State of the Sharks… going into the all-star break

January 23, 2008 by chuq · Comments
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A bit behind on ~~complaining about~~ writing about the Sharks, so here’s some catch-up moving into the All Star Weekend.

Detroit game: In case anyone was wondering, Detroit is clearly is clearly a better team than the Sharks. I actually think the talent is fairly close (and I think sharks goaltending is much better) — but Detroit has the committment and discipline to implement and follow the system more than the Sharks do. There were times when the Sharks were playing the Wings very well, and if you exclude the sequence of penalties, the game was fairly balanced. But of course, you can’t exclude that sequence of penalties (and I was probably the only person in the arena who thought the reffing was good; in fact, the penalty given to the Wings in the middle of it all was really a gift and kept it from being worse), and the Wings buried the Sharks during it.

There’s no question in my mind that for the Sharks to advance in the playoffs they do so through Detroit and/or Anaheim, and right now, they won’t. I can’t see this team playing like this beating either of those teams in a series.

As to the chicago game: they won, but to be honest, at one point I asked Laurie how a team playing as badly as it did at times (especially the first ten minutes of period 1 and the early parts of period 2) was up 3-1? Answer: great play by Nabokov and a few lucky plays and bounces.

The ice frankly sucked, and it impacted both teams — but the Sharks skated the applesauce better than the Hawks did, and found a way to make things happen. but it wasn’t pretty, not remotely at various times during the game. Take the win, don’t be proud of it.

On the plus side, Jonathan Cheechoo is starting to look like Cheechoo again, finally, so it seems whatever was slowing him down as far as recovery from the hernias or early season groin or whatever is over, and he’s regaining his game.

Going into the All-Star break, let me award a few awards.

First, the team studs:

Joe Thornton
Milan MIchalek

What can I say about these two? Thornton is team MVP and Michalek is his wingman. Both impress pretty much every night in both ends of the rink

Craig Rivet — not a legitimate #1 scoring defenseman, but a good puck mover and influence on the younger D. Definitely stabilizing things for us .

Steve Bernier –playing good, solid hockey.

Jeremy Roenick — what a wonderful surprise, on and off the ice. Playing well enough that I’m wondering if he’s going to want to play one more season after this — and if he does, he’s welcome on my Sharks team. He’s not that far behind Modano for goals scored; I doubt he’ll catch him, but maybe it’s a goal for him..

Mike Grier — great hustle, every shift, every night. Wish everyone on the team played like this.

Torrey Mitchell — great hustle, every shift, every night.

Douglas Murray — really transformed his game for the better. I’d love to see him work some of the physicality back into it, but not at risk of the improvements regressing.

Evgeny Nabokov — without him, we’d suck. Period. Fighting Big Joe for team MVP.

Those are the guys who are making sure the Sharks are as good as they are, when they’re good. Don’t even bother calling Doug Wilson about them, the answer is no.

Team Goats:

Patrick Marleau: -21? Patrick, if you’re hurt, sit and heal. if you’re not hurt, slam your hand in a door a few times, then sit and heal. Please.

Sandis Ozolinsh and Alexei Seminov: combined 4 goals, 16 points and -12. Between them, you ALMOST have a 6th defenseman, but the reality is, both players (much as I love Sandis for his early days with San Jose) are proving themselves to be marginal at best in this league and division.

Marcel Goc: not a major disappointment, but I am expecting more than 2-3-5 for -10. The biggest problem I see is he struggles to compete for pucks along the boards, and loses too many of those battles.

(notably missing from the list of goats: Curtis Brown, who has played his way off my goat list, and Cheechoo, who seems to be rounding into the form I expect of him)

To me, this is a first-round team. it’s been given chances to turn it around and fix the problems. It hasn’t. So it’s time to consider changes.

The player that is most disappointing is Patrick Marleau. his numbers, his physical presence on the ice both are terrible — and given his new contract, unacceptable. his feud with Ron Wilson isn’t just an open secret, it’s been confirmed by Doug Wilson. Marleau hasn’t shown the professionalism to play despite that to the talent he has, and frankly, I’m tired of waiting. It seems that one or the other needs to move on, and frankly, I don’t see this as a Ron Wilson coaching problem. He can’t force the players to want to play to their potential, adn the problem isn’t coaching or talent or system, it’s that some players simply haven’t agreed to buy in and sell out on the ice consistently, starting with marleau.

So I keep Wilson, and look to move Marleau. Marleau hasn’t done anything to earn any consideration that we should keep him and change coaches, and I see no sign anywhere else on the team that the coach is a problem. Firing the coach is an easy solution, but not necessarily a fix, and in this case, I wouldn’t do it.

If anything, the biggest problem with the team is that it is so young; the players are good and willing, but we seem to be short a veteran or two needed to help the kids understand what’s needed to succeed and teach them how to be ready for every game, every shift. That’s not really something a coach can teach — only lecture about. That’s why teams covet older leadership and guys like Mike Grier and Jeremy Roenick. I’d love to add someone like that to the blueline (no insult intended to Kyle McLaren, but he doesn’t seem to be that guy; Rivet helps, but we need one more defensive veteran and if possible, one that can get Marleau off the point of the power play and has some presence. Chris Chelios ain’t coming here, though, so let’s find someone else).

My first goal is to upgrade defense if I can. Maybe not with Marleau, but somehow. Frankly? I’d like to see the Sharks talk to Lombardi about bringing in Rob Blake. It may seem insane to talk about at trade in division, but it’d keep Blake on the west coast, it wouldn’t hurt LA long-term because he’s unlikely to re-sign with the Sharks, but man, would he make a difference down the stretch here.

Then, I’d entertain offers for Marleau. There have been rumors, like Marian Hossa, which would be nice if we could re-sign him (and Marleau being under contract is an advantage to Atlanta); another option is Tampa, where one of the big three is likely going. Brad Richards? Martin St. Louis? There will be options available for the right price. For the right deal, I’d also package in Christian Erhoff, but I’m hesitant to give up a blueliner — he’s MOST expendable to me, but not someone I’m actively shopping. Goc might have some value as part of a larger deal. I’m not terribly motivated to move anyone else on the active roster — but anyone not listed above as a stud I’d listen to suggestions.

Oooh, one thing I’d love to see: bring in Mike Sillinger. Just because.

My bottom line: this team is a good team, but not QUITE right. There’s no killer attitude, no win-at-any-price mentality, and so I think we need to either decide to be patient another year (gah!) while the kids grow up, or make some changes to rejigger that chemistry a bit and grow the team up faster. I”m not sure the fans OR Doug Wilson really has much taste for “let’s give them another year”, especially since one of the key guys who I think hasn’t gotten that “win at an cost” attitude is Marleau, and another year won’t mature him. I think he needs a change of scenery, and that such a move would benefit everyone. He’s just TOO mellow. Perhaps a stint in Calgary with Mike Keenan would help. Or Hitchcock. but clearly, he isn’t listening to Ron Wilson, and it’s gone on long enough to believe that won’t change.

too bad. I like Marleau. But I just don’t see this team taking the next step with him at captain — and I don’t see a way to remove the C and leave him on the roster. So we need him to move on and get a fresh start in a new system with different expectations. Atlanta may well be the best option for him, if what he really wants to be The Guy (as some rumors imply….) — but he won’t succeed unless he stops being so mellow about things.

I fully expect Doug Wilson to shake things up now. It’s only when and who.

and until then, we’ll keep having games like the Wings game, and victories like the Hawks game that you hold your nose and take the points… And until we see those changes, I, for one, am not worrying about making plans to do things other than hockey after the first round…