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San Jose Sharks Blogger •
Huge thanks to David Pollak of the San Jose Mercury News for ending speculation over the future of San Jose Sharks general manager Doug Wilson. Pollak has done a remarkable job this season covering the team in both print and his blog, Working the Corners, a vital destination for every Shark fan and blogger.
Pollak contacted Sharks CEO Greg Jamison, inquiring about Wilson’s status with the team. His response ended any speculation and prompted some reflection about the Sharks general manager, who has held the job for the last five NHL seasons. “His body of work stands for itself and our goal is to work together toward that magic goal of the Stanley Cup,” Jamison said.
First of all, has anyone ever chosen a more interesting adjective? Not the attainable goal, realistic goal or anticipated goal, but the magic goal. At this point, when you look over Doug Wilson’s body of work, it’s going to take a whole lot of magic for a Stanley Cup to end up in San Jose.
When it comes to attaining talent, there might not be a better general manager in the league than Wilson. Obviously you don’t win the Presidents’ Trophy without talent, and Wilson has crafted an impressive roster in San Jose, proactively filling holes and meeting needs whenever the situation presents itself.
Honestly, if the Stanley Cup was awarded for the best team on paper, the Sharks could be enjoying a dynasty right now. Why do you think pundits from around the globe keep picking the Sharks to win each season? It’s not because they’re staying up to watch games past midnight on the East Coast, it’s because they look at the roster and wonder how a team with that much talent could possibly lose.
Those of us who live here in the Bay Area and watch the team year after year know exactly how. The Sharks are built for regular season success, but they’re the furthest thing from a playoff team. A lot of blame has been placed on the players after San Jose’s latest playoff collapse, but how you can you blame them without blaming the man who acquires them?
The team’s latest playoff collapse isn’t just an aberration between Cup runs, it’s an annual occurrence here in San Jose, fueling the reputation as playoff chokers and adding to the culture of losing, the legacy of failure. One man is the architect, and only one person has the final say when decisions are made: Doug Wilson.
You’d think, at some point, he would have realized his franchise was built on a rotten core. Just imagine a free agent coming in during the offseason, taking a tour of the Sharks’ practice facility, checking out the weight room. Then he arrives in the locker room and sees the nameplates for Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau. Just imagine the conversation.
Wilson: Those are our two highest-paid players and the leaders of our team.
Free agent: You mean the two players who are known around the league as playoff chokers and have their leadership questioned all the time?
Wilson: Umm… yeah, is that a problem?
Clearly, if Wilson doesn’t see it by now he never will. If he continues to preach patience, comparing Marleau to Yzerman, it’s going to be more of the same in San Jose. Even if he doesn’t, we still might see more of the same. Remember, this is the architect that established the legacy of failure, who’s to say things will improve under his watch?
If you want to build a playoff winner you have to stock it with playoff performers, and it helps if they're on the right side of 40. Sure Claude Lemieux has the resume but he'd been retired for five years, and if that's the player you need to inspire the core you're in big trouble. Ultimately, the idea that a few Stanley Cup winners would lead the underachievers to greatness was flawed from the beginning. You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him compete hard enough to win a Stanley Cup.
Wilson has tinkered after each loss, and made some of his biggest changes last summer, removing Ron Wilson and hiring Todd McLellan from the Detroit Red Wings. The decision to hire a rookie head coach was questionable, but McLellan had just helped the Wings to a Stanley Cup, so the resume was looking pretty good.
After a handful of summer workouts and two weeks of training camp the Sharks were unstoppable, making McLellan look like the genius who would lead the team over the playoff hump. However, the team’s performance gradually diminished, and the Sharks entered the postseason playing their worst hockey of the year.
When the playoffs began, McLellan made some crucial mistakes. He broke up the top line after one game, giving the Ducks a huge boost of confidence and rattling the fragile psyche of his best players. The power play and penalty kill went in the tank, and McLellan couldn’t find any answers for the Ducks’ defense.
Of course, there was the optional skate issue, and McLellan’s insistence that there was nothing wrong with his captain missing them. McLellan isn’t just a player’s coach, but he’s a buddy coach, and went over the top in defense of his captain. One particular quote, written by Pollak in his blog on April 21, had to leave readers’ jaws on the floor.
Go out and waste energy? That’s what the coach sees happening at the optional skate? What does that say to the players who took the ice to work on things or loosen up? Surely by now McLellan realizes his players will take nights off, optional or night, even in the playoffs.
In the end, McLellan received a ton of praise for admitting his mistakes in November, but wouldn’t own up to any in April. Instead, he showered the Ducks with praise. Of the two quotes below, which one would you rather have come from the coach? Which one would you rather deliver to the Sharks after a performance as disappointing as the one we see in Game 6?
The first quote is Todd McLellan’s. The second quote is Dan Boyle’s. The Sharks have come too far to rely on excuses or gloss over poor efforts with praise for the opposition. Excuses only add to the legacy of failure, helping to continue it rather than change it.
Looking over Wilson’s body of work, you’ll find five playoff series victories over five seasons. Maybe the mistakes would be excusable if the team has strung together four of them in one season, but the Sharks are further from the Stanley Cup than they were six years ago. They don’t have the horses for a playoff run, and the future is even bleaker than the present. Just taking a look at San Jose’s trade deadline deals the last three seasons is disappointing.
In: Bill Guerin, Craig Rivet, Fifth round pick ’08, Brian Campbell, Travis Moen, Kent Huskins
Out: First round pick ’07, Ville Nieminen, Jay Barriball, First round pick ’07, Josh Gorges, first round pick ’08, Steve Bernier, Nick Bonino, Timo Pielmeier
Two of those players (Bill Guerin, Brian Campbell) bolted as free agents, while Craig Rivet was dealt to the Buffalo Sabres for second-round picks in 2009 and 2010. If you’re curious to know how the trade deadline acquisitions performed in the playoffs, the numbers only add to the terrible asset management by the Sharks’ general manager.
Bill Guerin: 9 games, 0 goals, 2 assists, 2 points, -3
Craig Rivet: 11 games, 2 goals, 3 assists, 5 points, -5
Brian Campbell: 13 games, 1 goal, 6 assists, 7 points, +3
Travis Moen: 6 games, 0 goals, 0 assists, 0 points, -4
Kent Huskins: DNP
Today, San Jose’s deadline deals equate to Travis Moen, Kent Huskins, a second round pick in 2009 and a second round pick in 2010 for three first-round picks, Josh Gorges, Steve Bernier, two 20-year-old college prospects who averaged a point-per-game this season, and a goaltending prospect. All that and no Stanley Cups to show for it.
Plus, the Sharks are feeling a salary cap squeeze, the core is rotten and the prospect cupboard is practically bare. Hockey's Future ranked San Jose's prospect pool as 19th in the league, and that was before the team dealt Bonino and Pielmeier, and before the former led Boston University to the NCAA Championship.
The Sharks' top prospect, Logan Couture, has struggled to produce during his first pro stint in Worcester and San Jose doesn't have a first-round pick in the upcoming NHL Entry Draft, making the first-round upset even more bitter. Wilson's body of work means has left the Sharks with a lack of organizational depth, making it hard for him to fill holes with inexpensive talent next season.
After the trade deadline deal that brought Travis Moen and Kent Huskins to San Jose, a headline on the Sharks’ website proclaimed, “Doug Wilson Works His Magic Once Again.” Appropriately enough, we’re right back where we started, in pursuit of Jamison’s magic goal. Wilson’s moves sure doesn’t feel like magic today, just the illusion of success perpetuating the legacy of failure.
***
Thanks again to David Pollak for keeping everybody informed this season. It's an absolute joke that the Sharks only have one beat writer, but he's done an outstanding job and goes above and beyond in his coverage of the team.
I also want to thank all the readers for their support and encouragement this season, your kind words definitely helped during some difficult times during the year. And even if you disagreed with everything I wrote, thanks for stopping by as well.
We'll all wait and see what happens in the coming days, who stays and who goes. When news breaks I'll be weighing in, and we have the draft and free agency to look forward to, but other than that thanks again, enjoy the fantastic playoff hockey and have a wonderful summer.
All the best,
Ryan
ryan.garner@hockeybuzz.com
Pollak contacted Sharks CEO Greg Jamison, inquiring about Wilson’s status with the team. His response ended any speculation and prompted some reflection about the Sharks general manager, who has held the job for the last five NHL seasons. “His body of work stands for itself and our goal is to work together toward that magic goal of the Stanley Cup,” Jamison said.
First of all, has anyone ever chosen a more interesting adjective? Not the attainable goal, realistic goal or anticipated goal, but the magic goal. At this point, when you look over Doug Wilson’s body of work, it’s going to take a whole lot of magic for a Stanley Cup to end up in San Jose.
When it comes to attaining talent, there might not be a better general manager in the league than Wilson. Obviously you don’t win the Presidents’ Trophy without talent, and Wilson has crafted an impressive roster in San Jose, proactively filling holes and meeting needs whenever the situation presents itself.
Honestly, if the Stanley Cup was awarded for the best team on paper, the Sharks could be enjoying a dynasty right now. Why do you think pundits from around the globe keep picking the Sharks to win each season? It’s not because they’re staying up to watch games past midnight on the East Coast, it’s because they look at the roster and wonder how a team with that much talent could possibly lose.
Those of us who live here in the Bay Area and watch the team year after year know exactly how. The Sharks are built for regular season success, but they’re the furthest thing from a playoff team. A lot of blame has been placed on the players after San Jose’s latest playoff collapse, but how you can you blame them without blaming the man who acquires them?
The team’s latest playoff collapse isn’t just an aberration between Cup runs, it’s an annual occurrence here in San Jose, fueling the reputation as playoff chokers and adding to the culture of losing, the legacy of failure. One man is the architect, and only one person has the final say when decisions are made: Doug Wilson.
You’d think, at some point, he would have realized his franchise was built on a rotten core. Just imagine a free agent coming in during the offseason, taking a tour of the Sharks’ practice facility, checking out the weight room. Then he arrives in the locker room and sees the nameplates for Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau. Just imagine the conversation.
Wilson: Those are our two highest-paid players and the leaders of our team.
Free agent: You mean the two players who are known around the league as playoff chokers and have their leadership questioned all the time?
Wilson: Umm… yeah, is that a problem?
Clearly, if Wilson doesn’t see it by now he never will. If he continues to preach patience, comparing Marleau to Yzerman, it’s going to be more of the same in San Jose. Even if he doesn’t, we still might see more of the same. Remember, this is the architect that established the legacy of failure, who’s to say things will improve under his watch?
If you want to build a playoff winner you have to stock it with playoff performers, and it helps if they're on the right side of 40. Sure Claude Lemieux has the resume but he'd been retired for five years, and if that's the player you need to inspire the core you're in big trouble. Ultimately, the idea that a few Stanley Cup winners would lead the underachievers to greatness was flawed from the beginning. You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him compete hard enough to win a Stanley Cup.
Wilson has tinkered after each loss, and made some of his biggest changes last summer, removing Ron Wilson and hiring Todd McLellan from the Detroit Red Wings. The decision to hire a rookie head coach was questionable, but McLellan had just helped the Wings to a Stanley Cup, so the resume was looking pretty good.
After a handful of summer workouts and two weeks of training camp the Sharks were unstoppable, making McLellan look like the genius who would lead the team over the playoff hump. However, the team’s performance gradually diminished, and the Sharks entered the postseason playing their worst hockey of the year.
When the playoffs began, McLellan made some crucial mistakes. He broke up the top line after one game, giving the Ducks a huge boost of confidence and rattling the fragile psyche of his best players. The power play and penalty kill went in the tank, and McLellan couldn’t find any answers for the Ducks’ defense.
Of course, there was the optional skate issue, and McLellan’s insistence that there was nothing wrong with his captain missing them. McLellan isn’t just a player’s coach, but he’s a buddy coach, and went over the top in defense of his captain. One particular quote, written by Pollak in his blog on April 21, had to leave readers’ jaws on the floor.
“Everybody’s here at the rink, everybody’s been through their meetings,” he continued. “It’s whether they want to go out and waste energy at an optional skate in the morning or whether they want to conserve it for the evening.”
Go out and waste energy? That’s what the coach sees happening at the optional skate? What does that say to the players who took the ice to work on things or loosen up? Surely by now McLellan realizes his players will take nights off, optional or night, even in the playoffs.
In the end, McLellan received a ton of praise for admitting his mistakes in November, but wouldn’t own up to any in April. Instead, he showered the Ducks with praise. Of the two quotes below, which one would you rather have come from the coach? Which one would you rather deliver to the Sharks after a performance as disappointing as the one we see in Game 6?
“Did we get what we deserved in this series? Well, I think the best way to answer that in the first place is to give Anaheim credit. They played very well. Their defense is second to none in the league right now. They are playing very stingy in the offensive zone. When you do beat them, the goaltender is there.”
“To a man, they were better. Their goalie was better than ours, their D was better than ours. Their forwards were better than ours. I think we had a lot of chances in six games, but I think we missed a lot of opportunities when we had the chance.”
The first quote is Todd McLellan’s. The second quote is Dan Boyle’s. The Sharks have come too far to rely on excuses or gloss over poor efforts with praise for the opposition. Excuses only add to the legacy of failure, helping to continue it rather than change it.
Looking over Wilson’s body of work, you’ll find five playoff series victories over five seasons. Maybe the mistakes would be excusable if the team has strung together four of them in one season, but the Sharks are further from the Stanley Cup than they were six years ago. They don’t have the horses for a playoff run, and the future is even bleaker than the present. Just taking a look at San Jose’s trade deadline deals the last three seasons is disappointing.
In: Bill Guerin, Craig Rivet, Fifth round pick ’08, Brian Campbell, Travis Moen, Kent Huskins
Out: First round pick ’07, Ville Nieminen, Jay Barriball, First round pick ’07, Josh Gorges, first round pick ’08, Steve Bernier, Nick Bonino, Timo Pielmeier
Two of those players (Bill Guerin, Brian Campbell) bolted as free agents, while Craig Rivet was dealt to the Buffalo Sabres for second-round picks in 2009 and 2010. If you’re curious to know how the trade deadline acquisitions performed in the playoffs, the numbers only add to the terrible asset management by the Sharks’ general manager.
Bill Guerin: 9 games, 0 goals, 2 assists, 2 points, -3
Craig Rivet: 11 games, 2 goals, 3 assists, 5 points, -5
Brian Campbell: 13 games, 1 goal, 6 assists, 7 points, +3
Travis Moen: 6 games, 0 goals, 0 assists, 0 points, -4
Kent Huskins: DNP
Today, San Jose’s deadline deals equate to Travis Moen, Kent Huskins, a second round pick in 2009 and a second round pick in 2010 for three first-round picks, Josh Gorges, Steve Bernier, two 20-year-old college prospects who averaged a point-per-game this season, and a goaltending prospect. All that and no Stanley Cups to show for it.
Plus, the Sharks are feeling a salary cap squeeze, the core is rotten and the prospect cupboard is practically bare. Hockey's Future ranked San Jose's prospect pool as 19th in the league, and that was before the team dealt Bonino and Pielmeier, and before the former led Boston University to the NCAA Championship.
The Sharks' top prospect, Logan Couture, has struggled to produce during his first pro stint in Worcester and San Jose doesn't have a first-round pick in the upcoming NHL Entry Draft, making the first-round upset even more bitter. Wilson's body of work means has left the Sharks with a lack of organizational depth, making it hard for him to fill holes with inexpensive talent next season.
After the trade deadline deal that brought Travis Moen and Kent Huskins to San Jose, a headline on the Sharks’ website proclaimed, “Doug Wilson Works His Magic Once Again.” Appropriately enough, we’re right back where we started, in pursuit of Jamison’s magic goal. Wilson’s moves sure doesn’t feel like magic today, just the illusion of success perpetuating the legacy of failure.
***
Thanks again to David Pollak for keeping everybody informed this season. It's an absolute joke that the Sharks only have one beat writer, but he's done an outstanding job and goes above and beyond in his coverage of the team.
I also want to thank all the readers for their support and encouragement this season, your kind words definitely helped during some difficult times during the year. And even if you disagreed with everything I wrote, thanks for stopping by as well.
We'll all wait and see what happens in the coming days, who stays and who goes. When news breaks I'll be weighing in, and we have the draft and free agency to look forward to, but other than that thanks again, enjoy the fantastic playoff hockey and have a wonderful summer.
All the best,
Ryan
ryan.garner@hockeybuzz.com
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