A Week of Self-Criticism for Sharks

by Susan Slusser

Filed under: Sharks

San Jose is used to sailing through the regular season with little worry about a playoff spot. This season, with a tight Western Conference, the Sharks are right in the pack, instead of out front, unable to find their usual gear. And frustration is starting show.

After Tuesday's loss to conference-leading Vancouver, forward Ryane Clowe stepped up with some harsh words for his teammates, and for himself, telling reporters, "We can't figure it out. We just want to cheat at times. That's how it is. (The Canucks are) not afraid to play a sound defensive game. They'll stick to it, and we have guys that want to do it occasionally, not all the time though, because that's hard work. And when you work hard, you feel it after a game. I guarantee you there's guys who don't feel that tired after that game. Just terrible."

Then came a 3-0 loss to Buffalo on Thursday, and the next day at practice, general manager Doug Wilson addressed the team privately.

Wilson told FanHouse that he won't detail his comments to the Sharks, citing the sanctity of the dressing room, but when asked about the general state of the team, he said, "The level of play we expect from ourselves as players and individuals is not consistent enough, and we're the first ones to admit it. The answer has to be on the ice. We know we're capable of playing better. We've seen glimpses. But glimpses aren't good enough."

 

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