I Apologize to you Doug Wilson

by Cheechew on Nov 17, 2008 10:23 PM PST

I owe you an apology Doug Wilson. We traded a #1 pick and Bernier for "the missing piece". Brian Campbell became the best D-man we ever had. He was going to lead us to the promised land. Then the playoffs began, I defended Campbell thinking he was injured when he just sucked and could not stand up to the rough play of the Calgary Flames. You wanted to go back to the East to be closer to your family when in reality you took the highest offer and took your spin-o-rama to Chicago. Can't blame you for taking that contract but F-you anyway. I am thinking what do we do now. We sign an "over the hill" Rob Blake..ok fine. Then 2 days later we trade Matt Carle, Ty Wishart, a #1 pick and a #4 pick for Dan Boyle. Are you out of your mind?

5 months later the Boyle trade looks like a steal. Boyle is a better D-man than Campbell at 500k cheaper. Boyle is the "point guard" for the Sharks, always knowing where everyone else is and controlling the PP. Thank you Campbell for being greedy and leaving and thanks CHI for offering such a ridiculous contract.

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I was never really feeling Campbell, but maybe I just knew he had no intention to stay.

Bole, though, I was stoked then, and I'm even more thrilled now. Blake? Meh.

by Sarah on Nov 17, 2008 11:27 PM PST reply actions

Initially, I loved the Campbell trade. I also thought the Sharks were getting that piece of Sandis Ozolinsh from the past... and then came the Flames series and especially the Stars series, and we saw that besides the spin-o-rama, there really wasn't much else in his arsenal. Defensively, I guess he really was too much like Ozolinsh.

But the key difference between Boyle and Campbell is not only salary, but one's a Stanley Cup winner.

Adding those three d-men, all Cup winners, seems to have really transformed Vlasic, Murray, and especially 'The 'Hoff's' game.

by Will on Nov 18, 2008 1:08 AM PST reply actions

Blake is starting to grow on me because he has minimized the silly penalties lately.

That boom stick is sweet.

by Jesse on Nov 18, 2008 8:58 AM PST reply actions

I'll give this to Campbell, he sure opened my eyes on a) how critical a puck-moving offensive d-man is to a successful team and b) how feeble that same offensive d-man looks if he's the only one that knows how to move the puck (ie vs. Calgary and Dallas).

With Ehrhoff's improvement and the addition of Blake, we're not 5 defense-first-and-only blueliners and a ballet dancer. McLellan should take some major credit for this change as well. Ron Wilson was just morally opposed to opening things up, despite being a good coach.

by Ian on Nov 18, 2008 10:46 AM PST reply actions

Will and Ian pretty much nailed it. I think DW made the right move in getting Campbell at the time. If Boyle were 100% healthy, I would have preferred him then, but I think he also had a no-trade clause AND he really didn't want to leave TB. Campbell was on the block, the Sharks needed a dynamic d-man for the playoff stretch, so DW bit.

Further, I feel the difference between Campbell and Boyle is the way they approach the breakout/transition game. Oftentimes, Campbell not only led the rush, he was the rush, without support where he could move the puck. Continuing the bball analogy, Campbell is more of an Iverson type create-offense-for-himself PG, but he wouldn't/couldn't pass it after he got in trouble - instead he relied on a spin move + backhand that didn't work most of the time.

Boyle's a more true PG, like a Steve Nash who can shoot and distribute. He doesn't have to lead the rush so much as join it and the Sharks are now kinda like the NHL version of the Run-n-Gun Suns who emphasize overwhelming offense over defense.

enough basketball, my head hurts now.

by Washington on Nov 18, 2008 11:55 AM PST reply actions

Boyle is damn good. What a talent.

word verification: fiersack.

sounds like an STD.

by cristobal on Nov 18, 2008 2:28 PM PST reply actions

Doug Wilson can take a lot of credit for a lot of things but it appears that the best decision he has made so far has received minimal amount of credit.

Todd McClellan anyone?? This was DWs first hiring of a head coach. RW was hired by Dean Lombardi. I always thought the missing piece over the years was an overrated coach. Easy to say so far now but I never thought Ronnie had what it took to lead a team with as much talent and potential as he had been handed over the last several years.

by Alex on Nov 18, 2008 3:19 PM PST reply actions

Oh Boyle will be phenomenal for SJ for the first two, three years of that deal, but what about the end of it?

Yikes.

Same problem with Campbell, however. And yes, Boyle's the better all around player.

by James Mirtle on Nov 18, 2008 3:22 PM PST reply actions

I wonder how committed to the sharks boyle is...I also wonder how much his style or the new coaching has helped unleash erhoff...and I too was "bleh for Blake", but what I keep noticing are those long sweeping stick checks to completely kill rushes. I guess the fact that he totally ends plays is a plus. Sharks D could be the strength of the team...gosh did I just say that?!

by Aeron on Nov 18, 2008 4:30 PM PST reply actions

what's the concensus on LombardO from SJ fans?
or, at least from mirtle and aeron

by cristobal on Nov 18, 2008 8:26 PM PST reply actions

Sour grapes. First off, Atlanta offered more money than Chicago so Soupy didn't take the highest offer.

And regarding washington's comments...

If Campbell was more of a shoot-first point guard, then why did 90% of his pts last season (60 pts, 6G + 54A) come on assists? And shoot first???? He was 3rd in points for defensemen, but 27th in shots on goal. Sounds like a pass-first, puck-moving, create offensive chances d-man to me. And after seeing him every night in Chicago, I'm positive he is exactly that.

That being said, Dan Boyle is assuredly one helluva player. The Sharks aren't left with much of a draft or farm system for a few years because of these two deals, but its clearly a "win now" mentality for the Sharks anyway.

by dick_gozinia on Nov 19, 2008 3:29 PM PST reply actions

doug, you do understand that when a Dman "Shoots" the puck and the rebound is put in by another player - he (the dman) still gets the assist? After watching both these guys play, ther is no comparison - Boyle is head and shoulders a better player...

by MadRussky on Nov 20, 2008 8:45 AM PST reply actions

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