your lineup is set funky, but this team is playing like a team so yes the pieces aren’t elite caliber, but the sum of the parts might be playoff caliber! we have to remember Couture Hertl and Meir are all former 30 goal scorers who are still in their prime(yes Couture is at the end of his prime but is still in it) add Burns and Karlsson who are top D men in the league when they are healthy and they are and they are playing like it. then you add the 2 goalie who are a huge step up from last few years combined with the younger players who are stepping up with the few vets mixed in who are playing at a sustainable level you have a team that can compete. cup contenders? no! playoff caliber? it’s starting to look like it.

I did not really bother with what their lineup set up since I’m not a fan of theirs. My Bruins beat them yesterday and they looked pretty solid at different times hence the question.

Eklund wasn’t playing Sunday, and the morning start screwed us up, any team that is use to playing 7:00 pacific time that plays 10:00 pacific time will start slow! they came on after the first half.
the team has looked really good and is playing higher than expected, but i still see us (sharks) as a 7/8 seed or just falling outside the playoffs. but that’s a huge jump from my expectations of getting another top 10/ top 5 pick at the beginning of camp.

I think they are better off with that higher pick than a bubble finish. I’d send Eklund back to SHL or AHL. Better slow development schedules for a longer rebuild.

Part of me agrees, another part thinks working with a guy Like Hertl would be good for his development as well. I think we have 5 more games to see where he stands and how we proceed.
this all depends also on what our plan is for Kane, if we bring him back and he plays well and doesn't screw up again the line of Eklund Hertl Kane combined with how good the Couture Dahlin Meir line is doing and with the added depth on the 3rd (balcers pushed down to play with Labanc and Bonino) and the 4th line with Weatherby Nieto and Cogliano/Barabanov should be enough to make us a playoff contenders.
I don't think management wants to dive into a rebuild with all these large contracts, so we have to look at how the team will play out.
this team is better than the last few years and with the prospects we have like Leonard Merkley Boreleau Robbins Coe Knaves and hattaka we look to be able to add a bit and build ourselves.
we could use one of the top 3 from this draft but there is no guaranty we get one or that he doesn't bust so while were playing well lets try and keep it going.

Not a bad idea honestly. But they will have to concede in a few years if not next year. Those old players are just going to regress further.
Does Hertl sign an extension?

My hope as an organization is that
1, we can terminate Kane in a way that does not hurt our cap,
2, we are able to re-sign Hertl to a shorter term deal (he has said he wants 3-4 year deal to keep his options open in the future)
3, we make smarter moves in the future and make sure all new long term deals end by a players 35th year.
4. our young guys continue to progress helping ease the load on the older guys.
5. our prospects continue to grow and push for playing time.

going forward we have the big deals staggered so that every year we have one large deal off the books, my assumption is Vlasic plays this year and next then he is the first big name gone (retire or Buy out)
then the bid deals will start to expire one by one, as we need them to to resign the younger guys.

honestly 1 Killer FA signing or trade for a legit 1C or 1 RW in the next few years and our prospects round into form more than not and were in good shape again.