San Jose Sharks
REPORT: Simek Says Sharks Lied to Him
Now the San Jose Sharks’ season is over, Radim Simek will actually play some hockey games.
Simek, along with Tomas Hertl, just joined Team Czechia for the World Championships, set to start next week.
Čau kluci 🤝 pic.twitter.com/sIdp75ikQT
— Hokejový nároďák (@narodnitym) May 5, 2022
It hasn’t been all smiles recently for Simek though, coming off a challenging year with the San Jose Sharks. After Mar. 5, the 29-year-old defenseman played just two of San Jose’s 27 remaining games. In one of those two appearances, Simek actually played forward for the first time since he was 12.
Radim Simek, who was healthy for a good portion of the last two months of the season, expressed some discontent to Hokej.cz earlier today.
“I was told younger guys must play [in my place]. Coaches told me the decision comes from management. The management told me it’s just the coaching staff’s call. Someone outright lied to me, they didn’t tell me the truth,” Simek said. “With the national team, I want to prove to myself that I can still play ice hockey.”
Before the All-Star break, when the San Jose Sharks were still in playoff hunt, Simek appeared in 28 of 46 games. But after the break, Simek found himself low on the depth chart behind young and/or inexperienced blueliners like Ryan Merkley, Nicolas Meloche, Jaycob Megna, and Jake Middleton.
“It’s not nice,” Simek added. “One always wonders who’s telling the truth and who’s not. I’ve been brought up to always tell the truth and be honest. I’m not saying they are not honest, but in this case, they didn’t want to tell me the truth. It stings a little bit, but what can you do?”
Radim Simek is signed for two more years with a $2.25 million AAV. It could prove to be a little bit of an awkward reunion if he returns to the San Jose Sharks for the 2022-23 season.
Thanks to Czech soccer writer and big San Jose Sharks fan Tomas Danicek for his translation assist.
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That’s sad because I believe Simek is way better than Merkley. I don’t know I just don’t see all the hype in that kid. But before anyone pounces on the negative button I don’t dislike the kid. I just believe he has a lot of work to do to get out of that limbo area between AHL and NHL. As far as Simek they did do him wrong. They should have traded him. They could have if they tried. I don’t believe Megan is better than Simek either. My word trade him anywhere if you’re not going to play him… Read more »
you play Megna over Simek because the Sharks were 4.8% better in expected on-ice relative goals with him.
I think Megna is better than Simek, they were competing for the same spot, LHD ahead of Vlasic, and they have every reason (in terms of contract and experience) to choose Simek over Megna. And Simek isn’t really tradable unless you’re adding a pick on top of him. And that’s, in the grand scheme of things, more Simek’s doing than anybody else’s.
They should’ve been clearer with him, in general, they shouldn’t be passing the buck like that. It’s a bad look. But Simek was on the bench mainly because he wasn’t better than Megna/Middleton/Ferraro.
Simek has had to play on his off side for a long time so it’s hard to gage if Mario or Megna is better. Megna isn’t very good behind the net defending – before Simek’s injury and he was playing on his left side he was a beast lol. Simek is one of my favorite D and Meloche and of course Burns.
2nd lowest %DZ starts to Merkley for Sharks d-men and his xG% was among the lowest. he makes too much money (i warned you about his contract back when they offered it to him) for what he is. that’s also why you play Merkley and everyone else ahead of him. now they’ve got to waste a decent draft pick to move him, GG!
You called the contract right, I was factoring in the expected-to-rise cap back then and obv his 2018-19 play, but obv didn’t work out
He’s playing on his off side most of the time it isn’t fair – I watched Merkley’s ax throwing – he should have played baseball.
Axe throwing?
https://twitter.com/SanJoseSharks/status/1522659972240207873