San Jose Hockey Now Podcast

Tomas Hertl to the Vegas Golden Knights?!?

We react to all of the San Jose Sharks’ Trade Deadline moves, and talk about why we like the Hertl trade for the Golden Knights.

But before we get there, we talk about Logan Couture ruling himself out for the rest of the season, a perfect way to cap off perhaps the worst day in San Jose Sharks history. (1:12)

Sheng describes a surreal day around Sharks Ice.

We get in deep about the Hertl trade, both the on and off the ice implications and emotions. (13:43)

The Hertl trade, obviously, was the star of the show, but we also talked about all of the Sharks’ moves today and yesterday.

Why we had “no notes” for the Anthony Duclair trade? (51:45)

Keegan really liked the Kaapo Kahkonen trade: Why was it a sensible swap for Vitek Vanecek? (57:05)

Sheng’s favorite San Jose Sharks’ Trade Deadline move was Radim Simek for Klim Kostin. (1:08:15)

Why didn’t Nikita Okhotiuk pan out for the San Jose Sharks? (1:15:45)

Finally, we end with a thought about Devin Cooley. (1:20:45)

We grade the San Jose Sharks’ 2024 Trade Deadline. (1:24:25)

It's our San Jose Sharks' Trade Deadline predictions! We dive deep into 12 potential players that could be traded this week from the Sharks and try to predict potential returns (32:30)

But first, we talk this past week of Sharks' action.

Four losses since the last podcast, who stood out for the San Jose Sharks in these losing efforts? (2:22)

Sheng answers the question that many people had on Twitter; why did David Quinn call a timeout down 7-1 to the New Jersey Devils in the third period? Quinn explains. (2:55)

We discuss the quality start that Magnus Chrona put up this week against the Dallas Stars, and we do a little reminiscing about the 2021 Trade Deadline when Doug Wilson acquired Alexander Barabanov and Chrona for very little. (14:50)

After the San Jose Sharks' loss to the Minnesota Wild this week, we revisited the Kaapo Kahkonen/Jake Middleton deal from the 2022 Trade Deadline. (21:02)

Finally, here are the official San Jose Hockey Now Trade Deadline predictions! (32:30)

What do Sheng's sources think the Sharks will get for their players? Read this article as a reference for our discussion:

https://sanjosehockeynow.com/san-jose-sharks-trade-deadline-scouts-value-scouts/

Do Sheng and Keegan think that these players will get traded...and for what?

Mikael Granlund (37:30)
Kevin Labanc (42:15)
Mike Hoffman (44:28)
Mario Ferraro (46:45)
Anthony Duclair (51:00) (plus what young player does Keegan think Duclair could get traded for?)
Kaapo Kahkonen (58:25)
Luke Kunin (1:00:15)
Jan Rutta (1:04:10)
Alex Barabanov (1:06:55)
Nico Sturm (1:10:02)
Ryan Carpenter + Justin Bailey (1:11:30)

Catch us later this week for our Trade Deadline wrap-up show and to see how many predictions we got right!

Why are the San Jose Sharks so easy to play against? And how unhappy are the players?

But before the San Jose Hockey Now Podcast digs into that, Keegan and Sheng discuss Anthony Duclair’s recent play (2:22) and touch on David Quinn and Kevin Labanc not seeing eye to eye (4:50).

What is Sheng hearing about the Sharks’ top Trade Deadline targets (8:30)?

Last week, Frank Seravalli said on the DFO Rundown Podcast that Sharks players “feel like they aren’t even playing on an NHL franchise” -- his podcast co-host Jason Gregor agreed, “I’ve heard some ridiculous stories about lack of preparation.” (18:00)

Sheng investigates, talking to Sharks players and people closely associated with them. What did he find?

Finally, we dig into why the San Jose Sharks are so easy to play against (41:12).

SPORTLOGiQ stats from last year to this season give a stark contrast (43:00).

There are the things that Mike Grier couldn’t control (46:35) -- and something that he could control (50:00).

How could all this shape the San Jose Sharks’ coming off-season (1:00:05)?

This week on the San Jose Hockey Now Podcast we have an interview with Mike Santos from Team 33, an independent scouting service that consults for NHL teams around the league. He joins Sheng and Keegan to discuss the relative value of many of the Sharks' players that may be available at the trade deadline. (39:20)

Before that though, we have our news of the week. (02:00) This week, it was announced that both Hertl and Couture would be out somewhat long-term with injuries. We break down some expected timelines (or lack thereof) for both players. (02:45)

We cover the two games this week, a 1-0 loss to Winnipeg and a 6-3 win against Calgary, while touching on the play of Kaapo Kähkönen and Filip Zadina, who shined in those two games. (10:40)

Our final topic before the interview with Mike Santos, we take a dive into some of the recent comments made by Kevin Labanc. We go into the comments and why a change of scenery needs to happen for Labanc to find his game. (23:40)

Now the Mike Santos interview!  (39:20)

People have been asking, what exactly is Team 33? Mike covers the structure of their scouting service and highlights some of the teams that use their services. (39:50)

Sheng and Keegan ask Mike Santos about possible trade candidates for the Sharks, and how the Team 33 scouts are rating these players, and their trade values. (45:34)

How much are the following players worth? 

Anthony Duclair (47:00)

Alexander Barabanov (53:05)

Mike Hoffman (1:00:40)

Kevin Labanc (1:03:55)

Mikael Granlund (1:07:20)

Nico Sturm (1:13:40)

Mario Ferraro (1:20:30)

Kaapo Kahkonen (1:28:24)

Lastly Mike shares some of his general thoughts on who he would keep going forward from this Sharks roster and who is most likely to be traded. (1:36:25)

Thank you all for watching, listening, and subscribing to the San Jose Hockey Now Podcast!

It’s mailbag time!

What are San Jose Sharks fans curious about right now?

Here’s what San Jose Hockey Now subscribers asked.

Gary To asked if we think Tomas Hertl is staying or going this summer, and what GM Mike Grier would have to do to convince Hertl to stay (6:27).

James R. wondered what Kaapo Kahkonen’s next contract, if he re-signs with the San Jose Sharks, will be (14:35). Also, have Kahkonen and Mackenzie Blackwood’s success taken the heat off Evgeni Nabokov?

Jake went all the way back to 2019 to get our recollections about Peter DeBoer playing Micheal Haley over Joonas Donskoi (22:50), and what we were thinking during Sharks-Golden Knights’ Game Seven.

Matthias893 wonders what Hertl could get in a trade with half-retention (35:30)?

Jenna B asked if there are any European/NCAA/CHL free agents that the San Jose Sharks could be interested in (38:25)? Also, props to Jenna for inspiring my Sharks dogs stories from Christmas.

Stephanie wondered if the media could influence management/player decisions and performance (45:50)?

Fin Coe thinks maybe William Eklund could have a Joe Pavelski path in his career (56:15)?

Dylan Smallwood inquired about the asset management when it came to trading for Calen Addison with Leon Gawanke waiting in the wings (59:00). Also, he doesn’t think a Hertl trade should require retention.

Chris Braun wonders if a Hertl trade is worth it, if you can find a team to take on the whole salary (1:16:35). He also wondered which defensemen will remain on the roster after the break?

Jigglz checked in on the type of players that Grier could be looking for this off-season via trade or free agency (1:23:15). 

Alex Genadinik wonders what it would take for the Sharks to get a first or second-round pick this Trade Deadline (1:28:50)?

Stefan Schwartz dug into the San Jose Sharks locker room dynamic this season (1:36:35).

Zeke thinks that Kevin Labanc, for his own good, should be assigned to the San Jose Barracuda (1:41:40).

What's the problem with the last-place San Jose Barracuda?

We have a special guest, Patrick Williams from AHL.com and NHL.com, who knows all things AHL, to shed some light on why the San Jose Barracuda are struggling this season. (43:30)

Williams has a good handle on realistic expectations for the last-place Cuda.

But before we get to that interview, we have a few San Jose Sharks topics to cover.

First, William Eklund has been playing...center!. (03:30) We talk all about his play and what his change to center might mean for the rebuild if this is a permanent or semi-permanent change.

The Sharks have another young prospect making waves in the NHL as Shakir Mukhamadullin was called up this week. (13:20) We dive into his play and speculate whether he stays up with the Sharks after the break or not.

Sheng and Keegan discuss the addition of Mukhamadullin to the AHL All-star game, and the injury to Danil Gushchin that's going to keep him out of the All-Star lineup. (23:50)

Finally, before we get to Patrick Williams, we discuss Tomas Hertl (27:18). News came out this week that a conversation might take place this offseason to discuss Hertl's future on a rebuilding San Jose Sharks club. Let the speculation commence on his future, and what the Sharks might get for Hertl in a trade.

Alright, it's time for the Patrick Williams interview! We ask loads of questions and get his opinion on how the Barracuda are performing relative to the other teams in the AHL. (43:30)

First we ask the big question: Is it okay to be disappointed in the Barracuda this season? (45:00)

Just how many high-end players (for this league) does the San Jose Sharks’ AHL affiliate have right now? (47:30)

We ask about John McCarthy and whether he deserves to be fired. (53:25)

McCarthy is one of the AHL's youngest coaches. Did he miss out on having an experienced mentor by his side to start his head coaching career? (56:50)

Just how much was expected from this Barracuda roster, and how much of the failure can really be put on McCarthy? (1:05:20)

What does Patrick think of Danil Gushchin? (1:09:30)

Despite some defensive additions to the Barracuda this season, they still sit last in goals allowed in the AHL. What's going wrong defensively for them? (1:12:45)

We dive into the curious decision to roll with three young netminders, one with injury concerns, to start the year for the Barracuda. (1:18:27)

The defense has been a mess, but the offense is actually decent for the Barracuda. What's gone right so far there this year? (1:23:45)

What does Patrick think about the compete level for the Barracuda overall? (1:26:35)

Who is Patrick's favorite Barracuda player to watch? (1:28:44)

Who does Patrick think has the potential to reach the NHL from the AHL roster? (1:29:45)

To end the interview, how much of the team's losing can be put on Cuda GM Joe Will? (1:31:30)

After the interview, Sheng and Keegan react to Patrick's interview and discuss some of the rumblings in the hockey world, related to how the Barracuda are perceived. (1:35:40) This includes lots of insights from scouts and executives on how the Barracuda and the San Jose Sharks are seen, and some of the limitations involved with running these teams.

Thanks all for watching, listening and subscribing!

What’s a realistic path for the San Jose Sharks to be competitive by 2025-26 or 2026-27 (54:40)?

We’re asking this question because that seems to be GM Mike Grier’s hope.

“In two or three years, hopefully we can be a team that is pushing for the playoffs, if not hopefully grabbing a spot,” he said in his media availability on Thursday.

https://sanjosehockeynow.com/san-jose-sharks-mike-grier-all-star-availability/

Before we get to that discussion, Keegan and Sheng talk about the San Jose Sharks’ recent play, including signs of life from William Eklund. (03:00)

What did Sheng think of Shakir Mukhamadullin’s mixed bag NHL debut? (12:08)

Sheng has a lot of thoughts about the new Cali Fin jersey, including the controversial usage of the Fin logo as the primary crest. (21:25)

We also touched on assorted Sharks' injuries and other thoughts about Grier’s availability. (37:05)

So what has to happen for the San Jose Sharks to be in the playoff discussion in a couple years? (54:40)

Before we get into that, why might 2025-26 be the target season to be competitive? (55:25)

We break down what has to go right for each position to be competitive in two to three years. (1:02:50)

Who might the goalie of the 2025-26 Sharks be? Why is Sheng not too worried about this position? (1:03:05)

The Sharks don’t have a future No. 1 defenseman yet. Why might quality depth be the workaround? Could Mario Ferraro, Shakir Mukhamadullin, and Henry Thrun be the start of a credible top-four? And where does the Noah Hanifin trade rumor fit in? (1:07:05)

If the Sharks need to look toward the 2024 Draft to find their No. 1 defenseman of the future, who does Keegan like best in a deep pool of defensive prospects? (1:11:25)

Also, why doesn’t it make sense to buy out Marc-Edouard Vlasic, even in the summer of 2025? (1:17:00)

The San Jose Sharks are also lacking a 1C of the future. Obviously, if the Jonathan Toews comp is accurate, Macklin Celebrini could be the answer here. (1:21:52)

How about Tomas Hertl as your 2C and Logan Couture as your 3C? And where could Will Smith, William Eklund, and Fabian Zetterlund fit in up the middle or along the wing? (1:22:40)

What does this forward group lack and how could the 2025 free agency class possibly provide an answer? (1:29:30)

Corey Masisak joins the San Jose Hockey Now Podcast!

But before we get to Corey and talk about his incredible Hasso Plattner story (44:56), only on San Jose Hockey Now, we talk about the latest San Jose Sharks news!

Keegan and Sheng chatted about the Sharks’ week, including a feel-good victory over the Anaheim Ducks (2:10). Keegan is predicting no more double-digit losing streaks (12:55) for the rest of the season.

Sheng talks about Logan Couture coming back, and how close he was to breaking the news of Couture’s specific injury (14:30).

The San Jose Sharks are retiring Joe Thornton’s jersey next year (26:10)! We also debate if Brent Burns deserves the same treatment one day (27:40).

Finally, we share our thoughts about the Sharks’ new third jerseys (33:10). Keegan likes them, Sheng is not a fan! And we make fun of the Sharks’ Aloha shirt giveaways (39:25).

Now, Corey Masisak (44:56)!

Corey explains the genesis of his Hasso Plattner story (46:25). What did Corey learn about the San Jose Sharks owner when he was in Germany?

Hasso has a love for Russian wingers (53:10)? We also talk about Plattner’s attitude toward SAP Center (56:05) and how long the Sharks might be there.

Does Corey think this 2023-24 San Jose Sharks squad is the worst of the cap era (58:00)? What phrase does Corey remember most from his time in San Jose (1:00:00)?

How did incoming GM Mike Grier “convince” Plattner to maybe embrace more of a rebuild philosophy?

We revisit the Tomas Hertl extension (1:05:00).

What is Corey’s confidence level in Mike Grier and David Quinn right now (1:08:40)? What did he think of the Erik Karlsson trade (1:13:00)?

Chris Peters, NHL Draft and Prospects analyst and Senior Content Creator, @FloHockey, joins the San Jose Hockey Now podcast to recap the World Junior Championship and the play of the six Sharks prospects at the tournament. (1:14:31)

But before that, after a 12 game losing streak, we finally have a Sharks win to talk about! (01:32)

Throughout the win  against Montreal and a following three assist night against Ottawa, Ferraro has emerged as a leader, something Sheng has been saying for a few months now. (06:45)

Sheng and Keegan dive into the Chmelevski trade rumors that were shared by Kevin Weekes. What's a likely return for him? Can he be successful at the NHL level? (15:42)

We discuss Sharks' former first round pick Ozzy Wiesblatt and his meniscus surgery, and highlight some of his struggles in the AHL this year. (32:00)

Keegan is excited as Danil Gushchin is an AHL All-star! (37:20)

Finally before the Chris Peters interview, Sheng has some thoughts on the coaching job of David Quinn (41:30). What was expected of him this year, and is he the right coach for next year and beyond in this rebuild?

Now to the Chris Peters interview. (1:14:31)

We ask Chris about his thoughts on Team USA's gold medal. (1:16:20)

We get the deep dive on Will Smith, and how he turned his game around throughout the tournament. (1:17:20)

Should the Sharks sign Will Smith at the end of this year? (1:23:15)

How did Chris think Eric Pohlkamp performed, and what led to him being the odd man out in the medal rounds? (1:26:45)

Now onto Team Sweden and Jonathan Lekkerimäki's MVP. Sheng has some questions about how he won it over a few of the other candidates. (1:29:45)

Chris remarks on the less than impressive performance of Filip Bystedt. (1:32:00), and the so-so performance of Mattias Hävelid (1:34:30).

Chris answers Sheng's question of where would Filip Bystedt be ranked among the Swedish forwards from the 2022 draft? (1:36:30)

Moving onto Team Canada, Chris answers the question of Jake Furlong's pro potential after he surprised many and made Team Canada. (1:39:17) 

Finally, Team Finland's only Sharks representative, Kasper Halttunen. What needs to improve to transform Halttunen from a junior shooter to an NHL regular? (1:41:50)

Chris shares a few remarks on prospects that weren't at the WJC including Quentin Musty (1:47:30), Cam Lund (1:48:05), Magnus Chrona (1:48:30) and Daniil Gushchin (1:48:55).

Finally, we ask the question, is Macklin Celebrini the unanimous #1 overall for the 2024 Draft? (1:50:00)

Thanks for watching, listening and subscribing to the San Jose Hockey Now Podcast on YouTube!

Welcome to the San Jose Hockey Now Podcast Mid-season Award Show! We hand out all sorts of awards, as well as predict a breakout candidate and predict some trades for the back-half of the season. 

But first, there's more! 

Sharks are...bad. (02:30). Sheng and Keegan briefly recap this week's losses and how they keep finding new ways to lose (03:15). We talk about the status of the Tankathon for this season, and a little about Macklin Celebrini and the upcoming 2024 draft (10:30). 

We discuss the ending of the WJC and the play/grades of Will Smith, Eric Pohlkamp, Filip Bystedt, Mattias Havelid, Jake Furlong and Kasper Halttunen (12:58). We plan on having a longer episode recapping the WJC in the coming weeks, with some expert opinions as well. 

Sheng and Keegan dive into the Kaapo Kahkonen trade rumor from Elliotte Friedman (24:00). 

Jack Studnicka was sent down to the AHL this week (33:40), and why a CBA detail forced the Sharks' hand on this move. 

We have some IR updates on Logan Couture and a season-ending move for Matt Benning (42:30).

Tomas Hertl is an NHL All-Star for the second time (47:30), and why we think the selection was obvious this year for the Sharks. 

Finally, it's our mid-season awards. Find out who won the following from both Sheng and Keegan: 

Mid-season MVP (48:10)

Best Forward (52:10)

Best Defenseman (54:20)

Most Improved Player (1:00:50)

Unsung Hero (1:09:00)

Most Disappointing Player (1:15:40)

Sleeper Prospect (1:25:55)

Most Surprising Prospect (1:33:30)

Lastly, we have a few predictions for the last half of the season. Who are the second-half breakout candidates for the Sharks? (1:38:50). 

Finally, Sheng predicts a Kaapo Kahkonen deadline trade, including some historical comparisons (1:47:20) and Keegan predicts an oddly specific Alexander Barabanov trade (1:51:45). 

Thank you all for watching, listening and subscribing on YouTube! 

2024 World Juniors round-robin play is over! How are the San Jose Sharks prospects at the WJCs doing?

Also, the Sharks have six prospects at World Juniors, third in the NHL. Is that the most in franchise history?

But before we get to that, Sheng talks about his (unimpressed) impressions of Sharks games this week (2:40). Is 10 Goals Against Watch back (7:00)?

What's the next major coaching challenge for David Quinn this season? And how is that related to San Jose Sharks forwards who are offense-first (9:30), that they want to play defense-first?

Logan Couture is getting close (20:00).

Also, we talk about keeping an open mind about Mario Ferraro on the power play (23:45).

UPDATE: We talked Ferraro BEFORE his injury against the Avs tonight.

Then, Keegan gives his grades on how San Jose Sharks prospects have fared so far in WJC round-robin play: What does he think of Will Smith (37:00), Eric Pohlkamp (42:30), Kasper Halttunen (43:07), Filip Bystedt and Mattias Havelid (48:36), and Jake Furlong (51:30)?

Finally, we take a historical look at the San Jose Sharks at the World Junior Championships (54:30).

The Sharks have six prospects at the 2024 WJCs, but that's not their most-ever. What positives can we gather from San Jose's stacked 1995 and 1996 WJC classes? What are the cautionary tales from the 2015 WJC class? 

There was also a three-year stretch where the San Jose Sharks had zero World Junior prospects.

Also, history suggests that Sharks fans should take notice of late-rounders Furlong and Pohlkamp being selected by deep national teams for the World Juniors.

Happy New Year!

Daily Faceoff’s Steven Ellis joins us to discuss the six San Jose Sharks prospects at the World Junior Championships and why he’s so high on Will Smith.

But first, Keegan and Sheng talk about some of the San Jose Sharks that had a good week, like Filip Zadina (2:40).

What’s going on with Logan Couture and Nico Sturm’s injuries (15:40)? 

We discuss what Sharks director of amateur scouting Chris Morehouse said about the prospects at the WJCs and more, along with Keegan’s impressions of Smith and company at the WJC tune-up games (20:25). 

Finally, what presents do we want the Sharks to get this Christmas (32:10)? 

And just for fun, what would Keegan trade for Alexis Lafreniere (42:15)? 

Now, Steven Ellis (45:20)! 

Ellis talks Team USA’s Will Smith and Eric Pohlkamp (46:40). What’s Smith’s NHL ceiling and why is Ellis so high on him? Does Pohlkamp have NHL potential?

Why was Quentin Musty a Team USA snub (55:30)?

Ellis predicts that Smith can jump to the NHL next year.

Why did Jake Furlong make Team Canada (1:00:40)? Ellis admits that Furlong wasn’t on his initial projected roster.

What does Ellis think of Filip Bystedt and Mattias Havelid from Team Sweden (1:04:55)? He has no concern about Bystedt’s up-and-down sophomore SHL campaign. What are their NHL ceilings?

Ellis loves to watch (and chat with) Team Finland’s Kasper Halttunen: “He’s full of violence” (1:09:50).

Ellis discusses other San Jose Sharks prospects that he’s high on (1:13:35) and where he ranks their system (1:15:20). Ellis has the system in his top-10!

Finally, Macklin Celebrini = Jonathan Toews? And what does Ellis think of the defensive depth in the 2024 Draft?

Should the San Jose Sharks trade Mario Ferraro? And if they do, what’s a reasonable return?

That’s what we’re discussing in this episode of the San Jose Hockey Now Podcast.

But before we get to that, Keegan and Sheng talk about this week in San Jose Sharks hockey and strong performers like William Eklund, Tomas Hertl, and Mikael Granlund. (2:08)

Then we talk about Logan Couture’s honesty about his dark mental state while dealing with his injury, and the work that Sheng is doing to try to get to the bottom of what the injury is. (9:35)

Keegan and Sheng debate the Jack Studnicka trade (14:05) and healthy scratching Anthony Duclair. (33:00)

Finally, we talk about the San Jose Sharks prospects who are going to the World Junior Championships. (37:05)

What did Chris Peters say about Quentin Musty's exclusion from Team USA? (43:45)

So to trade Ferraro or not to trade Ferraro?

Sheng talks about how much he loves Ferraro, and what it would take, in his mind, to trade him. (45:40)

Sheng shares what scouts are telling him about Ferraro’s ceiling and trade value. What does Jason Demers think? (51:00)

Ferraro is not like most of the high-profile defensemen like Filip Hronek or Jakob Chychrun who have been dealt for premium assets recently. (57:00)

There is, however, a recent comp for a Ferraro trade that yielded a team a first-round pick in return. (1:03:45)

Keegan offered some defensemen trades, featuring stay-at-home blueliners, from the past decade, and asked if any of those trade archetypes were appealing. (1:07:30)

Welcome to the San Jose Hockey Now Podcast!

We have a special guest, Luke Kunin who joins to talk the Sharks locker room and his foundation for Type 1 Diabetes (1:17:00).

But first, an introduction of the topics for the day (1:30), including Sharks are...good? (2:10)

We run through a few of the players who have stepped their game up the past few weeks, including Hertl (7:35), Granlund (16:45), Zetterlund (27:00) and William Eklund (29:45).

What if the Sharks don't finish as the worst team in the league? What's the benefit of playing this well for a rebuilding team? (36:00)

We touch on some of the rumors regarding Mario Ferraro, but plan to have a longer episode on this later in the year. (42:10)

Finally, we talk all about the preliminary World Junior Championship rosters for Team USA, Team Sweden, and Team Canada (54:00).

Sharks prospects Will Smith and Eric Pohlkamp made Team USA, Jake Furlong made Team Canada, and Filip Bystedt and Mattias Hävelid made Team Sweden.

Why the Quentin Musty snub for Team USA may make sense, even if Keegan is mad about it (56:00).

Lastly, Sheng's interview with Luke Kunin! (1:17:00)
 
First some birthday wishes for Luke. (1:17:05)

Sheng and Luke talk about his friendship with Matt Benning, how they do everything together including Halloween costumes and fantasy football. (1:17:35)

Speaking of fantasy football, we learn Luke/Matt's team name, talk playoffs and who's in the league (Hint: many former/current Sharks!) (1:18:45)

What is Luke's responsibility for SkeeYee, the former win song in the locker room? (1:20:50)

Sheng chats with Luke about his musical taste. (1:23:05)

For some Sharks talk, Luke has been heating up a bit more recently, scoring more, before an injury, what went into that? (1:23:35)

How does Luke handle criticism from fans and the media? (1:24:10)

Congrats to Sophia, Luke's wife, who just signed with the PWHL Minnesota! (1:25:20)

Are they the first NHL/PWHL couple? (1:25:44)

Lastly, Sheng talks with Luke about the Luke Kunin T1D fund and a former NHLer who helped him through his diagnosis as a kid. (1:26:45)

We also talk about his Luke Kunin LKT1D clothing collection, 50 percent of the proceeds going to his foundation.

Thanks for watching!

Should the San Jose Sharks trade or keep Mackenzie Blackwood? 

Keegan and Sheng debate.

Sheng thanks everybody for all their well wishes on the passing of his father-in-law. (2:00)

Keegan and Sheng then chat about what’s up with the San Jose Sharks.

The Sharks are playing better! Is this the team that Mike Grier envisioned? (4:30)

They waived Nikolai Knyzhov. Why? (14:35)

Logan Couture is still hurt. Sheng misses watching Couture play. (26:08)

Now, Blackwood trade speculation!

Why should the San Jose Sharks keep Blackwood? (29:45)

Is getting a first-rounder for Blackwood plausible? (36:20)

Why would Sheng consider a second-rounder for Blackwood? (44:15)

What if Blackwood’s play drops? (58:50)

Is Blackwood’s goaltending the best that the San Jose Sharks have seen in five years? 

Keegan and Sheng come to an agreement about trading Blackwood! (1:01:00)

Adin Hill revisionist history! (1:07:00)

Keegan has an interesting Blackwood comp. (1:11:00)

Next, Keegan answers some questions from his live view of the San Jose Sharks-Boston Bruins game. (1:14:40)

Just Dan (on Twitter) asked about impressions of Calen Addison? (1:16:00)

Lakshya Jain asked about how William Eklund’s game has changed over the last month? How’s his play along the boards? (1:23:25)

S Pon asked does Justin Bailey do enough to stay up with the San Jose Sharks? (1:31:09)

MattyD and Chris Lindsey asked about Fabian Zetterlund. (1:39:40)

The theme of this week’s episode of the San Jose Hockey Now Podcast is not writing off players too quickly.

First, a brief apology for Keegan's bad audio this week. He's dumb, but at least he apologizes. (0:13)

But before we get to that, Keegan and Sheng get to some of the big news surrounding the San Jose Sharks. (3:35)

We send our best wishes to Nico Sturm, who is taking a leave of absence because of a family matter. (4:30) 

We give Ryan Carpenter tons of credit for stabilizing San Jose up the middle. (5:15)

Who will the Sharks replace Sturm with at center during the upcoming road trip? We speculate about Luke Kunin or Thomas Bordeleau. (7:15)

Next, we talk about why William Eklund got benched for half a period. We touch on David Quinn’s track record with younger players, good and bad, focusing on Pavel Buchnevich. (18:40)

What does Danil Gushchin have to do to stay up with the San Jose Sharks? In Sheng’s mind, it’s not just about production. We have plenty of back-and-forth regarding the merits of Gushchin in the AHL vs. the NHL. (40:00)

What discuss Mike Hoffman’s mini-resurgence and how he's gotten back to his goal-scoring ways. (58:45)

Finally, maybe the best examples on the San Jose Sharks right now of not writing players off too quickly, we chat about what we can learn about their surprising leading goalscorers Kunin and Fabian Zetterlund. (1:05:00)

Thanks for watching, be sure to subscribe on YouTube to catch every episode!

Craig Morgan from PHNX Sports joins the San Jose Hockey Now Podcast (39:10)! He joins us to take a trip down memory lane, reflecting on the 2017-2018 and the 2021-2022 Arizona Coyotes, who both started 0-10-1, just like the Sharks. The echoes between these teams and the current Sharks makes for a great conversation about the parallels between bad teams. 

But before we get to Craig, Sheng and Keegan discuss the news of a fairly good week for the Sharks. 

Why is Keegan happy and wearing a Sharks jersey this week? (1:28)

Sheng and Keegan discuss the back-to-back wins for the Sharks to break the slump (2:28)

Why does the Eklund-Hertl-Zetterlund line work so well? (5:00) Plus some notes on the play of Granlund and Hoffman (6:50), as well as Zadina (8:50).

Sheng reveals some of the ins-and-outs of the General Manager Mike Grier tongue-lashing that the Sharks received before their wins this week (9:55).

Keegan discusses why this team meeting with Mike Grier is a good sign for a young general manager and was exactly what the team needed to avoid more embarrassment (17:40).

Sheng and Keegan discuss the Calen Addison trade and why it's a good fit for the Sharks (24:25)

Sheng talks about the misstep of drafting Merkley and how Addison is filling the role he could have filled on the Sharks today (27:50)

Keegan highlights why Addison can stick in the league with 'forgivable' defense vs. Merkley who could not (29:55).

Finally, Sheng and Keegan discuss the Sharks entry drafts from 2015-2020, including Adam Raska who was traded in the Addison trade (33:00).

Alright, time for Craig Morgan (39:10)!

First we talk about the 2017-18 Coyotes, who, like the Sharks, also started 0-10-1 and were looking to avoid that record-breaking 12th loss (41:18).

What did people think of that Coyotes team to start season? (42:25)

What does Craig think the low points of that losing streak was? (43:45)

How did Rick Tocchet and the Coyotes manage their way out and end the season 29-31-11? (46:46) Also, how did they buy-in to his system? (50:10)

Who were the leaders of the locker room at that time? (51:50)

What was current Shark Anthony Duclair's role on that 2017-2018 Coyotes team? (54:50)

How did Clayton Keller handle all the losing in that season as a young player and how did that shape his future career? (57:20)

Moving on to the 2021-2022 Arizona Coyotes, what does Craig remember about that season? (1:02:50)

How did Coyotes head coach Andre Tourigny coach that team to a respectable-ish record by season's end? (1:05:30)

How good goaltending can really save a sinking ship, and how that relates to the Sharks and Blackwood. (1:07:30)

The Coyotes lost the draft lottery in 2022 but found themselves the real gem of the draft in Logan Cooley (1:10:10), and why Sharks fans shouldn't pin all their hopes on just one player.

The Coyotes also took on some project players, Shayne Gostisbehere among them, how did he fare that season? (1:12:52)

Craig wonders just what the expectations were for Sharks head coach David Quinn this season. (1:15:40)

Back to the Coyotes, what was the defense like during the 2021-2022 with recent draft pick JJ Moser joining? (1:18:40)

How important was finding a goaltender, Karel Vejmelka, during this rough time for the Coyotes? (1:22:07)

Keegan and Craig talk about how Vejmelka built up his image on the backs of excellent high-danger save percentage. (1:25:20)

Craig goes into detail about Matias Maccelli and how he should have won the Calder over Stuart Skinner last year (1:27:00)
 
Sheng asks Craig about Coyotes scout Teal Fowler, and tries to get the Sharks to hire him based on his Sharks-esque name. (1:29:40)

Craig talks about the final positives and negatives related to the 2021-2022 Coyotes, including getting out of Glendale. (1:32:28)

Craig clears up just where the Coyotes are at in terms of a new arena deal. (1:35:40)

Finally the three talk about why the Coyotes are more competitive and dug themselves out of a deep hole just two years ago (1:38:55)

Thanks for watching! Be sure to subscribe on Youtube.

“Job security” is the buzz phrase in this subscriber’s mailbag edition of the San Jose Hockey Now Podcast.

From Sheng Peng to John McCarthy to David Quinn to Mike Grier to Jonathan Becher to Hasso Plattner to the literal concept of the Sharks in San Jose, everybody’s job security is questioned.

Alaskan_ice started us off nice though, wondering if Sheng or Keegan have ever "geeked out" during an interview? (6:20)

Gary To asked if Tomas Hertl is slowing down. (13:00)

Embrace_the_rebuild asked where Sheng and Keegan would bet the San Jose Sharks would finish, over/under 34.5 Points? (17:30) Also, do the Sharks have any attractive Trade Deadline pieces? 

Lizbeth DeSelm checked in on the severity of Logan Couture's injury (26:50) and just how good is Macklin Celebrini? 

Chris Boucher-Lam wondered if the end is nigh for Marc-Edouard Vlasic and if the San Jose Sharks should buy him out this summer. (34:15)

Bring Back Celebrini! asked who’s worth bringing back from this current Sharks squad and what type of UFAs should they target this summer. (38:50)

Just Steve inquired as to what the Sharks’ scouting presence in Russia is. (49:10)

Alex Genadinik wondered about Mike Grier’s job security (51:00). Also, if the Pittsburgh Penguins’ top-10 2024 first-round pick doesn’t convey, does that mean the Pens’ 2025 first-rounder is unprotected?

matthias893 asked if there are any young, affordable NHL-caliber offensive defensemen available for the Sharks? (59:00)

Anthony Morris inquired about Jonathan Becher’s job security. (1:01:45)

Zeke followed up about Quinn and McCarthy’s job security? (1:07:20)

Supreme_dream wondered how the Sharks D prospects were coming along?  (1:18:40)

Teddy asked if any Barracuda prospects look ready for the NHL? (1:34:00)

Jon Swenson wondered who we thought was the best goaltender not in the NHL?

Fin Coe asked about the difference between dealing with Bob Boughner and Quinn? (1:42:10)

Amy asked if Grier and Quinn are in danger of losing their jobs right now. (1:45:30)

Jodv wondered when Sheng would get on Threads. (1:46:30)

Jamnjon asked how high would you pick a defenseman in the 2024 Draft? (1:51:00)

SummoningSalt had this gem of a question: “In 1984, Wayne Gretzky injured his shoulder. In his time gone from the team, the Oilers went into a tailspin, losing 5 straight while being outscored 33-9. This included brutal beatings of 9-2 and 11-0.

“Is it possible that Logan Couture is Wayne Gretzky and the Sharks are the 1983-1984 Edmonton Oilers?” (1:55:00)

Brownagedon requested a detailed analysis of William Eklund’s season. (1:56:20)

Kristian wondered if a perfect storm is brewing to blow the Sharks out of San Jose, indirectly questioning Sheng’s job security. (2:08:00)

Christopher MacDonald asked if the 2023-24 San Jose Sharks will get any better, or if this is it. (2:13:45)

SJShorky wondered if Hasso Plattner would sell the team. (2:18:00)

Keegan and Sheng look for the bright spots on the 0-8-1 San Jose Sharks.

But before that, they talk about Joe Thornton officially retiring from the NHL (1:52). Sheng takes a guess when the San Jose Sharks will retire Jumbo’s jersey. David Quinn also said something interesting in regards to Thornton joining the Sharks front office (4:15).

Next, we talk about everything wrong with the 0-8-1 Sharks (6:55).

Sheng talks about why it’s the right call for the San Jose Sharks to send Thomas Bordeleau (8:55) down to the AHL.

Keegan shares his thoughts about why Jacob Peterson (16:00) got sent down. 

He also thinks, however, that the Barracuda style of play may not be great for Bordeleau (16:50).

Sheng and Keegan dive into the Luke Kunin debate (21:30). 

Next, they talk about the unpolished Filip Zadina (24:30).

What’s up with Mike Hoffman, Anthony Duclair, and Alexander Barabanov (26:00)?

How about the San Jose Sharks defense so far (27:25)? The goaltending (32:20)?

Keegan and Sheng then go back up front to talk about Mikael Granlund (33:20) and Fabian Zetterlund (37:15).

Is this the worst San Jose Sharks team ever (40:40)?

Keegan talks about what he’s focusing on with this Sharks squad (47:00).

Finally, Keegan shares his thoughts about Will Smith so far (52:15).

Scott Hannan joins the San Jose Hockey Now Podcast – and it’s a family reunion!

Really!

But before we find out, between Keegan and Sheng, who’s related to Hannan (1:17:24), let’s talk about some of the big San Jose Sharks news.

What’s going on with Kevin Labanc (1:25)? What was up with the Frank Seravalli report that he was going to be waived?

Radim Simek was actually waived (20:25).

Mikael Granlund and Logan Couture are still on the mend (25:35).

And why Tomas Hertl and David Quinn were right to be upset that the San Jose Sharks allowed Filip Forsberg to escape punishment after Forsberg body slammed Mackenzie Blackwood (30:15).

Keegan and Sheng also review how the San Jose Sharks forwards (44:43), defensemen (1:01:13), and goalies (1:15:20) have looked through their 0-4-1 start.

And now, Scott Hannan (1:17:24)!

So who on the show is related to Hannan (1:18:00)?

Why did Hannan think the Sharks weren’t interested in him in the 1997 Draft (1:19:25)? He gives details about how Tim Burke grilled him in his pre-Draft interview. Who did he think would pick him?

Hannan shares who bought a katana sword (and brought it home on the plane) when the San Jose Sharks started the season in Japan in 1998 (1:24:30).

Hannan talks about his breakout 2003-04 campaign, when he shut down Peter Forsberg in the playoffs and hung up on Wayne Gretzky when the Great One tried to call him to tell him about his selection to Team Canada’s 2004 World Cup-winning squad (1:32:40).

Alexander Ovechkin called Hannan the league’s "toughest defenseman to play against" – also, who was tough for Hannan to handle (1:37:40)?

How did the rule changes in 2005-06 affect Hannan’s career (1:40:45)?

How good was Marc-Edouard Vlasic as a teenage rookie in 2006-07 (1:44:20)?

Jason Demers had a great Hannan story (1:45:35).

Which was the best Sharks team that Hannan was a part of, the one that he thought should have won the Cup (1:50:50)?

Hannan talks about his increased role on “Sharks Pregame Live” and “Sharks Postgame Live” (1:56:30).

He chats about Demers joining the broadcast (2:02:58).

Finally, we get into some interesting discussion about the current San Jose Sharks defense (2:05:30).

We talk about the polarizing Mario Ferraro. What analytics miss about defensive defenseman? What Hannan looks for from defensemen that isn’t tracked.