SAN JOSE, CA - JULY 26: San Jose Sharks General Manager Mike Grier takes part in a press conference at SAP Center on Tuesday, July 26, 2022, in San Jose, Calif. Quinn is the tenth head coach for the Sharks organization. (Aric Crabb/Bay Area News Group)
SAN JOSE – With his team off to a historically dismal start, San Jose Sharks general manager Mike Grier said changes – to the roster and potentially to the coaching staff — will be in the offing if some improvement is not seen soon.
After watching the Sharks get outscored 20-3 in their last two games and fall to 0-10-1 this season, Grier met with the players as a team on Monday morning and emphasized how unacceptable the start — and particularly the beginning of this homestand — has been.
Grier said it was a one-way conversation.
“I just felt they needed to hear from me and what I’m seeing and what I expect from them,” Grier said. “To let them know what’s happening was not acceptable from my end. There are certain things I won’t tolerate and some of that stuff has been happening, and I kind of let them know that. We’ll kind of go from there.”
The Sharks were blasted 10-1 by the Vancouver Canucks last Thursday for their most lopsided home loss in franchise history. Two days later, Erik Karlsson and the Pittsburgh Penguins ran away with a 10-2 victory at SAP Center, marking the first time since 1965 that an NHL team has allowed 10 goals or more in back-to-back games.
“If I don’t see what I want to see, we’ll be evaluating everything and looking at everything. I mean, this can’t go on for much longer,” Grier said Monday in a 45-minute sit-down interview with reporters. “The fans deserve more. The owner has been supportive and backing me and the team forever. (It deserves) to be better for everyone.
“If the response isn’t there and I’m not seeing what I need to see then everything will be evaluated, and I’m sure there’ll be some changes made.”
Just as much as he wants to see an improved record, Grier said he wants to evaluate everyone’s compete level and if they’re capable of being a difficult team to play against. Grier feels this roster is much more capable of both.
After the last two losses, the Sharks’ -43-goal differential is the worst in the NHL’s 107-year history for any team after 11 games.
“The games have been too easy for Vancouver and (Pittsburgh) here,” Grier said. “It’s just been too easy to come into our building and play. Guys zipping pucks around and the other team thinking it’s point night when they’re in here. That’s kind of the stuff that to me, is not acceptable.
“So, it’s more compete, more pushback, and playing within the structure better. We can’t be giving up the chances we’re giving up. Those are probably the three main things I would say I look for in the next little while and hopefully, it improves.”
Grier said he hasn’t considered making a change behind the bench just yet, feeling that coach David Quinn’s message is still being heard by the players.
Still, Grier said nothing will be off the table if the Sharks continue to get embarrassed, especially at home. Since the start of last season when Grier and Quinn took over, San Jose’s record is 22-54-17, which includes an 8-27-12 mark at the formerly formidable Shark Tank.
San Jose needs a victory over the Philadelphia Flyers on Tuesday to avoid becoming the first team in league history to start a season with 12 straight losses.
“When you move forward and things aren’t getting better, then everything’s got to be looked at,” Grier said. “Right now, I think the players are still buying in and everyone can be better. The players, the coaches, and myself, we can all do a little bit more and all be better.”
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Originally published at Curtis Pashelka