D-MEN GETTING A D-
Slow-staring Karlsson, Vlasic statistically among worst blue-liners in the NHL
SAN JOSE >> Sharks defensemen Erik Karlsson and Marc-Edouard Vlasic both feel there’s room for improvement in terms of their play and their production on the ice.
Considering what they have invested in both players, and how critical they are to any
success, the Sharks need it to happen sooner rather than later.
“We need those guys to get to another level,” Sharks coach Pete DeBoer said of Karlsson and Vlasic. “We can’t wait as long as we waited last year on some guys. Not just those guys, but there’s more of an urgency here for everyone to get to the level we expect them to be at quickly here.
“Everybody’s heading in the right direction. I think our team play has shown that. We’re not where want to be (with) anybody yet. Those guys fall into that category.”
Heading into Wednesday’s home game against the Carolina Hurricanes, the Sharks had three of the bottom seven players in the NHL in terms of plus-minus ratings. Forward Kevin Labanc is tied for a league-worst -9, Vlasic is at -8 and Karlsson is at -7.
The plus-minus rating is hardly the end-all, especially in an era of advanced metrics. Plus, Vlasic and Karlsson handle the puck a ton and play
huge minutes, with Karlsson second in the NHL at 26 minutes and 3 seconds per game, trailing only Brent Burns (26:32).
Vlasic and Burns are also lining up against the opposition’s top line on a gameto-game basis, and have gotten a large bulk of the workload down the stretch the last two games, when the Sharks have successfully protected leads.
Bottom line, though, is that the Sharks will need improvement from both players — whose combined salary is about 22.6% of the $81.5 million salary cap — particularly in areas of puck management.
Karlsson is a two-time Norris Trophy who leads all NHL defensemen in point production since the start of the 2009-2010 season. Vlasic is a Olympic gold medal winner and the Sharks’ best shutdown defenseman of all-time.
“I don’t think anyone is in midseason form, myself included,” said Karlsson, who has three assists in six games. “I don’t think we expected it to be like that. I know some guys, it’s easier for them to get going. They get off to hot starts, and some guys take a little bit longer.
“Unfortunately for me, I’ve never been a quick starter. No matter what I do in the summer, how I prepare and all that. I know that, so that’s why I’m not worried. I feel good, my body feels good. It feels like I’m seeing all of the things I want to do, and as of right now, they’re just not working out.”
After six games, Vlasic didn’t have a point and has been on the ice for 23 highdanger scoring chances against, which, according to naturalstattrick.com, was tied for sixth-most in the NHL. Karlsson wasn’t far behind at 21 high-danger chances against, tied for 13th most in the league.
“I can help out offensively,” Vlasic said. “I play against the best players, so if I can have good breakouts, shut them down off the rush and help create offense, that gives us a plus every night.
“There’s five guys on the ice when the goal goes in. Guys are going to make mistakes, other guys will cover for them, and sometimes when mistakes happen, the puck goes in. But it’s five guys on the ice that take the minus.”
The Sharks know both players have the pedigree. Vlasic, in particular, had a better second half of the season in 2018-19 than he did in the first half, and was instrumental in helping the Sharks win the final three games of their first-round playoff series against Vegas.
The Golden Knights’ line of Max Pacioretty, Mark Stone and Paul Stastny was feasting on the Sharks through four games, combining for 28 points. Vlasic was injured for most of Game 2 in that series and was out for Game 3 and 4. The Sharks lost all three.
Vlasic returned for Game 5 and helped turn the series around, as he and Burns matched up once again against Pacioretty, Stone and Stastny and held the trio to three points over the final three games.
How does Vlasic get back there?
“Some of the key things for him are jumping to check and moving his feet, being more active everywhere on the ice,” DeBoer said. “He’s got such a great brain and such a great hockey sense, when he combines that with an active, aggressive mindset, he’s all-world.”
Obviously all Sharks defensemen need their forwards to be a part of the solution, as well. The Sharks have tried to integrate rookies into their lineup at various points this season, sometimes relying on them to play bigger roles than they are ready for right now.
“I think we have to do a better job of supporting everybody, and supporting each other everywhere on the ice, not just on pinches,” Vlasic said. “It’s in the (defensive) zone, off the rushes. Having that trust between the forwards and the Dmen is huge. Last game (Sunday against Calgary) I think we had it.
“Before that, I don’t think it was where we wanted it to be. But it can be a lot better.”
DeBoer agreed. “That’s not something that just happens overnight. I think you have to work at that, and that’s when your game starts to appear seamless on the ice,” he said. “You’re moving around as five-man units, you’re replacing each other. With the way we want to play, how aggressive we want to play, if somebody’s not doing his job or there’s a delay in reaction because you’re not trusting that someone’s going to back you up at the right time, then that affects everything.”