Dobber's offseason fantasy hockey grades – San Jose Sharks

For the last 14 years (12 with The Hockey News) Dobber has reviewed each team from a fantasy hockey standpoint and graded them.

This year, due to Dobber’s battle with cancer, he recruited Cam Robinson (of Frozen Pool Forensics fame) to pinch hit. The 15th annual review will appear here on DobberHockey throughout the summer. This is not a review of the likely performance on the ice or in the standings, but in the realm of fantasy hockey.

Enjoy!

Gone – Patrick Marleau, Mirco Mueller, David Schlemko, Michael Haley, Nikita Jevpalovs, Buddy Robinson

Incoming – Brandon Bollig, Antoine Bibeau, Filip Sandberg, Radim Simek, Josef Korenar

Impact of changes – It’s the end of an era. For 18 seasons, Patrick Marleau has donned the teal jersey of the Sharks and has done so with grace and quality results. The speedy winger has long held a position amongst the team’s top-six forward group and a spot on the top power-play unit. Suddenly, that spot is up for grabs. It’s unlikely that any of the hodgepodge of incoming players has even a remote chance of filling that role so the team will look to fill the spot internally. Timo Meier, Tomas Hertl, Kevin Labanc and Mikkel Boedker are the key names to watch at camp to see who either gets a shot next to Joe Pavelski and Joe Thornton or who staples themselves next to second line centre Logan Couture. Mueller departs as a former top prospect who couldn’t establish a full-time NHL job, while the team will no doubt miss the puck-moving ability of Schlemko from the back end.

Ready for full-time – The former ninth overall selection from 2015, Timo Meier, has acclimated himself nicely into the professional ranks. After returning to junior in his draft-plus-one season, the power winger split his 20-year-old campaign between the AHL and NHL, looking confident in both leagues. Meier impressed greatly with his ability to shoot the puck with regularity despite being a freshman. He averaged nearly 2.5 shots per contest in his 34 NHL games and just a hair under three per night (2.97) in his 33 AHL contests. He also managed to find the back of the net with consistency in the American League, scoring 14 goals and adding nine assists, demonstrating his talent level as a young player. With Marleau vacating and several openings in the team’s top-six forward grouping, Meier won’t just settle for a full-time position on the team, but also have a terrific opportunity to push for some prime ice too. Read more on Meier here.

Marcus Sorenson is ready for a full-time NHL job. The 25-year-old winger has marinated through multiple professional leagues finding high-levels of success from the Allsvenskan and SHL in Sweden to finally crossing the pond and recording 15 goals and 34 points in 47 AHL contests and another goal and three helpers in 19 NHL games. Sorenson is a strong skater, deft playmaker and owns a quick and heavy release. He’s a tad undersized but makes up for it by playing with an edge and competing on each shift. That effort level should earn him a spot on the team’s bottom six and his skill level will open opportunities moving forward. Read more on Sorenson here.

Another slightly undersized Swedish player gracing this list, only this time from the back-end. Tim Heed is an extremely mobile and offensively-geared right-shot defender who crossed over to the North American ice after a very successful career in the SHL where he was named the league’s top defender in 2014-15. Last year in his first AHL campaign all the 26-year-old did was step in and record 14 goals and 56 points in 55 contests and was named a Second Team All-Star. He has two years left on a very reasonable deal paying him $650,000 per and could bring a dynamic element to the team’s bottom pair and second power-play unit. Read more on Heed here.

Kevin Labanc has done a great deal more than many sixth-round selections. He racked up 234 points in his final 133 OHL contests, winning a scoring title and being named the Overage Player of the Year in 2015-16. He stepped into pro hockey and immediately demonstrated a proficiency in the AHL, going a point-per-game in 19 contests and displayed his skill and poise though 55 games with the Sharks – often looking his best when lined up on the top unit next to the Joes. Labanc will battle with the other youngsters for a gig in the top six and should have a strong shot to earn it. Read more on Labanc here.

Fantasy Outlook – The Sharks window is closing; hell, it may already be closed. But when you can roll out arguably the most dominate multi-category defender in Brent Burns, a prolific and somehow still underrated producer in Joe Pavelski, a living legend in Joe Thornton and a host of other valuable assets, you’re going to create some interest from fantasy GMs. Martin Jones disappointed slightly last season, recording under the league average save percentage and could be susceptible to Aaron Dell yanking some starts away from him. After seeing 65 games in back-to-back seasons in San Jose, that number could creep down into the high-50’s. He’s just 27, so entering his statistical prime. He’s a fine number two for your squad. Father Time is coming for the core of this team, but they look to have enough juice to score near the 220 goals they accrued that last year. Finding a way to get out from the bottom third of the league in power-play efficiency will be big for them, and should be doable with the talent they have assembled.

Fantasy Grade: C+ (Last year: B)

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