SAN JOSE — As Alex Stalock struggled through his last three months with the Sharks, Doug Wilson made a tough decision: he traded one of the most popular players in his dressing room to shore up the team’s goaltending down the stretch.
Martin Jones was in his first season as a full-time starting goalie and the Sharks braintrust wanted a reliable plan B in case he stumbled in the playoffs. Wilson traded for James Reimer, Jones flourished in the playoffs and the Sharks reached the Stanley Cup Final for the first time in franchise history.
Facing a similar dilemma this season, the Sharks took the opposite path, refusing to even entertain the option of a goalie move at the trade deadline.