The Sharks and Claude Lemieux…

latest update: Dave Pollak talks to Doug Wilson, gets the story right….

Power rankings: Quarter-season analysis … – NHL – Yahoo! Sports:

1. San Jose Sharks (17-3-1, Previous: 1) – Yes, it’s the second-best first-quarter start in the least 25 NHL seasons, but 20 games a season do not make. The fact 43-year-old Claude Lemieux is being given as much as a 25-game look-see in Worcester tells you GM Doug Wilson still wants to add more grit to the mix. Depth on defense, especially of the physical variety, could be another area the team explores.

Seen three or four writers saying similar things; only problem is that as far as I can tell, it’s not true. I’ve seen two quotes by the team (Wayne Thomas, GM of the Worcester Sharks being one) noting that “this is for Worcester only”. With the Sharks at that peak of the Cup Run buildup, the AHL team doesn’t have the depth it’s had in the past, and it shows.

The team’s doing this for two reasons:

First, it can’t hurt to have a guy like Lemieux with the AHL kids teaching them a few ropes (and dirty tricks) and showing them what it means to be ready to play every day and in shape, and for Lemieux to have even gotten this far shows amazing determination and work ethic.

Second, Doug Wilson and Lemieux are old buddies, and Wilson has shown a willingness to toss a life preserver at someone if it (at least) won’t hurt the organization. Last year, it was Sandis Ozolinsh, who if people don’t remember, was Wilson’s blueline mate the first season of the Sharks existance until Sandis blew out a knee and was lost for the season. The team has found places for both Mike Ricci and Bryan Marchment. And then there’s this washed out has-been named Roenick….

The changes of Lemieux wearing teal seem to be somewhere very close to NONE. I never say never, but this seems to be a classic case of helping a friend by giving him a roster spot (which helps the Worcester team) and seeing if someone bites. I certainly don’t think the Sharks will — Brad Staubitz and Jamie McGinn will get the nod, among others, first.

Could this benefit some other NHL team? Perhaps. Is that a bad thing? I think not. The Flyers did this with Boucher, to the Sharks benefit, so it all evens out in the long run.

I just think folks need to set their expectations more carefully here. the Sharks have quietly tried to, but people don’t seem to be listening and this is starting to build some momentum well beyond it deserves.

update:

I decided, just for grins, to see if I could find the quotes about this. Here’s Mark Emmons at the Merc (although Wayne Thomas isn’t explicitly mentioned, I heard the same quote using his name):

Setoguchi deserves his spot on Sharks’ top line – San Jose Mercury News:

Claude Lemieux — yes, that Claude Lemieux — is about to join the Worcester Sharks on a PTO, or professional tryout contract.

At 43 and having played his last NHL game in 2002-03, the super-pest, royal pain with four Stanley Cup rings has been playing in Europe, but he is now on the North American comeback trail after a few games with the China Sharks last week.

A PTO contract lasts a maximum 25 games, though it can be renewed once. Beyond that, a standard player contract would be needed.

Sharks General Manager Doug Wilson has been traveling, but a team representative said this is strictly about Worcester, not San Jose.

He’s also one of the few noting the difference between a tryout contract and a playing contract..

And Eric Duhatschek actually talked to Wilson about it…

globeandmail.com: Globe on Hockey – Duhatschek: Claude Lemieux’s comeback continues:

In the midst of a longer conversation over his team’s excellent performance in the first quarter of the NHL season, Wilson confirmed that Lemieux will report to Worcester to play for the team’s AHL affiliate under general manager Wayne Thomas. However, Wilson stressed that the Sharks had made no commitment to Lemieux beyond providing him with a place to play, so that he can determine for himself whether a possible comeback attempt was realistic or not.

So let’s put this whole “Claude is back” away for a while… (and for the writers out there who’ve been calling him retired, well, no. Not in the NHL, but he was playing in Europe, at least up through last season, so this is less of a stretch than many are claiming it to be. He was a lot less retired than it maybe seemed)

I have to admit I have mixed feelings about this; I never forgave him for the hit he made on Draper — but I cheered his Conn Smythe, because my god, he earned it. He’s a heck of a player with a real edge. Personally, though, I’m not sure I’d want to see him take a teal jersey away from some of the other guys in the system.

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