🎄Realistic Path for Sharks To Make Playoffs? | EP 114 Zenon Konopka Talks Celebrini, Faceoffs

What’s Igor Chernyshov’s ceiling?

The San Jose Sharks rookie winger had an impressive NHL debut this past week.

Insider Sheng Peng, prospects guru Keegan McNally, and host Zubair Jeewanjee dive into that in the latest episode of the San Jose Hockey Now Podcast.

Why did one NHL scout pump the brakes on the Chernyshov hype, by setting more of a top-six winger expectation for the San Jose Sharks’ 2024 second-round pick? Are stars Mark Stone or Valeri Nichushkin valid comparisons for Chernyshov?

Also, San Jose Sharks faceoff consultant Zenon Konopka jumps on the podcast! Legendary defenseman Dan Boyle joins in on the hilarious chat.

Konopka discusses Ty Dellandrea’s growth at the faceoff circle and how impressive Macklin Celebrini is as a player.

Konopka also shares now-funny stories from his colorful career, like spooking Dion Phaneuf and threatening Brian Boyle before a playoff game.

Also, what’s the path for the San Jose Sharks to make the playoffs?

Happy holidays from all of us at the San Jose Hockey Now Podcast! We also share our Sharks’ Christmas wishes, what we’re grateful for, and unsung heroes.

Finally, Keegan previews the World Junior Championships!

(3:20) What’s Sheng grateful for? We also talk about the path for the Sharks to make the playoffs.
(20:38) What’s Zubair grateful for?
(38:56) What’s Keegan’s wishlist? And a discussion about Chernyshov’s ceiling.
(1:11:37) What’s Zubair’s wishlist?
(1:24:30) World Junior Championships preview!
(1:44:41) Zenon Konopka interview!

9 comments

  1. The Sharks need another NHL established super star! (someone how is not old) the young players just not going to cut it. Celebrini cant get 3 or 4 points every game.

  3. I think the true #1D has to come from a trade at this point from the accelerated timeline. Outside of the topend of the draft every D might need 5 years to develop and mac could be on his like third contract depending on when they draft that player in the coming years and if he takes a bridge deal(unlikely).

    That being said, I think this draft is really important for the sharks. Lots of high end D. I think the consensus is after Rudoplh at ~11 there's a big dropoff in quality and you're really projecting out.

    Credit to GMMG for getting that EDM 1st. At the lowest value, even if the sharks make the playoffs at around ~20OA pick and EDM wins it all at 32, the perri value for packaging those picks to move up is around 12-13 putting them in shooting range for one of these D-men.

    If we finish at around 10OA, and EDM wins it all (32OA) we can jump up to 6 (with COL 2nd). From the initial rankings, enough to pick the next best D after Verhoeff (Chase Reid at this point in time)

  4. I honestly don't think the Sharks are going to go the route of having a true #1 D and instead just have a bunch of solid #2-4D similar to the Panthers. There is no Schaefer this upcoming draft and I don't think there is a true #1 but there are a ton of potential #2D with the likes of Verhoeff/Reid/Smits/Carels, the Sharks desperately need at least a top 7-8 pick this draft. The trade route you saw the price for a #1 and the Sharks are not in that position to make that kind of offer, maybe in 3+ years when we are actually considered a true contender. Instead we probably see Grier make some trades for guys that are more #2-4D like Byram/Power types etc. Painful to think about but if the Sharks got Schaefer I bet they make the playoffs this year and we don't even have to stress thinking about the future of the Dcore, it is what it is.

  9. Zubair’s point about goals differential playing out in a larger sample size is interesting. The Sharks goals differential is now worst in the division after the Vegas blowout. But the past is past and the Kings are now in freefall so it presents another opportunity to move up. The Sharks probably need to find another gear to make the playoffs. A team with $33mil in dead cap is going to have a few roster deficiencies to overcome.

Leave a Reply