In Episode 246 of The Fin Factor, Aaron and Paul open with a look at a historic night in the NHL before diving into the struggles of the San Jose Sharks as they approach the end of the season.
Ovechkin Passes Gretzky
The episode highlights Alex Ovechkin‘s record-breaking 895th goal, surpassing Wayne Gretzky for the most goals in NHL history.
- Goal 895: After tying the record the previous night against Chicago, Ovechkin scored his 895th goal against Russian countryman Ilya Sorokin of the New York Islanders.
- No Empty Netters: Ovechkin famously turned down an empty-net opportunity the night before, stating he wanted to break the record against an actual goalie.
- Celebration: The hosts marveled at Ovechkin’s enthusiastic “belly slide” celebration across center ice.
- Gretzky’s Unstoppable Stat: Paul pointed out a mind-blowing fact: Wayne Gretzky has more career assists than any other player has total points.
Sharks Fizzle: “No Bite, No Bark”
Turning to the Sharks, the hosts analyzed a lackluster stretch where the team appeared to be going through the motions as the season winds down.
- Lack of Grit: A major theme was the team’s failure to respond to physical play. The hosts called for more “grit” from players other than Barclay Goodrow, specifically mentioning Zack Ostapchuk‘s role as a potential future physical presence.
- “Scrappy Doo” Mentality: Aaron described the team as having “no bite” and likened them to being “scrappy” but ineffective.
- Competitive Reality: While acknowledging that rebuilding around stars like Macklin Celebrini takes time, the hosts expressed frustration with the current “dumpster” state of the team’s performance.
Prospect “Cup of Coffee”
With the junior seasons ending for several top prospects, the discussion shifted to who might see ice time in San Jose or with the Barracuda (AHL).
- Late-Season Call-ups: The hosts discussed the possibility of giving prospects a “cup of coffee,” one or two NHL games, to see how they prepare and handle the pro environment before sending them to the AHL for the playoffs.
- Contract Management: Because there are fewer than nine games remaining in the season, these appearances would not burn a year of a prospect’s entry-level contract.
