State of the Sharks: Dan Rusanowsky

State of the Sharks: Dan Rusanowsky

Okay, I’m here with somebody who has seen literally everything in the evolution of the Sharks franchise. Dan Rousenowski has been around since day one. So, I’m going to do this whole interview with that as the context. You’ve seen it all. Okay, I have. So, let’s say 5 to 10 years down the road, 10 years down the road, how do you hope we look back on these next couple years of evolution of this Sharks franchise and where we hope things are going? Well, first of all, I hope that we’re looking back as a a way filled with pride because of what’s been accomplished to that point. In other words, in the next what you say 5 to 10 years, right? You kind of hope that the the team is going to be challenging for and maybe winning a Stanley Cup at that point. And so then you look back with a lot of fondness and say, remember those old days when we were struggling and so forth? Well, I look back at the early years. Uh the two Cow Palace years were one thing, but I think that the early years of of SAP Center are probably the same place I want to uh I want to focus on where people were really excited about the building. They were they were really proud about the team. Uh they were excited about young players who were coming in. People in those days like Patrick Marlo and uh Brad Stewart and Marco Sterms, the Jamie Bakers of the world. Sure. Absolutely. And so you want to look back at those times to remember some of the ups, some of the downs. I mean, you know, I look back at the Cow Palace years and I always tell people the story about when I went to Calgary, the team took a one- nothing lead and I thought things were going great and then they lost 13 to1. Oops. I had to do that game alone, by the way. But but the thing about that is is that I want to look back in 5 to 10 years and feel a great deal of pride about the plan that was put together right now. Uh the the fact that they made good decisions, look back at some of the mistakes, and there always are some. Yeah, but look that brings a smile to my face. I think that’s the way I think that most people are right now between the ages of 10 and 15 because in 10 years they’re going to be 25. I’ve always had a theory that the years between 8 and about 17 18 you remember those days in sports forever. Absolutely. They’re absolutely very endearing to you and you you love every single memory whether it’s winning or losing and and I think that that’s what we want to feel. We’ve known Ryan Worovski for a couple years now, but last season was his first as San Jose Sharks head coach, but again, you’ve seen every single San Jose Sharks head coach. You’ve known them. You’ve got to operate with them. Who does Ryan Warovski remind you of the most? And let me throw out just an idea for my own observations of a shorter time. Little bit of Todd Mlen. What do you think? He’s got a little of Todd Mlullen. He has a little bit of Kevin Constantine. And those that’s a compliment that I’m saying a little bit of Todd Mlen. These are the Sharks have always been blessed with excellent coaches. I think he’s got a little bit of several. He’s got a little bit of Todd Mluten. I think he does have a little bit of Kevin Constantine is that he wants that snarl from his players. And you you may remember Kevin with the the red hair, the zip haircut, the marine look, very intense, but also behind the scenes with a great deal of humor in him. I I I think that there’s a combination of those things. One thing that that Kevin was was in a way was stubborn, but he was really insistent on the fact that his system was going to work. And I think that that’s what I take from him. Ryan Warski really believes in his system. And it’s produced championships at the American Hockey League level. It’s now produced a world championship for the IIAHF World Tournament. Team USA. Team USA. First time since 1933. So, I think he he’s very confident and very insistent that his system will work, but yet he is willing to bend a little bit given the roster that he has and he understands that he has to react to to who he has. Uh I I think that one interesting thing is that that Ryan works very well with general manager Mike Greer. That’s a critical component. It’s another reason going back to the first question of why we’re going to feel so happy and proud because they’re working in concert toward a goal that is going to get this team where it needs to be. So, I I would say that and now back to Todd Mcccleman. I think Todd is one of the smarter coaches we’ve had. Uh somebody that understands his players and that’s something that that Ryan Warsovski has a very intimate uh uh understanding of who these guys are generationally. He’s able to relate to them very well. He’s able to get the most out of them and he makes them very aware of the fact that he believes in them. And I think that that’s something that that Todd always did as a coach with this team, too. Okay. You’ve also seen so many young Shark players emerge not only onto this team but also into the NHL. And that’s what we witnessed last season with Will Smith and Mlin Celibbriny. Who does their entrance into the NHL remind you of the most? What other shark could you say, and this may be an impossible one, maybe maybe nobody else has had the same entrance. Who does their first season remind you of somebody else having a first season just like it? Well, it’s very interesting. Maybe nobody. I don’t think it really is comparable, but I’ll I’ll get a few things that that that attach them to the past. Pat Fuoon when he was 19 years of age had n 25 goals for this team, 59 points. That was a record that stood for a long time. Uh you know, he was somebody that the fans put their arms around. They chanted his name, second overall, but first ever draft pick by the team. So I compare that in a way to the way that they’ve embraced Mlin. different circumstances of course, but and of course the league is different. It’s younger now than it used to be, but I would say that. But I I move ahead a generation and I remember when the last time it the Sharks went through a rebuild like this, it was the late 1990s. They had that tough year with Al Sims behind the bench, finished in, you know, at the bottom of the league. Ended up drafting second overall and picked Patrick Marlo. They picked Scott Hannon. They picked Brad Stewart. They had Andre Zusen who didn’t end up staying here. They had Marco Sturm who got traded in the Joe Thornton deal. Uh they ended up with Jonathan Chichu. This is a good that that’s a good core group of players within a couple of drafts, right? That’s what this reminds me of now. This reminds me of that same era and they grew together. They made their mistakes. Mike Greer is doing the same thing that Dean Lombardi did in a sense in that he’s surrounding all of these young prodigious talents with outstanding professional veterans. Not only uh to teach the young guys the ropes, but also to provide the team with value. And this is a little different than it way used to be with the salary cap and all, but the ability to for instance get a first round draft pick from Dallas for Mik Kyle Granland and Cody Cece. uh you know to to get a hall in for the future and to continue to show veteran players that even if you don’t stay here, the Sharks are going to send you to a place that you have a chance to win a Stanley Cup. They’re going to provide value and that means veterans are going to be very, very positive about San Jose. And you know, Mackenzie Blackwood told me last year when we went to Colorado, he said, “I absolutely love playing for Mike Greer. I love playing in San Jose. Loved the fan base. had a great experience and I would recommend it to any unrestricted free agent. And so that’s the kind of thing that we’re seeing right now and that’s what it reminds me of. Put that on a billboard somewhere, preferably right before July 1. Well, it is it does help that this is the best place to live in the world. That does help. Um, you know, this news kind of came out a little more than a month ago by the time you’re watching this, maybe closer to a month and a half ago, but that the city of San Jose and the Sharks have extended a lease through 20 51. I was thinking I’ll be 70 years old when that happens. But as part of the lease extending, the tank is getting some significant upgrades to the tune of like more than $400 million. How exciting for a place that has good bones, has always been a great home. You know, you hear fans complain about aging sports venues and it’s not like all the other places. I don’t know that anybody even complains ever about the tank, but it’s only going to get better and it’s only going to stay here as home of the Sharks. Well, first of all, I’m absolutely thrilled that this is happening. First of all, I love the building and I think everybody who comes into it loves the building. The Sharks have done a remarkable job in maintaining that building. Hassel Platner has put, for instance, $100 million pretty much of his own money just maintaining the building. He is of an ilk that says, you know, back where I grew up in Germany, uh we have a lot of buildings that are really old. You don’t have to tear it down and build a new one every five years. And I think that that’s a good attitude to have because you’re also creating a sense of history, a sense of belonging, a sense of community, and also it’s in downtown San Jose were such a big part of the development. The other side of this though, beyond all of that, uh, and beyond Hasso’s commitment, which is absolutely at the top of the business world, is the relationship that the Sharks have with the city of San Jose. uh Mayor Matt Mayan and you know all of the city planners and everybody in the city council they voted 11 to nothing in favor of this proposal. I think that’s remarkable especially given other cities in California some of whom will not be mentioned that don’t have that relationship with their sports teams and I think that that’s partly because the Sharks are totally committed to San Jose. They’re not going to you know use another city to negotiate against them. they they want to be here and they have a wonderful relationship and that’s only going to dispel great things for the future. Now, as far as what the changes are, I think it’s really exciting to see everything get upgraded. Yes. And, you know, that, you know, goes for a lot of things behind the scenes, whether it’s the press room, whether it’s, you know, the suites, whether it’s uh the radio booth, you know, all that stuff. All of those things are getting upgraded to make sure that the building can remain competitive. another not only for free agents, but also for concerts, also for other types of shows that we can have here that the Sharks are running. So, to me, uh, it it just shows that the city is committed to being the best it can be, and the Sharks are committed with the city, uh, to be the best for the city. Last thing for you, Ruseie, what’s your long-term plan? You’ve been here since day one, and you got plenty of steam. You still look, by the way, like it’s 10 years ago. I don’t know how you’re doing this, but hang around with a lot of young kids. So, that’s how you do it. Yeah, that’s how you do it. What’s your goal in all this? My goal is to is to continue to uh pursue a Stanley Cup. I want to call the Stanley Cup championship. That’s what I want to do. Well, wait a second. What if that happens in a couple years? You you got more gas in the tank than that. Well, you get one and then you get another one, right? I want to do this as long as I can do it, as long as I feel I can do it, and as long as the sharks will have me. And you know the main thing is that um I absolutely love the creative process of bringing the game to a listener um and a viewer at times um whether you can see the game or not that we can paint that picture that we can make uh people come together. I think one of the greatest things that a sports franchise does is it brings people from very different backgrounds, whether that’s ethnic, whether that’s citizenship, whether that’s your political views, whatever, whether that’s your economic level. And it brings everybody on the same plane and it gives something for people to not only talk about, but to relate to each other in a positive way. We bring people together and that’s what I want to do. I want to bring people together with the Sharks Audio Network and with all of the things that we’re doing. And uh to me, the best way to do that is to call a lot of great games to paint that picture for the listener. And to also to carry the flag for San Jose all around North America, which is what we all do when when we go on the road. And uh and if I can enjoy a couple of nice meals in there somewhere, I’ll try to do that, too. I wish we had a parade together back in 2016. Ry, that would have been fun. But I can’t wait until it actually happens. I’d like to be on your float. I’d like to be on the Dan Rousinowski float. Passenger seat. What do you think? Well, let’s do it. Let can we mail that in? I mean, honestly, I really think that that that that when the city of San Jose celebrates the Stanley Cup championship, and I noticed I’m saying when uh that it’s going to be an amazing reaction. It’s going to be a wonderful celebration, but but you have to go through the process. And you know, I tell people now, we’re in the process. We’ve got a young team right now here in San Jose, and you’d love to snap your fingers for any parents out there. If you have a 15-year-old, you’d love to snap your fingers and have them turn 25 and not have to deal with the next 10 years, but you have to go through that adolescent period. And then when you look back, getting back to how we started this, you were back there. You you go back to that, you you smile, you have a lot of laughs, you you shake your head a couple of times. And I think that that’s what we’re all going to do together. And I I’m hoping that uh that we can we can do that very soon. Very inspirational, Rosie. Thank you, buddy. Thank you.

From day one to today, Sharks radio legend Dan Rusanowsky sits down with Brodie Brazil to reflect on the team’s history and the current squad.