Cam Gore: Coyotes leap frog into 8th and Sharks drop to 9th

Must win on Saturday against Dallas.

Let's make this simple.

Contenders: Phoenix Coyotes

Pretenders: San Jose Sharks

The Sharks have to be a lot better if they want a shot at the playoffs. Flat out have to be better. I still think they'll make it, but they need to win out. Maybe they don't quite need to win out mathematically, but they need to win out to prove to themselves and the rest of the league that they have any business being in the playoffs.

Cam Gore: Coyotes leap frog into 8th and Sharks drop to 9th
- CamGore

Pretenders:

Todd McLellan for pretending to be a professional coach
Jay Woodcroft: For pretending to know how to coach a power play and penalty kill unit

Drew Remenda: For being an unprofessional kool aid drinking stiff on the post game report.

Patrick Marleau: For pretending to be a great clutch player

Tommy Wingels: For pretneding to be an NHL type player

TJ Galardi: For pretending to know how to actually skate.

Dan Boyle: For pretending to know how to play defense

Did I leave anyone out, please feel free to add.

Let's make this simple.

Contenders: Phoenix Coyotes

Pretenders: San Jose Sharks

The Sharks have to be a lot better if they want a shot at the playoffs. Flat out have to be better. I still think they'll make it, but they need to win out. Maybe they don't quite need to win out mathematically, but they need to win out to prove to themselves and the rest of the league that they have any business being in the playoffs.
- Hockeygirl101

During the off-season we had the discussion about the teams offense, and how losing Seto, and Heatley would not hurt the offense. Do you still think the same way? I remember everyone saying how good at defense Burns was going to be and how he is a "True" shutdown defenseman, and how Colin White was a great steal by the team. Still think this way?

Pretenders:

Todd McLellan for pretending to be a professional coach
Jay Woodcroft: For pretending to know how to coach a power play and penalty kill unit

Drew Remenda: For being an unprofessional kool aid drinking stiff on the post game report.

Patrick Marleau: For pretending to be a great clutch player

Tommy Wingels: For pretneding to be an NHL type player

TJ Galardi: For pretending to know how to actually skate.

Dan Boyle: For pretending to know how to play defense

Did I leave anyone out, please feel free to add.
- Sharkfan48

During the off-season we had the discussion about the teams offense, and how losing Seto, and Heatley would not hurt the offense. Do you still think the same way? I remember everyone saying how good at defense Burns was going to be and how he is a "True" shutdown defenseman, and how Colin White was a great steal by the team. Still think this way?
- Sharkfan48

I did not say that Colin White was a steal. In fact, I didn't say anything about Colin White except that I was interested to see him play, because I didn't know much about him before we acquired him.

I also did not say Burns was a "shut down" defenseman. I said I thought Burns would be good, and honestly, he isn't anywhere near our biggest problem. He has the 2nd highest +/- among Sharks defensemen.

I still like the Burns/Havlat trades. Burns, although he took awhile to adapt to our system, i've liked this year. Havlat has shown flashes of greatness, and I think if he had been healthy all year the Sharks would be comfy in the third seed right now. I acknowledge Havlat has had "invisible" games, but so has everyone else on the team, and you can bet Dany Heatley had plenty of them, so that doesn't make me frown on the trade.

To me, the problems the Sharks have right now are not because of the new players. My standouts for poor performances this year are:

Niemi
Marleau
Clowe
Boyle
Thornton
(in that order)

Niemi has been incapable of stopping a puck when we need a big save, has been completely non-clutch, and can't hold a lead. I also blame the coaches for overplaying him (same thing they did to Nabokov), but we really need a new goalie.

Marleau has had way too many invisible nights for my taste, and seems disinterested.

Clowe has underperformed all year, and doesn't have as much fight in his game as I remember.

Boyle has had lapses defensively all season, and it's cost us a lot of dagger goals.

Thornton i've liked as a player, but I think he's the wrong choice as captain, and makes too many excuses in post-game interviews.

Pretenders:

Todd McLellan for pretending to be a professional coach
Jay Woodcroft: For pretending to know how to coach a power play and penalty kill unit

Drew Remenda: For being an unprofessional kool aid drinking stiff on the post game report.

Patrick Marleau: For pretending to be a great clutch player

Tommy Wingels: For pretneding to be an NHL type player

TJ Galardi: For pretending to know how to actually skate.

Dan Boyle: For pretending to know how to play defense

Did I leave anyone out, please feel free to add.
- Sharkfan48

I honestly don't think it's your guys coach, and how much did you really expect from Niemi? He was on a Hawks team that was phenomenal defensively and a beast offensively at the time. You guys have had the same two leaders in the locker room for a long time. Thornton and Marleau..

I can't really blame your GM for taking on Galiardi especially with Winnik added in. Trust me Galiardi had his chances on the top lines with the Avs and on O'Reilly's line. Losing McGinn really hurt I would say. I think at this point the blame falls on 3 people.

#1 Doug Wilson

#2 Patrick Marleau

#3 Joe Thornton

Those are the leaders and the person with the most control over the team for years. I was born and raised in California.. Only reason I have an opinion, and a lot of my family are San Jose fans.

You guys should be looking to the East at what Philly did. Trade Thornton to the leafs for their 1st rounder and Shenn. (Leafs will be salivating for a 1st line center.) Then trade Marleau for as high of a first as you could get or another young forward preferably a center. You could possibly at that point trade up to get one of the top centers in this draft. Or pickup Iginla if you can pry him from the fLames not Nash. You need someone who can trump those two in the locker room. It might set you back for next year or maybe not.. Look at Philly..

Last get a new GM..

During the off-season we had the discussion about the teams offense, and how losing Seto, and Heatley would not hurt the offense. Do you still think the same way? I remember everyone saying how good at defense Burns was going to be and how he is a "True" shutdown defenseman, and how Colin White was a great steal by the team. Still think this way?
- Sharkfan48

How can you blame White, He has been a scratch for the past 7 games, and was even last night. I guess you need something to female dog about. Just be glad you were not a Leafs fan this year. holy christ..

During the off-season we had the discussion about the teams offense, and how losing Seto, and Heatley would not hurt the offense. Do you still think the same way? I remember everyone saying how good at defense Burns was going to be and how he is a "True" shutdown defenseman, and how Colin White was a great steal by the team. Still think this way?
- Sharkfan48

Twisting the facts and putting words in other people's mouths again. Nobody here said that Burns is a true shutdown defenseman and White is a steal. Please find one post of this nature to prove your words. You can't. Thank you.

You can say whatever you want about Ratto but at least you have to respect his honesty and candidness and I personally agree with every word that he said during the postgame. You can analyze games as much as you want, talk about what the Sharks need to do as a team to win. At the end of the day there comes a point when the team needs to simply win, all talk aside, beat the teams you are competing against. And if you can't do it on a consistent basis for a month and a half may be you just don't deserve to be in the playoffs.
And you can't blame the Sharks for the effort, I think.

Smith has been impressive this year. Three shutouts in a row against a high powered team like the sharks is not an easy feet by any means. The boys are lacking focus, they don't seem to have any faith in one another either. I do think TMac's time with the sharks has grown thin. I would have like to see any of Niemi, Marleau, Clowe, Boyle, etc. benched in favor of prospects or a backup goaltender in Greiss because they clearly aren't earning their spots on the ice. They need a message that spots are earned, not given, but I guess Todd is a giver. At this point I hope we don't make the playoffs. We should retool for next season and try again. Hopefully ticket prices won't be raised much if any at all. Shoot at the rate things are going up in price, beers will be $20 soon

Pretenders:

Todd McLellan for pretending to be a professional coach
Jay Woodcroft: For pretending to know how to coach a power play and penalty kill unit

Drew Remenda: For being an unprofessional kool aid drinking stiff on the post game report.

Patrick Marleau: For pretending to be a great clutch player

Tommy Wingels: For pretneding to be an NHL type player

TJ Galardi: For pretending to know how to actually skate.

Dan Boyle: For pretending to know how to play defense

Did I leave anyone out, please feel free to add.
- Sharkfan48

Pretender: Sharkfan 48 for calling himself a Sharks fan.

Blackhawks fan here...

I seriously hope the Sharks make the playoffs. I know you've guys had your struggles and it reminds me of our season last year. I always like to see the best teams make the playoffs, regardless of how I feel about them personally. I believe that the Sharks are a much better team than their record shows and I think the deserve to take the 7th or 8th seed in the West. Good luck and I hope everything works out for you guys.

Blackhawks fan here...

I seriously hope the Sharks make the playoffs. I know you've guys had your struggles and it reminds me of our season last year. I always like to see the best teams make the playoffs, regardless of how I feel about them personally. I believe that the Sharks are a much better team than their record shows and I think the deserve to take the 7th or 8th seed in the West. Good luck and I hope everything works out for you guys.
- DarthKane

Word. Thanks dude. They just need to win out and they will be the 3 seed.

This team totally blows me away. On paper you there is tallent stacked on tallent stacked on tallent stacked on a goalie who have been a disappointment and in my eyes is a major key to the sharks problems along with a coach.

T-mac has not adjusted well during a game, and keeping Niemi in net time and time again COME ON MAN. Last year I liked Nitty way more than Niemi and I feel we extended the wrong guy. If we are going to have an average goalie we need someone like Lindstrom to help cover the defense. Having an average goalie has forced a lot of our offensive energy to be consumed on defense.

So I'm totally frustrated watching this team not be able to play the way it should.

Dallas has some hard games left, St Louis and Preds. So getting into the playoffs on the hopes of another team having a tough sched doesnt' give me dreams of going far.

Thinking of this already makes me need a beer.......10:15am need beer..DAMN YOU SHARKS!!

I honestly don't think it's your guys coach, and how much did you really expect from Niemi? He was on a Hawks team that was phenomenal defensively and a beast offensively at the time. You guys have had the same two leaders in the locker room for a long time. Thornton and Marleau..

I can't really blame your GM for taking on Galiardi especially with Winnik added in. Trust me Galiardi had his chances on the top lines with the Avs and on O'Reilly's line. Losing McGinn really hurt I would say. I think at this point the blame falls on 3 people.

#1 Doug Wilson

#2 Patrick Marleau

#3 Joe Thornton

Those are the leaders and the person with the most control over the team for years. I was born and raised in California.. Only reason I have an opinion, and a lot of my family are San Jose fans.

You guys should be looking to the East at what Philly did. Trade Thornton to the leafs for their 1st rounder and Shenn. (Leafs will be salivating for a 1st line center.) Then trade Marleau for as high of a first as you could get or another young forward preferably a center. You could possibly at that point trade up to get one of the top centers in this draft. Or pickup Iginla if you can pry him from the fLames not Nash. You need someone who can trump those two in the locker room. It might set you back for next year or maybe not.. Look at Philly..

Last get a new GM..
- Steve-B

Couldn't agree more...to much time with Marleau and Thornton with the culture they have established there. Trade them now when they still have value or the future will definitely be painful for fans for many years to come.

Patrick Marleau is the most over paid player in the NHL aside from Scott Gomez. He's only good when he has the puck on his stick, and even saying that is a stretch. but when he doesn't have the puck, he floats around like a lost moron! its very irritating! Not worth 7 million by any means

Marleau's name doesn't deserve to be next to any of these players:

Marleau, Patrick $6,900,000
Sedin, Henrik $6,100,000
Sedin, Daniel $6,100,000
opitar, Anze $6,400,000
Kessel, Phil $6,000,000
Kane, Patrick $6,000,000
Toews, Jonathan $6,000,000
Backstrom, Nicklas $6,000,000
Kovalchuk, Ilya $6,000,000
Carter, Jeff $6,000,000
Datsyuk, Pavel $6,700,000
Stastny, Paul $6,600,000
Richards, Mike $6,600,000
Gaborik, Marian $7,500,000
Nash, Rick $7,500,000
Koivu, Mikko $7,290,000
Iginla, Jarome $7,000,000

You guys had a huge cup window and sadly it looks like it is closing fast... really shocked that the team is playing this way. Tons of talent on the roster. Coaching change next year if you miss the playoffs?

You guys had a huge cup window and sadly it looks like it is closing fast... really shocked that the team is playing this way. Tons of talent on the roster. Coaching change next year if you miss the playoffs?
- cincyducksfan35

If the sharks fire Todd McLellan I will be hoping for the Avs to hire him.. I think it's their leadership they are on their second coach with the same core I think..

Twisting the facts and putting words in other people's mouths again. Nobody here said that Burns is a true shutdown defenseman and White is a steal. Please find one post of this nature to prove your words. You can't. Thank you.
- Aliaksandrhn

The quotes about Burns are true ALL of you raved about trading Heatley and Seto and said Burns was the new Rob Blake (THIS IS A JOKE ALL IN ITSELF). Get over yourselves, this team is going into the poopter like I said in the beginning of this year and I am still saying LA will win the division WHY???? Because SJ sucks Richard now

SJ is NOT the team the fans were hoping, infact they are becoming the new laughing stock of the league behind league leading Vancouver and their fans

I really hope you don't make it in, I mean that with all due respect. Because SJ is a talented team, if they get rolling they'll be hard to beat in the playoffs...unless they play the Canucks that is

I really hope you don't make it in, I mean that with all due respect. Because SJ is a talented team, if they get rolling they'll be hard to beat in the playoffs...unless they play the Canucks that is
- LeftCoaster

Well that is horribly flawed reasoning. If you think that the Sharks are possibly dangerous in the playoffs if they get in, but not dangerous to the Canucks... Wouldn't you then WANT them to get in so they could at the very least give your other competition a tough time.

Sharks catching the Stars on the second night of back-to-back. Dallas probably didn't get here until 3 in the morning. Interesting to see what will happen tonught.