Alex Stalock: for real or not?

[yave1964]

I seem to be in the minority with Alex STalock, but i just don't see it. A career as a solid backup? sure. Anything else? no.

He lost a year during his developmental phase to injuries and upon coming back didn't do much, in 2011-12 he was loaned to the Blues organization and played for the Peoria Rivermen in the AHL because the Sharks were more interested in getting a long look at the immortal Tyson Sexsmith and Harri Sateri. Really.

He is older than Carey Price. He is older than Jonathan Bernier and the same age as Tuuka Rask. He is within a year of Cory Schneider and Jonathan Quick. Not saying he might not develop into an NHL regular at the age of 27 but very few players do, and frankly Niemi, while not great last year was not that bad.

IMHO the season that Stalock had, 12-5-2 with a 1.87 .GAA and a Save Pct. of .932 was so far over his head as to be an aberration, nothing in his history suggests anything like that. The season before at Worchester where he split time with Sateri Stalock went 17-20 with a 2.60 goals against.

He might make it, i don't think he will, i see him bouncing around for the next half a dozen years, maybe getting a shot as a starter with a team in desperate need of a goalie. I don't see San Jose as desperate, 20-25 starts and good numbers is certainly not out of the question, if he does more than that I think it will be an epic fail. Niemi is miles away the better tender.

[jammer2]

@yave1964 

He might make it, i don't think he will, i see him bouncing around for the next half a dozen years, maybe getting a shot as a starter with a team in desperate need of a goalie. I don't see San Jose as desperate, 20-25 starts and good numbers is certainly not out of the question, if he does more than that I think it will be an epic fail. Niemi is miles away the better tender.

 

 I would have agreed with you as late as last spring, but the playoffs changed everything....forever. The team will never trust him again, and there is a good chance that we have seen the last of Nemi as a starter in San Jose. I believe it's Stalock's job to lose at this point.

[J0e Th0rnton]

@yave1964 

 

 

 I would have agreed with you as late as last spring, but the playoffs changed everything....forever. The team will never trust him again, and there is a good chance that we have seen the last of Nemi as a starter in San Jose. I believe it's Stalock's job to lose at this point.

Absolutely.

 

Niemi: 0 shutouts in 40 playoff games in San Jose

 

People can call Thornton a choker all they want. Niemi is the real weakest link these past few years. Never NEVER has he stolen a game for us when it counts. Not once. And I watched every game

[Commander Clueless]

Despite his great overall numbers, I agree with @J0e Th0rnton: The Niemi phase in San Jose history is all but over thanks to his inability to play at a high level when it counts.

 

However, I also agree with @yave1964 to a certain extent in that, while Stalock may be their best option right now thanks to lack of confidence in Niemi, I'm not convinced he can be "the guy" for them either. It's still early, but I'm not sure he can deal with the expectations being heaped on him. Don't get me wrong, Stalock has skills. I don't think they are starter level skills, though. We'll have to wait and see I guess.

 

I wouldn't be surprised to see some sort of goalie exchange happen in San Jose in the near future, if the trade market allows it.

[pilldoc]

Just proves how good a defense was in front of him when he won the cup with Chicago and how bad our goaltending was in the series.  Still wondering how the hell Carter missed on an open net!

 

However, personally...play Nemi now! I  have him in my FHL!

[jammer2]

@yave1964  Even though he's 25...the Sharks top goalie prospect is Troy Grosenick. He was the back up to Hari Sarteri in Worchester last year. Apparently, Troy has moved past Hari on the Sharks goalie depth chart. I suspect we will see the Sharks draft at least one goalie in the 2015 draft.

[J0e Th0rnton]

@yave1964  Even though he's 25...the Sharks top goalie prospect is Troy Grosenick. He was the back up to Hari Sarteri in Worchester last year. Apparently, Troy has moved past Hari on the Sharks goalie depth chart. I suspect we will see the Sharks draft at least one goalie in the 2015 draft.

Grosenick is playing on an awful Worchester squad, but yeah, our goalie pool is thin

[jammer2]

@J0e Th0rnton  Bad news for Stalock owners, Nemi turns in a shut out in his very first game of the year. Plus, since Nemi opened the season in the nets, he obviously won the training camp battle for Sharks. I'm sure it will go back and forth, with Stalock eventually winning the job in the long run, but Nemi made a big statement today.

[pilldoc]

@J0e Th0rnton  Bad news for Stalock owners, Nemi turns in a shut out in his very first game of the year. Plus, since Nemi opened the season in the nets, he obviously won the training camp battle for Sharks. I'm sure it will go back and forth, with Stalock eventually winning the job in the long run, but Nemi made a big statement today.

 

And I am breathing a big sigh of relief.  I have Nemi as one of goalies.  I was really worried about Stalock getting the starting nod.  Nothing is guaranteed.  Nemi could stink up the joint the next game and we will have this debate all over again.  But for now, getting a shutout vs the defending Cup champs, who beat you last year in the playoffs, on opening night..... well that will be huge for Nemi's confidence.  Never thought an opening night game could be a statement game...well Nemi did just that ----> Big Statement.  

 

this is a gonna be a fun year!

[J0e Th0rnton]

Niemi let in several momentum killing softies last night.

[Vanflyer]

Still wondering how the hell Carter missed on an open net!

 

I was in a bar in Thailand watching that game and I swear to god the wait staff thought they were going to have to call the police or an ambulance after that.

[J0e Th0rnton]

Stalock was apparently impressive in the loss tonight. I did not get to see the game, but it was praise all around from Shark fans and hate for the rest of team which was doing nothing.

[J0e Th0rnton]

@yave1964

 

 

Stalock has his brain farts, but Niemi vs Florida has been eye openingly bad

[yave1964]

@yave1964

 

 

Stalock has his brain farts, but Niemi vs Florida has been eye openingly bad

I saw you and TFG talking about it so i flipped over and waited, i knew they would have to show it. UGH! What the hell was that. It looks like he does not even want to be in there tonight. Just awful.

[yave1964]

Off subject, have the whispers turned into a dull roar yet calling for McClellan's head? I think he is a good coach but if you cannot change the players due to non movement clauses it might be time for a new coach with something new to offer. I know you call for Doug Wilson's scalp a fair amount, but truthfully with the draft picks he has had, usually around 23rd or 24th I think he has done a great job of identifying talent with late picks. There is more to being a GM than just drafting but this is an area that is a plus for him, IMHO, yeah he swings and misses with a McCarthy sometimes but the talent he has drafted late has been a big point in his favor.

But too much loyalty to his coach and his star players, Wilson has to be on the list as well. Personally, i would not be surprised to see Todd Mac gone by Thanksgiving if it does not turn around, maybe Larry Robinson taking the reins for this tear? But McClellan wont be unemployed long. Good coach. Just time for a change.

[J0e Th0rnton]

I saw you and TFG talking about it so i flipped over and waited, i knew they would have to show it. UGH! What the hell was that. It looks like he does not even want to be in there tonight. Just awful.

Big sigh. He cheated because he is pretty horrendous at his side to side. Unfortunately he is supposed to be, you know, tracking the puck first and foremost.

 

The whole game is pretty cringeworthy

[J0e Th0rnton]

Off subject, have the whispers turned into a dull roar yet calling for McClellan's head? I think he is a good coach but if you cannot change the players due to non movement clauses it might be time for a new coach with something new to offer. I know you call for Doug Wilson's scalp a fair amount, but truthfully with the draft picks he has had, usually around 23rd or 24th I think he has done a great job of identifying talent with late picks. There is more to being a GM than just drafting but this is an area that is a plus for him, IMHO, yeah he swings and misses with a McCarthy sometimes but the talent he has drafted late has been a big point in his favor.

But too much loyalty to his coach and his star players, Wilson has to be on the list as well. Personally, i would not be surprised to see Todd Mac gone by Thanksgiving if it does not turn around, maybe Larry Robinson taking the reins for this tear? But McClellan wont be unemployed long. Good coach. Just time for a change.

Wilson is ugh. Yes our scouting department does a good job identifying late picks sure. But a GM should have a good eye on the first round picks.

2003  Michalek

2003  Bernier

2004  Kaspar

2005 Setoguchi

2006 Wishart

2007 Couture

2007 Patrecki

2010 Coyle

2012 Hertl

2013 Mueller

2014 Goldobin

 

Michalek looked good for awhile. Bernier meh. Kaspar BUST. Setoguchi same as Michalek. Wishart BUST. Couture Great. Patrecki BUST. Coyle looks good but we traded him with Seto for Burns(Which is okay to me). Hertl, Mueller and Goldobin the jury is still out.

 

That and he refuses to go out and get free agents of any value. Guys like Burish do not count.

 

Without getting free agents, you have to trade talent to fill holes. And then the talent comes back to haunt you(Kiprusoff)

 

But watching him trade GOOD 3rd liners away like Malhotra, Mcginn, and Winnik gets old when you see him resign guys like Brown and sign Burish.

 

Trading Josh Gorges and a 1st(Pacioretty) for Craig Rivet?

Trading Ville Niemenen and a 1st(David Perron) for Bill Guerin?

Trading Jamie Mcginn for Winnik and Galiardi? Might have made sense if he decided to keep either of them.

 

Trading Bonino for Huskins did not bother me at the time except that HUSKINS SUCKS. Even if Bonino never became good, it was subtraction to the team because HUSKINS SUCKS.

 

Huskins aside, when I look at some of the guys he plunked on the blueline who Made Doug Murray look like a Norris candidate..... Vandermeer, White(Ian and Colin), Semenov, Davison, a 35 year old always injured Ozolish, Wallin, Leach.....

Sometimes he rushed the kids, sometimes he just grabbed a plug.

 

Good Grief. And don't even get me started on his changes to the bottom 6.

 

Our defense was a big gaping hole this offseason and he neglected to fill it with Millions in cap space. Then signs Scott, Brown when we already had more than enough forwards, eating up 2 million of our 8 million in space. Why do we need 17 forwards?