What is going to happen if...

[bdave]

The Kings win the Cup this year? To me this would be the biggest nightmare that could ever happen to this franchise. To lose to your enemy in the worst way possible and then watch them raise the cup?! Do you think the Sharks will finally be motivated enough to get revenge?

The first day of the season should be a complimentary straight jacket because it is such a mind fuck watching them.

I really hope they can follow in the footsteps of the Boston Bruins that had this very thing happen to them and they won the Cup the very next year.

I'm still breathing fire over this and it's impossible for me to enjoy the rest of these playoffs.

Somethings got to give! THIS CANNOT HAPPEN AGAIN!

 

[MrChangoT97]

No matter what, the Western Conference has the better teams and im sure NYR or MTL wont have a chance against either LA or Chi.

 

[MrFlyingV]

Kings look like Stanley Cup champs. And you are right. Sharks had them dead in the water. You can see the big difference: Quick >>>>>>>>>>>>>> Crawford.

By the way, this final will be Gary Bettman's dream final...taking a page from David Stearn's NBA: make sure the Lakers make it (and do anything possible to keep Sacramento out when playing LA in the playoffs), unless Boston or Chicago or New York are in the final too. LA vs NY. What a coincidence.

 

[PuckinUgly57]

The Kings win the Cup this year? To me this would be the biggest nightmare that could ever happen to this franchise. To lose to your enemy in the worst way possible and then watch them raise the cup?! Do you think the Sharks will finally be motivated enough to get revenge?

The first day of the season should be a complimentary straight jacket because it is such a mind fuck watching them.

I really hope they can follow in the footsteps of the Boston Bruins that had this very thing happen to them and they won the Cup the very next year.

I'm still breathing fire over this and it's impossible for me to enjoy the rest of these playoffs.

Somethings got to give! THIS CANNOT HAPPEN AGAIN!

Well for one, it pretty much cements LA's status as the best team in CA pretty much ever.

=)~~

I totally feel your frustration, but if the Kings win again - and of course I am hoping for it - your anger should be directed towards Doug Wilson.

Dumbo has done a great job here in LA, and he left SJ in pretty good shape. Not enough to get them over the hump, but Wilson has had 11 years to get this act right and has failed. I would question moves such as re-signing Marleau and especially Thornton, not drafting a bonafide game changing defender (or using some assets to acquire one), etc.

The Kings gutted the entire organization (including the cleaning staff believe it or not) and built it right from scratch. It's painful, it sucks watching other teams have success in the meantime but if it's done right what us Kings fans are seeing is well worth it.

I honestly hope you Sharks fans get a Cup someday, lord knows I waited for almost 30 damn years before seeing them get their first, but it all starts as an organization who is all on board and having the experienced staff do to it.

I do not feel the Sharks will get there ever until Wilson is booted out. He's not willing to make the painful sacrifices necessary and he's proven it time and time again.

 

[Slimpikins]

I like the Kings, well to be more succinct, I hate them less than the rest of the other division rivals. The only problem I have with seeing them win the cup this year is that I will have to hear about them coming back from 0-3 against the Sharks for the rest of the off season. I really just want that memory to go away. So that being said, I will be rooting for whoever comes out of the East.

Other than that I have a lot of respect for the Kings. I like how they play the game, Quick, Williams, Kopitar, Carter play the game the right way. I also like Lombardi and Sutter from their time with the Sharks.

 

[madcap9999]

I'm just enjoying the Kings/Hawks series. Last night's game was great hockey esp. that first OT period. This is the real SC final.

 

[caliraftdude]

I'm just enjoying the Kings/Hawks series. Last night's game was great hockey esp. that first OT period. This is the real SC final.

Agreed - I can't see the Rangers or the Canadians putting up much of a fight against either of these teams. Regrettably, my wife has sort of evolved into a Kings fan over the playoffs... I can hardly blame her, they are playing really, really good hockey right now and at least she is finally getting into hockey.

 

[madcap9999]

Holy Crap - is Patrick Kane a stud or what?

 

[madcap9999]

This Chi-LA series has to be one of the best of all time.

 

[sjrules99]

It is amazing. I mean you can see why these are the last two cup champs. Watching doughty go toe to toe with keith is incredible. May be the 1-2 best Dmen in the league. Arguably the 1-2 best PLAYERS in the league. Add in the greatness of toews and kane vs the clutch play of kopitar, carter, richards and co. It's just perfect hockey at such a high level on both sides.

Watching this series confirms that the sharks are not in either of those teams' league. Both of those teams get better and better as it matter more, and on top of that, they never get down. LA is down 2-1 going into the third. They could have folded. Instead they score 2. Now chicago is 10 minutes from being out and lacks all the momentum and on the road. they answer incredibly. I mean that's incredible heart on both sides and just hockey at its best.

 

[bdave]

It is amazing. I mean you can see why these are the last two cup champs. Watching doughty go toe to toe with keith is incredible. May be the 1-2 best Dmen in the league. Arguably the 1-2 best PLAYERS in the league. Add in the greatness of toews and kane vs the clutch play of kopitar, carter, richards and co. It's just perfect hockey at such a high level on both sides.

Watching this series confirms that the sharks are not in either of those teams' league. Both of those teams get better and better as it matter more, and on top of that, they never get down. LA is down 2-1 going into the third. They could have folded. Instead they score 2. Now chicago is 10 minutes from being out and lacks all the momentum and on the road. they answer incredibly. I mean that's incredible heart on both sides and just hockey at its best.

Mentally yes, but the Sharks are right up there in talent. 3-0 series lead and only one period away from taking the kings out. I really wish we had Weber or a top D man that can score at will. That is what you mentioned, keith and Doughty have been huge factors for their teams and that is something we definitely lack.

If the kings get eliminated after being up 3-1 in the series... how ironic and sweet would that be?

 

[madcap9999]

The Sharks can take consolation that they got beat by a VERY resilient team. That said, they just don't have the heart the Hawks and Kings do - it's so obvious now. The old guard on the Sharks is a passive-aggressive cancerous influence on this team and needs to be removed if they want to go anywhere further.

 

[MrChangoT97]

If the Sharks plan on having Couture & Pavelski as the top two centers on this team, I dont see the Sharks making the playoffs. Past playoff appearances have shown Couture & Pavelski just can't raise their level of play at a constant level. They both are very streaky, and sorry to say injuries always happen to them both.

The real question should be to all Shark fans..... if Thornton and Marleau gets dealt can we as Shark fans be happy with a average team and possibly a non playoff team. I rather make a STRONG EFFORT to win the Cup next year, I really dont want a rebuilt team.

 

[23sharks]

If the Sharks plan on having Couture & Pavelski as the top two centers on this team, I dont see the Sharks making the playoffs. Past playoff appearances have shown Couture & Pavelski just can't raise their level of play at a constant level. They both are very streaky, and sorry to say injuries always happen to them both.

The real question should be to all Shark fans..... if Thornton and Marleau gets dealt can we as Shark fans be happy with a average team and possibly a non playoff team. I rather make a STRONG EFFORT to win the Cup next year, I really dont want a rebuilt team.

I think they can still contend if they deal Joe or Patty, or both. It's what you get in return. You don't just give them away for the sake of trying to shake up the team. Gotta get something in return.

 

[MrChangoT97]

I still think the coach is the problem.......but ohwell.

.....Sorry to say but I just dont like how Doug speaks about next season. "We might need to take a few steps backwards to get more steps forward" ..... to me it sounds like its going to be a tough next season.

 

[bdave]

To think we had this goddamn team by the throat 3-0 and now this? How could this fucking team do this? I hope they think long and hard over this historic failure!

The more I've continuously thought about this collapse in my head the more I really think that the real problem is the organization. If these guys aren't producing on the ice when it counts 2-3 years down the road you have to make sacrifices and this falls on the management. If I was a GM I would lay down the rules, earn your right be a San Jose Shark. You can tell the will to compete is no where near that of the Blackhawks/Kings but the talent is clearly there. You don't just go up 3-0 on the Kings you have keep that drive up. If Doug Wilson wants to change this catastrophe into anything positive then he must crack the whip and this franchise needs a complete mentality make over. If Joe Thornton stays he needs to earn his right to play in the playoffs or just bench him. This team is too loose in the most critical moments... They should already have their mind set on revenge after this once in a life time nightmare. I couldn't begin to imagine they aren't motivated right this very second to get back on the ice... but then again its the Sharks.

 

[madcap9999]

I hate LA just as much as anyone here but hey you gotta give LA the props. 7-7 in elimination games and took 3 very good teams to a Game 7, including the defending champs and won all of them. That last one against the Hawks will go down as one best series in history. Just great, great hockey.

 

[bdave]

To think we had this goddamn team by the throat 3-0 and now this? How could this fucking team do this? I hope they think long and hard over this historic failure!

The more I've continuously thought about this collapse in my head the more I really think that the real problem is the organization. If these guys aren't producing on the ice when it counts 2-3 years down the road you have to make sacrifices and this falls on the management. If I was a GM I would lay down the rules, earn your right be a San Jose Shark. You can tell the will to compete is no where near that of the Blackhawks/Kings but the talent is clearly there. You don't just go up 3-0 on the Kings without talent, you got to make sure you keep that drive up. If Doug Wilson wants to change this catastrophe into anything positive then he must crack the whip and implement a franchise mentality make over. If Joe Thornton stays he needs to earn his right to play in the playoffs and bench him if he doesn't produce. This year the message should be loud and clear that they will work hard and they are going to LEARN how to play in the playoffs or they are not going to play. This team is too loose in the most critical moments... They should already have their mind set on revenge after this once in a life time nightmare. I couldn't begin to imagine they aren't motivated right this very second to get back on the ice... but then again its the Sharks.

 

[bdave]

I hate LA just as much as anyone here but hey you gotta give LA the props. 7-7 in elimination games and took 3 very good teams to a Game 7, including the defending champs and won all of them. That last one against the Hawks will go down as one best series in history. Just great, great hockey.

I give them credit for that

but I hate Quick and Stoll more than anyone in the league

 

[caliraftdude]

Reflecting back on what SJRule's said:

We are simply NOT in that class of talent. You can look at it from a skill or effort standpoint, but it doesn't matter. Skill means nothing if it isn't applied, so I consider these to be equivalent in the comparison. The reason the Hawks and Kings are becoming routine visitors to the cup is because they are absolutely never out of a game.. or a series for that matter. They all know how to dig deeper and deeper and bring more effort than the game before. The Sharks don't do that, period. The people you pay the most just disappear and are nullified by $1m/yr defensive forwards on the other side. "Losers try, winners take the prom queen home" and it seems like we are a "try only" type of team.

Given the new format for the playoffs we are going to have to be able to beat the Kings and the Ducks and we seem to be getting less and less able to do so. I personally think its time to pull the plug on this era and start rebuilding, I just don't see an upside to the Joe and Patty show other than solid regular season stats - which will probably also start to dwindle the next few years.