Who Sits?

The Sharks lost 5-2 to the Edmonton Oilers.

43 shots on goal and only two went in.

A Ryane Clowe fight and the rest of the team still doesn't wake up?

Another game where we don't capitalize on the power play? On any of the four power plays?

The fans at the Tank were booing more than cheering last night. And for good reason.

Something has to give.

Yesterday during the the postgame interview, Todd McLellan hinted that benching certain players could be a distinct possibility in the coming games.

"Maybe some guys need to watch a few games."

Will the Sharks actually make anyone sit? Maybe, but they don't often bench anyone other than bottom 2 D or bottom 6 forwards. Therefore, the idea of benching a star player excites me. But the question remains, who would TMac sit? Below I discuss the pros and cons of benching certain players, if I think they should be benched, and why or why not.

Joe Thornton
Benching the captain would look pretty bad for the organization, but with the way he's been playing recently, a benching would be well deserved, plus it would serve as a wake-up call for the rest of the team- If TMac can bench the captain and superstar, no one is safe.

Patrick Marleau
For the past few weeks I've hated Patty's play. He can't pass or catch passes. He never shoots. He turns over the puck all the time. He passes to the opposing team. All around it's just looked like the guy hasn't been awake. But then came the Leafs, and Patty was finally playing like a star. I was so excited- Patty Marleau was finally himself again. But then came the Oilers, and he reverted back to his state of fail. I think the only reason Patty was playing so well against the Leafs was that he didn't want to let Ron Wilson win (Wilson got his 600th win that night). He was motivated for that single game, but now he is back to playing with no motivation. Give him one more chance tonight against the Blues, then if things don't look up, let Patty watch a game.

Dany Heatley
Dany is one of the few players I notice on the ice, but let's be honest, it has more to do with the way he tapes his stick than the way he's been playing. That unusual tape job let's me know that it's Heatley who's got the puck, but instead of doing something Heatley-y, he just loses the puck. His play is uninspiring. He looks like he isn't trying. He may have bursts of brilliance, but they are few and far between. Perhaps a harder opponent will bring out the superstar in Dany, so let him play the Blues, but if that doesn't work, TMac can decide between Heatley and Patty.

Dan Boyle
Dan Boyle deserves to be benched.
He is also the player who would be most pissed-off about a benching.
Bench Dan Boyle. I'm sure I don't want to see the results of playing without Boyler, but recently he has been making many defensive errors- many of which result in goals. He is always the one talking about how people on the team need to try their hardest every night, but as of late, it looks like he's not following his own advice. Also, if TMac benched him, Boyle would be very angry about the benching, and as a result, would come out the next game ready to go. Also, a benching gives him a night off, which he might need. He logs so many minutes that it's possible the workload is getting to him. A fresh Dan Boyle would be less prone to making mistakes. Benching Dan Boyle could solve some problems...

Ryane Clowe
There are two people on this team who have earned the right to play. Ryane Clowe is one of them. Unfortunately, it came out today that he probably won't be playing tonight. He finished out the game against the Oilers, but the team doctors probably got a better look at his leg and told him to stay off the ice. This is unfortunate, but without Clowe (and possibly without Couture), perhaps this next game will serve as the ultimate wakeup call.

Other Possible Benchings...
Really it does nothing to bench someone from the bottom 3 D/ bottom 6 forwards. With all the people we have on IR right now, and all the rookies we have up from Worcester, benching someone from the bottom of the roster isn't going to do much because half those guys are healthy scratches half the time anyways. Really, with this lack of motivation/effort/whatever you want to call it, the only effective benching is going to be a benching of one of the stars. So take your pick, Jumbo?, Heatley?, Patty?, Boyler? Who would you bench if you were Todd McLellan?

Also, Sarah says hi.

So Much For That...

... on multiple counts. The first being publishing posts, the second being that game against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Um, yeah. Haven't thought about the game much because I've  spent more time imagining in my head what might have happened if Ron Wilson had actually allowed Colton Orr to take another shift. It varies from imagination to imagination, but all involve Ryane Clowe pounding him.
(See the picture? Imagine that Oiler is Colton Orr, and then just visualize the force with which Ryane Clowe's fist is going to strike his head. Retribution feels oh so sweet.)

So I literally just remembered this blog now, and I came to it with the intention of changing the layout and color scheme, but then I remembered a conversation/debate I'd had today at school, and it's relevant enough to relay here.

Intent to Injure or Hit for the Puck?
One of my classmates knows very little about hockey, and that is being generous. I had been describing Colton Orr's hit on Logan Couture (acting it out, actually, before Biology) and I mentioned how Orr clearly had "intent to injure." My classmate pondered aloud, "Don't hockey players always try to hurt the other guy they are hitting?" This sparked a mini-debate within our Biology class. It was pretty much me and my friend C against the rest of the class, although C and I are the only ones who actually know hockey. Like, at all. My theory is that while guys often hit each other in attempts to strip them of the puck, or disorient them enough to get a jump on the play. Big hits are also something to get the crowd into the game (ever heard of Douglas Murray?). However, it is my belief that you rarely see players go into a hit with the intention of seriously hurting the other guy, to the point where that player may not return in that game. Yes, you see these hits and these plays every so often, but my point is that they are not common, and are not the norm.

To all my hockey-oblivious classmates: Hockey players aren't actually Neanderthals!* Imagine that.

*Except Corey Perry, and a select few others, but mostly Corey Perry