#97 Jeremy Roenick puts fans in the seats, and goalies on the street
The San Jose Sharks signed flamboyant center Jermey Roenick to a 1-year contract on Tuesday morning. Following offseason extensions given to Joe Thornton, Patrick Marleau, Milan Michalek and Craig Rivet, Roenick will be a veteran cog added to the mix on the ice, and he will supply an avalanche of quotable material off of it. The 9-time NHL allstar scored 11 goals and 17 assists in 70 games played for the Phoenix Coyotes last season.
"That was a very true feeling in my body and soul about retiring and I kind of lost a little luster for the game for the last couple years. Then I got a phone call from Doug Wilson. Immediately, from a phone call from a guy that I respect and probably one of the most respected guys that I've ever played with, my electricity and energy came back. When you love to play the game and a team (of this nature) comes along, it is very easy to get excited and motivated" Roenick told SJsharks.com.
A look at how the San Jose Sharks line combinations are shaking out at this point in the offseason. If I missed someone or stuck them in the wrong spot, feel free to flame me in the comments. Earl uncerimoniously deleted the first version of this post with his post-Stanley Cup hubris.
FORWARDS:
Michalek-Thornton-Cheechoo
Clowe-Marleau-Bernier
Rissmiller-Brown-Grier
Roenick-Goc-Pavelski-Setoguchi
DEFENSE:
McLaren-Ehrhoff
Vlasic-Rivet
Carle-Davison
Murray
GOALIES:
Nabokov
Patzold-Greiss-Dakers
IN THE MIX:
Plihal-Kaspar-Semenov-Wishart
[Update] More Roenick video highlights from Puck Monkey here.
[Update2] Roenick signs free-agent contract with Sharks - ESPN.
12 comments:
Remember when I wrote that the Sharks were frustrating because I didn't have a reason for hating them?
Thanks for fixing that for me.
Yeah, Roenick's got 5 goals to reach 500, but why not set his sights on something more attainable? Like the fact that he's only one goal away from scoring his 10th goal for a BoC team?
he will supply an avalanche of quotable material
The only thing I remember him saying last year was that he was retiring.
I think the idea that he's quotable is an urban myth.
Earl uncerimoniously deleted the first version of this post with his post-Stanley Cup hubris.
That Earl's a real vindictive bastard, ain't he?
The only thing I remember him saying last year was that he was retiring. I think the idea that he's quotable is an urban myth.
Can I quote you on that?
But honestly, he was slated by many to make the transition into the booth. He already did guest spots on TSN and Fox, and he has been all over ESPN over the years.
The reason I brought it up, just look at the Sharks last two captains, Owen Nolan and Patrick Marleau. Two guys who prefer to let their play on the ice speak for them instead of actually speaking to the media. The Sharks brought back in Drew Remenda, the biggest hockey personality locally, and he is in the booth. And also add in the fact that both of the Sharks beat writers, Ross McKeon and Victor Chi, were let go in the summer. In my opinion, you need to sell the sport outside of the hardcore fanbase, and J.R. will get a lot of play from casual fans.
Add those up, and I don't mind them bringing in Roenick. Maybe he will be vocal and take a little pressure off of Ron Wilson, maybe he will be more apt to respond to teams coming in and trying to intimidate the Sharks (re: Nashville, Edmonton, Calgary), maybe he can contribute on spot power play duty or help lock down an opponent in defensive situations. Maybe he scores 5 and gets pushed out by a dominant Setoguchi. Either way, the Sharks are not risking much, and the payoff can be there.
"I don't know where Patrick was in game two, probably in the stands looking for his jock strap." - J.R.
A J.R. quote! I stand corrected. :)
Hopefully, when he goes to broadcasting, he won't run out of quotable-ness in the first couple of weeks like Brett Hull did.
Hey, I hope he contributes. And he certainly might.
In my opinion, you need to sell the sport outside of the hardcore fanbase, and J.R. will get a lot of play from casual fans.
That may be true. Personally, as a Sharks fan though, I would prefer they try selling the sport the hard way: by building a championship team.
Doug Wilson has been anointed super-genius status ever since the Thornton trade. But the fact is is that he had as good of a team, and as many tradeable assets and Burke. But Burke went all-in, while Doug dicks around with the Browns, Roenicks, Bells, and Guerins of the world.
But Burke went all-in, while Doug dicks around with the Browns, Roenicks, Bells, and Guerins of the world.
I disagree. Burke signed Scott Niedermayer as a free-agent (and apparently the Sharks were very close to landing him). He was then presented a gift when Pronger forced a trade. The Ducks won the Cup with those two moves plus having one hell of a goalie. (I know, I know, it's more complicated than that, but still.)
I fail to see how Burke made some tremendous risk/reward gamble that the Sharks wouldn't make ("all-in," as you say). You could spend your entire career as a GM in the NHL and not get the opportunity to land one, much less two, Norris-quality defensemen.
Still, the Sharks are a good team. The difference last year? Anaheim more or less was hitting on all cylinders, all year.
But I like the quote Patrick Roy gave in response: "I really can't hear Jeremy because I have my two Stanley Cup rings plugged in my ear."
:-)
I can't hear you, I have the Bayarea.net's 2000 local blog of the year title in my ears.
Should Roenick be the all-time best #97 here:
http://bestbythenumbers.blogspot.com
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