As time ticks and days go by the picture does not get any clearer. The San Jose Sharks have some work to do. As we approach September many rumored deals have fizzled away and the team remains incomplete. Are the Sharks really going to go into training camp with a really short roster?
Many believe there are a few young guns ready to step up and be regulars in the big show. I however find it hard to believe that after everything Doug Wilson has done, or tried to do, to make this team a bonafied Stanley Cup team, will start camp with so many questions to be answered.
For a team with such high hopes last season to be where they are at this point baffles me. To go from President Cup winners to a rebuilding team is crazy. A team that was so close to what Wilson envisioned as the ultimate design of a champion caliber team, to a team that got bounced in the first round was mind boggling.
The one thing that we all agree on is the fact that none of it was very surprising. The team was talented, big, strong, flashy, and at some points dominating. A playoff spot was never an issue. A playoff run, now that was an issue. We all learned real quickly that San Jose was not going to survive the series against the Ducks when Anaheim stole the first to games in the tank.
Mentally the Sharks were weak. The issue has been debated over and over. Fans and media alike constantly question the leadership values of this team. Who is the player who can lead on and off of the ice? Who is ready to throw the team on their back and take them to the next level? These questions will have to be answered.
I have lots of questions so I am just throwing some things out there. I don’t have all the answers and I know the fans don’t either, even though many like to believe they do.
Why is Joe Thornton and Co. so laid back? Why did he and the captain think it was ok to dodge the media during the Anaheim series? Why does management even allow that to happen? Where is the accountability?
All things that drive people nuts! It is not just an issue of players having to step up, it is also an issue of management addressing the situation. So what has to happen to make the team mentally stronger? Your guess is as good as mine. Stripping Patrick Marleau of his captaincy is not going to make him a better leader, sorry not going to happen.
As we inch closer to camp we can only hope to see things come together. The team is not by any means in serious trouble. This team is not bad. This team is still a playoff bound team. Prepare for a turnstile type of roster as youngsters will come and go throughout the season. The voids will be filled by rookies trying to make their mark.
Should we all be worried at this point?
Mark
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