San Jose Hockey Now Podcast

Sheng Peng, Keegan McNally

Welcome to the new San Jose Hockey Now Podcast! Sheng Peng and Keegan McNally will talk all things San Jose Sharks every week with guests from all over the world of hockey. read less
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Episodes

San Jose Hockey Now Podcast #46: Sharks' Draft Lottery Victory Mailbag!
6d ago
San Jose Hockey Now Podcast #46: Sharks' Draft Lottery Victory Mailbag!
Welcome to a post-Draft Lottery victory mailbag!Congratulations, San Jose Sharks fans! You deserved this win.Thanks for all your questions!Sharksmustbealways asked if the Sharks were waiting for the Draft Lottery result to help them lure a better head coach candidate? (3:10)Amorris209 wondered generally how Macklin Celebrini affects the process for the coaching search? (4:20)Jigglz brought up Tim Kawakami’s recent criticism of Sharks owner Hasso Plattner: Would the franchise be better if Plattner was seen or heard from more? (6:10)Jamnjon asked if the Sharks should target smaller prospects like Alexander Zetterberg or Justin Poirier in the mid to later rounds? (17:00)Rob S wondered how Sheng was selected to witness the actual Draft Lottery? Also, who’s the San Jose Sharks’ goalie of the future? And will the Sharks ever host a Sharks game at Tech CU Arena? (22:08)David Gotlieb loves pets! He asked about Mushu's favorites and if Keegan has pets. (37:09) Josh Frojelin wondered if Ethan Cardwell could make the San Jose Sharks out of camp next season? (41:35)Mike suggested perhaps trading the No. 14 pick for a more NHL-ready young defenseman? (45:42)James R wondered what it would take for the San Jose Sharks to land Mitch Marner this summer? (1:01:30)_sharkzilla_ asked when San Jose Hockey Now would get scout opinions on the Sharks’ post-Celebrini prospect pool? (1:10:10) Stephanie K wondered what the last straw for David Quinn was? She also wondered about how Sheng feels about going into the 2024 Draft, getting to cover the No. 1 pick. Finally, how does Celebrini stack up versus other recent top prospects? (1:14:47)Timorous me asked what was Sheng's reaction to the Sharks winning the Draft Lottery? (1:24:02)Nimrod wondered if Luca Cagnoni is better served playing his overage season in the WHL or going to the AHL? (1:33:05)Zeke discussed the possibility of trading the no. 33 pick for a 2025 first-round pick? (1:38:47)Alaskan_ice checked in on Sheng and Keegan’s relationship. (1:44:50)Michael K wondered if we go out of our way to deflate expectations of San Jose Sharks prospects? (1:51:24)Splash114 asked how the Sharks should go about adding a true No. 1 or 2 defensemen to the organization? (2:02:11)Chris Braun wondered if the Sharks should add a veteran center to help mentor Celebrini, especially if Couture is still injured? (2:07:51)KuperKris suggested some theoretical additions to the team: Could the Sharks push for the wild card? (2:12:40) Fin Coe checked in on the Sharks’ Russian scout situation and the Kevin Whitmer investigation. (2:17:43)Alex Genadinik wondered where William Eklund would go in a 2021 re-Draft? (2:19:05)Blue Science asked if the Sharks should go for a defenseman no matter what at No. 14? (2:27:43)Recycle Shark wondered how the Sharks should improve their defense next year and if Thomas Bordeleau or Danil Gushchin are destined to get traded? (2:32:52)Lakshya Jain asked if we think the Sharks will sign both Will Smith and Celebrini this off-season? (2:40:00)Matthias893 wanted our thoughts on how Cagnoni stacks up compared to Olen Zellweger? (2:43:30)Tony asked who Mike Grier should target at UFA forward this summer? (2:44:52) James wondered if Hasso would stomach another tank in 2024-25, this time for James Hagens? (2:46:10)David Rowley asked if the Sharks would target a more offensive defenseman in this year's draft? (2:49:35)Patrick wondered what the Sharks’ greatest positional needs are going into the Draft? (2:50:45)Matt Railo asked, after winning the Draft Lottery, if the San Jose Sharks should have the core of a playoff team soon? (2:53:08) ★ Support this podcast ★
San Jose Hockey Now Podcast #45: Our Too Early Sharks' Off-Season Plan
May 5 2024
San Jose Hockey Now Podcast #45: Our Too Early Sharks' Off-Season Plan
Here's our too-early San Jose Sharks' off-season plan!***Quick aside, Keegan's microphone is muffled a bit this episode. We're sorry, everyone! One day, we'll have pristine audio every single time. But not this day. This is kind of like those workplace accident signs where they knock off 100 days since the last accident and replace it with zero. Again. Sigh.***This week, Sheng and Keegan outline some potential off-season moves that could help make the 2024-2025 version of the Sharks be less embarrassing than this year's. (53:45)But before all that, we have a few quick-hitting topics this week (1:15). We start with Will Smith watch: Is he signing or not? (2:30)Sheng and Keegan preview the upcoming May 7th Draft Lottery odds and each run a simulation at Tankathon. Do the Sharks win? (6:10)We highlight what Sheng has heard about some potential candidates for Sharks head coach. (13:15)John McCarthy and the rest of the San Jose Barracuda coaching staff will be returning next season, despite some poor on-ice results. Why do Sheng and Keegan support their return? (29:30)The Sharks want goaltending coach Thomas Speer back, even after David Quinn was let go. (37:21)Finally, we revisit our pre-season bold predictions...how did Sheng and Keegan do? (42:20)Finally, our off-season plan! Which of their free agents should the Sharks keep or let go? Who should they target in the free agency market? Can they make a good trade? (53:45)How much cap and roster space could the San Jose Sharks have? (54:45)Which of the Sharks’ UFAs and RFAs will they keep? Who should they allow to walk? (57:45)What’s the order of positional need for San Jose this summer? (1:14:33)Let’s talk to free agents first -- Sheng has a couple intriguing longshot UFA targets. (1:22:14)Keegan offers a longshot UFA signing at defense. (1:35:55)Then, Keegan shares his favorite lower-end UFA targets. (1:39:00)Sheng has a former Sharks defenseman in mind. (1:41:30)Finally, Keegan offers some forward UFAs with some upside. (1:46:10)That’s free agency, how can the San Jose Sharks improve via trade? (1:58:24)Keegan proposes a Mikael Granlund trade. (1:58:44)Going back, Sheng discusses why the Mikey Eyssimont trade was such a mistake, and how the thinking behind the deal helped pave the way for a disastrous 2023-24. (2:03:30)What should Grier’s trade philosophy be this summer? (2:16:25)Sheng is prioritizing distressed assets – who are a couple defenseman that the Sharks could target via trade? (2:17:55)How about a trio of center candidates? (2:20:51)Are the San Jose Sharks a better team with a couple of these realistic additions? (2:32:05) ★ Support this podcast ★
San Jose Hockey Now Podcast #43: Greg Wyshynski on When Sharks Will Make Playoffs Again, Why Grier Should Be GM of the Year
Apr 17 2024
San Jose Hockey Now Podcast #43: Greg Wyshynski on When Sharks Will Make Playoffs Again, Why Grier Should Be GM of the Year
This week on the San Jose Hockey Now Podcast, we welcome ESPN senior NHL writer Greg Wyshynski! Greg recently made the case for Mike Grier for GM of the Year, and we had to dive into that, given some of the criticism we've heard recently about Grier (48:15). But before we get to Greg, we start our show with just how important it is that the San Jose Sharks have finished dead-last in the NHL, securing the best odds at the first-overall pick in the 2024 NHL Entry Draft (2:27).We cover some of the Will Smith ELC signing scenarios (7:40).Sheng and Keegan discuss some of the San Jose Sharks games this past week, including a shellacking by the Oilers, a win for Devin Cooley, and much more (14:18). We also go into why Danil Gushchin, Jack Thompson, and Georgi Romanov were able to get call-ups this late in the year.Luke Kunin has been maligned by the analytics folks all year, but Sheng wanted to share some of the league-wide sentiment regarding Kunin's analytics (23:45).The San Jose Sharks and Barracuda came out with their 2023-24 awards. Who did Sheng choose for the Sharks/Cuda, and who does Keegan think should have won? (34:30)Finally, Sheng shares some of his observations from watching Filip Bystedt live. (43:05)And now, Greg Wyshynski! (48:15)We recorded this in early April, by the way, before everything happened with the Arizona Coyotes and their move to Salt Lake City.Greg's praise for Mike Grier as GM of Year on the Mar. 27 episode of “The Jeff Marek Show” really turned some heads around the NHL (49:00). https://sanjosehockeynow.com/san-jose-sharks-grier-gm-year-links/So what happens if the San Jose Sharks don’t win No. 1? Would Greg still think of Grier as GM of the Year? (54:20)Keegan asks the question, what is Sharks’ deserve-o-meter for the No. 1 pick? (57:13)There's lots of Arizona Coyotes' talk here that is outdated...so listen if you want, but understand that the speculation did not end up correct.Sheng wonders about the national perception of the San Jose Sharks' rebuild and the Tomas Hertl trade. (1:06:10)Greg is a famous New Jersey Devils fan, so what does he think of the Timo Meier trade, and Mackenzie Blackwood and Vitek Vanecek in goal? (1:13:35)How can the San Jose Sharks avoid protracted rebuilds like the Buffalo Sabres and Ottawa Senators are dealing with now, and the Edmonton Oilers dealt with before 2015? (1:19:10)When does Greg think the Sharks will make the playoffs again? (1:24:15) ★ Support this podcast ★
San Jose Hockey Now Podcast #42: Cam Robinson Thinks Sharks Might Have a Better Prospect Than Will Smith
Apr 9 2024
San Jose Hockey Now Podcast #42: Cam Robinson Thinks Sharks Might Have a Better Prospect Than Will Smith
The Frozen Four starts on Thursday!Top San Jose Sharks prospect Will Smith will be part of it with Boston College.So we got Cam Robinson from Elite Prospects to talk about Smith. (53:06)Back during the World Juniors, Robinson tweeted:https://twitter.com/Hockey_Robinson/status/1742237537999945804Does Robinson still think that?Before Cam, we talk about the San Jose Sharks’ week that was, touching on William Eklund’s hat trick, Devin Cooley’s first win, Collin Graf’s NHL debut, and the Luke Kunin conundrum. We also touch on the Danil Gushchin to KHL rumor. (2:50)We chat a little about Filip Bystedt’s AHL debut. (26:05)Keegan shares his takes on what the scouts are saying about the San Jose Sharks’ top-10 prospects. (27:55)https://sanjosehockeynow.com/san-jose-sharks-graf-cagnoni-musty-mukhamadullin-scouts-prospects/And now, Cam! (53:06)Does Robinson still think that Ryan Leonard and Gabe Perreault are better than Smith? (54:00)We talk about Smith’s strengths and weaknesses. (57:48)Which San Jose Sharks prospect does Robinson think might be better than Smith? (1:01:45)What does Robinson think the Sharks see in Smith? (1:04:45)Who was your pick at #4 if you’re San Jose in 2023? Matvei Michkov and non-Michkov category? (1:09:32)Why is Cam so high on Quentin Musty? (1:10:57)Going into the 2024 Draft, if the San Jose Sharks don’t get Macklin Celebrini at No. 1, who should they target at No. 2 or 3? (1:13:55)Who does Cam like as his top defenseman in this Draft? (1:19:06)Using Ivan Demidov as the barometer, how would Robinson compare the 2024 and 2023 Drafts?Robinson also shares prospects who he likes in the potential Pittsburgh Penguins’ 2024 first-round area. (1:23:11)Does Cam like any other San Jose Sharks prospects a lot? What are his thoughts about Collin Graf? (1:25:50)Make sure to check out the Elite Prospects Draft Guide, their flagship product, coming out soon! ★ Support this podcast ★
San Jose Hockey Now Podcast #41: Debating Sharks' Rebuild With Pierre McGuire, Jimmy Murphy
Apr 4 2024
San Jose Hockey Now Podcast #41: Debating Sharks' Rebuild With Pierre McGuire, Jimmy Murphy
Welcome to the San Jose Hockey Now Podcast!Joining us this week are long-time broadcaster and hockey executive Pierre McGuire and Bruins insider Jimmy Murphy, hosts of The Eye Test Podcast! (50:40) They're joining us to talk all about their recent Mar. 20th episode of their podcast where they shared some less-than-optimistic views of the current state of the San Jose Sharks.But before we get to the interview, what do we want from the Sharks before the end of the season? Can we get Devin Cooley a win in San Jose? (1:55)Klim Kostin has taken advantage of his ice-time after his trade to the Sharks, what's behind his recent success? (6:05)Another bright spot lately has been the play of Mackenzie Blackwood, who posted a rare San Jose Sharks shutout this week. (13:30)We turn our discussion to the NCAA tourney, and the play of Will Smith and 2024 prospect Artyom Levshunov in the NCAA Tournament. (17:30) Filip Bystedt, San Jose's 2022 first-rounder is coming to San Jose! (29:10)Lastly, Sheng and Keegan discuss the Jack Studnicka recall to the San Jose Sharks, why it happened, and what this means for Danil Gushchin. (36:35)Finally, we have Pierre McGuire and Jimmy Murphy to get some perspective on the Sharks from outside San Jose (50:40). Setting the stage, Sheng outlines some of the statements by Jimmy and Pierre on the Sharks' rebuild, made of the Mar. 20 episode of "The Eye Test" podcast. He also lays out what Grier has done differently since being hired in the summer of 2022. (52:30) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Be784-b3JOIPierre admits Mike inherited a bad situation, but asks the question about how the Sharks are planning on being better next year? (1:00:00)Jimmy jumps in and shares his thoughts about the perception of the Sharks' lack of a positive environment around the younger players in the locker room. (1:04:13)Sheng thinks Grier is going to reset this offseason and sign more "character" guys to help mentor the young guys. (1:07:10)Pierre has spoken with other hockey executives and he thinks it's another 5-7 years to "fix" the San Jose Sharks. (1:08:40)Pierre also talks about the art of team-building and why it may be difficult to attract free agents to San Jose. (1:10:20)Pierre mentions an upcoming 2024 Draft prospect (not Macklin Celebrini) that he thinks the Sharks may target in they don't land the No. 1 pick. (1:11:20)Jimmy would put a focus on veteran depth to improve the culture heading into the offseason. (1:14:30)Pierre thinks the goal-differential (the San Jose Sharks are -133 currently) is the most important thing to correct next year by changing the defense. (1:17:00)Pierre doesn't put stock into the idea of Noah Hanifin coming to San Jose in the off-season, and Jimmy brings up that taxes in California may be a real issue. (1:26:00)Sheng defends Erik Karlsson's Norris Trophy, specifically how his plus/minus was affected by a ton of empty net goals. (1:30:05)Keegan brings up a misstep by Doug Wilson extending veteran players in hopes of winning a Stanley Cup, after they never won a Stanley Cup in the first place. (1:31:05)Jimmy points out that almost every Sharks defender is at best a third-pairing defender, aside from Mario Ferraro. (1:33:35)Finally Keegan asks Sheng, Pierre, and Jimmy, would they have traded Tomas Hertl? (1:39:15)Sheng defends the trade!Thanks so much for watching, listening and subscribing on YouTube! ★ Support this podcast ★
San Jose Hockey Now Podcast #40: Keegan's Top-16 2024 Draft Prospects
Mar 25 2024
San Jose Hockey Now Podcast #40: Keegan's Top-16 2024 Draft Prospects
Welcome back to the San Jose Hockey Now Podcast! This week, Keegan is going to reveal his current top-16 of the 2024 NHL Entry Draft! (23:50) But before that, we talk about the week that was for the San Jose Sharks. (00:30)We cover the recent improved play of Thomas Bordeleau, and we talk about a shift in his playing style and his mindset with the Sharks during this call-up. (1:30) Sheng and Keegan discuss William Eklund's demotion to the fourth line, and how a change was needed to spark Eklund. (9:00)Will Smith made some waves this weekend during the Hockey East tournament. Sheng and Keegan discuss his chances at the Hobey Baker award after his performance. (14:55)Sheng has a quick note on the possibility of Barracuda call-ups in the last dozen games of the season. He was told that the San Jose Sharks have just one regular call-up left, but that they could also use emergency call-ups to play some Cuda prospects in the NHL. (18:30)Finally, we touch on the recent signing of Akim Aliu to a PTO with the San Jose Barracuda. (19:50)Now, Keegan reveals his current 2024 Top-16 ranking, broken down by tiers! (23:50)Is there anybody besides Macklin Celebrini in Tier 1? (26:10)In Tier 2, who does Keegan rank behind Celebrini...Ivan Demidov, Berkly Catton, Cayden Lindstrom, Artyom Levshunov, Anton Silayev, or Cole Eiserman? (29:30)Keegan has a bunch of defensemen in Tier 3, will the San Jose Sharks grab any of them with the Pittsburgh Penguins' pick? Where does he rank Levshunov, Silayev, Zayne Parekh, Sam Dickinson, Zeev Buium, and Carter Yakemchuk? (39:27)Where do forwards Konsta Helenius, Tij Iginla, Andrew Basha, Terik Parascak, and Michael Brandsegg-Nygård fit in?How far into the first round does Keegan's Tier 4 go? Who just missed the top-16 cut? (56:40)Finally, what is Keegan's perfect 2024 San Jose Sharks' first round?Thanks for listening and watching! Subscribe on YouTube!  ★ Support this podcast ★
San Jose Hockey Now Podcast #37: Our Sharks' Trade Deadline Predictions
Mar 5 2024
San Jose Hockey Now Podcast #37: Our Sharks' Trade Deadline Predictions
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! ★ Support this podcast ★
San Jose Hockey Now Podcast #35: Team 33 Rates Sharks' Trade Deadline Candidates
Feb 17 2024
San Jose Hockey Now Podcast #35: Team 33 Rates Sharks' Trade Deadline Candidates
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! ★ Support this podcast ★
San Jose Hockey Now Podcast #34: Sharks Bye Week Mailbag!
Feb 11 2024
San Jose Hockey Now Podcast #34: Sharks Bye Week Mailbag!
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). ★ Support this podcast ★
San Jose Hockey Now Podcast #33: Why Are the Barracuda So Bad?
Feb 3 2024
San Jose Hockey Now Podcast #33: Why Are the Barracuda So Bad?
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! ★ Support this podcast ★
San Jose Hockey Now Podcast #32: How Can Sharks Be Competitive in 2-3 Years?
Jan 28 2024
San Jose Hockey Now Podcast #32: How Can Sharks Be Competitive in 2-3 Years?
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) ★ Support this podcast ★
San Jose Hockey Now Podcast #31: Corey Masisak on Hasso Plattner, Sharks' Rebuild
Jan 22 2024
San Jose Hockey Now Podcast #31: Corey Masisak on Hasso Plattner, Sharks' Rebuild
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)? ★ Support this podcast ★
San Jose Hockey Now Podcast #30: Chris Peters on Sharks Prospects Who Excite Him, Don't Excite Him
Jan 14 2024
San Jose Hockey Now Podcast #30: Chris Peters on Sharks Prospects Who Excite Him, Don't Excite Him
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! ★ Support this podcast ★
San Jose Hockey Now Podcast #29: Sharks Mid-Season Awards, Trade Predictions
Jan 8 2024
San Jose Hockey Now Podcast #29: Sharks Mid-Season Awards, Trade Predictions
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!  ★ Support this podcast ★
San Jose Hockey Now Podcast #28: Sharks' World Juniors History Deep-Dive + Grades for Smith & Other WJC Prospects
Jan 1 2024
San Jose Hockey Now Podcast #28: Sharks' World Juniors History Deep-Dive + Grades for Smith & Other WJC Prospects
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! ★ Support this podcast ★
San Jose Hockey Now Podcast #27: Steven Ellis High on Sharks' System, WJC Prospects
Dec 25 2023
San Jose Hockey Now Podcast #27: Steven Ellis High on Sharks' System, WJC Prospects
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? ★ Support this podcast ★