Where to now for the Sharks?

[YoungKaryia 0]

You go through the off-season and move on, they didn't choke they were outplayed....a lot, Anaheim made better shots and better plays end of story.

[RedWingAbner 13]

You go through the off-season and move on, they didn't choke they were outplayed....a lot, Anaheim made better shots and better plays end of story.

SJ was outplayed, but that's the point. Anaheim is not "that good," the Sharks choked. A superior, more talented team lost to a decent, but not better talent-wise, team.

[Chunkylover 26]

Sign Scott Clemmensen to push Nabokov.

Sign Scott Niedermayer to teach Marleau and Thornton about playoff leadership.

I'd keep Clowe because he's a good player, but let some of their other depth free agents walk. That is, if they still have any organizational depth.

Steve Yzerman needed to be taught how to win and it took a winner (Scotty Bowman) to teach him. Marleau and Thornton have never had that. As heralded as the McClellan signing was, he really is an unknown commodity: some minor league success, won a Cup as the offensive coach for Detroit (although after he leaves the team the offense played better). I'm not sold that he can really motivate them up that hill.

[titanium2 867]

Oh, and this is why I don't feel sorry for them:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kmfqQobIPLA

You can't talk smack and call yourself the best if you haven't accomplished anything in your career.

...No, but you can say certain things to get your team fired up, even if they are "lies." In fact, it's kind of his job as assistant captain.

[uncle ovipositor 6]

Dallas almost always is in the postseason.. And they make it farther than the first/second round. They have the formula in place more than SJ does -- just had a terribly injury-ridden year.

Here's the thing, though: Dallas and the Sharks have very similar records. Since 2000, the Sharks have missed the playoffs once, the Stars twice. However, the stars have been to the SCF, while the Sharks have only made the conference finals. They're remarkably similar teams on paper. As far as the injuries, it was this bad for the Stars last year, when they made the conference finals.

I like the Stars. I think they're as good as the Sharks on paper. My point isn't really about the stars at all, it's about why you "blow a team up". Based on records, you've got as good an argument to blow up the Stars, who perpetually under perform in the playoffs assuming that the only acceptable performance is to win the cup. That's the kicker for the Sharks. Every year people talk about them winning the Cup, then they start talking about winning the Cup, then everybody's talking about them finally winning the Cup, then they don't win the Cup. Every year it seems like there are 5 or so serious Cup contenders, and every year only 1 team gets it. The Sharks have been in that group for a while, but haven't managed to close the deal, so even though they have a very similar record to Dallas, one team is considered a flop and one isn't.

Doesn't help with the GM saying the only acceptable outcome of this season is the Cup, because there are a lot of teams that are at least as good as the Sharks, and they all want the same thing. Nobody just decides to win the Cup. The reason people who've been all the way are worth extra $$$ to teams is because they know how hard they're going to have to work to get back there.

And about that GM -

I still like Doug Wilson. Has he made the right moves? Clearly not...but from watching all of his interviews, and actually asking him questions in person, myself, I'm convinced that he is 100% dedicated to bringing the Cup to San Jose and will do whatever it takes to make that happen.

That's a perfect description of both of us, though. I'm 100% dedicated to bringing the Cup to San Jose, and I'll do whatever it takes to make it happen. But the problem is I don't know what it takes, and neither does Wilson. Truth is there isn't one formula or magical ingredient, it's a lot of different things coming together. Like Mike Babcock said, it's like baking a cake: you add all of the ingredients, let it rest, put it in the oven at the right temp, and hope everything comes together and it turns out like the picture on the box. [this metaphor only works if it's a hockey coach trying to make the cake, not a chef, but still]

I'm not saying Wilson should be fired (this team has a glut of young talent and doesn't need prospects at the moment, so giving them away hasn't destroyed their future or anything as silly as that), but it should be considered. He's an ingredient, not the whole cake. Just like the players, he's not blameless in this whole thing. But I will say that going around telling anyone who will listen that only the Cup will do is pretty well divorced from reality. You'll never ever hear anyone in the Wings organization say something like that because they know what's actually involved in getting there, and they know not to count their chickens.

Edited April 30, 2009 by uncle ovipositor

[Guest Shoreline]

I say get a new goalie! we all know when a team falters its the goalie fault

Sadly he always gets the first blame. I don't think Nabby was spectacular throughout the series, but the real problem for the Sharks was their offense completely evaporated during that series and were rendered non-existent. Where was Michalek and Setoguchi? Where was their power play? That was a series of opportunity. The Ducks cashed in on theirs. The Sharks did not. Playoff time is clutch time and the Sharks proved they do not have clutch players. Next season they need to get some.

[Shockwave180 0]

Imagine if we kept exiting in the first and second rounds year after year, and started questioning the necessity of having Datysuk, Zetterberg, Hudler etc.

No need to imagine. Many on this board were raising exactly those questions after '06 and even '07.

[Greetings from Blueland 0]

Kinda off topic, but:

Kwame Kilpatrick, your sig says "Yzerman has my birthday"

I'm pretty sure that you have Yzerman's birthday. And it doesn't even matter if you're older than him or not

[Doc Holiday 0]

What's next?

Customized golf equipment.

In all seriousness, they need someone to light a fire under Thorton and Marleau's asses, like Drake was for us last year.

A Brendan Shannahan would be perfect for them too.

[YoungKaryia 0]

SJ was outplayed, but that's the point. Anaheim is not "that good," the Sharks choked. A superior, more talented team lost to a decent, but not better talent-wise, team.

They aren't just decent, they flawed and got a 8 seed but they play far better.

[VM1138 1,921]

Some people have already hit on this but it's worth repeating:

What is the one constant in all the "rebuilding" attempts on the Sharks? They've always maintained the core. The peripheral players have changed and the outcome and performance is always the same. Therefore, you know what will happen if the periphery changes. Clearly you get rid of the core. No use building around a rotting core (Thornton, Marleau). Get rid of them for what you can. I would imagine Thornton could bring in two quality players (make one a scorer and one a playmaker). Marleau...I don't know, you could get a draft pick maybe.

[TheSupafly 50]

And about that GM -

That's a perfect description of both of us, though. I'm 100% dedicated to bringing the Cup to San Jose, and I'll do whatever it takes to make it happen. But the problem is I don't know what it takes, and neither does Wilson. Truth is there isn't one formula or magical ingredient, it's a lot of different things coming together. Like Mike Babcock said, it's like baking a cake: you add all of the ingredients, let it rest, put it in the oven at the right temp, and hope everything comes together and it turns out like the picture on the box. [this metaphor only works if it's a hockey coach trying to make the cake, not a chef, but still]

I'm not saying Wilson should be fired (this team has a glut of young talent and doesn't need prospects at the moment, so giving them away hasn't destroyed their future or anything as silly as that), but it should be considered. He's an ingredient, not the whole cake. Just like the players, he's not blameless in this whole thing. But I will say that going around telling anyone who will listen that only the Cup will do is pretty well divorced from reality. You'll never ever hear anyone in the Wings organization say something like that because they know what's actually involved in getting there, and they know not to count their chickens.

Excellent points. I agree with you, and of course by no means is Doug Wilson blameless. He bears the bulk of the responsibility, but as a fan, with the limited knowledge that we get, I'm pleased with the team he has been able to put on the ice...as far as giving them the best chance possible to win the Cup. That's one of his main jobs, and I think he's done a good job of that. Clearly some of his moves haven't paid off, but I'd like to see him at the controls a while longer.

[TheSupafly 50]

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/hockey/nhl/...ermission_N.htm

Article about this exact topic.

[IceMunkee 15]

So with another early exit and bad performance for San Hose, brings me to question. What do they do now? The issue was coaching and they brought in a new coach. Whom I thought did pretty well. They brought in new D-men and some increased offensive power and were projected to go to the SCF. So does the managment have and issue? The players don't want it bad enough? Or is Nabakov a choker when it comes to the playoff's?

[esteef 2,679]

So with another early exit and bad performance for San Hose, brings me to question. What do they do now? The issue was coaching and they brought in a new coach. Whom I thought did pretty well. They brought in new D-men and some increased offensive power and were projected to go to the SCF. So does the managment have and issue? The players don't want it bad enough? Or is Nabakov a choker when it comes to the playoff's?

The latest choke is simply karma levying it's toll on the Sharks for giving Lemieux another chance! F-You Claude!

esteef

[IceMunkee 15]

The latest choke is simply karma levying it's toll on the Sharks for giving Lemieux another chance! F-You Claude!

esteef

That may actually be it! I never thought of that but I agree!