Internet Hotstove is a series where Last Word On Sports asks the opinions of respected bloggers from around the internet about their team’s chances in the 2013-14 NHL Playoffs. The goal is to get a broad view of opinion from around the league as an alternative to other playoff previews.
For several years now the San Jose Sharks have been considered a Cup contender, but have never been able to follow through on this label. However, instead of fading into obscurity like many others who have missed their chance at Stanley’s grail the Sharks continue to get better with each playoff appearance. This edition of the San Jose Sharks is more than ready to finally bring a Stanley Cup to San Jose. But they have a tough road ahead of them if they want to make it there.
Meet the Bloggers:
Ryan Leong- Sharks writer for HockeyBuzz.Com @RyanLeong
Nick Scibetta- Managing Editor of BattleOfCali.Com @BattleOfCali
1. Who is the Sharks playoffs x-Factor?
Leong: Raffi Torres
Scibetta: Joe Pavelski. When he plays on the top line with Joe Thornton he makes that line nearly impossible for other teams to stop, but he’s actually far more valuable centering the team’s third line, which he can instantly turn into a scoring threat.
2. The Sharks have been considered a Cup contender for several years now, but it has never panned out on the ice. What, if anything, makes this year different?
Leong: The emergence of Joe Pavelski. The second line center scored 40 goals this season making him as much a threat on offense as Patrick Marleau.
Scibetta: The big difference this year is the emergence of some young scoring talent with Tomas Hertl and Matt Nieto. With those two in the mix the Sharks have a bit more scoring depth than before, and that might be the difference maker.
3. Niemi has done it before with Chicago, but are you confident he is good enough to take the Sharks all the way?
Leong: I’m not entirely sold on Niemi. He struggled to end the regular season with losses in three of five games but won the regular season finale and of course both playoff games. The good news is that Alex Stalock had a tremendous year and is more than capable of playing if Niemi falters.
Scibetta: Goalies only need to be “good enough” to win the Stanley Cup these days, if the team in front of them is playing well. Niemi’s got the experience and he’s a better than average goalie. That’s all the team should need.
4. How important is the return of Tomas Hertl to the lineup and what can be expected of him in the playoffs?
Leong: Extremely important. This kid was likely a rookie of the year candidate until he was injured in a collision with Dustin Brown which he thought was intentional. As he struggles to learn English he was quoted as saying, “I not like LA very much.” His youth and vigor is just what they need to get them over the hump.
Scibetta: Hertl’s return is huge in terms of giving the team an injection of excitement and some more flexibility with forward line configurations. I expect he’ll probably chip in a point every other game of the playoffs on average.
5. How far do you see the San Jose Sharks going in the 2013-14 Stanley Cup Playoffs?
Leong: This team is capable of reaching the Cup Finals. They seem hungrier than years past and certainly their inability to advance in previous playoffs is part of that motivation.
Scibetta I wasn’t confident that the Sharks would be able to get past the Kings, but now that San Jose is up 3-0 it definitely looks possible. Whichever team the Sharks face in the second round will be an easier matchup than the Kings, so they SHOULD be able to advance to at least the conference finals. I want to say they’ll keep on rolling after that too, but time has taught me to be cautious about these predictions.
Interested in writing for LWOS? We are looking for enthusiastic, talented writers to join our (insert sport) writing team. Visit our “Write for Us” page for very easy details in how you can get started today!
Main Photo:
