San Jose Sharks GM Doug Wilson isn’t shy about saying that he wants to make significant changes after the Los Angeles Kings “reverse swept” his team out of the playoffs. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman takes it one step further, though: they aren’t just listening to offers for Joe Thornton … they want him out.
Friedman said as much on Vancouver’s Team 1040 on Thursday, with the Sharks material kicking in around the 11-minute mark of Hour 3. The Score transcribed the juiciest bits:
See the thing I think really happened there is that Joe Thornton is, like, he’s such a dominant personality. He’s an alpha male. He’s a guy who likes to talk, and likes to ride people… But I think if you really want to (give) the room to Logan Couture and Joe Pavelski, y’know, it’s tough to do that with him there.
I think if they told Thornton, “you’re not the alpha male on this team anymore” I think he would try to do it. I think he really wants to be there and really wants to win there. I’m just not convinced that the organization believes that it can be done with him still there.
In a way, it’s odd to see Thornton labeled as an “alpha male” considering the fact that he’s often been depicted as an easy-going guy. (Then again, there was that Tomas Hertl comment …)
While he didn’t come out and officially back up Friedman’s comments, there’s little doubt that Wilson believes there are some chemistry issues at work.
CSNBayArea.com captured one of the more eyebrow-raising comments the embattled GM made during an NHL Network interview on Friday:
“It’s partly the people, it’s party the environment, it’s partly how they’re managed and coached. It’s a combination of all those things,” Wilson said. “There’s teams in this league that are very talented teams. But, why do you finish it off [like] the San Antonio Spurs in basketball, and the L.A. Kings? They were a close team and did all those little things for each other. Sometimes the pilot light goes out, sometimes there’s injuries, sometimes people need to look in the mirror and wake up again. That’s usually what you’re looking at. But, it comes back to teammate-to-teammate, saying, ‘you know what? I’ll be there for you.’ And, we didn’t have it.”
Earlier this week, Wilson described the Sharks as a “tomorrow team.” As far as how that might affect Thornton and Marleau, Wilson said ” … it’s very simple – if it doesn’t fit for you guys, let’s sit and discuss it.” You know, it sorta sounds like Wilson is trying to sell the merits of trading for one or both of those veterans while also trying to convince Thornton and/or Marleau to waive their no-movement clauses.
Here is full video of that interview (skip to about the four-minute mark for the good stuff):
Thornton’s brother/agent indicated that he’d be more willing to leave San Jose if the fans turned on him, but what about his teammates and the Sharks front office?
Maybe cooler heads will eventually prevail, but it’s difficult to deny the notion that the Sharks are having a “nervous breakdown” right now. The question is: will Thornton and Marleau still be a part of this team once the smoke clears?
Then again, it might just be a “careful what you wish for” proposition.
