How To Create A Team For Dummies (Like Doug Wilson)

Doug Wilson is the general manager of the San Jose Sharks. He was also the first captain of them too so shouldn't he know what a team is all about? Apparently not. What, with the constant trading and firing of coaches. I'm fourteen and even I know what makes a team. It's not the best players, it's chemistry.

Yes, chemistry. Making the perfect team is like finding your soul mate. It takes time. You can't just think that if you lose a few games, you need better players. That's not what it's about. I mean, if you get into a petty fight with your significant other are you going to just break up with them? Most likely not because you're great together. You are whole with that person. It's the same thing with hockey. If you don't get to the Stanley Cup Championship, are you going to get rid of the people who made the mistakes? No, you aren't. You shouldn't do that. You don't do that because it isn't about getting that Cup. It's about training to get it with people you can work with. Are you going to get married to someone that you can live with? You should but if you marry someone, you should marry someone you can't live without. A team needs to need each other. It's a group effort, groups work together, not alone. One for all and all for one, that's what a team should be not the best players in the league. Hell,you can put the best players in the NHL on one team and I bet that team wouldn't make it into the playoffs. Why? Because those players won't know how to play with someone that is good at their best points. A team works together to achieve. Are you going to put a best scorer on a line of 2 Rocket Richard Trophy winners? Only if you want them to compete with each other just to get a goal. You need to have a variety so if one makes a mistake, the others can catch it.

Another thing about teams, it's not about what one can do it's what they could do. It's all about the potential. You don't need to have high draft picks to make a good team. For example, Henrik Zetterburg was 210th overall in the 1999 draft. Today, he is one of NHL's best. He is going to be in the Hall Of Fame one day and in 1999 no other team considered him besides the Red Wings. Why was he 210th overall? Because he probably wasn't good enough. If the Atlanta Thrashers got him in the the First Round, do you think that they would be Stanley Cupless today? Heck no! They would probably have a few Stanley Cup banners in their arena just taunting the 29 other teams for not acquiring him in that draft. The Red Wings took him under their red wing and created a masterpiece.

Why are the San Jose Sharks, or any other team for that matter, in need of a good trade when what they have can be worked with to become the best? To become Stanley Cup champions? Every general manager should take a good look at the team before they think of getting rid of someone. Sure make some minor changes here and there but don't get rid of the players that have been there awhile, the veterans. You keep a team the same for a few years and I'll guaratee you'll be holding the Stanley Cup in your hands before you know it. And that's all you need to know to create a team.