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San Jose Sharks Blogger •
When it comes to the NHL’s annual free agent frenzy, no news is bad news. It’s difficult for fans to watch other teams acquire talent, stocking their rosters with fresh blood and renewing optimism for the future, without wondering when their team is going to make a significant move. However, signing your seventh defenseman to a two-year, $3.4 million deal is worse news, and that’s all the San Jose Sharks have to show after the first two days of free agency. Or is it?
The Sharks have failed to confirm or deny three separate reports that have come out over the last four days. On June 30, news surfaced that Rob Blake had agreed to a one-year, $3.5 million deal. It was widely reported, but the Sharks have yet to confirm the deal, leaving fans scratching their heads over the reason for the delay. On July 1, TSN reported that Kent Huskins had signed a two-year, $3.4 million deal. Again, there hasn’t been any confirmation from either the team or local media.
The latest news comes from ESPN, reporting late on July 2 that Ryane Clowe has agreed to a four-year deal worth approximately $3.5 million per season. Once again, the Sharks have failed to confirm or deny the report, and haven’t made any indication they’re ready to make any announcements in the near future. So, a frustrated fan base is prompted to ask one simple question: What the **** is going on?
Two possible explanations come to mind immediately. There’s only one person covering the San Jose Sharks these days – David Pollak of the San Jose Mercury News. Either he’s pulled a complete 180, going from credible reporter to bumbling hack overnight, or the Sharks are playing shenanigans with the media. Although Pollak does work for the same media outlet as Mark Purdy, I just can’t see him slipping. In fact, there’s a greater likelihood Arturs Irbe comes out of retirement to replace Mike Grier on the Sharks’ third line. That leaves shenanigans by the Sharks as the only possible answer.
During Doug Wilson’s tenure as San Jose general manager, the Sharks have become known around the league for their secrecy. Every move seems to come out of left field, without any rumors or rumblings preceding it, and the team has become harder to read than backward, upside-down Braille. Wilson rarely gives out clues about possible transactions, and even the most direct questions are usually met with broad, vague answers.
Getting back to the Sharks’ three signings that are up in the air, they leave far more questions than answers. Why would the Sharks alienate their fans and lone beat writer by failing to confirm or deny the latest reports? If the signings have been completed, what does the team have to gain by keeping them under wraps? Are these deals so bad that the Sharks are in denial, refusing to confirm that they even exist?
Perhaps the Sharks are holding off on announcing the Huskins signing until they can package it with some better news. It makes sense, because brussel sprouts and spinach are usually offset by fruit salad or sweet corn, and the Huskins signing is bad enough to turn your stomach. The 30-year-old defenseman has only played more than 33 games once during his three-year NHL career, didn’t appear in a single game for the Sharks after being dealt at the trade deadline, and made $650,000 last season. To put it simply, a $1.7 million annual salary doesn’t make any sense.
Bad deal aside, why would the Sharks sign Huskins when they already had their top six defensemen under contract (assuming Blake has been re-signed)? Maybe a higher-priced rearguard is on the way out, or maybe Wilson is trying to salvage something after his latest horrendous trade-deadline swap. He’s made a habit of giving up picks and prospects for nothing over the last three years. Just take a look at the list.
Acquired: Bill Guerin, Craig Rivet, Brian Campbell, Travis Moen, Kent Huskins
Gave up: Ville Nieminen, Jay Barriball, 2007 1st round pick, Josh Gorges, 2007 1st round pick, Steve Bernier, 2008 1st round pick, Nick Bonino, Timo Pielmeier
Left with: Kent Huskins(?), 2009 2nd round pick, 2010 2nd round pick
Maybe Wilson feels he has to overpay Huskins, simply so he has one NHL player to show for his recent trend of atrocious trade deadline acquisitions. Meanwhile, Guerin just won a Stanley Cup with the Penguins, Campbell went to the Western Conference final with the Blackhawks, Rivet is the captain of the Sabres, and Moen is up for grabs.
For those keeping score at home, the Sharks have given up three first round picks, two NHL players, and three promising prospects in deadline deals over the last three seasons. They have two playoff series victories over that span, two second-round picks, and possibly an overpriced Kent Huskins to show for it.
The Sharks aren’t getting much attention from Bay Area media outlets these days, and the team’s coverage has been whittled down to one beat writer without many answers but plenty of questions. Perhaps if the Sharks keep up their shenanigans and continue to alienate the media they’ll be left with their own PR staff as the only source of coverage. It’s a frightening thought, especially when you read this line that appeared in a recent item on the team’s official website:
I’ll ignore the grammatical errors, but I’m not exactly sure how the team has distributed the big money to the right players. Patrick Marleau, Joe Thornton, Milan Michalek, Jonathan Cheechoo, Evgeni Nabokov? That’s not a real popular group these days, and if that’s the pattern the Sharks are going to continue it’s going to be more of the same in San Jose, early exits and the constant search for answers.
No news is bad news, and the Huskins signing is worse news. What do you call it when a team compiles the bad news by refusing to confirm the worse news? That’s where the Sharks are at two days into a frustrating and confusing free agency period.
ryan.garner@hockeybuzz.com
The Sharks have failed to confirm or deny three separate reports that have come out over the last four days. On June 30, news surfaced that Rob Blake had agreed to a one-year, $3.5 million deal. It was widely reported, but the Sharks have yet to confirm the deal, leaving fans scratching their heads over the reason for the delay. On July 1, TSN reported that Kent Huskins had signed a two-year, $3.4 million deal. Again, there hasn’t been any confirmation from either the team or local media.
The latest news comes from ESPN, reporting late on July 2 that Ryane Clowe has agreed to a four-year deal worth approximately $3.5 million per season. Once again, the Sharks have failed to confirm or deny the report, and haven’t made any indication they’re ready to make any announcements in the near future. So, a frustrated fan base is prompted to ask one simple question: What the **** is going on?
Two possible explanations come to mind immediately. There’s only one person covering the San Jose Sharks these days – David Pollak of the San Jose Mercury News. Either he’s pulled a complete 180, going from credible reporter to bumbling hack overnight, or the Sharks are playing shenanigans with the media. Although Pollak does work for the same media outlet as Mark Purdy, I just can’t see him slipping. In fact, there’s a greater likelihood Arturs Irbe comes out of retirement to replace Mike Grier on the Sharks’ third line. That leaves shenanigans by the Sharks as the only possible answer.
During Doug Wilson’s tenure as San Jose general manager, the Sharks have become known around the league for their secrecy. Every move seems to come out of left field, without any rumors or rumblings preceding it, and the team has become harder to read than backward, upside-down Braille. Wilson rarely gives out clues about possible transactions, and even the most direct questions are usually met with broad, vague answers.
Getting back to the Sharks’ three signings that are up in the air, they leave far more questions than answers. Why would the Sharks alienate their fans and lone beat writer by failing to confirm or deny the latest reports? If the signings have been completed, what does the team have to gain by keeping them under wraps? Are these deals so bad that the Sharks are in denial, refusing to confirm that they even exist?
Perhaps the Sharks are holding off on announcing the Huskins signing until they can package it with some better news. It makes sense, because brussel sprouts and spinach are usually offset by fruit salad or sweet corn, and the Huskins signing is bad enough to turn your stomach. The 30-year-old defenseman has only played more than 33 games once during his three-year NHL career, didn’t appear in a single game for the Sharks after being dealt at the trade deadline, and made $650,000 last season. To put it simply, a $1.7 million annual salary doesn’t make any sense.
Bad deal aside, why would the Sharks sign Huskins when they already had their top six defensemen under contract (assuming Blake has been re-signed)? Maybe a higher-priced rearguard is on the way out, or maybe Wilson is trying to salvage something after his latest horrendous trade-deadline swap. He’s made a habit of giving up picks and prospects for nothing over the last three years. Just take a look at the list.
Acquired: Bill Guerin, Craig Rivet, Brian Campbell, Travis Moen, Kent Huskins
Gave up: Ville Nieminen, Jay Barriball, 2007 1st round pick, Josh Gorges, 2007 1st round pick, Steve Bernier, 2008 1st round pick, Nick Bonino, Timo Pielmeier
Left with: Kent Huskins(?), 2009 2nd round pick, 2010 2nd round pick
Maybe Wilson feels he has to overpay Huskins, simply so he has one NHL player to show for his recent trend of atrocious trade deadline acquisitions. Meanwhile, Guerin just won a Stanley Cup with the Penguins, Campbell went to the Western Conference final with the Blackhawks, Rivet is the captain of the Sabres, and Moen is up for grabs.
For those keeping score at home, the Sharks have given up three first round picks, two NHL players, and three promising prospects in deadline deals over the last three seasons. They have two playoff series victories over that span, two second-round picks, and possibly an overpriced Kent Huskins to show for it.
The Sharks aren’t getting much attention from Bay Area media outlets these days, and the team’s coverage has been whittled down to one beat writer without many answers but plenty of questions. Perhaps if the Sharks keep up their shenanigans and continue to alienate the media they’ll be left with their own PR staff as the only source of coverage. It’s a frightening thought, especially when you read this line that appeared in a recent item on the team’s official website:
San Jose will continue to stick to their pattern of distributing the big money to the right players as they have shown in the past.
I’ll ignore the grammatical errors, but I’m not exactly sure how the team has distributed the big money to the right players. Patrick Marleau, Joe Thornton, Milan Michalek, Jonathan Cheechoo, Evgeni Nabokov? That’s not a real popular group these days, and if that’s the pattern the Sharks are going to continue it’s going to be more of the same in San Jose, early exits and the constant search for answers.
No news is bad news, and the Huskins signing is worse news. What do you call it when a team compiles the bad news by refusing to confirm the worse news? That’s where the Sharks are at two days into a frustrating and confusing free agency period.
ryan.garner@hockeybuzz.com
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