Leadership. Every hockey team can’t get enough of it.
What is it? It’s an unquantifiable, varying trait possessed in different levels by different players. It can manifest itself in work ethic, accountability, fiery speeches, defense of teammates and probably dozens of other ways civilians who do not exist in locker rooms could never understand.
The idea was at the heart of the San Jose Sharks’ offseason. Their seven-game, first-round collapse against the Los Angeles Kings in last year's playoffs wasn't about execution on the ice or Marc-Edouard Vlasic or Logan Couture dealing with catastrophic injuries—at least, not entirely. It was about leadership.
Hence a summer of a change that saw Dan Boyle allowed to leave via free agency and Joe Thornton stripped of the captaincy. The hierarchy needed reordering, and general manager Doug Wilson and coach Todd McLellan would make sure that it happened, even if it meant a move with potential to publicly shame the best player in franchise history into a trade he would not allow.
Sixty games into the 2014-15 season, what have been the results of a su ...
Read Full Article at Bleacher Report - NHL
Article written by Dave Lozo
Through 60 Games, How Has Stripping Joe Thornton’s Captaincy Affected San Jose?
February 20th, 2015 by Dave Lozo Leave a reply »
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