My Two Cents: San Jose Sharks Must Change Franchise Philosophy

Coaches Not at Fault

Nov 12, 2013; Calgary, Alberta, CAN; San Jose Sharks head coach Todd McLellan on his bench against the Calgary Flames during the third period at Scotiabank Saddledome. San Jose Sharks won 3-2. Mandatory Credit: Sergei Belski-USA TODAY Sports

Sharks head coach Todd McLellan and his entire staff wasn’t the problem.

The team collectively is incapable of raising their game to a level necessary to be successful in the post season. That is the one thing that cannot be coached or even taught. As players and as a team you either have that collective ability or you do not. It’s not a gray area, it’s very black and white. If you can have an assistant coach of the caliber of one Larry Robinson (who has forgotten more about winning Stanley Cup titles than anyone involved with the franchise put together knows), and still have the end result still being what it is, the franchise then has much greater problems.

I give coach McLellan a ton of credit for answering the tough questions not only after the Game 7 loss, but also for continuing to do so two days later as the team cleared out their lockers for what will be the longest offseason in franchise history. Sure, you could always fire the head coach and his staff, that’s actually the easiest thing to do. As the old saying goes, it’s much easier to fire one or two than it is to fire 25.

However, if the Sharks do that, McLellan will be the head man either in Toronto, Vancouver or Washington in just a matter of a few days. McLellan was not the problem or the reason the Sharks ultimately lost. Even if you change the voice and face of your head coach, it won’t change the makeup of the franchise. The team still is what it is. The Sharks are a regular season juggernaut. In the post season, the Sharks are just paper tigers. This is known not only with the fans, but throughout the NHL. Does anyone honestly think the LA Kings didn’t know this?