Vlasic’s total, of course, is way down from when he was in the prime of his career. Currently, Vlasic is averaging just 13:59 a game, while Simek is at 12:38 in eight games. To Boughner, 15 or 16 minutes a game for the third pair is ideal. Ultimately, the coach would like to be able to lean a little more on his third defense pair, whoever it is, while reducing the workload of guys like Ferraro and Brent Burns, the latter of whom is second in the NHL at 26:58 of ice time per game. … So far, if I had to put a word (on it), I’d say average at best.” We’re trying to manage situations, and put them in situations to succeed. “I need to see a lot more, I guess, urgency. “I need to see a lot more consistency from that bottom pairing,” he said. His appraisal of the third defense pair, which had been Vlasic and Simek on a nightly basis until the COVID-19 outbreak, was tepid when he was asked about them on Monday. Really, there just aren’t many good traditional statistics out there anyway to judge how a defensive defenseman is performing.įortunately, Boughner is fairly direct when it comes to players he’s asked about, while ice time totals reveal even more about his faith in the players on the bench. While Vlasic is correct about his point totals - he did have six points (1 goal, 5 assists) last season in 51 games, and now has three assists in nine games this season - points aren’t going to be the first statistic on which he’s judged. Three points in eight games, six in 51 last year? I’m doing something right, right?” How many did I have last year? Six? I’m at three now, so I’m crushing last year. “Statistically, the outside world views hockey players on their points. “I’ve played good games this year,” he said. “Well, I’m not going to go against (Boughner),” Vlasic said. They’re the best when you don’t notice them on the ice, and I say that in a good way.”ĭid Vlasic himself believe that the win over Minnesota was his best game of the season? Logan Couture, who assisted on the Sharks’ first two goals, said: “I thought (Vlasic) played well, I thought Hatakka played well. Hatakka came in, and was a good compliment there.” “I thought he had a great stick, blocking some shots and playing hard defense. “I thought that was (Vlasic’s) best game of the year,” Boughner later said. Timo Meier’s goal increased the Sharks’ lead to 2-0 shortly afterward on a play that began with Vlasic getting the puck through from the point to generate a rebound that Meier pounced upon. Nick Bjugstad spotted an open Nico Sturm in the circle, but Vlasic made sure the pass didn’t get through, resulting in Sturm swinging at nothing but air. Then, with about 13 and a half minutes left in the first, Vlasic broke up what could have been another dangerous chance. Mario Ferraro’s goal opened the scoring less than two minutes later. About four minutes into the first period, as Kevin Fiala came skating up the wing with an open Marcus Foligno alone on the other side, Vlasic closed on Fiala and alertly poked the puck away. It was evident right away that the 34-year-old Vlasic came ready to play. Vlasic played the kind of buttoned-up, defensively responsible game that used to be his calling card in the Sharks’ impressive 4-1 win over Minnesota. “I don’t think there’s going to be any favorites played, it’s going to be a nightly competition who’s going to be in and who’s not.”įor at least one night, the coach’s decision proved to be a sound one. “Right now it’s a situation where this is going to be a bit of a competition,” Boughner continued. When it was revealed on Tuesday morning that it would be Simek out for rookie Santeri Hatakka rather than Vlasic, Boughner said that the decision to remove one over the other “could have went either way.” Would Boughner really scratch Vlasic, the 16-year veteran who is signed through 2025-26 at a $7 million-per-season salary? That seems to be something he seriously considered. Boughner revealed on Monday in an off-day practice in Denver that one of those two would be sitting out the Wild game. Still, the Sharks’ third defense pair, consisting of Marc-Edouard Vlasic and Radim Simek - both of whom were among those who tested positive and missed time - seemed to earn the coach’s ire more than anyone else who played in that ugly defeat. Part of the reason for that is seven players were competing for the first time in two weeks, having had to sit out due to COVID-19 invading the dressing room. In their previous game, a 6-2 loss in Colorado last Saturday, it was a flat performance for just about everyone.
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