The hockey-obsessed people in Canada have learned that the Sharks have finally pulled the trigger on a trade that sends captain Owen Nolan to the Toronto Maple Leafs for Alyn McCauley, Brad Boyes, and a first round draft pick. And so it begins the dismantling of a team five years in the making. Anyone who has been keeping track of the standings in the sidebar have noticed the former contenders turn into pretenders. Now they're underachieving and being paid way too much. Nolan rarely showed his full potential. He had only one big scoring year but he could always be counted on as a physical presence. His ties with San Jose won't be severed permanently. He lives in rich Silver Creek Valley and is a co-owner the Britannia Arms on Almaden Expressway near my house.

Who comes here? McCauley is an underachieving two-way center who lacks any physical presence. He was penciled in as a second-line center but is instead a fourth-liner who has only 6 goals and 9 assists this year. His strength is in the penalty kill. The prospect Boyes is the real key of the trade. He's had 4 straight 40+ goal seasons and 53 points so far this year in the AHL. If the Sharks can utilize his skills, they will be the winners of the trade. But as of now, considering the shaky status of the Sharks' farm system, established talent gives this trade to the Leafs.

Nolan will be missed.