Big Buff stripped of the 'C'

AP - San Jose, CA

In a surprising move, GM Dan Palmer announced today that the team's captaincy (and two assistant captaincies) are now "up for grabs."

"As I stated at the press conference, this team needs to establish an identity.  To do so correctly, we need to wipe the slate clean.  There are no grandfathered priveledges or titles.  Everyone starts at point zero." explained Palmer.  "Buff, Seabs, or Duby may still find themselves with the letters.  This is not a reflection on them personally, but rather a recognition that this team has a number of strong leaders.  As the team identity takes shape during the off-season, then I will decide on our captains... or maybe the players will decide. Who knows!"

We caught up with some of the players at a Sharks Foundation charity golf event.  Reaction from the players was mostly positive, or at the very least, non-committal with the usual "cookie-cutter" responses we've come to expect from our beloved hockey players.

"I'm just here to play hockey and contribute.  I'm sure Dan knows what he's doing or he wouldn't be here." offered Seabrook.

"We are here to play hockey and do our best for the fans and the team.  The rest is out of our hands." said Koivu.

"I thought we had a good period... a lot of good chances.  We'll need to try to continue that effort in the 3rd and try to capitalize more." explained Zach Rinaldo (he continues to be observed closely for Post Concussion Syndrome).

Zac Rinaldo (possibly concussed)

One player that seemed somewhat disappointed was the former captain himself, who had this to say:

"Do I like it? No.  Does it sting?  Yes.  You put a certain amount of effort in everyday, try to lead by example, show some fire in your game and... well... I guess that isn't enough.  But hey, who am I to complain?  All I can do is my job and have faith that at the end of the day, the best decisions are made and the team gets better."

While the captaincy is up in the air, one thing is certain; this off-season is shaping up to be a very interesting one for the Sharks organization.