Jeremy Roenick on the Sharks, Retirement and Phoenix

By SUSAN SLUSSER

Updated 2:15 PM PST, Wed, May 20, 2009

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Jeremy Roenick can't wait until this time of the year is over. It drives him nuts.

"I'm just sitting around and waiting," the Sharks forward said. "I hate it when other people are playing and I'm not."

That's one indication Roenick gave FanHouse that he's leaning toward sticking around at least one more year. He's played 20 seasons already, however, and he'll be 40 in January. He's certainly given thought to retirement, much as he did two years ago.

"Absolutely, I've considered it," the two-time Olympian said. "I don't know if it's in the forefront of my mind, but I'd definitely thought about what I'd do if I retire, what sort of opportunities I might have."

While he won't say for sure what his plans are, Roenick said he's going to the rink every day, and he's looking forward to talking to Sharks GM Doug Wilson and head coach Todd McLellan soon.

"I felt good at the end of the season," Roenick told FanHouse. "And I think I found some chemistry with the guys. I hope Doug and Todd agree."

Roenick still wants to win a Stanley Cup before his career ends. He's only been to the Finals once, in 1992 with the Blackhawks.

His Sharks were expected to be his ticket into the Finals again this year, especially when they won the President's Trophy, but San Jose was ousted by eighth-seeded Anaheim in the first round.

"It wasn't a great matchup," Roenick said. "They'd been in playoff mode for months, fighting and scratching and clawing. There's something to be said for that. Our biggest problem was that we didn't face any adversity all year. We played pretty solid, we didn't have any real bad stretches where we got our grit tested.

"We relied on our talent to win a lot of games, but unfortunately, when the playoffs start, your intensity has to step up two levels. If you can't do that, you can't roll through the playoffs."

Roenick said that the Sharks also relied too much on their top two lines for scoring and that those lines appeared tired in the Anaheim series. And it didn't help that Jonas Hiller was terrific in goal for the Ducks.

"I don't think Nabby [Evgeni Nabokov] would be mad if he read a quote from me saying their goaltender was better than ours," Roenick said. "Part of that is our fault. As forwards, even if a goalie is hot, you still have to find a way to score."

In addition, Roenick said, "Your best players have to be your best players." That was not the case with the Sharks, leading to much speculation about changes this summer in San Jose. Roenick has little doubt that the roster will look different next season, saying it's inevitable when high expectations aren't met.

While he's waiting for the postseason to wrap up, Roenick is also keeping an eye on what's happening with one of his former franchises, the Coyotes. He was with the team in its first year in Phoenix and spent five seasons there. He still has a home in Scottsdale.

"I love that area," he said. "I was part of building things there and teaching people the game. It's a very close part of my heart. I wish nothing but the best for that organization. I love the people in Arizona and I think it can be a good place for hockey. It's just that the new building [in Glendale] is too far out of the way for a lot of the population in Mesa, Chandler, Scottsdale. If the arena had been in Los Arcos [in Scottsdale], that team would have thrive, but here's no way they're going to drive an hour to see a team that isn't in the playoffs year after year."

Jeremy Roenick on the Sharks, Retirement and Phoenix originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Wed, 20 May 2009 15:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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