Personally, I had a feeling JR wouldn’t throw in the towel yet because he only needs five goals to join Joe Mullen and Mike Modano. Hell, if he plays really well, he may even pull ahead of Prima Modano since that guy’s star eclipsed a couple seasons ago in Dallas and he was a big crybaby at the Olympics.
As much as I feel JR is a stronger fit with the Flyers or Coyotes for numerous reasons, I think the Sharks are his best shot at 500 goals and probably his last chance to get his name on the Cup. I’m saddened about how it all fell apart with the Coyotes but it wasn’t just him, that whole team collapsed after Christmas and the people above Gretzky decided not to try anymore. The Sharks on the other hand, this team has been a consistently dominant force in the Pacific Division for the last several seasons. Unfortunately, their playoff record is filled with disappointment and earned them the label of “the Senators of the Western Conference.” JR’s competitive nature and big mouth could be the final piece to get the Sharks over their mental block against Detroit and Anaheim.
Meanwhile, ESPN’s Scott Burnside already has his venomous load of crap published over the deal. I can’t seem to find a bio on this guy other than ESPN stating he lives in Atlanta, a true hockey town. Based on his vitriol, my guess is he’s Canadian, those guys always have a chip on their shoulder against all the American players with great careers. They have to vent their frustration somehow because Sid “the Kid” Crosby will never be a household name in the States, especially when he has Forsbergesque tantrums. I do hope JR wins the Cup with the Sharks, then the Canadian JR hate mob can really grumble until I point out how Ray Borque did the same thing with the Avalanche, something they’re frequently silent about.
Next step. Get a really cool Sharks jersey with 97 and Roenick on the back. Then check the Dallas Stars schedule to see which four dates the Sharks will be in town for.