The Sharks have the lowest goals for in the entire league, yet are
unwilling to trade for more offensive power. Sutter says that he is
not willing to "trade away the team's future" by trading recent
draft pick Brad Stuart for the much-rumoured to be available
Theoren Fleury of the Flames. Lombardi echoes his concerns, stating
that he won't trade the potential star defenseman for anyone.
Exactly what are these two men thinking? Based on the history of
the Sharks draft picks, the best Stuart can hope to aspire to is a
mid-level defenseman. And that's the best the Sharks can hope for,
too.
Given that, why is Sutter telling local media that the only way to
get a top scorer (he says "superstar" but Fleury a superstar?!)
like Fleury is to give up a superstar, meaning Stuart. What is he
basing that statement on?!!! Historical perspective? I think not.
Look at the Sharks draft history. Falloon, Kozlov, even Friesen.
Could any of these guys be legitimately termed superstars? Yeah,
right. Even Friesen is only perhaps upper-middle class. Just take a
look and see if any of the past picks are anywhere near the top of
their positions.
So, why aren't the Sharks trading? Ask Lombardi or Sutter and you
know their answer. Ask the fans and they'll say it's dollars or the
fact that Sharks' management is not telling the truth about the
trade rumors. Sutter and Lombardi have both been quoted in local
media as saying the Fleury trade was a real offer. OK, but was
Fleury willing or just Flames management? The Sharks have done the
"trade for the year" deals with the Turkey Vulture Belfour and John
MacLean. And both boogied as soon as they could. So why would Theo
stay? After all, during the All-Star game in SJ, Fleury said he
wouldn't play for San Jose. Looking at the state of the team, who
can blame him?
San Jose's record of never having a .500 season is wearing on
everyone. Lombardi has got to be fearing for his job and if he's
not, the team is in worse shape than it appears. It is wearing on
the fans, as they are not selling the arena out in any numbers this
year. It is wearing on the team and it shows in the way they play.
Something needs to change soon.
Enough negativity. What is going right is going very right. Steve
Shields' play is going right. Jeff Friesen's play is going right.
Most of the D, when it shows up, is going very right. The Sharks
are in 10th place for goals against. They have the eighth-rated
penalty kill. They are keeping opponents to very few shots. These
are all big pluses. It's just not enough to cover the losses.
The Games:
The Sharks have been very busy the last two weeks and if it's
Wednesday, this must be Dallas. San Jose plays Dallas three
Wednesdays almost in a row and five times in 30 days. One of those
meetings was on the 23rd of November in Dallas and once again --
three times in a row now -- they are robbed of a goal by video
replay. Out of the four meetings, the Stars reap this victory and
two others, one a shutout. There was one bright moment as SJ stole
one from the Eagle in a 4-0 shutout at home. The Dallas-San Jose
matchup is becoming the Sharks one real rivalry. For some reason
(or reasons: Marchment and Belfour) the tempo just picks up when
these two teams are on the ice together.
Detroit is another team the Sharks have spent some quality time with
the last two weeks, meeting the Wings twice during that span. The
first was a lethargic loss, the second a come from behind tie for the
Finned Ones. Neither game was something to write home about, but the
latter matchup did feature some pretty incredible work by the Sharks.
Mike Ricci, who has been the target of Sutter's wrath many times this
season for lack of production, had a hand in both of the goals that
night. No 7:30 a.m. wake up skate for him.
Not all of the time was taken up by Dallas and Detroit. The Ducks
and the 'Canes each had a chance to embarrass the Sharks and both
took that opportunity. Carolina avenged their shutout by shutting
the Sharks out in Carolina and the Ducks defeated San Jose simply
by showing up. When your humble correspondent turned on the Anaheim
game, he initially mistook it for a junior league practice game. A
weak showing by a Selanne-less Duck team that nevertheless turned
into a SJ loss.
The Blues were singing them when San Jose swam into St Louis and
whooped their sorry behinds 4-2. Not that the Blues are sorry. Far
from it. It was just an "on" night for San Jose. Jeff Norton, in
his first game (back) as a Shark, snapped the tie and gave SJ one
of the five "W's" they have this season.
Predictions:
Despite Sutter's claims and Lombardi's denials, expect a trade this
month. Whether it's a high-class player or another almost-was but
now will never-be is anyone's guess, but they will pull the trigger
soon. This time, I think they'll pull out the stops and sign a big
one. But knowing the Sharks, they'll probably just pull a big
one.
