Sharks remove "C" from Thornton

[WantonAbandon]

Thanks. Good podcast. Based on Joe's comment and Larry's quote:



I just don't see how Joe could earn the C after camp. Larry makes it sound like Joe has to really alter his personality. That's a tall order.

Yeah, yeah Thornton is big and loud with an overpowering personality. As another blogger humorously joked: By stripping Joe Thornton of a letter on his jersey his team mates won't have to talk to or even look at that loser...

Well by Larry Robinson's own argument, the captaincy should be given back to Marleau. He probably isn't intimidating except for his overwhelming awesomeness. Although, perhaps Marleau gives out a devastating disapproving stare and head shake, like this:

I still maintain that this all means almost nothing. The locker room dynamic will fall organically regardless of who has a letter on their jersey. The letter thing is the organizations feeble attempt at best or a superficial attempt at worst to influence locker room politics. Personally I think the NHL should do away with the practice, and that it has only remained due to tradition.

 

[Mafoofoo]

Honestly part of this feels like they know they're doing something which is super unpopular so they're trying to start a smear campaign against Thornton so people aren't as mad. And looking around its kinda failing.

 

[BCShark]

this team is going to be a mess this season with this side show, circus like offseason

 

[Le Rosbeef]

I think it's pretty clear what's going on here but feel like the point is being missed.

The m/m is not happy with Joe's leadership. Whatever spin they put on it is virtually moot - he's still a key asset and employee so they can't fully throw him under the bus - but the fact a senior coach is willing to call him out indirectly on it tells you all you need to know.

Does anyone really expect Robinson or another coach to say something truly condemning, especially if there's a chance he may be traded later in the year?

 

[Led Zappa]

this team is going to be a mess this season with this side show, circus like offseason

And how would that differ from your opinion on any other season?

I think it's pretty clear what's going on here but feel like the point is being missed.

The m/m is not happy with Joe's leadership. Whatever spin they put on it is virtually moot - he's still a key asset and employee so they can't fully throw him under the bus - but the fact a senior coach is willing to call him out indirectly on it tells you all you need to know.

Does anyone really expect Robinson or another coach to say something truly condemning, especially if there's a chance he may be traded later in the year?

I think it's management that's intimidated by Joe and they're just laying it on the players

 

[do0glas]

I don't really agree with the sentiment expressed by LR-I was just relaying a different perspective. In the end the players will need to motivate themselves and not be held back by the captain. Whomever that is at the time.

 

[SoftDumpInTheCorner]

Connor McDavid or bust...

 

[SJeasy]

The most successful captains of the modern NHL are Toews and Brown. What do you think that commonalities between them are?

The top of the list for me is they are surrounded by the two best teams in the league.

I didn't include Brown when I did a survey of sidestories on successful captains a couple of years ago. The commonality that I found was intensity. Intense does NOT mean confrontational. It means works hard, is on time and is all about hockey. A smaller sample of those stories touched on the issue of inclusiveness which is being referenced by LR. I did not find a successful captain who was not inclusive. Lots of sidestories about supporting lesser teammates with the coaching staff, going out of their way for lesser guys on the team, etc. No "isms" with regards teammates.

I did have sidestories in the early years with the Sharks for JT being supportive and inclusive. I haven't seen anything positive in the last 3 or 4 years. I haven't seen anything directly negative although some of the stories around the team have suggested that things were falling off the rails incrementally.

 

[magic school bus]

And how would that differ from your opinion on any other season?



I think it's management that's intimidated by Joe and they're just laying it on the players

Yeah... "we couldnt get him to wave. he just started laughing.. what a dick."

 

[WTFetus]

I didn't include Brown when I did a survey of sidestories on successful captains a couple of years ago. The commonality that I found was intensity. Intense does NOT mean confrontational. It means works hard, is on time and is all about hockey. A smaller sample of those stories touched on the issue of inclusiveness which is being referenced by LR. I did not find a successful captain who was not inclusive. Lots of sidestories about supporting lesser teammates with the coaching staff, going out of their way for lesser guys on the team, etc. No "isms" with regards teammates.

I did have sidestories in the early years with the Sharks for JT being supportive and inclusive. I haven't seen anything positive in the last 3 or 4 years. I haven't seen anything directly negative although some of the stories around the team have suggested that things were falling off the rails incrementally.

Joe Thornton with Galiardi.

 

[Gilligans Island]

Joe Thornton with Galiardi.

And Hertl.

Oh to be a fly on the wall during camp. It'll be interesting to see how Jumbo reacts to this.

 

[SJeasy]

Joe Thornton with Galiardi.

Thanks for the reminder.

 

[do0glas]

Honestly I feel like the stripping has more to do with jumbo playing his own way. The captain should be the example of what the staff wants on the ice. The unfortunate thing is that jumbo is effective during the season. So it's hard to criticize maybe? I dunno.

 

[RudeBoySteve]

Thanks for the reminder.

Wait what did Thornton do with/to Galiardi?

 

[hohosaregood]

Honestly I feel like the stripping has more to do with jumbo playing his own way. The captain should be the example of what the staff wants on the ice. The unfortunate thing is that jumbo is effective during the season. So it's hard to criticize maybe? I dunno.

That might be part of it. It's really weird how he put effort into his two way play, which is one of those things that really offensively minded players tend to have trouble getting into BUT he is more stubborn than a donkey when it comes to shooting the puck. Then there's the whole "players not following the gameplan" this year. What a pain.

 

[jimslob]

Canucks fan here coming in peace.

In my opinion this can only create a mess. When Kesler was stripped of his A last year, by a team vote no less, I think that directly led to his trade request.

These players have big egos, even the worst fourth line players in the NHL have been far better than most of the people they played with through their early years.

Kesler was an ass and I'm glad he is gone even though he is a very good player.

I have a very sharp wit and have been in a position of authority over younger employees, more than once after a quip I could see the look in the eyes and realize I had crossed a boundary and would have to apologize and explain myself.

Sometimes it was accepted and things went on normally but sometimes I noticed a nervousness with the employee whenever I was around.

I do not think it made them lesser employees, it reflected poorly on me as a boss.

 

[Kitten Mittons]

Didn't Thornton have some rookie live with him? Was it Wingels?

 

[Mafoofoo]

Didn't Thornton have some rookie live with him? Was it Wingels?

I think both Thornton and Marleau let rookies live with them when they first make it.

 

[LadyStanley]

http://allhabs.net/would-you-trade-tomas-plekanec-for-joe-thornton/

Habs pundit asks would you trade Plekanec for Thornton?

 

[magic school bus]

http://allhabs.net/would-you-trade-tomas-plekanec-for-joe-thornton/

Habs pundit asks would you trade Plekanec for Thornton?

I can't.

 

[Bizz]

http://allhabs.net/would-you-trade-tomas-plekanec-for-joe-thornton/

Habs pundit asks would you trade Plekanec for Thornton?

that's about as bad as the idiotic proposals being posted in the Trade Rumors section of this board.

 

[Alwalys]

http://allhabs.net/would-you-trade-tomas-plekanec-for-joe-thornton/

Habs pundit asks would you trade Plekanec for Thornton?

 

[Sleepy]

TM/DW have just given an entire locker room so many different off-ice excuses for on-ice failure.

• Joe Thornton was a Meanie!
• We're Rebuilding!
• Joe Thornton won't waive his NTC!
• Patrick Marleau won't waive his NTC!
• We didn't add any NHL players!
• We don't know who our Captain is!
• These co-workers don't cuddle with me at night like teammates should! That's why we lost to the Kings!
• I need a translator for everything my coach says, because apparently none of his words mean what they are defined as in a dictionary.

blah blah blah. Way to go!

 

[Pinkfloyd]

TM/DW have just given an entire locker room so many different off-ice excuses for on-ice failure.

• Joe Thornton was a Meanie!
• We're Rebuilding!
• Joe Thornton won't waive his NTC!
• Patrick Marleau won't waive his NTC!
• We didn't add any NHL players!
• We don't know who our Captain is!
• These co-workers don't cuddle with me at night like teammates should! That's why we lost to the Kings!
• I need a translator for everything my coach says, because apparently none of his words mean what they are defined as in a dictionary.

blah blah blah. Way to go!

Which is Resetting Expectations 101 for when you're planning on failing.

 

[Barrie22]

Didn't Thornton have some rookie live with him? Was it Wingels?

i know thornton let clowe stay with him when his house burnt down or something like that.