Shark Notes [Dean Lombardi tribute edition]
- Video of Teemu Selanne's "goal" with .01 seconds left in regulation against Dallas. "It was a joke... Thank God this game didn't mean anything" Teemu told reporters after the goal was disallowed.

- Cornell, Minnesota, New Hampshire, and Colorado College are the top seeds for the 2003 NCAA mens Frozen Four
[tournament | photos] .

Follow the Sharks prospects:
Doug Murray [Cornell]
Dan Spang [Boston University]
Tom Cavanaugh [Harvard]
Tom Walsh [Harvard]
Tim Conboy [St Cloud State]

- Top Shelf has an excellent article on San Jose Sharks goaltending coach Warren Strelow this month.

- Canadian icons Don Cherry and Wayne Gretzkey are caught up in a wave of protest after expressing their support for the US in Iraq.

- Rumors are surfacing that former Sharks GM Dean Lombardi was let go because the contracts of Damphousse, Selanne, and Graves could not be moved.

- The NHL released its inaugural list of divers last week.

F - Matthew Barnaby [NYR]
F - Shaun Van Allen [OTT]
D - Darius Kasparaitis [NYR]
D - Bryan McCabe [TOR]
G - Rick DiPietro [NYI]

Khabibulin like wall


Nikolai Khabibulin made 34 saves as the Sharks lose to the Tampa Bay Lightning 4-1.

Montreal fans boo US anthem
Prior to a game between the Montreal Canadiens and the New York Islanders, Montreal fans booed the American national anthem.

The Canadiens lost the game 6-3, and fell 8 points behind the last playoff spot with 7 games remaining.

"I think it's still disrespectful to boo another country's national anthem." Islanders goalie Rick DiPietro said before the game.

[Update: Booing a shame]

GM Dean Lombardi goes down with the ship
In his seventh full season as the Sharks general manager, Dean Lombardi was fired and replaced with assistant GM Wayne Thomas.

Trades made this season:
• Jillson/Sundstrom/3rd for McLaren/4th
• Ragnarsson for McGillis
• Heins for conditional pick
• Nolan for McCauley/Boyes/1st
• Marchment for 3rd/5th
• Bradley for Primeau
• McGillis for 2nd

Past trade highlights:
• Friesen/Shields for Selanne
• Donovan/1st for Ricci/2nd
• 1st/2nd/5th for Damphousse
• Odgers/5th for Iafrate
• Vernon/3rd for Harvey/4th
• More/Swanson/4th for McSorley

Draft Highlights:
• Jim Fahey - 1998
• Brad Stuart - 1998
• Patrick Marleau - 1997
• Scott Hannan - 1997
• Marco Sturm - 1996
• Evgeni Nabokov - 1994

Coaching Tenures:
• Ron Wilson 11-20-11
• Darryl Sutter 192-182-60
• Al Sims 27-47-8

For further reading:
Sharks fire General Manager Dean Lombardi - Mercury News

Gaff hooked: New owners sinking Sharks - ESPN

Sinking Sharks fire GM - SF Chronicle

Fleury sinks the Sharks in OT


Theo Fleury's 30th career goal against San Jose gave the Blackhawks a 3-2 OT victory.

Shark Notes [Post deadline edition]
- San Jose is 15 points out of a playoff spot and 6 points out of the top position for the 2003 draft lottery.

- Trading Nolan for McCauley/Boyes/1st round pick looks a little better after the deadline. GM Dean Lombardi was able to hold Marchment out of the trade with Toronto and later obtain 3rd and 5th round picks from Colorado.

- The trade to bring in 6,3 220 pound center Wayne Primeau is an interesting one. Even though Primeau is -30, Pittsburgh is a team that has auctioned off almost all of its NHL talent. Primeau adds size and goals [5G, 11A, 70 GMS] to a 4th line that has not been the same since Matteau/Sutter/Stern.

- According to CBS statistical rankings, only one Shark makes the top 20 for his position. That player is.... Vincent Damphousse.

12 PM NHL Trade Deadline
- Several Sharks may be traded before noon tomorrow. The clock is ticking.

- If you do not get ESPNnews, follow the 2 hour trade countdown online [radio feed on top].

- As many as 12 teams are in a bidding war for Scott Thornton? After already losing one power forward, dealing another more affordable one makes little sense.

- Both Socal teams are making positive news for the league, the Ducks organized Postcards from the Pond for troops overseas, and the Kings are opening their financial books to a fan.

The findings will be reported later on the fan website LetsGoKings.com.

- Follow the trades online at Spectors, Sportsnet, TSN, and HTR.

[Update: Matt Bradley traded for Wayne Primeau]

[Update2: Dan McGillis traded to Boston for 2nd round pick]

Marchment traded to Avs for 3rd and 5th round picks


Sharks GM Dean Lombardi traded defenseman Bryan Marchment to the Colorado Avalanche for a 3rd and 5th round pick in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft.

Marchment has 11 points, and 108 PIMs in 66 games for San Jose this season.

For furthur reading:
Avalanche add Marchment - CBC.ca

Sharks get two draft picks for Marchment - ESPN

Barry Melrose on losing Nolan
ESPN's Barry Melrose answered my question on where the Sharks go from here after trading Owen Nolan:

[Q] What will the Sharks do to make up for the loss of Nolan and avoid another disappointing season next year?

[A] Melrose: "Young, skilled guys like Patrick Marleau, Marco Sturm and Brad Stuart are going to have to step up and get better... [Marleau] is having a good season, but Patrick has to become the stud on that team if San Jose wants to go anywhere."

[Update: Nolan and McCauley radio interviews on TheFan 590]

Owen Nolan vs Ed Belfour

AP PHOTO

Now they are teammates.


CP PHOTO

Now they are teammates as well.

Nolan traded to Toronto


According to TSN.ca, San Jose captain Owen Nolan was traded to Toronto for center Alyn McCauley, center Brad Boyes, and a first round draft pick.

Nolan has 323 goals and 352 assists in 836 games during his 13 year NHL career.

Last night Toronto melted down against the Senators during a 4-1 loss. Darcy Tucker recieved 42 PIMs including two game misconducts. Tie Domi received 29 PIMs and a game misconduct. Both are under league review for possible suspension.

While Toronto suffered a lack of composure against the Senators, San Jose lost 2-1 against 8th place Edmonton. The loss virtually eliminated San Jose's playoff aspirations.

The stars aligned for both teams and the deal was made.

For further reading:
Sharks send captain Nolan to Maple Leafs - ESPN

Leafs pull the trigger on Nolan deal - Sportsnet.ca

Highly Touted Boyes, NHLer McCauley and First Rounder Acquired For Nolan - Sharks press release

Maple Leafs Obtain Owen Nolan From Sharks - Leafs press release

All eyes still on Nolan
After a scathing ESPNmag article last week, several unidentified quotes about Nolan made their way around the league. The Toronto Star has a new article disputing those comments, Nolan attacks uncalled for.

Unfortunately, the same St. Louis author from last week is back again trashing Owen: Leafs still fishing for Nolan.

This time, the author speaks for himself instead of hiding behind anonymous "insiders". [Previous "quotes" can be seen here.]

[Nolan] "has alienated himself from his teammates and bosses like no skipper in recent memory."

[Owen's] "talent is not in dispute...when he feels like using it."

"The view from the outside is this: If Nolan is miserable where he wants to be, how miserable will he be where he DOESN'T want to be?"

To add more blood to the water, Montreal and Philadelphia now seem to be in the bidding for the talented right winger.