Cam Gore: Sharks are one game away from a disappointing season

One game away from a dissapointing season? Arn't we alllll

One game away from a dissapointing season? Arn't we alllll
- Beatle_john

There there ol friend...

A chip and chair... thats all they need.

Time to blow it up. Couture is the only untouchable.

I think if the Sharks lose on Saturday I'll be rooting for the East in the Finals...GO SENS!

Something is wrong with this team, it's time to dump the vets and go young.

I say they ship out the veteran stars one by one, starting with the biggest problems - Marleau this offseason for picks/prospects/youth, then if that isn't enough dump Thorton the next, give the C to Boyle, and if that doesn't get results dump Boyle.

By then, 3 years at worst you've sent those three away for king's ransoms in three consecutive years to teams trying to buy cups, and you can roll into a new era led by Couture, Pavelski, Clowe, Burns, Vlasic - PLUS each year you'll be getting a steady stream of new prospects into the roster that you acquired three years ago. Now that might be a team I could root for.

A leadership change may be the issue, and by then you'd certainly have handed the team over to a new crew.

Perhaps Doug Wilson should hire an assistant GM who he trusts and help him evaluate what it going on. This team looks like it should win but for some reason it just won't. I'd hate to see Wilson fired, being a former 67 and all, because he's built such a competitive team, but I get that it just can't go over the hump. Myabe it is the veteran core that is just not able to get them over, maybe it is the veterans that can't lead either vocally or by example? At least you have Logan Couture, my all time favorite 67, so chin up!

Something is wrong with this team, it's time to dump the vets and go young.

I say they ship out the veteran stars one by one, starting with the biggest problems - Marleau this offseason for picks/prospects/youth, then if that isn't enough dump Thorton the next, give the C to Boyle, and if that doesn't get results dump Boyle.

By then, 3 years at worst you've sent those three away for king's ransoms in three consecutive years to teams trying to buy cups, and you can roll into a new era led by Couture, Pavelski, Clowe, Burns, Vlasic - PLUS each year you'll be getting a steady stream of new prospects into the roster that you acquired three years ago. Now that might be a team I could root for.

A leadership change may be the issue, and by then you'd certainly have handed the team over to a new crew.
- TommyDeVito

100% agreed. This core has been together long enough that they should have already accomplished something by now. They're on the verge of slowly turning into the Calgary Flames...continuously thinking they're that one piece away from making the jump yet they seem to end up with the same results give or take in the end.

It's a shame, a few years ago people were cheering this team on to win the cup...now they're more like that team that you know isn't going to make it because they never do and you just wait for them to get knocked out.

Trade Thornton, Marleau, Havlat and Niemi while you can still get something decent and not be stuck with crappy contracts.

Burke's not running the team so you know the rebuild should go fairly smooth.

Burke's not running the team so you know the rebuild should go fairly smooth.
- Juice

Zing!

The Canucks are headed down this path, time for changes this summer for both teams!

The Canucks are headed down this path, time for changes this summer for both teams!
- LeftCoaster

I don't think the Canucks will, or need to, do anything drastic. Sedin being out hurt them, going to the finals last year historically shows teams run out of gas the following year as well. You'll be fine.

The only question that needs to be answered is with your goalies. If I'm Schneider, I don't sign anything until I am either given the starting goalie spot in Vancouver, likely by the Nucks dealing Luongo, or I am traded to another team. Goalies of his calibre won't accept being second fiddle long. He's done the duty long enough in my opinion and he will argue, come contract discussion time, that he is already better than Luongo so no reason in the world he shouldn't have the opportunity to be that guy and I'd bet for him, it doesn't matter where.

Either way, the Nucks have other assets coming to help from one of these two scenarios.

Take a trip up to the 'Couv and drown away those sorrows with a little BC Chronic. Happy 420

I don't think the Canucks will, or need to, do anything drastic. Sedin being out hurt them, going to the finals last year historically shows teams run out of gas the following year as well. You'll be fine.

The only question that needs to be answered is with your goalies. If I'm Schneider, I don't sign anything until I am either given the starting goalie spot in Vancouver, likely by the Nucks dealing Luongo, or I am traded to another team. Goalies of his calibre won't accept being second fiddle long. He's done the duty long enough in my opinion and he will argue, come contract discussion time, that he is already better than Luongo so no reason in the world he shouldn't have the opportunity to be that guy and I'd bet for him, it doesn't matter where.

Either way, the Nucks have other assets coming to help from one of these two scenarios.
- Lohaus

Who would trade for Luongo and that horrible contract? Especially with his track record of failure in the playoffs???

Who would trade for Luongo and that horrible contract? Especially with his track record of failure in the playoffs???
- BerglundsGrundle

The contract is what the issue would be. He's an upgrade in nets in a lot of cities.

Who would trade for Luongo and that horrible contract? Especially with his track record of failure in the playoffs???
- BerglundsGrundle

It's the canucks who have a record of failure in the playoffs, don't let their fans/media convince you it's Luongo's fault.

That, and I don't know how you call a guy a playoff no-show who made it to game 7 of the SCF just last year.

Who would trade for Luongo and that horrible contract? Especially with his track record of failure in the playoffs???
- BerglundsGrundle

What "track record" are you referring to? He had four or five bad games out of 25 games last year, three of them happened to be in the finals...unfortunately. Tim Thomas had four or five bad games as well, Tampa scored on him in the East Conference finals. But no one remembers that.

Such a frustrating last 2 games. We have been all over the Blues on 5 on 5, but just can't get past Elliot. Not to sound too much like a homer, but I just feel they have got NONE of the breaks. No lucky bounces.

Say what you will about Marleau, but Thornton has been working his butt off, doing everything he can to get his team on the board. I just sucks to see him come up short.

At worst, I think the Sharks just need a retooling on the fly like the Flyers did. This team has made the playoffs 8 years in a row, and if we lose to the Blues this year, it will be only the 2nd time they didn't make it out of the first round, including 3 WCF appearances. No finals, which sucks, but I'd rather my team make the playoffs every year with a chance of making the Cup, than roll the dice by tanking for 3-5 years and no playoffs, and then just hope it turns into Pittsburgh/Chicago, and not Columbus/NYI.

100% agreed. This core has been together long enough that they should have already accomplished something by now. They're on the verge of slowly turning into the Calgary Flames...continuously thinking they're that one piece away from making the jump yet they seem to end up with the same results give or take in the end.

It's a shame, a few years ago people were cheering this team on to win the cup...now they're more like that team that you know isn't going to make it because they never do and you just wait for them to get knocked out.

Trade Thornton, Marleau, Havlat and Niemi while you can still get something decent and not be stuck with crappy contracts.

Burke's not running the team so you know the rebuild should go fairly smooth.
- Juice

Doug Wilson has already proven he knows how to draft, he just needs to keep his picks and ditch the vets.

check out his record:

2003: Michalek (6), Bernier (16), Carle (47), Pavelski (205)
2004: Greiss (94), Mitchell (126)
2005: Setoguchi (8), Vlasic (35), Joslin (149)
2006: Wishart (16), McGinn (36)
2007: Couture (9), Petrecki (28), Bonino (173)
2008: Demers (186)
2009: Doherty (57)
2010: Coyle (28), Hamilton (129)

and these are just the guys I recognize! Could be plenty more I don't know of who look good - look at his first round pick record when he has one, I'd say Michalek, Setoguchi, Wishart, Couture, Coyle are all looking like current or future impact players (top 6 forward or top 4 D at least). May not sound that impressive, but it really is - and he traded four of them for expensive underacheiving vets! tragic, is what it is.

He just needs to turn the corner on the vets and add to the stable of prospects.

Time to blow it up. Couture is the only untouchable.
- hertzman

I'll take Thornton and/or Pavelski...

Such a frustrating last 2 games. We have been all over the Blues on 5 on 5, but just can't get past Elliot. Not to sound too much like a homer, but I just feel they have got NONE of the breaks. No lucky bounces.

Say what you will about Marleau, but Thornton has been working his butt off, doing everything he can to get his team on the board. I just sucks to see him come up short.

At worst, I think the Sharks just need a retooling on the fly like the Flyers did. This team has made the playoffs 8 years in a row, and if we lose to the Blues this year, it will be only the 2nd time they didn't make it out of the first round, including 3 WCF appearances. No finals, which sucks, but I'd rather my team make the playoffs every year with a chance of making the Cup, than roll the dice by tanking for 3-5 years and no playoffs, and then just hope it turns into Pittsburgh/Chicago, and not Columbus/NYI.
- IntotheTeal

Absolutely, look what Philly was able to add for two proven vets, no reason SJ couldn't do the same. Lot of parallels there. Look what happened when they let their young all-star take over the team, he's now an elite player without question (Giroux) - I think the same could be true of Couture, so I'd like to see them make this his team.

I'll take Thornton and/or Pavelski...
- jnwood2517

I will be very disappointed if either one of them doesn't end his career as a Shark, especially Pavs.

Absolutely, look what Philly was able to add for two proven vets, no reason SJ couldn't do the same. Lot of parallels there. Look what happened when they let their young all-star take over the team, he's now an elite player without question (Giroux) - I think the same could be true of Couture, so I'd like to see them make this his team.
- TommyDeVito

With the Sharks though, they aren't going to have as easy time, as Marleau is older, but if we could trade him for some depth, I would like that. But I don't want to trade Thornton either.

Perhaps Doug Wilson should hire an assistant GM who he trusts and help him evaluate what it going on. This team looks like it should win but for some reason it just won't. I'd hate to see Wilson fired, being a former 67 and all, because he's built such a competitive team, but I get that it just can't go over the hump. Myabe it is the veteran core that is just not able to get them over, maybe it is the veterans that can't lead either vocally or by example? At least you have Logan Couture, my all time favorite 67, so chin up!
- Lohaus

I would disagree with this. Wilson did not build the team. His only success with building have been Couture, and Pavelski. Otherwise this team was built by Dean Lombardi.

Wilson has done a good job of destroying the team's future though (30th ranked prospect list, per THN). Trading away 2nd round picks on Nicolas Wallin, and Dominic Moore.

100% agreed. This core has been together long enough that they should have already accomplished something by now. They're on the verge of slowly turning into the Calgary Flames...continuously thinking they're that one piece away from making the jump yet they seem to end up with the same results give or take in the end.

It's a shame, a few years ago people were cheering this team on to win the cup...now they're more like that team that you know isn't going to make it because they never do and you just wait for them to get knocked out.

Trade Thornton, Marleau, Havlat and Niemi while you can still get something decent and not be stuck with crappy contracts.

Burke's not running the team so you know the rebuild should go fairly smooth.
- Juice

If you think you can trust Doug Wilson to make trades then you are seriously mistaken. If a rebuild is to take place it starts with a new General Manager. Because Wilson's trades the past two years have been really bad.

Such a frustrating last 2 games. We have been all over the Blues on 5 on 5, but just can't get past Elliot. Not to sound too much like a homer, but I just feel they have got NONE of the breaks. No lucky bounces.

Say what you will about Marleau, but Thornton has been working his butt off, doing everything he can to get his team on the board. I just sucks to see him come up short.


At worst, I think the Sharks just need a retooling on the fly like the Flyers did. This team has made the playoffs 8 years in a row, and if we lose to the Blues this year, it will be only the 2nd time they didn't make it out of the first round, including 3 WCF appearances. No finals, which sucks, but I'd rather my team make the playoffs every year with a chance of making the Cup, than roll the dice by tanking for 3-5 years and no playoffs, and then just hope it turns into Pittsburgh/Chicago, and not Columbus/NYI.
- IntotheTeal

Disagree on the first paragraph. not sure what you have been watching, and you create your own luck.

Agree with you on Thornton

Agree to some extent on retooling. You start with a new GM, a new Coach, and get rid of dead weight like Marleau and then you have a team that might win.
[