There's obviously a lot to cover today, but I want to discuss last night's game right off the bat. Basically, it was another poor effort. Better than the laugher against Nashville, but not good enough, giving the Sharks their seventh loss in the last 11 games. It also extended the team's scoreless streak to seven periods, and the club has been outscored 10-0 in that stretch. About midway through the second period I had to back away from the television because of the stench. Sure the Sharks had a couple chances, but you could clearly see them put their heads down and mail it in the rest of the way after failing to connect early on. Meanwhile, I was impressed with the Blue Jackets. They don't have 1/3 of San Jose's talent, but they worked hard every single shift, and just kept pressing. Nice win for Columbus, and the fans sure did appreciate it.
The loss was bad enough, but the thing that really disappointed me was Thornton's comments after the game. This guy got dogged for years in Boston because he didn't show any leadership, didn't show any heart. Whether it was big game game or a tough loss, he never put the team on his back and took control, and he was basically ridden out of town by a loyal fanbase that was brought up on battlers like Orr, Espo, Bourque and Neely. People will always note the Thornton trade as one of the worst in NHL history, and it was by the numbers, but you don't hear any Bruins fans begging to have Thornton back. Well, Joe had a chance to step up last night, calling the team out and taking some responsibility for the poor showing. Instead, we got this:
"We had some chances tonight; just didn't hit the back of the net. We're shooting the puck. It's not finding the back of the net. It happens sometimes."
Very laissez-faire, very ho-hum about the entire thing. And I understand people are injured, obviously you're not going to have the same jump with Marleau, Brown, Pavelski, Smith and Bernier out of the lineup, but a team leader has to show a little more jam than that. Being shut out in seven periods is just unacceptable, for any team. Unfortunately Thornton once again proved that his criticism is often justified.
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***DISCLAIMER*** -
Before we begin this discussion about the trade deadline I just want everyone to know we're dealing in reality. Obviously the Sharks would love to send Plihal and a sixth round pick to the Habs for Souray and a first round pick, but it is never, ever going to happen. So, when a blogger proposes a Michalek-Brewer trade people might naturally disagree because Michalek is a second-line winger who can skate fast and shoot the puck hard. However, teams are only going to make a trade with San Jose if they have a player of value coming back the other way. Also, when teams make trades they’re acquiring a player based on future projections. Michalek could turn evolve into a Havlat or a Dvorak, we won't know for several years. It's the future projection that increases Michalek's present value, making him attractive to teams around the league. Furthermore, this is going to be a big-boy conversation, so there may be some things said and ideas raised that you may not agree with initially, but please try to keep an open mind. Proceed at your own risk.
With last night's loss, the Sharks aren't making things any easier from Doug Wilson as the trade deadline approaches. Obviously the Sharks are buyers, realizing they have a chance to make a run for the Cup, and they have plenty of assets to land a big name before Feb. 27. Souray and Ryder would be huge improvements to the Sharks. Souray would give them a reliable cannon from the point and a nice shutdown option with some physicality in the back, while Ryder is a one-shot goal scorer who's been streaky but could really click nicely with San Jose's playmakers. Here's my take on what the Sharks have to give, looking at the current roster and breaking things down into three categories.
The Untouchables: Marleau, Thornton, Cheechoo, Clowe, Pavelski, Grier, Brown, Korolyuk, Carle, Ehrhoff, Vlasic, McLaren, Toskala, Nabokov
Personally, I don't think any player who isn't named Wayne Gretzky should ever be labeled untouchable, but for all intents and purposes the Sharks need to maintain a core and these are the players I think they should keep. Marleau and Thornton are on here for obvious reasons, powering the Sharks offense and power play. Cheechoo is signed through 2011 season and will never make more than $3.5 million, making him an unbelievable steal in today's NHL even if he never scores more than 30 goals again.
Clowe is the only forward on the roster with legitimate toughness who can maintain a presence in front of the net, and he'll be essential for a lengthy playoff run when most goals come from within 10 feet of the blue paint. Pavelski's upside is just too high for the Sharks to pass up right now. Grier and Brown anchor the third line and are essential to the penalty kill, plus they add leadership and toughness to a young squad.
Korolyuk is a real talent coming back from Russia, where he averaged a point per game in the super league. A lot of people scoffed when they heard about the Korolyuk deal, but he's a serious talent. There's a long list of NHL superstars who didn't average a point per game playing in the RSL in 2004-05, including Datsyuk, Ovechkin, Afinogenov, Kovalchuk, Kovalev, Lecavalier and Zherdev. Malkin had 47 points in 46 games for Magnitogorsk last season, and he's one of the best players in the world. He'll be back next week, and should give the club a boost immediately.
Carle, Ehrhoff and Vlasic are the future along the blueline, and giving any of them up would be a serious blow to the Sharks. McLaren is the heart and soul of the defense, and I think his leadership is invaluable. Toskala and Nabokov are untouchable now for a couple reasons. The first is because Toskala has pooped the bed every other night for the past three weeks, diminishing his trade value. The second is because Nabokov would be difficult to move and it's clear that the Sharks need a reliable starter/backup.
The Touchables: Bell, Michalek, Bernier, Davison, Gorges, Parker, Smith
I'd jump at the chance to unload Bell and his huge salary, and the Sharks are paying way too much for a Matthew Barnaby clone. Michalek and Bernier are attractive options for teams looking to boost scoring. Both have proven to be productive, and they've shown improvement (despite injuries) after successful rookie seasons. Personally I'd keep Bernier over Michalek, who isn't strong enough on the puck and totally ineffective in traffic. Davison and Gorges are decent depth defenseman, but nothing spectacular. We all know what Parker provides, and he'll be a press box regular in the playoffs. Smith is probably borderline untouchable, but he's been too inconsistent this season.
Trade Bait: Nieminen, Goc, Hannan, Malakhov, Murray, Rissmiller, first round pick
Some are convinced Goc can be a productive top-six player. I'm convinced he'll have to prove it playing somewhere else, because unphysical, streaky third-line centers are a dime a dozen. Nieminen is clearly playing on borrowed time, and watching him get rag-dolled by Adam Foote last night was an absolute joke. Nieminen must have thought so as well, considering his huge grin. Just embarrassing.
Placing Hannan on here could get me lynched, but he's been bad this season and he's a UFA this summer. The Sharks have a lot of options and the biggest plus about Hannan is his reputation, which seems further from reality with every game. He's not an essential player going forward. Murray showed some nice pop in a couple games, but he's basically Bryan Marchment without the dangerous knee. It's been at least two months since I saw Rissmiller and thought to myself "that guy's really working hard out there." The extra first round pick is like holding the rook, because the Sharks definitely don't need it and it could swing a nice deal in their favor.
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