Thornton Stripped of "C"

[IPv6Freely 2092]

Thornton stripped of the captaincy, Marleau had his "A" taken away also.

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=459880

[chippa13 1844]

Deja vu all over again. Bet here is neither will be in SJ when the next trade deadline has come and gone and possibly much earlier.

[flip12 714]

If I were to bet, I'd put my money on Pavelski getting a letter. Though, I don't think I'd be playing with long odds there.

[chippa13 1844]

They've been talking about it being Couture's team now. He should also get a letter.

[flip12 714]

Couture's another good bet, I hadn't thought of him.

[donkers 31]

if they really want to turn it over to a new regime the three letters should be dished out to cooter, pickles, and little joe

still wont help them beat the kings though :D

[chippa13 1844]

I think those are the exact 3 who will be wearing the letters come October.

[stick9 890]

So you decide to strip the letters from two guys you just re-upped for the next three years...? I don't get it, it's not like you turned over the coaching staff. This is the second time they are stripped a player of the captaincy. Just shows, it's not just the guys on the ice preventing them from winning a cup.

My initial thought was it was deliberate move to get Thronton and Marleau to request trades.

[chippa13 1844]

It is the second time they have stripped letters off of these two players. Marleau was the captain and Thornton was an assistant the last time SJ decided on new leaders in the lockerroom.

[Chadd 916]

Hyperbolic headline considering the second line in the article:

Speaking at a news conference on Wednesday, Sharks head coach Todd McLellan said he didn't consider the move to be stripping former captainJoe Thornton of the "C" because the veteran would have an opportunity to earn the designation back.

Those guys will be counted on for leadership for as long as they are in the locker room.

[stick9 890]

Hyperbolic headline considering the second line in the article:

Those guys will be counted on for leadership for as long as they are in the locker room.

Should be noted, that both Thornton and Marleau have NMC's in their deals.

If you feel you have leadership issues, dividing the locker-room isn't going to help that.

Again, I am 100% convinced this is a move to get Thornton and Marleau to ask out.

[donkers 31]

So you decide to strip the letters from two guys you just re-upped for the next three years...? I don't get it, it's not like you turned over the coaching staff. This is the second time they are stripped a player of the captaincy. Just shows, it's not just the guys on the ice preventing them from winning a cup.

My initial thought was it was deliberate move to get Thronton and Marleau to request trades.

thats a stupid way to go about things then. if that's the case then sharks management needs to grow some balls and tell them thanks for all they've done but they need to be traded for future assets to help the team long term.

[stick9 890]

Both players have NMC in their contracts. They aren't going anywhere unless they want to.

Taken from a recent story on players stripped of a teams captaincy.

After four consecutive years of failing to make it past the second round of the playoffs, the Sharks decided they needed a change of leadership. Patrick Marleau was stripped of the "C" after the Sharks were eliminated by the Ducks in the first round, after finishing the season with a franchise-record 53 wins and a league-high 117 points. He was replaced by Rob Blake for the 2009-10 season.

Joe Thornton has served as the captain of the Sharks since the 2010-11 season. Year after year they've dominated the regular season, but have struggled come playoff time. After blowing a 3-0 series lead to the Kings in last season's playoffs, they finally had enough. Head coach Todd McLellan and the rest of the management team have decided to let the players decide on the franchise's next captain.

Round and round we go... Me thinks there are deeper issues in Sunny San Jose.

[donkers 31]

i understand that. what i'm saying is forcing them out is the wrong way to go about things. yo utell them they're no longer in your plans and ask them to come up with a list of teams they'd be willing to accept a trade to and hope you get some assets out of it.

making them uncomfortable or feel like they're unwanted and hoping they choose to leave is bad management.

[stick9 890]

i understand that. what i'm saying is forcing them out is the wrong way to go about things. yo utell them they're no longer in your plans and ask them to come up with a list of teams they'd be willing to accept a trade to and hope you get some assets out of it.

making them uncomfortable or feel like they're unwanted and hoping they choose to leave is bad management.

Your last sentance is exactly my point. They turned over the coaching staff several times, they turned over the roster, they've tried changing the leadership of the team and yet it's the same old same old. The one thing that has remained the same in all this has been managament. I think Wilson has been given a fair enough shot at building a winner, time to move on.

[wrangler 157]

If management is being honest, then they probably have a better chance than most to wear those letters if they really want to. It sounded like it was basically open competition, for whoever wants to step up and take leadership roles. It's not quite the same as taking the letters and immediately handing them to two other guys. It's also possible that maybe management plans to do just that, and this is its way of softening the blow. We'll see how it ends up.

[Chadd 916]

If management is being honest, then they probably have a better chance than most to wear those letters if they really want to. It sounded like it was basically open competition, for whoever wants to step up and take leadership roles. It's not quite the same as taking the letters and immediately handing them to two other guys. It's also possible that maybe management plans to do just that, and this is its way of softening the blow. We'll see how it ends up.

It could be a motivational tool to get those guys to step up or it could be a chance to take pressure off of them. Very few people know the real answer and you have to take them at their word.

[pizzakid13 5]

Not sure why heads didn't roll in that mgmt staff after multiple years of disappointment and of course a horrendous collapse last year. Brutal.

[chippa13 1844]

Tough to dismantle management when the team is a perennial front runner and preseason favorite.

[pizzakid13 5]

How many years have the GM and coach been in place?

[stick9 890]

Tough to dismantle management when the team is a perennial front runner and preseason favorite.

It depends. What's ownership's goal, a Stanley Cup and a successful regular season? If it's the former then it's probably time to make some changes.

[chippa13 1844]

They've had the talent to make a run for years and made moves that looked to help the team win. You have to be successful in the regular season to have a chance come spring.

[pizzakid13 5]

How long?