Guest bob_barron Report post Posted December 2, 2002 From the AP- The San Jose Sharks fired coach Darryl Sutter and assistants Lorne Molleken and Rich Preston on Sunday in a dramatic shakeup of a slumping team. Doug Wilson, the Sharks' director of pro development, and scout Cap Raeder will coach the team until a new head coach is named. With San Jose off to a terrible 8-12-2-2 start, general manager Dean Lombardi decided to replace Sutter, who had led the Sharks to five consecutive seasons of improved point totals while helping to transform them from a laughingstock into a Stanley Cup contender. San Jose became a consistent winner in Sutter's tenure, but he couldn't do anything this season with an underachieving club that's been one of the NHL's most surprising disappointments. "Darryl was an integral part of the growth of this team the past five seasons,'' Lombardi said. "This was not an easy decision to make.'' Following Saturday night's 3-2 home loss to Phoenix, the Sharks are mired in last place in the Pacific Division, which they won last season. San Jose got off to a slow start while goalie Evgeni Nabokov and defenseman Brad Stuart held out, but their returns haven't helped the Sharks' poor play on both ends. The Sharks have struggled to score, and they have allowed more goals than any Western Conference team except Phoenix. Sutter, the fifth coach in Sharks history, is the team's career leader in wins, winning percentage and games coached. He finished with a 192-182-60 mark and five straight playoff appearances since taking over in 1997. But even while Sutter helped the Sharks become a contender, some wondered if he was the right type of coach for a young, speedy team with plenty of offensive talent. Sutter stresses a disciplined, two-way brand of hockey that didn't make much use of star goal-scorer Teemu Selanne last season, and most of the Sharks' younger players have taken several years to develop into contributors under Sutter's veteran-oriented lead. In particular, Sutter's constant criticism of defenseman Jeff Jillson this season might have eroded the second-year pro's confidence. Sutter's flinty demeanor also made him a fairly unapproachable leadership figure, though most of his players praised his attention to detail and his fairness. "Darryl Sutter has made an important contribution to the success and improvement of the San Jose Sharks,'' team president and owner Greg Jamison said. "Unfortunately, at this time, we determined that a change was necessary. There is still a lot of hockey to be played this season.'' Sutter coached the Chicago Blackhawks for three seasons from 1992-95 and reached the playoffs each year. He also never missed the postseason during his eight seasons as an NHL player with the Blackhawks. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest treble charged Report post Posted December 2, 2002 I thought Gilbert would be the first to go. This is stupid though, the Sharks have improved every year since Sutter went there, and they fire him after a few bad months. Yeah, that's loyalty. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest bob_barron Report post Posted December 2, 2002 Yea- I think San Jose just paniced with this one Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Olympic Slam Report post Posted December 2, 2002 Sutter did his job, he took the Sharks from a team that was destined to lie in the toilet of the NHL and turned them into playoff regulars. Unfortunately, his system only takes them that far. I'm going to be brutally honest, the Sharks are a BAD team. Great players, BAD team. I oughta know, I see every game. They play a boring brand of hockey with NO gameplan outside of the Sutter system which is "work hard." The team has never once had a competent power play under Sutter. The Sharks don't utilize star players like Selanne, Nolan, Damphousse, Marleau and even Sundstrom properly. Instead of playing a wide-open, speed oriented system that would actually utilize the better player's talents, they just go out each game looking to stuff in a rebound or tip in the occasional shot. No surprise that Mike Ricci, Scott Thonton, and Todd Harvey thrive on such a system while Selanne and Nolan have to make their own chances. I maintained the Sharks would have been better under Sutter without Selanne, Marleau, Damphousse ect. Just get more players like Ricci and Thornton and grind away! A time for a change was necessary as the team is flat BAD. Lombardi (the GM) did the right thing in dismissing the entire coaching staff as he obviously knows that the entire system is the problem. Hopefully we can get a new coach that will create a gameplan that utilizes the offense and overhauls the power play. Sutter did what he was hired to do, now we need someone to actually take the team to the next level. Hopefully he can get a job with another team and turn them around (Atlanta?) As for the Sharks, here's hoping it produces some quality hockey. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest bob_barron Report post Posted December 2, 2002 Any idea on a replacement?? I wouldn't mind seeing Larry Robinson resurface as a head coach Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Olympic Slam Report post Posted December 2, 2002 Any idea on a replacement?? I wouldn't mind seeing Larry Robinson resurface as a head coach Robinson looks to be the early favorite so far Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest The Czech Republic Report post Posted December 3, 2002 Good thing the Blackhawks didn't fire Brian Sutter after that crappy road trip. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
