Gomez to the Sharks: Good or Bad?

This pretty much sums up Gomez's stint in Montreal.

After a week or so of speculation as to which team center Scott Gomez would select, it appears as if he'll be calling San Jose his home for a while. He was bought out by the Montreal Canadiens not too long ago, allowing him to become an unrestricted free agent this season rather than next, as per a last minute adjustment to the compliance buyout guidelines. His time spent in Montreal can only be described as miserable compared to New York and New Jersey, but being bought out has released him from his bonds and given him the opportunity to prove he can still be a valuable contribution to a team. The Sharks are expected to sign a deal with him later today, which is likely to have a cap hit of around $1 per year.

San Jose was just one team among a list of many that had expressed interest in Scott Gomez. That list of at least six teams also included Phoenix, Carolina, Long Island, Anaheim, and New Jersey. Rumors that Chicago was in the mix also floated around for a bit. As time narrowed down, San Jose, Anaheim and New Jersey appeared to be among the most likely candidates. Some Devils fans were very excited at the prospect of getting their former all-star and Calder Memorial Trophy winner back, while others were less enthusiastic after seeing his breakdown of sorts in Montreal. Personally, I thought he would have been a great fit in New Jersey, a team that is somewhat lacking at the center position, especially with playoff hero Adam Henrique out for the first few weeks of the season. Gomez, however, was setting his sights on the Western Conference, eliminating New Jersey from the list too. It was reported that Gomez was spending much of his time with the Sharks organization, both in San Jose and travelling with the team. Once he began partaking in team practices too, it was all but official.

Scott Gomez reportedly scored two goals during his practice with
the Sharks, matching his total output in the 11-12 season with Montreal.

The Sharks will become Gomez's fourth team of his career, but how much does he really fit with them? Initially, I had the Sharks pretty low on the list of likely teams for Gomez to land himself on, particularly because of their depth at center. In my opinion, Gomez isn't worthy of being a first line center anymore, but I don't see why he can't be a reliable second/third line center. The Sharks, however, already have arguably the best top three centers in the league, being Joe Thornton, Joe Pavelski and Logan Couture. Past that, they still have Michal Handzus and Andrew Desjardins. So where does Gomez fit in? At first glance, the obvious choice might be to simply move Joe Pavelski to the wing, where he's played a bit before, and leave Thornton and Couture at center. But the way I see it, Pavelski has been one of the team's top centers for 5-plus seasons. He's been putting up stellar numbers inside the circle consistently, where Gomez's have been average at best over recent years. Last season, out of all players who had taken 300 faceoffs or more, Pavelski ranked sixth best league-wide in faceoff win percentage. 500 faceoffs or more, he was third best. He seems to be the perfect second line center behind Thornton, and if it were up to me, that's exactly where he would stay. I'm not keen on moving young players out of their known positions either, so Couture stays at center too. Unfortunately, it's not up to me.

Joe Pavelski's name begins to crumble under the threat of
Scott Gomez usurping his position. The guy under the 'V'
doesn't look too happy about it.

The way this is falling into place, it seems the acquisition of Gomez may see Pavelski's time spent as a centerman drop significantly, which I believe isn't helping the team. The Sharks were already a team that, for the first time in a while, a lot of people considered more of a bubble team than a lock for the the playoffs. It's difficult to say how the addition of Gomez will affect that. The pessimist may say he's been awful the past couple years, and he'll be taking time away from the team's top centermen. The optimist would argue that by moving Pavelski to the wing, it gives Couture an opportunity to log some more center minutes, while adding overall depth to the team's forward position. Both viewpoints are viable, and both are likely possibilities.

Once Gomez is added as a regular fixture on the team, here's the minor changes I expect to take place. Look for Pavelski to be moved to more of a utility forward role, spending some time as both a first and second line winger, and taking faceoffs when necessary. The teams primary go-to centers will likely be Thornton on the first line, Couture on the second, Gomez on the third and Handzus bringing up the rear on line four. How do you like this line-up for the Sharks? Will Scott Gomez be able to come out of the slump he entered in Montreal and return to his former.. uhh.. form?

Photo credits: Associated Press, Kevin Kurz/San Jose Sharks, Sharkspage.com