Doug Wilson says it’s in the past.
Joe Thornton calls it an “old story.”
Todd McLellan actually thinks it could be “galvanizing” for his desperate club.
We are, of course, referring to last week’s public spat between Wilson, the San Jose Sharks’ general manager, and Thornton, the team’s former captain, which was the issue that set this whole thing off.
“Joe’s not going anywhere,” Wilson told reporters today in Boca Raton, adding he had a long talk with Thornton last week and that their relationship is in a “great place” now.
“I’m done talking about that,” Thornton told reporters from Winnipeg, where the Sharks have a big game tonight against the Jets.
“Let’s talk about the game if you want to talk about anything. That’s an old story.”
To be sure, the Sharks can’t afford to let anything distract them from the tall task at hand -- making the playoffs. It’s estimated they’ll have to win nine or 10 of their final 13 games in order to avoid missing the postseason for the first time since 2003.