Though the manner in which San Jose was eliminated from the 2008 playoffs was hardly reminiscent of past failures, the end result has been the same in each year since the lockout: The Sharks end their season red hot, but find themselves permanently homeward bound after Game 6 of the conference semifinals.
Since the Sharks went to the conference finals with a young core of up-and-coming players in 2004, fans have been fed the same lines about experience leading to improvement from within.
For four years, that has not happened. This season, however, with its failures, probably taught San Jose's young talent more, since they went down fighting against unfathomable odds rather than folding gracelessly without much struggle.
Regardless, there are certain things that will simply have to change if a) the Sharks hope to remain competitive and, b) if the Sharks hope to finally take the next step.
Clearly, it is first on a list of priorities to discuss with Brian Campbell the possibility of staying a Shark long-term. He'll command $6 million per year on the low end, and a desperate team would likely pay him upward of $7 million, so much of whether or not Brian Campbell remains San Jose property will likely be up to him.
The Sharks will also see their payroll rise drastically without even adding through free agency, as several high-profile players such as Thornton, Marleau, Michalek and Carle are already signed to pricier contracts that kick in next year, not to mention the fact that the vastly improved Christian Ehrhoff, Joe Pavelski and Ryan Clowe are all up for new deals come July.
Since San Jose will need to do some internal shuffling just to remain at or under budget, they may as well use the opportunity to give this squad the shakeup it surely needs.
Certain players may bring essential elements to the table, while others may have unlimited potential, but the Sharks are no longer in a position to overpay. This means the axe will come down on role players whose salary exceeds their ability, and youngsters whose salary may match their potential, but is grossly inflated based on their actual contributions.
Mike Grier, Kyle McLaren and Marcel Goc fit in to the first category, while Matt Carle and Milan Michalek represent the second. Kyle McLaren will likely see his tenure in San Jose end on deadline day, when GM Doug Wilson has the opportunity to move Mac to a rebuilding team for a mid-round pick.
Marcel Goc is up for a new deal, one that would likely require the Sharks to give him a raise, so Wilson may just let him walk. Mike Grier will almost assuredly remain a Shark for the final year of his deal, due to his no-movement clause, and, frankly, the Sharks could do worse than overpay Mike Grier for one more season.
Michalek, despite being San Jose's number two scorer for the majority of the year, simply hasn't been consistently good enough to deserve the generous raise he received. The fact that he's San Jose's only legitimate top-six left wing gives him an advantage in the organization, but if he can be moved for a comparable player, it might be something the Sharks look into.
If Brian Campbell is re-signed, Matt Carle becomes the most expendable player on the roster, and, at $3.5 million a year, is grossly overpaid. Campbell is young enough that the Sharks aren't compromising a huge part of their future by parting ways with Carle, who, if packaged with a lower level forward prospect, could bring back a top-four defenseman with a bit more physicality and defensive awareness, or a top-six forward.
If Ehrhoff, Pavelski or Clowe has a big offer sheet thrown at them, look for the Sharks to match and move the player on their own terms if it leaves them cash strapped. Unless, of course, any team is foolish enough to give up multiple first-round draft picks and offers either of the three $4 million-plus, which is highly unlikely.
If the Sharks do successfully trim down the extra fat on their payroll and decide to add help from an outside source, there is no lack of talent in this year's crop of free agents. Martin Straka, Andrew Brunette, and Brian Rolston are all veteran players who can still perform at a high level and fill San Jose's need on the left, while Mike Commodore and Jason Smith are physical, vocal leaders with plenty of winning experience and the ability to solidify a young, talented, but inexperienced and somewhat soft blue line.
It is also essential that the Sharks put together a more threatening, talented third line to provide secondary scoring and an edge over opponents with less depth. Patrick Rissmiller and Mike Grier, while solid penalty killers and decent bottom-six forwards, simply don't have the talent or ability to shut down the top lines in the NHL or provide any consistent scoring punch.
Torrey Mitchell is a good starting point, but speedy, defensively responsible players with a bit more talent and ability like New Jersey's Jay Pandolfo (an unrestricted free agent in July) are essential pieces of the Stanley Cup-winning puzzle.
Players like Jonathan Cheechoo, though streaky, simply won't bring back more to the Sharks than they're currently worth in San Jose. Patrick Marleau answered quite a few questions with the most consistent postseason performance of his career, and should have a big weight taken off his shoulders in the likely event that there is a change behind the bench.
It is widely believed that Ron Wilson will not have his contract renewed, and that is no surprise given how close he came to unemployment after 2007's implosion against Detroit. Doug Wilson, who, despite his conservative approach that drives plenty of fans crazy, has a solid philosophy and is more respected and well-liked by his players than any other general manager in the league, will finally get to hire his own coach, and the impact should be positive.
A coach that preaches and practices accountability is a must for this young team. Patrick Marleau is a quiet leader, and that is fine. Joe Thornton isn't the most vocal player in the world, either, and that is also fine. But it is imperative that the Sharks are led by an extremely driven, respected and honest individual behind the bench.
Ron Wilson doesn't strike many as the most straightforward, accountable individual. Accountability breeds credibility, and a credible coach can demand the utmost of his players.
Not a single critic, expert or fan will argue that the Sharks don't possess the talent or ability to win the Stanley Cup; they just simply haven't utilized the tools at their disposal. Whether or not it is fair to lay all of the responsibility on San Jose's bench boss is highly debatable, but there is little doubt that it is time for a change.
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2 months ago
interesting article.. they have a hell of an off-season to navigate with some big decisions.
it seems like with Campbell they finally had all the pieces they could possibly need, yet they still are home early. Makes me wonder if any tweak is ever going to get that core over the top.
2 months ago
No way was this Marleau's most consistent performance in the post-season. He was -2 and had eight points in 13 games; he was in the plus and over a point per game in 2006. Considering some other astute observations you made (including pointing out Carle's contract, which makes me think he IS more expendable than Ehrhoff), this one is a perplexing oversight. Are you perhaps rallying around him because he received so much criticism this year?
from 2 months ago
Marleau was essentially invisible against Edmonton in 2006. He had a decent first two games in San Jose, but as the team plummeted, so did Marleau's performance. Remember that the majority of his points came in the Nashville series, and they came in bunches. Was that series possibly the most dominant of his career? Most likely. But in terms of leadership, putting together a complete effort night in and night out, and really making his presence felt when it mattered most, this was hands down Marleau's most consistent post-season performance. It's certainly not all about points and +/-.
from 2 months ago
I do remember now that he fell off in the last four games against Edmonton, and I chalked it up to losing his best linemate (Michalek on that hit no one on the Sharks had the courage to do anything about). But it is very much about +/-, especially when you consider his shorties helped his + while all the power play goals scored while he was on the ice did not result in a -. If more goals are getting scored while you are on the ice than you are scoring, you are not leading.
However, I do want to thank you for pointing out Jason Smith--I have been saying he is the type of guy we need, but did not know he was going to be a free agent. He'll be a heck of a lot cheaper than Campbell and better defensively, and he could be the captain because I consider him a true leader.
2 months ago
Definitely an interesting article. I had the same thought with Commodore and Smith. Those are my first two choices for additions to shore up the blue line. No doubt, with Carle and Michalek, the Sharks have paid for potential. Given the salaries kick in this next season, let's hope the potential turns into reality. Again, I agree with you on Ron Wilson. He may not be to blame entirely, but even still, he's lost enough respect with his players that it is, indeed, time for him to go. The thing is, Joseph, I don't know who is available to replace former Coach Wilson. I do agree with your criteria for a new coach. You're right, it's up to Campbell whether or not he stays. I don't know that I'd want to pay $6-7M, but someone else will if the Sharks don't.
from 2 months ago
Bob Hartley. won two Cups and his teams play sound fundamentals. Tony Granato, played here and was good taking over for Hartley. There's a chance Tortorella will be available. There are guys we could get away from other teams, like Marc Crawford (not my first choice). There is no shortage of guys who can do the job--even Doug Wilson would be better than Ron.
2 months ago
Paul Maurice is available as of today, he is the picture of accountability, and he did it under a ton of media pressure for two years. He also took a team that had no business getting out of the first round to the Stanley Cup Finals in 2002.
2 months ago
I'm ok with either Tortorella or Maurice. What would you say if the players wanted to keep Ron Wilson? Would you be for or against it? If the players want to play for Ron, do you think it would have a negative impact on the players if Ron were fired? I'm guessing any negative feelings would be short-lived anyway as the season gets under way. What would you think about giving Roenick the captaincy for a year or until he retires and just demoting Marleau? I'm just curious about your thoughts.
from about 1 month ago
Tortorella is similar to Wilson in that he uses sarcasm and ridicule, both in public and behind closed doors, as a motivational tool. This can be the right kind of motivation for certain players, players with intensity, fire and passion that they wear on their sleeve. San Jose's core players simply aren't of that makeup. It starts with Marleau and Thornton, who are the leaders of this team, and who are fairly low-key individuals. This is not necessarily a negative; Joe Sakic is living proof. The majority of San Jose's roster is more about walking the walk than talking the talk, and Ron Wilson is the complete opposite. When things are going well, he'll take credit, but when things are going poorly he publicly blames his players rather than taking responsibility. Even is he players are at fault, it sends the wrong message to point fingers for all to see. Coaches such as Wilson and Tortorella tend to wear thin on their players, which has clearly been happening for a few years now. The old guard simply could not stand Wilson's tactics, nor did they approve of the way he instructed his players to respond to cheap play (Scott Thornton's reaction when Raffi Torres knocked Michalek out of the Edmonton series in 2006 is a good example).
The Sharks need a coach who will protect them publicly when they need it, and who will demand accountability in the locker room. However, one cannot demand accountability unless they are credible, and a coach who is not accountable for himself and for the play of his team simply does not have the credibility to motivate a group of true winners.
As for Roenick, do not over value his contributions to this team. He's exceeded expectations, but this is a guy who had points in only one playoff game, and who put up the majority of his goals while playing with incredibly talented players in special teams situations. He is a great secondary leader, emotional leader, vocal, and a respected veteran, but the fact remains that Jeremy Roenick 1) No longer has the ability to change the course of the game on a regular basis and 2) hasn't won a thing either, despite his impressive resume and indisputably phenomenal career.
Patrick Marleau is the captain of this team, like it or not, and if they're going to win with Patrick Marleau as a member of the San Jose Sharks, he'll have to be the first man to hoist the cup.
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