OT: Was Today the Darkest Day in Sharks History?

[JoeThorntonsRooster]

Game 7, and I can't remember the specific day that Wilson mentioned Pavelski as a member of the young core, but that day, are the worst.

 

[Alwalys]

Personally game 7 wasn't worse than any other playoff series loss. I knew we were in very tough once we lost Vlasic, and when I saw he couldn't go in game 7, I knew we were in trouble.

 

[JoeThorntonsRooster]

Game 5 was actually just as bad as game 7, everybody knew we were gonna lose game 7

 

[weastern bias]

Game 5 was actually just as bad as game 7, everybody knew we were gonna lose game 7

I knew we were gonna lose game 7 after watching game 5, but it was still worse for me once it was all real

It was even worse still once the Kings finished the job

 

[JoeThorntonsRooster]

The worst day will be opening night next year if DW proves he honestly believes a young core of Pavelski and couture can go on without big Joe and Daddy Patty.

 

[ScottyDont]

Losing Drew sucks and all, but the day we lose Randy will be far darker.

 

[Fistfullofbeer]

Re-signing Stalock was good news. I am not upset at re-signing Brown but just surprised with the multi-year deal. Value wise it was a slight overpayment.

Losing Drew is a disappointment but not too surprising since he was taking a few nights off here and there over the last few years. Losing every playoff series has been darker for me than yesterday was.

 

[glasgow26]

Jesus you guys. The color commentator leaves and DW slightly overpays a depth forward, and suddenly it's the worst day in franchise history? Get a ****ing grip.

 

[alex716]

I disagree about Brown. Keeping Brown was a good thing. He adds a lot of energy and speed to the team. He had a significant part in the Sharks success in the first 3 games of the playoffs. 1.2M x 2 years is not a bad contract. You can't really sign a non-prospect for less than that. Compared to Kennedy's and Burish's contracts, this is a steal.

Could they have found a better player than Brown on the free agent market? Probably, but that would have been a gamble, and it would cost more. I would rather spend that money on making sure to land a quality 2nd line winger, rather than gambling on 2 wingers, which more or less would have been necessary if Brown was let go.

 

[vilpertti]

You know things are good when some people think changing a color commentator (albeit a dear and good one) and "overpaying" a fourth line plug by 200k is the worst day in the history of the team...

 

[Gene Parmesan]

The worst day will be opening night next year if DW proves he honestly believes a young core of Pavelski and couture can go on without big Joe and Daddy Patty.

What a ****in joke.

 

[Iron Chef]

It wasn't the darkest day. But I'd say it was one of the more depressing days. Not so much because of the actual actions. As others pointed out, it's not a huge deal to overpay a glorified 4th liner by 300K, lose our beloved color commentator, and resign our potential next franchise goalie.

However, from my POV, the Brown signing just indicated that DW still goes blind from time to
time. This league is transitioning away from intangibles and more to analytics. I want to know that if this team is changing, then DW is changing too.

It feels like a dark day because change can be scary, especially when you end the season the way we did. What this fan base needs is some positive news, like a good hockey trade that meets a clear need for the team.

 

[HOOCH2173]

Also don't forget the Purdy Article that said the TV deal is bad and that the Sharks could move out of town!

http://www.mercurynews.com/sharks/ci_25983493/purdy-bad-tv-deal-could-threaten-sharks-ability

Though a lot has to happen for that to happen.

Anyway I know everyone is high and mighty on Drew. I like him too and felt he was the comic relief but he was quick to point out when the Sharks were bad as well as the refs. Call it homerism whatever. But he was entertaining to me. though if he goes he goes. (besides he had been gone before so no love lost for me).

If he wants to coach his kids then more power to him!

If Randy is gone, I'm sure we would all have a field day. but for now he isn't.

Replacement wise I don't care one way or the other. Hell just let Randy do it by himself!

 

[TealTownUSA]

drew would make a great asst coach.

darkest day was vlasic going down...we all knew what was to come after that.

 

[vilpertti]

I hope they bring in Scott Gomez as a color commentator.

 

[HOOCH2173]

I hope they bring in Scott Gomez as a color commentator.

Sweet. Cause he's friends with Whoopi and likes to play poker!

 

[Timo Time]

All of the news yesterday has me wondering what in the world is going to happen when Marleau/Thornton are gone. Pandemonium will ensue.

 

[Mafoofoo]

The darkest day will be when we boost LA and Chicago's rosters while at the same time taking a self inflicted shotgun blast to the face by trading Thornton and Marleau.

 

[Juxtaposer]

Such melodrama.

I won't comment on the entire franchise history, but in the 8 or so years I've been a fan this is the most depressed I've felt about the team.

 

[Irbes Mask]

i'll go against the grain and say yes, so far. There may be worse ones coming yet, but today feels personally like the beginning of the end of my time as a fan of the Sharks.

As a fan, I understand the player movement. I understand that a team may need to make moves for a variety of reasons that affect the on ice product and that there is a certain amount of results-based reality that forces considering moving certain players.

But the booting of Remenda was 100% unnecessary and feels very personal as a fan. It feels if the team is deliberately targeting me, as someone who enjoyed what Drew brought to my experience as a fan. I always looked forward to the Randy and Drew interplay during games regardless of what was going on and what the team was facing.

That would have helped in the upcoming season, if there was to be a painful roster makeover. A little teal-colored commentary -- and by that I don't necessarily mean homerism, I mean commentary by someone steeped in the history of the Sharks -- would be welcome during these dark times.

And the team has decided that they don't even care about that. It's like the entire foundational value system of the team has been thrown out.

**** that.

Come on now, you're being overly melodramatic. Drew was just one guy, the internet exists, you can find your Sharks fix. He wasn't irreplaceable. Neither was Stemkowski. Put on Dan and Jamie, they call a fantastic game.

As a fan who really valued the broadcast experience (I am out of market so that's all I get), the loss of Drew will have a more tangible effect on my fan experience than the loss of most any player. The previous situation was different, this time at least according to what has been said he's simply being pushed out for no discernible reason other than to make change for change's sake. That flat out sucks, and is not something you do during a year like this.

That said, no Drew's departure is not the breaking point per se but it's an unexpected hit I didn't expect to take, and to me it all but confirms the team is about to make some really, really bad moves that I absolutely do not agree with.

So Drew leaving sort of sets the stage for me, it removes a lot of excitement I had for the product even before any of the inevitable terrible personnel moves are made.

I'll stick around if DW comes to his senses and bolsters this team in a smart fashion rather than self-inflicting a fatal wound by trading Thornton or Marleau. But if either of those go, that's it, I'm done.

There'd really be nothing left here for me. I never liked the fact that many recent Cup winners won because of the circumstances of the league changing, which gave their youngsters Cup wins well before they paid enough dues. I see Remenda, Thornton and Marleau as having paid bigtime dues with this franchise. Sending them packing will make any future win hollow for me, and so there's no reason to remain a fan.

No discernible reason? Well it's a business, they don't need to give one publicly, nor do I think the public deserves one. Drew was a fixture, but a replaceable one and I get that Drew was your sacred cow, but there are other cows in the pasture. Surely that Baker variety would catch your eye. Perhaps a nice Hedican? The world won't end because Drew won't be calling games. Whatever happened to the logo on the front not the name on the back? Does that not apply to you? It seems like you've already made up your mind that no return would satisfy the movement of Thornton and/or Marleau and while I want Marleau to retire in teal, I can accept if that does not come to fruition. Modano didn't, Alfie didn't. They can't all be Steve Yzerman.

Yesterday wasn't even close to the darkest day.

 

[Levie]

Not even close. I was more depressed when DW got rid of Wallin and Wellwood.

 

[Empty Net Goal]

I won't get depressed until Havlat isn't bought out and Wingels, Demers and Sheppard aren't resigned.

 

[Groo]

Too funny

 

[HOOCH2173]

The dark days were the 1994-95 season! Those were dark days!

 

[weastern bias]

I hope they bring in Scott Gomez as a color commentator.

". . . AND JUST A HIGHLIGHT REEL GOAL BY TOMAS HERTL! Wasn't that something, Scott?"

"Um. . . I dunno"