Takes and trash talk from both ALL sides of the NHL's most obscure PATHETIC* rivalry

* Thanks, Kevin Lowe!

Wednesday, May 14, 2008

Player's Coach or Ex-Cop?

With the Red Wings and Penguins turning the Semis into a preseason morning skate, there is not much to talk about except for the Sharks new coach. The San Jose Mercury News has 2 separate articles saying that the "perfect" candidate is Pat Burns. Ex-Cop, Stanley Cup Winner, 3 time Jack Adams winner, Ties to Joe Thornton, it all makes sense. With the majority of the team in the prime of their career, it makes no sense for Doug Wilson to bring in a 'young" coach who will take 1-2 years to integrate his system. The only issue is that he is still under contract to NJ till July 1st. Does Doug Wilson want to wait that long to find a coach? Does Burns really want to move West? Those are things that Doug Wilson needs to find out.

The coaching search is not the only issue to resolve. Changing the coach and not the players will show that Ron Wilson was used as a scapegoat for the season. With the cap expected to rise, the Sharks will have plenty of cap space (10 million plus the rise of the cap). Most of that money will go to Brian Campbell if he decides to re-sign. Raises will be expected for restricted free agents Pavelski and Clowe. But that still leaves enough money to sign another scoring forward and some more blueline help.

8 comments:

Earl Sleek said...

With the cap expected to rise, the Sharks will have plenty of cap space (10 million plus the rise of the cap). Most of that money will go to Brian Campbell if he decides to re-sign. Raises will be expected for restricted free agents Pavelski and Clowe. But that still leaves enough money to sign another scoring forward and some more blueline help.

I don't know if all that money's available for Campbell, though. As I noted in the Sharks' eulogy, the foursome of Thornton-Marleau-Michalek-Carle will already cost $8.4 M more than last year (using cap-averaged values), and I think Goc and Ehrhoff (and maybe Roenick) are due raises also (in addition to Clowe and Pavelski, who you mentioned).

The Sharks certainly had a ton of cap room the last couple of years (Mala-cough!), and I guess if I were a Sharks fan I might get bitter at not spending more money to push the team over the top, but by my eye those frugal days are done, or else the team is getting a big salary moved.

Still, the coaching question is valid: what sort of coach do the Sharks need if RW is not the answer?

I would guess "ex-cop", but that's based more on the firing of RW than on the mental makeup of the big-name Sharks.

Mike said...

It's also important to note that the Sharks have traditionally not spent to the cap, and given their (relative) success, are unlikely to do so now. They're not quite the Oakland A's of hockey, but I don't think Jamison will give them the green light to spend $56M on salary either. Some hard choices are coming up.

RudyKelly said...

Maybe I just haven't been paying attention, but since when isn't Ron Wilson a player's coach? I could have sworn I read an article about how loose the Sharks locker room was and how he used movie clips to get his teams psyched before games. I know he's defensive-minded, but that doesn't necessarily equal hardass. Am I way off base here?

Earl Sleek said...

but since when isn't Ron Wilson a player's coach?

That's a fair question. I don't think I'd ever label Wilson as a hardass coach.

It might do the Sharks well (and RW's replacement very well) if management could better spell out what Wilson did wrong (besides lose the games he shouldn't).

Cheechew said...

I agree w/ Rudy in that I always thought RW was a "player's coach", but from all the stories that have come out after his firing, he is made out to look like a hardass who made his player's look bad in front of the other team.

Mike in OC said...

But that still leaves enough money to sign another scoring forward


You guys can have Bertuzzi.....
pretty please?

RudyKelly said...

"...but from all the stories that have come out after his firing, he is made out to look like a hardass who made his player's look bad in front of the other team."

You mean he looked bad after you lost and you were looking for a scapegoat? Huh.

jamestobrien said...

Dude, the Sharks need to rub some dirt on it.

Aww, you got your feewings hurt? Rub some dirt on it, pussies.

/high school football coach.