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Sharks GM Wilson on slumping team: ‘The answer lies within that room’

DougWilson

The San Jose Sharks started the season a perfect 7-0-0.

Since then, they’ve gone 0-4-3.

That slide has brought up what feels like an annual rite of passage in the Bay Area -- talks of GM Doug Wilson shaking things up via trade.

Just one catch: Wilson says it ain’t gonna happen.

“The answer lies within that room,” Wilson told the San Jose Mercury News, pointing to the Sharks’ dressing room. “If we hadn’t seen the glimpse of the seven-game start, that would tell you something.

“There are other teams that have gone through phases of losing some games, other very good, talented teams out there that are not on top of their game to the level they want to be.”

“We’re more concerned about our group and getting back to the things that led us to the first seven games.”

All that said, let’s not forget that Wilson has a lengthy history of dealmaking.

Since 2011 he’s brought in the likes of Ben Eager, Ian White, Brent Burns, Martin Havlat, TJ Galiardi, Daniel Winnik and Brad Stuart while shipping out Dany Heatley, Devin Setoguchi, Jamie McGinn, Brad Staubitz and Charlie Coyle.

Now, though, he appears unwilling to move any pieces -- though part of that could be out of his control.

The Sharks have a number of key players locked into no-movement clauses (Havlat, Burns, Joe Thornton, Patrick Marleau, Michal Handzus, Dan Boyle) and the prospect cupboard isn’t exactly stocked.

San Jose has made just two first-round selections since 2007 and one of them, Coyle, has already been moved.

As for dealing future picks? Wilson has first-rounders at his disposal, but is thin in the middle rounds. At the 2013 NHL Entry Draft, for example, San Jose will be without its third- and fourth-round selections.

Back on the ice, things don’t promise to get any easier for the Sharks in the near future.

They play 12 of their next 17 on the road, which includes a stretch of seven of eight away from the Shark Tank from Mar. 10-25.