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Player Evaluations: Marc-Edouard Vlasic & Raffi Torres |
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Player Evaluations: Marc-Edouard Vlasic & Raffi Torres
Over the upcoming weeks I will be evaluating the players on the Sharks roster who have played in twenty games or more. Players will be given a number between 1-20 for their high, low, and overall. The high being how well they play at their best and the low is the opposite; the overall is what we get out of a player on the season long average.
Marc-Edouard Vlasic has emerged as one of the best shutdown defenseman in the NHL. Two years ago Vlasic paid too much attention on developing his offensive game and his defense suffered.
This past season the Montreal, Quebec native focused on what he does best which is to be a thorn in the side of offensive players. Vlasic isn’t the biggest player out there, nor is he the most physical, the quickest, or the most offensive. What he does do well is always put himself in the right position; his stick is always in the passing lane and usually in the right one that he frustrates the opposition to no end. His speed is deceiving and good enough where he seldom gets beat. He has no problem blocking shots and his desire to develop into a complete player is evident.
Vlasic has shown more grit in front of the net recently and he was invited to Canada’s camp for the Sochi Olympic team which is the ultimate compliment considering they are the defending champs and the deepest nation in the world when it comes to quality defenseman.
The 26 year old Marc-Edouard was drafted by the Sharks in 2005 with the pick they received from Calgary in exchange for Mikka Kiprusof. Now that the Kipper has retired from the NHL the Sharks can finally say they got the better of that deal.
When Vlasic improves his offensive ability or at least expands his comfort zone in the offensive zone his numbers in this rating will improve.
Player High Low Average
Marc_Edouard Vlasic 16 12.5 15.5
Raffi Torres hasn’t been a Shark for long but has made an impact while wearing teal and looks to be in San Jose for the next few years after signing a contract extension this off-season.
The rugged winger was public enemy number one before he put the Shark’s jersey on, but he has always been one of those players who teams hate to play against but love playing with.
His versatility allows him to play on the second or third line and with the way the 6’0 – 215oz winger throws his weight around he creates more room for his team mates on the ice. He has exceptional speed, which is a necessity to play in today’s NHL, especially in San Jose under coach McLellan.
Torres has plenty of playoff experience going to game seven of the Cup finals with the Edmonton Oilers in 2006 and with the Vancouver Canucks in 2011. The Sharks missed him greatly in the playoffs this year after he was hosed by the NHL for a legal hit on the Kings Jarred Stoll. The six game suspension hurt the Sharks by changing the dynamic of the team from three scoring lines to two. In Torres’ absence Joe Pavelski was moved to the second unit taking away an offensively skilled player and was replaced with a checker.
The players and coaches have brushed it off when asked about the ruling on Torres last spring as part of the game, but I got the feeling if you got a few beers into them in the right environment they might tell a different story.
Torres will add the physical element that was lost when Ryane Clowe was traded away minus the fighting side. Torres can drop them but is more effective if he stays out of the box.
For Torres to become a more complete player he must find a way to become more consistent on the road where he was minus – 5 last season versus a + 5 on home ice. His production needs to go up and he should have that opportunity playing with the Sharks and most likely with skilled center men Logan Couture or Joe Pavelski.
Player High Low Average
Raffi Torres 15.5 10 13.5
Next time around Joe Pavelski and local boy Matt Tennyson will be up for the grade.
In the meantime hockey camps have begun and the pre-season for San Jose starts tomorrow night in Vancouver. The Canucks and the Sharks rivalry has grown in recent years and will only grow to new heights now that they are in the same division. The Sharks regular season starts against the Canucks the team they swept in the playoffs this past season. The game can be watched on the NHL network through Sportsnet, it will be a Canucks broadcast but hockey is back people so all is good in the world again.
Keep your sticks on the ice,
Cam Gore
San Jose Sharks Blogger • 
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