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Call Off the Cover Vote, the Sharks Have Already Won (at least on Twitter)

By: Nick Lanciani

Look, I know that 1) this is not like one of our usual posts, 2) we have a huge Vladimir Tarasenko fan at DTFR, 3) we try to stay impartial (but I’m going to campaign anyway for Joe Pavelski) and 4) some of you hate cover votes for any sports related video game, but I’m going to tell you why this is awesome and the San Jose Sharks are the best team on Twitter right now.

As you all know, the Sharks have these inner-state rivals known as the Los Angeles Kings that normally own the Twitter game when it comes to any and all professional sports organizations on the social media platform. One doesn’t have to look to far to see that the Kings are sometimes the kings of Twitter (and it’s not just because they’re usually a nice organization).

And they’ve had their fair share of memorable #NHL17CoverVote moments this season…

But let’s be honest, short of updating their profile picture and tweeting some GIFs and Photoshopped images of Anze Kopitar, the Kings didn’t go all in on owning everyone else.

Now that it’s down to the Cover Vote Final between St. Louis’ Vladimir Tarasenko and San Jose’s Joe Pavelski we’re sure to see even more annoying, timeline clogging, feed filling monstrosities created in an attempt to generate enough of a PR stunt to get more than like, four people, to tweet, retweet and keep tweeting for their favorite player to be on the cover of NHL 17.

Sometimes I wonder whether any of their efforts are effective. How could any of this possibly work? How in the world do they think they’ll be able to attract more than just those four crazy fans that all think they have a shot at becoming best friends with Pavelski or Tarasenko instantaneously, the moment they tweet #NHL17Pavelski or #NHL17Tarasenko and keep tweeting it a million different times in a million different ways for each and every one of their votes to count? (That was long winded).

I’ll admit, I was once a heavy #NHL15Bergeron abuser, but in my defense let me clear the air and acknowledge my bias towards one of my favorite players of all time, next to Joe Sakic and Bobby Orr. So there.

Folks, we’re in the midst of one of the greatest, underdog-led, Stanley Cup Playoffs where the St. Louis Blues have already made the Western Conference Finals and the San Jose Sharks are playing in a Game 7 with the Nashville Predators tonight to see if they can further combat the #NHL17Tarasenko front, as the other team in the Western Conference Final.

If the Sharks win, the stage will be set for one of the greatest battles of all-time both on the ice and off the ice. Captain America (Joe Pavelski) against Vladimir Tarasenko. Surely it sets up a stage of Rocky proportions? Oh wait, San Jose already has you covered there.

If the Sharks make the Western Conference Final, I fully expect them to include this photo on every tweet announcing a Pavelski goal or a Tarasenko penalty.

They’re already in the midst of one of their best seasons ever, off the ice, with their vintage teal all season long bringing back memories and fans across every rink in the NHL and San Jose already dethroned the Kings in the First Round of the 2016 Stanley Cup Playoffs. But now, they’ve won the most important thing of them all (okay, maybe not as important as the Cup)— they’ve won Twitter.

It’s not just because of their numerous cover photo mockups that rival the Mona Lisa.

Joe Pavelski-Lisa.jpg

Actually, come to think of it…

The Sharks won Twitter with this video.

This video beats everything. This video is hilarious.

Nothing— not even an autographed Tarasenko jersey giveaway— could top the genuine, fine-American, comedic genius that is Joe Pavelski and the San Jose Sharks social media team.

And besides, I’m sure they’ll be giving away plenty of autographed memorabilia, when Pavelski leads the Sharks (and America) to glory on the cover on NHL 17.

By Nick Lanciani

10 years experience working various roles in sports, plus I like to paint in my spare time. Maybe I'll go to grad school next. Anyway, I write stuff on Down the Frozen River, make/appear on podcasts, used to write stuff for Couch Guy Sports and apply to full-time jobs for a living.

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