McLellan: Marleau no longer Sharks' captain

Several members of the San Jose Sharks started hitting the ice together last week for what they call their annual Captain's Practice sessions. The only problem is right now there is no captain to be found.

As the culture in San Jose continues to change this offseason after the Presidents' Trophy winners went out of the Stanley Cup Playoffs with a thud less than four months ago, Sharks coach Todd McLellan announced in a story first published in the San Jose Mercury News that Patrick Marleau has been stripped of his captaincy and the job is open.

"As of right now," McLellan told the newspaper, "nobody is our captain."

The coach is, of course, leaving open the possibility that Marleau, the Sharks' captain since January 2004, will get the "C" back on his sweater before the season opens on Oct. 1. However, it'll be open tryouts for the coveted letter once training camp opens Sept. 13.

McLellan also announced that the assistant captain positions are open as well. They were previously held by Joe Thornton and Mike Grier, who was not re-signed.

http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=479848

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Devils look to yesterday to win today

No, you can't flip on HBO and watch "The Larry Sanders Show" while it's still in its prime. Sorry, but O.J. Simpson is not on trial for double homicide. And you'll be extremely disappointed if you turn on your radio and expect to hear "Gangsta's Paradise" by Coolio in heavy rotation.

You can't blame Devils fans for any of these transgressions, because for the past two offseasons, their favorite team has partied like it's 1995.

Picture it -- Newark, 2008. Lou Lamoriello gave free-agent contracts to Brian Rolston and Bobby Holik, two veterans who were fresh-faced kids on the Devils' first Stanley Cup winner in 1995. Holik was a disappointment last season, and Rolston's numbers were limited by a lingering high-ankle sprain.

Fast-forward to this offseason, and it's like Lamoriello fired up the time machine again.

With coach Brent Sutter longing to spend more time with his family in Alberta, he wriggled out of his contract and took the coaching job in Calgary, a brisk 90-minute drive from his home in Red Deer. That left Lamoriello as a man without a coach, so he turned to Jacques Lemaire, who guided the Devils to that Stanley Cup crown in 1995.

http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=463479&navid=DL|NHL|Home

Although I think this is too little too late.

I'm surprised they didn't move Cheechoo to Florida or something to that effect. Clear some space and get Bouewmeester or Paulson.

Go back to your loser Mets and Islanders.

Oh, and Puck Daddy must be a huge dumb ass as well.




But it really doesn't matter who has the letter on his sweater; this team's lack of heart in the locker room is a point of embarrassment and ridicule after the last two seasons. Maybe the solution is some sort of captaincy rotation akin to what the Buffalo Sabres used to implement. Share the burden, build some character around the roster. We're not usually fans of that convention ... but hey, maybe that's what the Sharks need.

Aw, who are we kidding: No one knows what the Sharks need. But this is at least something halfway dramatic to shake the funk off these guys.

Thanks to Nick and Alex for the tips.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/blog/puck_daddy/post/Marleau-stripped-of-captaincy-by-the-Sharks;_ylt=AjDRwvJ.RlWHLFCNPNOgFHN7vLYF?urn=nhl,183427

so I kind of doubt it. Unless your physical maturity is a lot greater than your emotional maturity.