Nolly's Notes - BLOG #22
Oct 18, 2022
Hello, Cuda Country, happy hockey season. It has been a couple of months since I wrote one of these, but with the season officially underway, I thought it would be the perfect time to reintroduce Nolly’s Notes.
With back-to-back wins this weekend in Iowa, the Barracuda are 2-0 for the first time since 2018-19. It’s also the first time since 2018-19 in which the team is 2-0 on the road.
With 17 new players on the opening night roster, it’s hard to say last season has much merit on this year but getting two wins off the bat is critical for the psyche of everyone involved in 2021-22.
It is probably too soon to make any sort of snap judgements after just two games, but there are some evident improvements from a year ago. For one, the team is exponentially deeper at every position. Now we all know that change can come in a flash in the AHL, but all indications point to the Sharks wanting to let its highly prized prospects marinate this year.
Speaking of the depth, let’s start with the goaltenders. Aaron Dell was lights out on Friday. 36-stops, five of those in overtime, and six in the shootout. Eetu Makiniemi was equally as solid on Saturday, stopping 29 of 30 in his first AHL game since Dec. 17, 2021. Both made timely saves when the game was in the balance. Strauss Mann didn’t play in either game but was excellent in development camp, and very good in a period and a half of work during the preseason. I really think the team has three very capable starters.
The defensive corps saw the fewest changes from last year. Derrick Pouliot and Patrick Sieloff are the only new additions on the current roster. But what a luxury it is to have two veteran players with the type of experience they both have. Traditionally, Ryan Merkley has been paired with a more stay-at-home defender in his career (I.e. Jaycob Megna). But Pouliot, who also plays a puck-moving-style, seems to be an excellent partner and maybe the perfect fit for the 22-year-old. The duo each finished with a +3 rating on Saturday and connected brilliantly on William Eklund’s first AHL goal. The defensive zone is always going to be the area of Merkley’s game that gets critiqued the most but from my vantage point, he moved pucks quickly, competed hard in 1v1 situations, was well positioned, and decisive with his decision making. If he does those things on a consistent basis, and that’s the key, he’s going to have a really, really good season.
The forward group has 11 new faces this year, and it may be the most skilled team the Sharks have had in the AHL since 2016-17 when the likes of Timo Meier, Kevin Labanc and Barclay Goodrow donned a Cuda sweater. The youngsters were as advertised, as Tristen Robins, Thomas Bordeleau and Eklund all scored. But it was their creativity and skill that was the most exciting part. We all know Bordeleau was a wizard with the puck in college and showed flashes last year in his short stint with the Barracuda and Sharks. That high-end skill was on full display this weekend. Eklund started to feel it in the second half of Saturday’s game. At one point he nearly pulled off a full-speed spina-o-rama move as he carried it swiftly down the right wing.
On Friday, Andrew Agozzino was named the fourth captain in franchise history. A well-deserved honor for the most senior player to wear a Barracuda sweater ever, having skated in 603 career AHL games.
John McCarthy on naming Agozzino captain: “Honestly, it went back to when I played against him. He was always hard to play against, competitive, hard on pucks, hard in the faceoff circle. He does all the right things, leads by example, and also isn’t afraid to speak up. Those were the qualities we were looking for."
After last season, it was evident the team needed some veteran help to lead the youngsters. But not all vets are created equal. You need leaders in the room but also leaders on the ice. At 31 and in year 11 of his pro career, Agozzino is at the top of his game. Without him, the Barracuda might not have snuck out of Iowa with two wins. He netted the game-winning goal in round seven of the shootout on Friday and then buried a critical second period goal on Saturday to push the team’s lead back up to two in an eventual 3-1 win.
When the Barracuda signed Luke Johnson in August, I thought he could be a huge add. He’s got something to prove after having a down year a season ago. This weekend he was physical, hard on pucks, and overall, just effective in all three zones. On Saturday he scored and fought and was relied on a lot to take big defensive-zone faceoffs. I really liked his game.
The biggest indication of the depth was the line combinations. The quote-on-quote fourth line which featured Jeff Viel, Adam Raska and Jasper Weatherby combined for 89 games played with the Sharks a season ago. I don’t have the numbers available, but I’d be hard-pressed to think there’s another AHL team that can say that.
All in all, it was a very successful weekend. With 70 more games to go, there’s still a long road ahead but the early returns should have Sharks fans really excited about the prospects and the environment they’ll be in this year.
A reminder, the Barracuda officially open Tech CU Arena this weekend as they host the Henderson Silver Knights for the team’s home opener. Tickets are still available so click the tickets tab on sjbarracuda.com.
Starting at 3:00 p.m. on Saturday the Barracuda will host its first ever block party presented by 107.7 The Bone. We'll have live music, games, and a special "teal carpet" where you'll have the chance to meet Barracuda players. Families are encouraged to arrive early to enjoy slap-shot, face painters and other kid-friendly activities. After the party, head into Tech CU Arena where all fans in attendance will receive a rally towel and a special Resurgence Era pin.
Going to a blast and I can’t wait to see you all there. If you can’t make the games, make sure to listen at SJBarracuda.com/listen or the Sharks+SAP Center App. And of course you can watch at AHLTV.com.
That’ll do it for this edition of Nolly’s Notes. I’m Nick Nollenberger, saying thanks for reading and so long until next time.