During the first intermission of Wednesday’s Rangers-Blackhawks game, the NHL on NBC crew discussed the drama that has surrounded the San Jose Sharks organization not only this season, but in the past handful of years. The most recent incident with the team came last week when veteran center Joe Thornton said general manager Doug Wilson needed to ‘shut his mouth‘ after Wilson made some incendiary comments about Thornton and his captaincy of Sharks, which lasted from 2010 until this past summer.
Analyst and former NHL general manager Mike Milbury said that a change is clearly needed within the Sharks, which isn’t a ridiculous notion. What is ridiculous, however, is the fact that Milbury fingered Thornton as one of the reasons San Jose has been a “successful failure” (his words, not mine) and suggested that the Sharks may want to send him to the AHL as part of the solution.
Here’s a transcript of his comments:
It’s been a long time with Joe Thornton. It’s been a long time with Doug Wilson and Todd McLellan, too. Something has to give if your goal is to win the Stanley Cup. It seems like there’s a flaw there.
It’s gotta be the manager or Joe Thornton. Don’t tell me you can’t get rid of Thornton. It’s just a pain to send him to the minor leagues at $7 million a year.
Ignoring the fact that Thornton has a no movement clause that would require his approval of any trade, waiver move or demotion, how the hell can anyone paid to analyze the game of hockey think that this idea makes a shred of sense?
Let’s just take a look at some numbers real quick. Thornton has 60 points in 66 games this season, good enough for 18th best in the league. He is one of only three players who has 800 points since 2005-2006…you may have heard of the other two, some guys named Sidney Crosby and Alexander Ovechkin. Hell, Thornton is second among active players in career points with 1254…behind only Jaromir Jagr, who has been playing hockey since before the wheel was invented.
Sure seems like one of the better offensive players in the NHL not just today but also all-time would be better suited playing with the big league club instead of dressing for the minor league affiliate, but what do I know…I’ve never managed a pro hockey team. Milbury on the other hand, he’s a guy you can trust with these things.
