Doug Wilson, the GM for the Sharks, fired Ron Wilson, Coach of the Sharks, today. They also said they will begin a search for a new head coach immediately. This does not come to a surprise to me seeing that only 5 days ago Ron Wilson was quoted on TSN.ca saying “That's all irrelevant. You look at my record, it's second to none, literally, in the sport, so I'm not even worried about that,” when asked about his job security. This decision was made many months ago by Doug, the Board and Ron himself … and I can prove it by the last paragraph in the story on TSN. Doug Wilson was quoted as saying "People will tell you we've accomplished some really good things the last three or four years, and that's wonderful. The disappointment is we haven't accomplished what's ultimately our goal, and we're not going to stop. We're going to push through, and decisions will be made when they get made."
According to NHL.com:
"Ron helped foster a new era in San Jose Sharks hockey with some record-setting regular season performances,” said Doug Wilson. “However, ultimately we have decided that it is time for a different voice and a different approach to lead this team. We are proud of what we’ve accomplished as an organization but we feel that this team is capable of achieving greater success. I want to thank Ron for his level of commitment and desire to make our organization successful. Our entire organization wishes him well.”
The 2007-08 Pacific Division-champion Sharks were eliminated from the Stanley Cup Playoffs with a four-games-to-two series loss to the Dallas Stars in the Western Conference Semifinals.
Wilson, named the sixth head coach in franchise history on Dec. 4, 2002, leaves the Sharks as the team’s all-time coaching leader in wins (206) and winning percentage (.535), and postseason games coached (52). In four-plus seasons, the Windsor, Ontario native posted a 206-134-45 regular season record and a .535 winning percentage in 385 games with the Sharks. During his tenure, the team won two Pacific Division Championships (2004, 2008).
Wilson also leaves as the franchise leader in post-season games, posting a 28-24 mark in 52 Stanley Cup Playoff games. He led the team to a berth in the Western Conference Finals in 2004 and to the Western Conference Semifinals in 2006, 2007 and 2008.
Wilson reached several milestones while serving behind the Sharks bench, including his 1000th game as an NHL coach on March 18, 2007 at Colorado, his 500th NHL win on Feb. 9, 2008 vs. Nashville. He notched his 200th win as Sharks coach on March 18, 2008 at Los Angeles and surpassed Darryl Sutter for the franchise all-time wins list on March 1 at St. Louis.
Here is a quick snapshot of Ron Wilsons accomplishments as the Coach for the Sharks:
There is a good pool of candidates for Doug Wilson to contact over the next couple weeks. Two that come to mind are Joel Quenneville from the Avalanche and Paul Maurice from Toronto are both holding their “Will Coach For A Cup” signs. Since Toronto has all but laid their cards out on the table, it appears the San Jose Sharks will have plenty of interviews starting to line up – I mean, who wouldn’t want to coach the Sharks. They are the most consistent team in the NHL. Over his career Wilson has coached the San Jose Sharks, Washington Capitals and Anaheim Ducks, compiling a record of 518-446-127 over his 1,091 games. He coached the Capitals to the Stanley Cup Final during the 1997-98 season but Washington was swept by the Detroit Red Wings.
Anyone catch the last game in Dallas? 6 days ago I posted my thoughts on the Sharks/Stars match up. 4 games down and San Jose is looking at elimination is NOT what I had in mind. So, let me ask again ... Did anyone catch the last game in Dallas? The Sharks come out fighting, owning the corners, dominating the offensive zone. Marty Turco turns aside shot after shot … then, 5 minutes into the second period POW, Dallas scores and the Sharks pack it up. They might as well had their equipment truck back up to the zamboni entrance. San Jose’s game changed the moment they were down by one. Then, on an amazing breakout pass from Sergei Zubov, Patty Marleau pulls out another short-handed goal on Marty Turco (yes, 2 games in a row he did that!) I was shocked, and that is what energized them enough for Milan Michalek to convert the only power play (out of 6) to make it 2 – 1 by shoving in his third goal of the series, and Evgeni Nabokov had his strongest game of the series, and possibly of the playoffs, making 17 saves in the win, and the Sharks live to play another day. I bit my nails, Dallas threw everything they had at Nabby and the Sharks won!
The Sharks win came on the second night of a back to back games in Dallas because everyone expected there would be a Dallas Mavericks playoff game that night, but the Mav’s were eliminated by New Orleans. The win gives the Sharks a very small shred of hope, in that, this series is not quite over yet. What San Jose has done is planted that same thought, into the heads of the Dallas Stars, instead of hope, it’s in the form of doubt. It’s like a seed has been planted, and tonight, the Sharks need to do everything in their power to make that seed grow. If they play the “in your face” hockey they showed us at the end of the regular season I believe they can get Dallas to second guess their play and capitalize that into another win.
With Detroit completing their sweep of the Colorado Avalanche, the Sharks can hope that a possible date with Detroit could be just what they need to rejuvenate their passion into power. Just the thought about meeting Detroit for the Conference should have some Sharks players and fans licking their lips, thinking a possible revenge match could be waiting for them in the next round.
However, as we all know, one game does not make the series, and the Sharks aren't close to seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. A win tonight night will get them that much closer, plus keep them in the second round for one more game. As of now, there is no Game 6 or Game 7 that the Sharks can even think about, because if they don't win Game 5, then neither of those will ever exist. There are ways for San Jose to secure another trip to Dallas: A continued presence from guys like Mike Grier, Tomas Plihal, Torrey Mitchell, and Devin Setoguchi up front, not to mention Marleau’s continued hot streak, and the occasional appearance from Joe Thornton needs to become a little more consistent. Back that with pressure from the defense, Brian Campbell needs to show up and push San Jose’s Defensive lines like he did after the trade.
Kudos has to go to Ron Wilson for bringing Curtis Brown back … in his Stanley Cup debut this year his veteran leadership allowed San Jose the ability to hand the Stars zero points on their 3 power plays, Brown also won 7 of the 11 face offs. Brown’s efforts were part of the reason why San Jose is playing a Game Five on Friday. The Sharks are pining for a chance to make history. Only two teams have rallied from a 3-0 deficit to win a Stanley Cup Playoff series. In 1942, the Toronto Maple Leafs did that in their Finals series vs. Detroit. Thirty-three years later, the 1975 New York Islanders repeated that performance in the quarterfinals vs. Pittsburgh. And ironically, it’s been 33 years since that Islanders-Penguins series.
If you are into numbers … this could be a great omen for the Sharks.
“It’s an awfully big mountain to look at if you say, ‘We have to win four’,” Brown said of the Sharks elimination situation. “We have to take little steps and win one. And then hopefully another one. That’s how you take little bites out of that big hill.”
“We know what the task is,” Wilson said. “You’ve got to win four games in a row to win the series. It’s happened before. If you think you’re facing an impossible situation, then we shouldn’t even bother playing the game. The advantage for us is that we have two of the next three games at home. We can hold our home ice. We just have to win one more game in Dallas. You just try to find any way to look at something positive.”
The league MVP award is on the line tonight along with the Washington Capitals playoff hopes as Alexander Ovechkin leads the Caps into their final game of the season. They face the Florida Panthers, ironically the same team that did them a favor last night when they defeated Carolina, in what is easily the biggest game of Ovechkin's career and the the most important game for the Capitals in a very long time. All they have to do is earn a single point, just one, and they'll not only be in the playoffs but they'll also secure the third spot in the East and home ice advantage through at least the first round.
The Carolina Hurricanes and Capitals have been neck in neck in the Southeast Division for the last week or so as both teams surged towards a playoff birth. The teams come from very different angles, however, as the young Hurricanes franchise looks to overcome the disappointment of missing the playoffs last year after winning the Stanley Cup the year before. They started off incredibly well this season as one of the top team's in the East, and then tumbled through the standings before regaining their momentum at the end of the season. Washington, on the other hand, hasn't made the playoffs in years and struggled out of the gate prompting the dismissal of then coach Glen Hanlon. He was replaced by Bruce Boudreau and the team has soared since in what has become a record breaking season for their young superstar Alexander Ovechkin.
Ovechkin now has 65 goals on the season and 47 assists. He's set a new NHL record for goals by a left winger in a single season and was the first player to score more than 60 in a decade. He's easily the MVP of the league, but will he win the award if his team fails to make the playoffs? If history holds true, it's unlikely since the award is rarely given to someone on a team that failed to make the playoffs, which is just one of the reasons why he'll need to play the best game of his young career. A tremendous amount of pressure will also sit on the shoulders of Cristobal Huet, acquired at the trade deadline from the Montreal Canadiens, who has been nothing short of stellar since arriving in Washington.
Going into yesterday's games Washington was tied with Carolina in points, but Carolina had an additional win which gave them the top spot. All Carolina had to do was beat the Florida Panthers in their final game of the season to secure the division and their playoff birth. They out-shot the Panthers 46-17, but fell 4-3 in what can only be described as a devastating loss for the franchise. A loss that paves the way for Ovechkin and the young stars of the Capitals to make their playoff debut.
If they earn a point tonight and subsequently find themselves in the playoffs, they may just have the scoring depth and role players to surprise a number of teams. The NHL has to be quietly cheering for their new face of the league to make the post-season. It would make for quite a story and it's exactly the kind of drama that makes the NHL post-season the best season of any major sport.
Maxim Afinogenov was drafted in 1997 by the Buffalo Sabres in the third round, 69th overall. He spent his first couple of years in his native land of Russia before making the jump to the AHL in the 1999-2000 season playing for Rochester. He would only spend 15 games in the AHL before making it to the big show where he would play 65 games in the only NHL sweater he'd wear for the next decade. He put up 34 points, including 16 goals, in those 65 games and averaged a little over two shots on goal per game. Afinogenov is the definitive hockey athlete in many ways. At 6'0, 191 lbs he has a solid reach, decent frame and world class, defense crushing speed. He's as fast and as nimble as nearly any player in the NHL, can dangle the puck at will and, since he's a right winger, he has the ability to stretch defenses and create space for other players.
Maxim would hover around the 35-40 point range for the next handful of seasons. Nearly everyone could see the potential, but for some reason he struggled to truly capture it. That is until the 2005-2006 season where the speedy winger would finally put all of his skills together and produced 73 points in 77 games. He had 51 assists that year and averaged over 3 shots on goal per game. Buffalo suddenly felt like they had a potential star on their hands. The next season was on-pace to be even better but Afinogenov was slowed by injuries, especially a broken wrist that cost him 21 games. He would finish the season with 61 points in only 56 games but the playoffs were an entirely different season and he would quickly learn that speed and puck handling aren't everything.
The Buffalo Sabres had the best record in the NHL and were an obvious favorite to hoist the cup. They went into the playoffs with the highest of hopes, but ultimately found that post-season hockey is very different than regular season hockey. They opened the post season facing the New York Islanders and quickly ended the series in 5 games. Maxim had a goal and 3 assists in a series that the Sabres handled easily. Buffalo was on their way.
Buffalo would visit the other New York team in the second round and take both games at home before heading to Madison Square Garden up 2-0. Afinogenov failed to register a point in either game and was limited to only 12:00 minutes of ice time in game 2. It seemed that Lindsey Ruff, coach of the Buffalo Sabres, was seriously concerned with Afinogenov's tendency to turn the puck over, especially in Buffalo's end, and was slowly ratcheting down his time on the ice as a result. Hockey is a game of mistakes, a game where defensive systems are designed to incite chaos and create turnovers, so his play was becoming unacceptable considering the stakes.
New York was not kind to Buffalo as they dropped the first playoff game on the road in double overtime. Maxim's minutes went up, but it had no impact on his production as he failed to register a point. In the playoffs, "your best players have to be your best players" which seems obvious but just ask the San Jose Sharks how they feel about Patrick Marleau in the post-season. In the always pivotal third game of the series up 2 games to 1, Maxim Afinogenov was nowhere to be found. It appeared that Ruff had seen enough and had chosen to bench one of his best offensive players. It didn't seem to help as Buffalo went on to lose a close game 2 to 1 and the series headed back to Buffalo even at 2. Afinogenov would have to scratch his way back into the lineup if he wanted to help his team, a team that was desperately in need of offense.
Game 5 was one of the most exciting hockey games I've ever seen. Henrik Lundqvist was absolutely amazing in a game in which he faced 40 shots from a Sabres team that was hell bent on securing a one game advantage. Ryan Miller, on the other hand, faced only 23 but with 10 seconds left in the game the Rangers were up 1 with a face-off in their zone. Chris Drury and Daniel Briere, both lost to free agency only a few months later, were on the ice with Tim Connolly and all three would play a role in one of the biggest goals in Buffalo fans' recent memories. Chris Drury, known to score big goals throughout his career, did some great work in the corner to free up the puck before pulling himself off the ice and swinging around behind the net. The puck made its way to Drury, as it often does in critical times, and Chris secured it just below the faceoff circle and ripped a wrist shot by Lundqvist to tie the game with only 8 seconds left.
Maxim Afinogenov was allowed to play that game, only 13:33 including overtime mind you, but he would ultimately do something that would secure his place on the roster for the remainder of the playoffs. Less than 5 minutes into overtime, Maxim Afinogenov received a pass at the point and rocked a slapshot passed Lundqvist to give Buffalo the win and a 3-2 advantage in the series. Afinogenov immediately turned, took 3 or 4 strides towards center ice and laid out on his belly like a baserunner sliding into third. It was a classic image as the team toppled on top of him. It was clear that his teammates felt for him and were excited to be a part of his redemption. The Sabres took the next game and the series, and were ready to meet the Ottawa Senators in the conference finals. It seemed that Maxim might be back.
Maxim scored in the first game against the Senators, but Buffalo ultimately lost a tilt that was dominated by the Sens. In the second game, Afinogenov was given over 25 minutes of ice time, but the Sabres lost a heartbreaker in double overtime to start the series down 2-0. The Sabres would only manage to win 1 of the next 3 games as they simply could not keep up with the physical play of the Senators. Buffalo looked small against the Senators and they appeared to be shocked by the amount of hitting that saturated the series. It was the same bruising strategy that won Ottawa the first round against Sidney Crosby, broken ankle and all, and the Pittsburgh Penguins. Interestingly enough, it was also the same strategy that would be used against them in the Stanley Cup finals after Buffalo fell to the Senators in overtime of game 5. The Senators moved on to face the Anaheim Ducks in the Stanley Cup Finals and Buffalo's season was over. Ultimately, Afinogenov finished the playoffs with 5 goals and 4 assists in 15 games. A decent amount of production, but big players put up points at big times and, other than the overtime goal, Maxim was never able to really get into a groove. However, a loss in the conference finals was only the beginning of the Buffalo Sabres' woes.
Only months later the team's leading scorer, Daniel Briere, and leader Chris Drury were lost to free agency. Briere wanted to remain a Sabre but Buffalo refused to negotiate his contract during the regular season. Briere would have stayed for $5 million in January, at least that's what's been reported, but after posting another remarkable season with 95 points in 81 games he was worth a lot more in July and it was apparently more than the Sabres were willing to pay. Chris Drury ultimately moved on to broadway while Briere landed in Philadelphia. The Sabres failed to make any significant additions in the off-season and entered the 07-08 season deseperately depending on a spark from their host of young players, including Thomas Vanek, who led the team in goals in the previous year with 43. The sudden loss of two all star centermen left players like Afinogenov in a tight spot. Derek Roy and Tim Connolly are great pivots, but they can't replace the two men that left and guys like Vanek, and Afinogenov to a lesser extent, feed off the creativity and skill of others. They can create on their own, but they are deadly when paired with a setup man. The Sabres would need Afinogenov to have another big season and help provide some of the offense that was lost with the two all stars.
Maxim registered an assist on the opening night of the 07-08 season, but would ultimately only put up 2 goals and 2 assists in the first 10 games of the season. It was a slow start and it wouldn't get any easier as he would only score one goal in the next 10 games. After 20, Afinogenov had 3 goals and 5 assists and the Sabres were below .500 for the first time in recent memory.
Afinogenov continued to bounce around between lines and struggled to earn ice time as his coach still questioned his ability to protect the puck, make good decisions and play defense. In January, he received terrible news as what was originally expected to be a groin pull was actually a tear and he would be out indefinitely. An injury like that keeps any player on the shelf for an extended period of time, but for a player who's game is based heavily on speed, it's nothing short of a disaster. While Buffalo struggled to keep their head above water, including a streak in January where the team lost 10 in a row and 13 out of 14 games, Maxim waited, for that's all one can do with such an injury, for the tear to heal. The Sabres went from being in a solid playoff position to being on the outside looking in and, afraid to lose another player for nothing in return, Buffalo was forced to trade their captain Brian Campbell to the San Jose Sharks for Steve Bernier. While the Sabres struggles actually didn't have too much to do with Maxim's lack of production, it certainly didn't help and after Campbell left town many assumed that this was the end of the season for them.
Ultimately, the injury cost him 26 games and, unfortunately for Buffalo, his return hasn't really sparked much of a comeback in the Sabres. As a player, however, he seems more determined than ever. In his second game back, he scored 2 goals and added an assist in a game in which Buffalo beat the Philadelphia Flyers 5-2. Since his return, he's averaging a point per game. Fast forward to tonight's game (3/10) against the Rangers and you can see flashes of changed player. Late in overtime, Maxim was caught deep in the Rangers zone as New York was able to move the puck up quickly, trapping the speedy forward. The Rangers came in 3 on 2, dropped the puck back to the trailing man who quickly tried to slide the puck to the left wing for a quick, and wide open, one timer when Maxim appeared out of nowhere to block the pass and throw the puck to the boards near his defenseman. He saw that his man was going to collect the puck so he instantly changed directions, turned on those world class wheels and scorched through the middle of the ice and received a perfect pass in stride. He went in 1-on-1 against Henrik Lundqvist, but was stopped on a nifty little backhand shot. While he wasn't able to win the game for them, he may have saved it. It's the kind of play they expect to see from a guy with his natural skating ability. It's the kind of play for which I wish he was known, the kind of play only a guy with his level of natural skill can make. Maybe his return will help the Sabres scratch out a playoff spot. Maybe he'll show his coach that he's not a defensive liability, which will in turn allow him more ice time in which to produce offensively. Or maybe he'll disappear from the Buffalo roster in the off season and land on a team like Detroit, play with a guy like Pavel Datsyuk and compete for the scoring title. He has the ability, he just needs to show the will.
I wrote this because he's one of my favorite players to watch and he's also a somewhat unknown player among casual fans, if there is such a thing in hockey. For me, he embodies what makes the game exciting. He is exactly the kind of player that anyone could watch and understand why there are people who love this sport above all else and why it's a part of the fabric that makes up the Canadian culture. I understand Lindsey Ruff's concerns over the defensive play and he needs to learn to be more consistent in his own zone, but he's the kind of player that can change a game. At 29, he's not a young kid anymore and he might have 5-6 years left so I hope he figures it out because I'd love to see him have success again and I'd love to see the Sabres in the playoffs.
That's right - before the puck even dropped Doug was out during the pre-game ceremony where the Blackhawks recognized Hall of Famers Bobby Hull and Stan Mikita, probably the biggest players in the team's history.
Bobby Hull is the Blackhawks' career goals leader with 604, while Stan Mikita holds team records for career points (1,467), assists (926) and games played (1,394). Both starred with the Blackhawks in the 1960s and into the 1970s, and played for Chicago's last Stanley Cup winning team, in 1961.
Why was Doug Wilson part of this show - Well he did play 14 seasons with the Blackhawks and he still holds the team career records for goals and assists by a defenseman. Doug played for the Blackhawks from 1977 - 1993 ... in that time he played 938 games with 225 goals, 554 assists which gave him 779 points ... if you think about that he averaged .83 goals per game. In the '81/'82 season Doug brought home the James Norris Memorial Trophy which is given to the NHL's Top Defensive player "who demonstrates throughout the season the greatest all-round ability in the position."
Doug then went to skate for the Sharks for 2 years before picking up a coaching gig. Another top 10 player from the Blackhawks is also a Shark now - Jeremy Roenick with 596 points coming from 267 goals and 329 assists in 524 games (that averages out to an impressive 1.14 goals per game) Jeremy played for the Blackhawks from 1988 - 1996.
To watch these players and coaches show their love for the sport they excel in is inspiring, to say the least. I don't know of any other sport where the opposing coach would join the home team in celebrating their greatest achievements and cheer loudly. The players and coaches in the NHL show everyone in the sporting world that there is such thing as "love for a sport" ... and for this, I love Hockey!
If you look at the spread in the West ... ONLY 8 points separate 13th and 5th. Top that off with the teams in 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th are all tied with 72 points (this is including the San Jose Sharks)!!! Am I worried - absolutely. It would be a crying shame for the Sharks to miss the playoffs this year. I am looking at hotels in the Nashville area in the event they meet up with the Predators soon.
All said - these last 20 or so games are going to be intense, gritty and down right brutal when it comes to Western division and conference rivals scratching for these last few points. What is also making this an amazing season is with only 2 more days left before the trade deadline hits - we are still waiting patiently for those flood gates to crash open so we can witness the shuffle of players by coaches and GM's in the hopes of securing one of the births come April!
There are a TON of rumors flying around the league and not much action, which tells me that come Monday and Tuesday ... the NHL corporate offices will be in utter pandemonium trying to facilitate trade calls between teams, players, agents and the NHLPA. The next 72 hours are not going to provide much sleep if you are an NHL executive in NY.
Great quotes are easy to come by in the NHL … Coaches and GM’s have been around and seen enough of this league that their sense of humor has to be in tune or this sport will drive anyone in a leadership role to drinking! There are motivational quotes like the one from John Tortorella, when talking about the Lightnings game play, where he said “Safety is death.”
Then there are the ones that show how much respect this league commands – when Barry Trotz was talking about Peter Forsberg, “Some of the things he's done, they write books about. Babe Ruth-type stuff. But he doesn't bring an intimidating personality. He's a genuine, solid guy and any team that gets him is getting a great talent and a good person." You don’t find respect like that in other leagues, sure you’ll hear someone say good things about a player, but in regards to honor and respect, I think the NHL is the bar every sport franchise should aspire to reach.
You can also find them with players after a game, these guys just poured their souls out in front of millions and they have to remain positive. Win or lose, they cannot say what’s really on their minds … I have seen a few times after a game when the media is talking to a player before he goes into the locker room and they are hitting him with 30 different questions in 7.8 seconds. Like when they caught the FlyersRW R.J. Umberger … you know he wanted to say something other than “A week-and-a-half, maybe 2 weeks ago, we thought we were going to contend for the top spot in the East, and things turned the wrong way. We lost a couple of games, we've had some injuries and we need to find a way to stop it right now." You know he had something more to say about that situation, and I am sure in the locker room he was a little more candid – Now there is a sound bite!
What about players who talk about other players … the ones who surprise even their teammates when they take the ice. Like with the OilersMathieu Roy, when he was talking about his teammate Zack Stortini and said “Maybe when he puts on his helmet a couple of wires touch each other or something, because off the ice he's a really nice guy. On the ice, he's nuts."
And to wrap this up – a couple I got a chuckle out of when reading. The Ducks GM was quoted "You guys (the media) aren't going to let a guy sit there for three or four years and not do much with the deadline and go out in the first round and say; 'Well, he's husbanding his assets wisely. He's marshalling his assets wisely. This is a sharp guy.' You're all going to say; 'Put him on a rail and throw some tar on him and get him out of town.'" When asked about his plans for the trade deadline. Or when questioned about Trade rumors Flames GM Darryl Sutter says "I don't pay attention to it. It's like listening to a magpie in the morning-as long as it doesn't wake the kids up, it don't bother me."
Anyone who knows me knows how mad I was last year watching the Senators play the Penguins in the playoffs. The Penguins got exposed for being a soft team and an easy team to play against in terms of physical play. Also, I don't believe that having a guy like Laraque on the team makes you truly tough. Yes, he's a perennial heavy weight and a beast in all respects, but team toughness is what matters in the playoffs. If you look at what the Ducks did in the playoffs last year they proved that team toughness is about having players that play more than 10 minutes a game that are willing to get to work in the corners and thrive on making the lives of their opponents hell. Well, Ryan Whitney, who received a fat long term deal, was the number one guy I was truly upset with in the playoffs. I thought he was positively awful. I under the need for offensive defenseman especially in today's hockey where a transition game is absolutely crucial. However, having a guy like Whitney who can play the offensive side of hockey but lacks the stones and the heart to play the tough-nosed defensive side is a liability, especially when he's on the ice for 20+ minutes a night. I was surprised that no one was bashing Whitney after that performance, and after a slow start to the current season even offensively, but apparently Michele Therrien, Penguin's coach, finally saw something in Whitney he didn't like last night. After blowing a 2 goal lead with 10 minutes left in the game to eventually fall in overtime to division rival New Jersey Devils, Therrien had this to say about his young defenseman, "It's unacceptable to lose a hockey game like this. Unacceptable. A guy like Ryan Whitney, he's going to have to be more aggressive around the net. He's not aggressive at all. It cost us the game."
He cost you at least a game if not multiple games in the playoffs as well there Michele. Frankly, the same could be said about much of the defensive core of the Penguins. It's way too easy and comfortable to play against the Penguins, especially in the corners and in front of their net. You don't need 6 defensemen that can put up 40+ points unless most of them can do what Pronger, Phaneuf and the other great defensemen do which is aid the transition game while punishing the other team. The Penguins need a true, stay-at-home tough nosed defenseman if they intend to go anywhere beyond the first round. Penguins have called up AHL all star Alex Goligoski and hopefully this means that Ryan Whitney may finally get the punishment he deserves, a brief stint riding the pine.
Speaking of toughness, Ethan Moreau defines tough with this play. He takes a stick to the mouth and not only does he stay on the ice, he continues with the play and even gets a shot on goal despite the fact that he has so much blood in his mouth it's tough to breathe. This is one of the many things that separates hockey players from others. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m6IjO1Y8Wqc
The Sharks announced today the 2 year extension for the teams most senior player. Patrick Marleau has been with the franchise for over 10 years ... he has set the clubs records in Goals, Points, Assists and Games played. Patty was 18 years old when he was drafted as a rookie in 97/98 and has been with the team since. After months of negotiations and public speculation on his future, he finalized a deal two weeks before training camp opens to stay with the club. Patrick has played more games in teal than anyone, and he was relieved to head into camp with his future resolved.
"I put a lot of thought into it, but what it came down to is I've been here the longest, I'm the last guy standing. I've come up with the team, and now that we've got what I think is a Stanley Cup-calibre team, I thought it wouldn't be the best time to leave. It was important to me to stay with the team, to stay in the Bay Area." Marleau said in a phone interview
Marleau's new deal will pay him $6.3 million each season, a healthy raise for the Sharks' second-line centre. Thornton, the Sharks' top-line centre and the league's second-leading scorer, will average $7.2 million per year in his three-year extension, which also begins in 2008. This looks like the final move from Doug Wilson who has been busy courting Thornton, Michalek and Rivet this off season ...
"A group of our guys understand we're coming in to the prime of where our team is at, it's an exciting time for us, for this number of players to step up and want to be a part of it. I think they sense there's something good in place. He's got that balance. He understands that there's nobody bigger than the game, and nobody bigger than the team. The relationships that players have with fans are based on that premise. He gives back, and he's very involved in the community.”
When asked about the rumors that have surrounded Patrick for the past couple months Doug said “You learn from listening and taking all these calls, but there really was only one priority, and that was to re-sign Patrick. Did teams call as recently as the last couple of days? Yes, they did, but the response was always that we're trying to re-sign Patty.”
We will have to wait all season to see if Patrick will show up to next years playoff games - just a short 3 months ago Doug Wilson was singing a different tune criticizing Patrick for his weak showing in the playoffs leading up to their enormous choke against Detroit.
Did anyone know the Tampa Bay Lightning were up for sale? Evidently Absolute Hockey did ... 'cause they just purchased the franchise, leasing rights to the St Pete Times Forum and "ajacent properties." Here is a short on the topic -
"The NHL team says a group called Absolute Hockey Enterprises has signed a purchase agreement with current owner Palace Sports and Entertainment."
Sources tell TSN Doug MacLean will be the Chairman and CEO of the Lightning while Jay Feaster will stay on as GM and John Tortorella will remain as head coach. Absolute Hockey also includes Jeff Sherrin and Oren Koules. Team spokesman Jay Preble said Jeff Sherrin is a Coral Springs real estate developer and Koules a TV and movie producer mostly knows for the Saw trilogy and the sitcom 2 and a half men. Doug MacLean coached the Florida Panthers to the Stanley Cup final in 1996. He was fired in April as the Columbus Blue Jackets president and GM.
Today - in NY, Garth Snow introduced Bill Guerin as the new captain of the Isle's for next season. WHAT???
Here is his comment from the announcement - "I'm completely surprised, but thrilled about this tremendous honor," said Guerin. "I want to thank the organization for the vote of confidence and I will not take this captaincy lightly. Thank you Garth. Thank you, Charles. I'm excited about joining a team with such a wonderful history. I speak for all four of us when I say this is a group of players that wants to be here and play as team."
I can say from seeing his preformance from the last half of last season with the Sharks that Bill Gurein should be shown the DOOR instead of the letter "C" he will be wearing on his jersey next year.
We'll see what Snow has up his sleeve ... is it something in Guerin we dont see, or is it the copius amount of BS the Guerin has been able to slather on about during his one on one's with Snow!
