The scene in downtown San Jose after waiting all off season for Doug Wilson to make a move.
Depending on who you ask, this has been a summer of disappointment. No moves, no change, Doug Wilson has abandoned us! If we take a step back from that brink, we discover that there HAVE been moves, they've just been smaller and less splashy than many Sharks fans had been hoping for or expected.
The Sharks let a few players go. Mike Grier, Marcel Goc, Riley Armstrong, Tomas Plihal, Brain Boucher, Claude Lemieux, Jeremy Roenick, Travis Moen and Alexi Semenov are all gone. Some have signed with other teams, some have retired, and others are still looking for work.
As far as signings, Kent Huskins, Ryane Clowe, Rob Blake, Scott Nichol, Thomas Greiss and Henrick Karlsson were all resigned or acquired. Scott Nicol is the only real new blood, ignoring the fact that Sharks fans have yet to see Huskins play in teal. This has made his contract, and the lack of other signings, a point of contention amongst fans, who have been hoping for big splashy firings and signings. The fact of the matter is, the Sharks are already up against the cap, and they won't have any wiggle room next year when several big name members of team teal become free agents.
It also remains to be seen whether or not it makes sense to blow up the President's Trophy winning team in 2009. Sure, they flamed out in a spectacularly embarrassing fashion in the first round of the playoffs, but they were still the best team in the league last season, even with their late season problems. The team, for all it's weaknesses, still has some great potential.
Maybe the lack of splashy signing *coughdanyheatlycoughcough* is for the best. If it means Sharks fans don't have to spend another season watching the MSM and bloggers poop all over the team when it fails to meet their expectations, fine by me. But I'm not the majority. Most fans appear to be frustrated by the lack of moves. Cap space be damned, they want big change and they want it now. Only time will tell if DW will throw cap caution to the wind, or if he will chose to ice a very similar to team to the one that showed such promise last season.
It's the thought that weighs heavy on every Sharks fan's mind. Is this a slump?
This is inevitably followed by other questions: Is this just a bump in the road? Is this who our team really is? Are we feeding off past disappointments of yesteryear and redirecting them to now? Do we buy into our own hype too much, despite desperately trying to avoid that this year? Are we too sensitive to hat other in the hockey world say, that we often feel that our team has to win all 82 regular season games? I won't mention the ever present post season concerns. Those are well documented and not yet applicable to this situation.
The fact is, in most Sharks seasons, this wouldn't be a slump. In most of the recent Sharks seasons, it's been up and down from the start. This is par for the course. It's mid season, everyone' tired, a bunch of guys have the flu, we have injuries, the team slows down, it happens. February has also usually been a harsh month for the Sharks. That's nothing new.
So here's the question, is it really a slump if you can come back from some terrible play and take the game into OT? The Sharks, despite dropping several games this road trip, have gotten at least a point in all of them. They have battled back from less than stellar play and been able to keep themselves in games that, if you only saw the first, you'd think they had no business staying in. That alone could be considered a victory. The Sharks are often accused to tuning out, sitting back and not playing with heart and grit. They have shown they have heart and grit this season, though it hasn't always resulted in a W. And maybe the high standard set in the beginning of the season are the true root of all our insecurities this season. We didn't want to fall from the top, we didn't want to be seen as human, and now we are.
The hockey season is long and full of glorious highs and heartbreaking bumps in the road. To write it off in February seems suspect. Is this a slump? Maybe, but if it is, it's not the worst we've ever seen and it won't be the last. We knew these days would come, all we can do is wait them out and try to enjoy the ride.
Every teams has a black sheep. That one guy who seems to stick out like a sore thumb.Maybe fans still like him, maybe they don't, or maybe the media hates him but fans love him, he comes in many combinations. On the San Jose Sharks, that player is Alexei Semenov. By all accounts he's not only a nice guy but beloved in the locker room. Players like him, the coaching staff likes him, but the fans, well, they don't like him.
On a team full of apparent stars, Alexei is just an average guy. He never seemed to find his place last year and ended up being in the wrong place at that wrong time in a few games. Unfortunately for him, those wrong places leads to goals being scored off of him. This year he stuck a hand up to block a puck and deflected it in. Nabokov may have been able to forgive him, but the fans weren't. At practices and games people yell "get off the ice" at him. Many of us, myself included, have referred to him and a "traffic cone", something that gets in your way. While I realize that it's mostly a way of getting frustration out I feel badly for doing it. He's still a Shark. The latest fan snub was by far the most impressive, and the most heartbreaking.
Players will do team scheduled signings at the Sharks store attached to the HP Pavilion. Despite being in the middle of the work day these draw large amounts of fans, many of whom show up hours before the event. It's a madhouse and lines snake around the block just to get 30 seconds with a player and a signature. Not for Semenov.There were no lines at Semenov's signing. About and hour in, there weren't really any fans. There was just a man, seated a lonely table inside the store, waiting.
I don't know how I'd feel if I were him. I'm sure he knows he's not the most well liked guy on the team, but to have very few people show up to meet you? That's just sad.
*thanks to Mr. K for providing the report of the signing.
Well, since there is a huge wind storm here and I can't sleep, I might as well be productive. Getting right down to business, my job today is to report to Santa and let him know who on the Sharkies (or around the league) has been naughty or nice and let him know what a few people need for Christmas. Naughty list - as a perpetual optimist, I tend to look for the good in people, so this list is rather short. *Rob Blake - Match penalty for spearing last night warrants a lump of coal in his stocking. *Brett Festerling (ANA) - The potentially dangerous hit on JR last night. Two lumps of coal and a flaming bag of poo for a present.UPDATE: It was released this morning that JR will miss some action due to the shoulder injury sustained by Mr. Brett. Let's up the bad present-thon up to three lumps of coal a flaming bag of poo and some really ofensive gas. **Personal note: Brett, Brett, Brett... I'm really excited that you made it to the show (especially since you played in TRI for so long), but can you please refrain from breaking my favorite players? He's old enough to be your father - Respect your elders and don't hit them in the numbers.
Nice list - *Devin Setoguchi, Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau - whatever they want, they should get. fer reals. *Jonathan Cheechoo - a new upper body so that injury will go away. *Dan Boyle - See suggestion for Seto, Joe and Patty *Nabby and Boucher - See suggestion for Dan Boyle *JR - scoring stats reminicent of his days in Chicago *Vlasic - a jar of pickles... and some more goals - kid's doing better than all last season already this year. Keep it up! *Jody Shelley - another crack at Parros *Coach McLellan - Players who keep buying into his systems *Little Joe Pavelski - More wins at the ping pong table *Torrey Mitchel - A new leg *Cavanagh, Clowe, Goc, Grier, Michalek, Plihal, Erhoff, Lukowich, Murray and Semenov - 6 more months of exactly what they have been doing.
In other words, Santa, without jinxing anything, my reccomendation is that you bring these guys something that starts with an "S" and ends with a "tanley Cup" You can deliver it via Mr. Bettman in approximately 6 months.
For this creative challenge, I chose to focus solely on the Sharks. I am sure other teams and players are deserving of gifts, but I don't know them well enough to give them meaningful gifts. They'd all get gift certificates to the local crazy sock store. Everyone needs socks. To start I'd like to give everyone on the team the gift of a new set of teeth, if they need them. Real teeth, not the fake ones many of them have now. Real, unbreakable, puck will bounce off them and keep going, teeth. Maybe those are a bit better than real, either way, they'd get teeth. Now, onto the specifics. Everyone on the team is deserving of a gift, but I've chosen to list just a few below.
Joe Thornton: A ham.
A ham?
Yes, a ham.
Any Shark fan will tell you that they love Joe and Joe loves San Jose. He takes every chance he gets to talk about how great we fans are and how much he and the rest of the team love playing in front of us. I'm not saying it's not true but, he lays it on a little thick sometimes. So, for his awesome work at making us all feel good, Joe Thornton gets a ham.
Cheechoo: Anti-injury serum. Cheechoo hasn't been the same since the 2005-2006 season when he scored 56 goals. Part of the problem may lie in his ever increasing number of injuries. With that in mind, anti-injury serum seems like a great gift.
Torrey Mitchell: flip flops. If you read Torrey Mitchell's blog you'll know that his partner is crime, Devin Setoguchi, ruined his flips flops. Don't worry, they made good, but having an extra set of flips flops is never a bad thing.
Devin Setoguchi: spot on the All-Star roster.
Christian Ehrhoff: Affectionately known to Sharks fans as “Errorhoff,” Christian has been an explosion of amazing this season. He gets a goal-targeting stick, just in case he ever forgets the goal isn't 20 feet tall and 10 feet wide.
Ryane Clowe: What do you get the man who seems to have everything? He has a sign in his home town with his face on it. How do you top that? With Hulk Smash gloves, that's how!
Marcel Goc: He gets a hug. Why? He needs one.
Last, but not least, I would like to given former San Jose Shark, now Worcester Shark, Kyle McLaren, a spot on an NHL roster. The Sharks don't currently have room for him, but someone out there has to. So, someone, will you give Kyle a spot on your roster in time for Christmas?
Sharks fans have a very odd habit. If you've been to a game at the Tank, you've probably witnessed it. No, it's not the traditional pre-game taunts from section 209, it's the constant cries of “SHOOT” that ring from the stands. It comes out during the power play, like some evil audible virus, descending from the rafters to infect those watching the game with a crazy compulsion to spend the next two minutes screaming the most useless piece of advice they possible could.
"SHOOT! SHOOT IT! SHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOTTT!"
The funny thing is, it's not even something the Sharks need to hear. They're shooting and they're shooting often. In 20 games, they've averaged 37.9 shots on goal. Compare that to the 20 game mark last year, when they were averaging 27.9 shots. Clearly, they've gotten them memo.
(Photo courtesy of Sharkspage.com, LOLcaption courtesy of the magnificent Gray)
New coaches are a curious things in sports. Often they are a sign of desperation when a team is doing poorly enough that they must change direction (see: Barry Melrose). Sometimes they are a sign that management is crazy and just hates the coach (see also: Barry Melrose). Other times a new coach is the product of a hiring or a firing that makes no sense (see again: Barry Melrose). Todd McLellan, I would argue is a different kind of coach and, so far, he is proving to be just what the Sharks need. My first full season as a Sharks fan the team went 28-37-9-8 for 73 points (just a year after going to the 2nd round of the playoffs) and Darryl Sutter became my mortal enemy. I was annoyed that Mark Smith wasn't getting playing time and neither were many of the younger guys. Sutter had become so stuck in his ways of only playing veterans, the team never improved, and Sutter was fired halfway into the next season. A similar situation happened to Ron Wilson, Sutter's replacement. Wilson's slightly adversarial method of player motivation worked well for some, but ended up destroying some (Patty Marleau, Christian Erhoff) and alienated others (pretty much the rest of the team). Therefore it came as no surprise to Sharks fans that Wilson was fired over the summer.
A new coach is like a wrapped package: the anticipation of opening it is often more exciting than what you actually get. But so far, Todd McLellan has been a wonderful present. Gray and I have remarked several times during the young season that we have no idea who these Sharks are. We have always been told that they are a fast, but this year they look astoundingly fast. Even when they aren't playing well, they aren't playing the dull, uninspired hockey that we saw at the end of the playoffs last season. The players have bought into McLellan's system in a way that I never really saw them do with Ron Wilson. And as much as I miss the Ron Wilson press conference, this level of player buy-in is a welcome sight.
The McLellan hiring has paid off big so far. The Sharks have the best record in the NHL going into today's games with an amazing 29 points (out of 36). Patty Marleau is playing like a man possessed and is using his speed in ways I haven't seen in several seasons. Christian Erhoff is a completely different player, making lots of quality shots and playing really responsibly defensively. All in all, the players have elevated their games and results have been exciting. It's not all perfect though. The power play, which was supposed to McLellan's specialty, is only at 18.8% (though it got much better Thursday night against the Flames). Then again, it's hard to argue with a team that has only one OT loss at home and 14 wins 18 games into the season.
Will the team always be doing this well? That's pretty unlikely. What will happen when the honeymoon is over? No one really knows. All I know is that this fast start has helped to to stop worrying and learn to love the cephalopod.
I knew the Kings were screwed when the NHL schedule was released during the off season and it revealed that the Kings would open the season with a home-and-home series against the San Jose Sharks. It seemed very unlikely that the Kings would be able to handle the experienced and very skilled Sharks team. Even with backup Brian Boucher tending net in Game 2 the Kings couldn't even come close to taking the upper hand.
Kings fans were super excited to see Blake
Both games featured sub-sub-sub-par playing by the entire Kings lineup, which fully exposed the complete lack of chemistry. The season opener on Saturday had most of the lines rather unchanged throughout the game. However in the home opener on Sunday, the guys were mixed around forming various combinations among the forwards, and even on defense, reminiscent of those horrible Crawford days. Kopitar received a 10-minute misconduct which forced Murray to find players to rotate in his spot during that duration. But since no one line could consistently be counted on to execute any sustained pressure, I suppose it's no surprise that he mixed up the lines hoping to spark some kind of offense.
LaBarbera looked average in the first game and better in the second game less the moment he allowed the lone goal. There were several scary scrums in the second game but he and the guys in front of him always managed to keep the puck out of the net. He even looked solid on shots that went through traffic and rarely let up many rebounds. But, of course, the one shot that beat him looked so easy to stop, low to the near (glove) side, that it seemed inconceivable that the puck was able to sail by him, but yet it did.
The defense encountered so much trouble clearing the zone and, along with the forwards, was so miserable at connecting passes through the neutral zone to begin the attack. The Kings had so much difficulty getting shots on goal because they failed time and time again at crossing the opponents' blueline and gathering the puck on the dump and chase. The passing deteriorated as the game went on to the point where they couldn't even make one clean pass as the clock slowly ticked to zero among boos resonating through Staples Center. Seeing the Kings getting booed in the home opener was brutal. It was even more brutal knowing that the biggest cheer happened when the score of the Dodgers game (7-2 win over Philly) was revealed on the Jumbotron. It doesn't even matter that two goals were disallowed (man in the crease and kicking the puck in the net) in the second period, because the Kings didn't deserve to win. So many things went wrong in these two games and hopefully the Kings will find ways to quickly remediate the issues otherwise it'll be a very long, excruciating season.
There seem to be some Sharks circling! That's right, ladies and germs, the NHL Regular Season has begun for us fans of the finned and I'm ready to dive back in!Well, at least put my feet in the shallow end.
A lot has changed over the summer for the NoCal team - A new coach and lots of different faces in the dressing room.
08-09 Season... My quick thoughts as I'm watching the game:
New Coach - I wasn't down on RW, but shaking things up behind the bench might be what gets them past the second round of the playoffs - but they need to make the playoffs first. He's been described as a good bench-coach, I can roll with that, hopefully the players can, too.
Revamped D - Gone are Campbell (no surprise), Carle, Rivet and Brown. Shiny and new are Blake (Will take a while to get used to that one), Boyle and Lukowich. If the D meshes well together, they'll make things even easier for Nabby, who we all know I have a love/hate relationship with. If they can put up a few points, I'll be a very happy fishie fan (Plus, who wouldn't love a kid with a nickname like Pickles?!). Also, would like to send my best wishes to Kyle McLaren in the AHL - I've always been a big fan of his.
Forwards - Familiar faces Thornton, Marleau and Cheechoo need to put up consistant points. I have every faith in each of them that they can - and every hope that they will. Please? Pretty please? Setoguchi looks good - like he spent the summer waiting trying to impress a girl at the gym - and it worked! Pavelski, Plihal, Michalek, Clowe and Goc are sure to do their fair share and Jeremy Roenick is going into his 21st season - how stinkin' impressive is that!?!?! Ok, ok, I know not everyone is a JR fan, but I have been for as long as I can remember - and the fact that he's spent the last two years of his career (for real this time?) with my team pretty much thrills me to no end. He looks good, too and is super hungry for the cup... will that be enough? ...my pretty please just worked, 0-1 Cheechoo from Boyle (Welcome!) and Michalek... PS. Get well soon, Mitchell!
My prediction: I know it sounds cliche, but if this team gels in a speedy fashion, it's hard to imagine they wouldn't be back in the race for the Pacific Division title, but it wont be easy. The Ducks and the Stars are a perpetual poachers looking for some shark fin soup. 0-2 PP Goal - Cheechoo from Thornton and Blake - ok, it's getting easier to read that name in teal. Sorry, Finny! As for playoffs, ever the optimist, I'm dreaming of being able to watch the 3rd ground without a scowl on my face, wondering who to cheer for while the hostess calls for "Bitter, Party of One?"
If the first two periods of this game are any indication of how the rest of the season is going to go, this could be the season we've all been dreaming of.... I'm not saying, I'm just saying...
This series has been fantastically dead even. It's been great. The ups have sent us soaring, the downs have been lower than low. Being nervous and twitchy from school and the stresses of playoff time, I've decided I can't wait to see how this puppy gets decided, I'm taking things into my own hands. We have here some of the players from each team. Phaneuf? Lombardi? Roenick?
It's obvious. Phaneuf and Lombardi win this for sheer angelic looks, and of course, for posing with gold medals in their hands.
Roenick loses for looking like a doofus.
Next, let's look at the leaders of both teams.
Jarome Iginla is all business. He has his eye on the goal.
Joe Thornton is still stuck prying breakfast out of the toaster.
Flames all the way.
One of the most important (yet still unrecognized) parts of making it through the playoffs is the ability to stay loose.
Now, on one hand, we have a stolid, family-friendly, and yes, cliche-ridden, stuffy holiday party. On the other hand, we have a rookie really gettin' down. I know which party I'd rather slit my wrists than sit through.
This round to the Flames also. See a pattern?
That's all I have to say about today's game. We're the full deal, obviously! Now, we just have to play some hockey. Read More......
Trade deadline already has come and gone? Wow. I'm a slacker.
SO. Everyone was speculating about a move of Sharks Captain, Pat Marleau. Didn't happen. I didn't think it would. I just had a feeling (Shut up.... the force is strong with me) he'd stay with the team despite his obvious clashing with the coach.
HOWEVER, they did make a trade. The Sharks acquired D-Brian Campbell and a 2008 7th round pick for F-Steve Bernier and a 2008 1st round pick.
I think this was a good move for the Sharks. The team has ample strength in the forward department and the defense and power play both have left a little to be desired. Campbell provides great skating speed and has the ability to help the sharks put up some numbers.
Campbell was really emotional about the trade at first, even tearing up a little as he talked to the press. After all, he did spend 10 seasons there. But he said he's excited to join the Sharks and is getting over the initial shock and sadness. He's played with both Mike Grier and Curtis Brown and told NHL.com that he played summer hockey with Joe Thornton when they were youngsters, growing up not too far from one another.
UPDATE: WHAT THE TRUCK?! How did I miss THIS?! Apparently Brian Boucher is now a member of the Sharks. I watched him when he played for Tri-City of the WHL and have followed him loosely the past few years. Another great addition, in my opinion, especially with Bouche playing in the AHL this season - I'm sure he's ready to show everyone he still belongs in the show.
PS - Nabby, please don't let many soft goals in (I can forgive one if you win), I'm trying to give up rolling my eyes at you for Lent in hopes that it stays gone forever.
PSS - I wouldn't be opposed to Tyler Weiman getting back into the Avs lineup if anything should happen to Budaij.... Just saying.... *whistles*
#1 is the obligatory, I ♥ Big Joe. 56 Points and still as cute as a big, furry button.
Cheech... Where do I begin? His eyes are creepier this year... Maybe when he's back to 100% the creepy eyes will fade back and he'll be putting the points up again - or maybe the creepy eyes will stay and he'll score more. Hell, if I was in net and saw the crazy-man, intense eyeballs of Jon Cheechoo, I'd step aside and say, "Your net, sir?" in fear of being turned to stone if I didn't.
Trades... Hammer and I were talking about this on Saturday night while the Redwings were stomping on my already horrible hockey-night. We spoke of Cap'n Patty and how he's not flourishing under RW and maybe could be back to his full potential somewhere else, but I brought up the point that NO ONE seems to be flourishing. Plus, I don't know if we'd get his full value in a trade right now. (That and I want my former TBird to stay a sharkie!)
Goaltending. Haven't seen enough of the back-ups to say if they should be in net more, but I think anyone anyone who remembers how I went into mourning after the Toskala trade or who has seen or heard me watch the Sharks this season can tell you what I think of the tender who is normally in net. I'm a Goalie Girl... for me to roll my eyes every time he skates out is a BIG deal. le sigh.
This weekend, McMan and I flew down to Vegas with a few of our buddies. Last night, we split off from the group and went to dinner at MESA Grill in Caesar's Palace - McMan's trip to Mecca, as Bobby Flay is his Grilling Deity. (Note: the restaurant is located directly across from the sports book) We're seated at our table, and I look up just as they're changing the 12"x15" screen directly in my view to the Anaheim San Jose game. Happy. Day!
So, not only was there great company and fantastic food, but I got to see my Sharkies waste a few man-advantages and ultimately lose in a shootout. hey, whatever, it was good times.
I don't know about any other Coyotes fans out there (if they even exist) but my absolute favorite games to watch/attend are the Coyotes/Sharks games. Maybe because I (very secretly) have a soft spot for the Sharks or maybe it's just because they're close and I want to see them get killed. Either way, when Roenick signed with the Sharks this past off season, I *knew* that he would find a way to score his 500th goal against us.
I wasn't wrong, my dear Hlog-lovers.
Last night we played the Sharks and Jeremy Roenick snagged himself his 500th goal, which also turned out to be the game-winner. If we want to be picky about it, our goalie Auld scored it for him (whatever the hell he was doing) but I won't take much away from him by announcing to the world that he didn't *technically* score that 500th... more than a few times anyway.
Congratulations, Roenick, even though half of me wanted you to score it here as opposed to there in San Jose. I know a lot of people would have loved to give you the standing ovation for reaching that 500 here in Phoenix but I'm sure you'll get some love on Thursday regardless.
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Doug Wilson (DW as I like to call him) called up his old buddy (and former teammate) Jeremy Roenick and got him to sign a $500,000, one-year deal with the San Jose Sharks.
"A lot of teams expected me to retire and thought I was retiring," Roenick said Tuesday. "But it took the initiative of one person to make the phone call to find out is that was really happening.
"This is not a financial thing for me," Roenick told reporters on a conference call. "I even asked for a bit less. My motivation is to win a Cup. My motivation is to try and gain my respectability as a hockey player back. ...
"The only reason that I would be playing this year is because of Doug Wilson and the opportunity that he's given me to play with, I think, the best team in the National Hockey League, and have a chance to win a Stanley Cup."
"We know Jeremy very well," said Wilson. "This is not a negative to where he's been in prior situations, but I think a player like this has to be in a situation where he perceives an ability to win and the ultimate winning being competing for a Cup."
I, Personally, love this. I've always been a big JR fan... (what can I say, I love loud mouths!) I think with the right linemates he could be a big contributer again. That's not saying I think he's going to have another 50-goal year or anything, but I don't see a down-side here. He's not taking up a lot of salary-cap room, and as long as he doesn't throw a water bottle at anyone, he's not a huge liability. (teehee... as inapropriate as that was, i loved it)
Since this involves two of my teams I figured I'd post it...
HOUSTON AEROS ANNOUNCE RICK BRONWELL DEPARTS FOR THE NHL'S SAN JOSE SHARKS HOUSTON, Texas – The American Hockey League's (AHL) Houston Aeros today announced that Rick Bronwell has left the team and will join the National Hockey League's (NHL) San Jose Sharks as the assistant equipment manager. Bronwell spent the previous five seasons as head equipment manager for the Aeros.
“Houston has been an unbelievable place to work. Houston is the best place in the American Hockey League to prepare you for the NHL. I owe a lot to the Minnesota Wild, the Houston Aeros and to the greatest fans in the AHL”, Bronwell said. “It’s been a great time and I’ll miss everyone. I’ve been working 15 years to get to the NHL, and if it wasn’t for Houston, I wouldn’t be where I’m at today.”
He was responsible for all day-to-day duties of the team’s equipment maintenance, repair and inventory. A staff member of the Aeros’ 2003 Calder Cup Champion squad, Bronwell also served as the head equipment manger for the Canada All-Star team at the 2004 AHL All-Star Game.
Bronwell, who wrote a popular Blog for Aeros.com, was also the head equipment manager for the Atlantic City Boardwalk Bullies of the East Coast Hockey League for the 2001-02 season, prior to joining Houston.
From 1996-2001, Bronwell was the assistant equipment manager with the Kansas City Blades of the International Hockey League and served as a game night assistant on the staff from 1992-1996.
I'm gonna miss the Aero blogs, but what a great step in his career! He'll do great with my Sharkies :)
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it's only 108*F (42*C) outside... *rolls eyes* ick. Good news is, it's supposed to cool down tomorrow - back down to 100*...
I was hoping the extreme heat had made me go into some sort of heat-induced halucination. Not so much. Turns out Bill Guerin is (for reals) an Islander after signing a 2-year deal.
Ok, Sharkies... When are you going to, oh, i dunno... sign someone other than Thornton? (who, btw, wasn't even a UFA!) How about some D? Maybe a Patty Marleau (or two)?
I can't get any more worked up. I feel like I'm coming down with the vapors... (either that or I'm turning Japanese....)
EDIT: And NOW... The Islanders announce the signing of Mike Comrie. Watch out, Ladies, Ted, Garth and Chuck mean Biz-nass and they're out to steal your players!
The scene in downtown San Jose after waiting all off season for Doug Wilson to make a move.
