- Mark Purdy of the San Jose Mercury News: Todd McLellan’s future with the Sharks is still up in the air as he said he wanted to talk with his family first before deciding on whether to return for the final season on his contract.
“The answers you guys are looking for today, I’m not going to be able to give them to you,” McLellan told reporters who naturally asked the question. “I need a little more time. I’m sure the organization needs a little bit more time. So that takes care of that, right off the bat.”
When GM Doug Wilson was asked if McLellan would return as head coach if he decided he wanted to return after talking with his family.
“Those discussions will take place between Todd and I.”
Purdy speculating on the situation:
1. Wilson prefers a mutual parting.
2. Contract situation – if he re-signs, he doesn’t get his remaining salary. If he’s fired, he does.
3. Stalemate between Wilson and McLellan – McLellan has leverage with only the Leafs, Oilers and Sabres needing coaches. The Red Wings and Flyers could end up looking for a new coach. Leverage would move to Wilson as he would have to grant permission for McLellan to interview with anyone as long as he’s still under contract with the Sharks
4. Wilson may need a sign-off from owner Hasso Plattner, and possibly hasn’t received it yet.
5. Exit interviews with players are still going on and maybe Wilson is gather more info to take back to Plattner.
- David Pollak of the San Jose Mercury News: Joe Thornton gave his opinion on the McLellan situation.
“I have no idea,” Thornton said when asked if a coaching change was needed. “Todd has to talk to his family. Maybe he should talk to this family as well in here. We’ll see what happens.”
Thornton on where the improvement needs to come from.
“Everywhere,” he said. “It comes from the coaches, and they bring it down to us. It comes from everywhere.”
- Curtis Pashelka of the San Jose Mercury News: Sharks Antti Niemi would like to be back with the Sharks, but realizes that his time with the team is likely over. Niemi figures he’ll talk with the Sharks “sooner or later,” and on if he’d like to be back “Yeah, we’ll see what happens.” Other unrestricted free agents for the Sharks include include Matt Irwin, Scott Hannan and John Scott. The Sharks have the cap space to after another free agent if they choose to move from Niemi. Other UFA goalies include Devan Dubnyk, Jhonas Enroth and Karri Ramo.
- Curtis Pashelka of the San Jose Mercury News: Sharks Logan Couture doesn’t think the Sharks need to make a coaching change, but the organizational culture may need a change.
“Not great,” Couture said when asked Wednesday to describe the team’s culture. “That’s my personal opinion, and that’s all I’m going to say about it.”
Couture stands behind McLellan and their coaching staff.
“I’ve never been the type of person to say a coach needs to change. I think that’s a cop out most of the time when you blame a coaching staff or a coach, instead of going out on the ice to play the game,” Couture said. “Maybe it’s the players that needs to, something needs to happen. Maybe that’s what needs to happen, I mean, because we’re the ones that go out there. We’re supposed to go out there and win hockey games, and like I said, a lot of guys didn’t have good years.
“A lot of guys were not consistent, and that’s why we didn’t win. We didn’t win because Todd and the coaching staff were terrible. We didn’t win because guys didn’t show up consistently and play well.”