in July 2020. Sbisa was previously with the Ducks as a development coach under the direction of Marchant, and spent 13 seasons as a defenseman with the Flyers, Ducks, Canucks, Golden Knights, Islanders, Jets, and Predators from 2008-2021. 

These two new additions further shake up the Sharks' player development staff as the team heads in a new direction. Overall, they are great new additions, and it's especially great to see Tommy Wingels return to the Sharks organization in some way, shape, or form. 

Source: San Jose Hockey Now

Buy CPF Merch: CPF Store

Nikolai Knyzhov Out Six Months with Torn Achilles Tendon

 There has been some unfortunate news from the Sharks this morning. 

Defenseman Nikolai Knyzhov, who missed all of last season due to injury, has suffered a significant setback in his recovery. More specifically, he has torn his right Achilles tendon during an offseason training session, had successful surgery to repair it, and will be out another six months. 

This stinks for a player who was looking forward to returning to the team and playing hockey again after missing all of last season. In addition, the Sharks are already thin on defense after trading Brent Burns this offseason to clear some cap space and shake things up a bit. 

However, at this rate, Knyzhov will be available during the later half of this coming season if all goes to plan. Also, by then, depending on how the rest of the defense core pans out this coming season, Knyzhov could become expendable, or he may not ever perform to his full potential. Although this news was announced on my birthday, I won't let it ruin my special day. 

Source: SJSharks.com

Sharks News & Notes (8/12/22)

 We have reached the middle of the dog days of the offseason, in which news around the NHL is slow and hard to come by. However, there are a few noteworthy headlines worth discussing as of now. Let's get to them: 

Besides Ryan Warsofsky, the rest of David Quinn's coaching staff for this coming season has been filled out. Scott Gordon was named an assistant coach, Thomas Speer was named the goaltending coach under Evgeni Nabokov, and Nick Gialdini was named the video coach. As for the assistant coaches, Scott Gordon will be incharge of the power play and forwards, while Ryan Warsofsky will overlook the penalty kill and defensemen. 

Thomas Bordeleau is the only prospect in the Sharks organization participating in the rerun of this year's World Juniors. He has racked up three points, including a beautiful bar-down clapper of a goal, in the USA's 7-1 win over Switzerland last night. 

Stay tuned to CPF Hockey for all your Sharks needs. 

Sources: NHL Discussion via Instagram, SJSharks.com 

P.S. My merch store is having a sale! This week only: Use code "BDAY" for 25% off your purchase now through August 14: CPF Store 

Sharks Re-Sign Mario Ferraro to 4-Year Contract

 The Sharks announced today that they have re-signed RFA defenseman Mario Ferraro to a four-year deal carrying an AAV of $3.25 million. 

Ferraro has been the Sharks' best young defenseman for the past few seasons and a great locker room leader. He is also a player I could see eventually becoming the Sharks' captain within the next five seasons. 

This past season, Mario Ferraro appeared in 63 games, scoring two goals and 12 assists for 14 points. He led the Sharks in blocked shots with 151 and was third on the team in hits with 140. In total, Ferraro has recorded five goals and 32 assists for 42 points in 180 NHL games since his debut in 2019-20. Since then, he leads Sharks skaters in hits with 415 and is second in blocked shots with 305. I enjoy Mario Ferraro's presence on the Sharks, and I'm happy he will be in San Jose for at least the next four years.

Source: SJSharks.com 

Get your CPF Merch: CPF Store

 

Sharks Announce More New Front Office Hires

 The Sharks announced a handful of new additions to their front office, specifically their Hockey Operations Staff. They are as follows: 

• Scott Fitzgerald, Director of Player Personnel 
• Tom Holy, Assistant General Manager 
• Todd Marchant, Director of Player Development (Senior Advisor) 
• Chris Morehouse, Director of Amateur Scouting 
• Ryan Stewart, Pro Personnel (Senior Advisor) 

Scott Fitzgerald is entering his first season as Director of Player Personnel and will focus on pro and amateur scouting. He previously took on various roles, primarily in scouting, with the Boston Bruins from 2006 until this past season and was a scout with the Columbus Blue Jackets from 1999 to 2006. 

This will be Tom Holy's first year as assistant general manager and will be sharing assistant GM duties with Joe Will. Holy will be overseeing the analytics department, staff budgeting, and contracts. He will also be the liaison between the Sharks Hockey Operations and Business departments. Holy previously held various roles in Media Relations and Public Relations with the Dallas Stars, Sharks, and Cleveland Barons. 

Todd Marchant will oversee player development for the Sharks. He was previously the Anaheim Ducks' Director of Player Development from 2011 to 2021 and Director of Player Personnel this past season. As a player, Marchant amassed 186 goals and 312 assists for 498 points in 1,195 career NHL games with the Rangers, Oilers, Blue Jackets, and Ducks from 1993 to 2011 and won the Stanley Cup with the Ducks in 2007. 

Chris Morehouse will oversee the Sharks amateur staff and run the draft as Director of Amateur Scouting. He previously held various scouting roles with the Blue Jackets for seven seasons before joining the Rangers as their Director of North American Scouting for the past three seasons. Morehouse also played hockey at the college, junior, and ECHL levels, but never in the NHL. 

This will be Ryan Stewart's first season as Pro Personnel, Senior Advisor and will oversee the Sharks' professional staff in North America and Europe. He was most recently the Blackhawks' assistant general manager before joining the Sharks and held other roles with the Blackhawks in scouting and as an assistant coach and video coach. As a player, Stewart mainly played with Greenville of the ECHL and appeared in one game with the Providence Bruins of the AHL.

In addition, Tim Burke has been shifted from Assistant GM to a Senior Advisor/Scout position, and Mike Potenza, who served as the Sharks' Director of Strength and Conditioning, is leaving to join the Golden State Warriors as one of their strength and conditioning coaches. During his tenure with the Sharks' Potenza was often seen as one of the top strength and conditioning coaches in the NHL.

Next up, the Sharks will need to add more scouts, find a new strength and conditioning coach to replace Mike Potenza, and fill out the rest of David Quinn's coaching staff. Watch this space for more.

Sources: SJSharks.com, San Jose Hockey Now 

Get your CPF Merch: CPF Store