In order to get the full Micheal Haley experience, you need to do more than just watch him line up opposing players to deliver a heavy body check, or drop the gloves to fight a guy that’s probably taller and heavier than he is.
You’ve got to listen, too. That’s why in his very first home game since returning to the Sharks on Feb. 20 when he was claimed off of waivers from Florida, the Sharks’ digital media team had Haley mic’d up for Colorado on Friday at SAP Center.
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Unfortunately, we’re not privy to everything Haley is saying from the bench or on the ice. Since the Sharks run a family-friendly website, there is surely some footage that will have to be left on the cutting-room floor when the final version is posted, too.
“I think this time I was better. I don’t think they have to edit it too much, hopefully,” said Haley, who also wore a microphone during a game in 2017 during his first stint in San Jose.
Suffice it to say, Haley’s in-game chirps are welcomed by his teammates.
“Oh yeah. When he’s in the lineup it’s more entertaining, that’s for sure — I think for both teams,” Joe Thornton said. “He always has something to say.”
Haley said: “That’s something obviously I’ve always done. I don’t think I’m over-the-top. There are some guys that like to do it too much. But sometimes, a few jabs here and there get you into the game.”
Those verbal and, in many cases, literal jabs are what have kept Haley in the NHL for parts of the last 10 seasons. The 32-year-old has 30 points in 235 career NHL games, but it’s the 611 penalty minutes that stands out in his bio.
He’s delighted to be back with the Sharks after spending three seasons with the organization from 2014-15 through 2016-17. He followed former Sharks assistant coach Bob Boughner to Florida on a two-year NHL contract after Boughner was named the head coach of the Panthers, but this season the Panthers fell out of the playoff race and wanted to give their younger players more ice time.
That meant Haley wasn’t going to be in the lineup very often. The Panthers did him a favor by placing him on waivers, considering he’s a pending unrestricted free agent that will be looking for a new contract this summer.
“He has to keep playing, and he won’t get a deal next year if he’s not,” Boughner said. “San Jose showed interest in him and, to be honest, there were other teams calling, as well. They are trying to stock up for the playoffs and have that physical edge. That’s what he provides. Pete (DeBoer) and those guys in San Jose are very familiar with him and he’s a great friend to a lot of guys in that locker room. This gives him a chance to go to a good team, to try and win the Stanley Cup. I think he will play a part there, which is good for him and his family.”
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DeBoer said: “We know what you get with him. He’s always there for his teammates. I like his hockey IQ. I think defensively he does a really good job. He understands our systems, he’s got more skill than people give him credit for. The intangibles he brings make us a better team a lot of nights, especially against tougher teams.”
Haley’s season so far hasn’t been a smooth ride. It began with him entering the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program on Oct. 12, and he didn’t make his season debut with Florida until Nov. 19.
Haley didn’t want to get into detail about what was happening in his personal life, but said that many of his former Sharks teammates reached out to him during what must have been a difficult period.
One, obviously, was Thornton.
“Oh yeah, it’s a brotherhood in here,” Thornton said. “We’ve always had that bond with a lot of the guys that have been through here. We go through things together, and we want what’s best for you and your family. It’s good that he’s doing great. Seems to be back on track, which is nice to see.”
Haley said: “Coming back to a place like this where I have friends, if I went somewhere else, it would be a little more of a stress, I think. But here everyone knows me, so it’s a lot easier to adjust. … Me and my family are in a great spot right now, so I’m loving life. It’s going really well.”
Haley won’t be in the lineup every night for the Sharks. The only reason he played against Detroit on Feb. 24 was because Marcus Sorensen was injured the game before in Columbus, and on Sunday against the Blackhawks, the Sharks were without Evander Kane, who is nursing a minor undisclosed injury. Had Kane been available, Haley might have been scratched.
He’ll surely get some games in the rest of the way, though. You can be sure that Haley will dress for the Flames game on March 31 at SAP Center, and there’s a good chance he’ll dress against Vegas, Anaheim and Los Angeles, too.
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DeBoer explained how he determines which game is a Haley game, and which games that his unique skill set might not be necessary.
“I think you look at the roster, obviously, on the other team. You guys look at the same thing. Detroit was a night where we weren’t going to schedule him to play. We ended up having some late injuries and he did play, but that would be an example of a night where — do you need him in the lineup? Probably not,” DeBoer said.
“But, the reality is, there’s a lot of nights you do. And even on the nights where you don’t think you do, the bottom line is he can still play and help you. He does a good job, and he keeps the physical element on the other team quiet. Even (Friday) night, the (Avalanche) have some physical guys in that lineup. We’ve gone into Colorado and (Nikita) Zadorov is running around and cranks some guys on different nights. (Haley) keeps a lot of that stuff quiet.”
Haley made the most of his nine minutes and 57 seconds against the Blackhawks on Sunday in what was probably his best game of the season for either Florida or San Jose.
In the first period, Haley hit the post with a wrist shot from the slot about three minutes into the game. He nearly scored while digging around for a loose puck about six minutes into the second, and then finished a solid check on Chicago’s Gustav Forsling midway through regulation.
But his best moment came in the third period. Haley drew what looked like a hooking penalty while skating through the neutral zone, and on the delayed call he stayed with the puck and found Brent Burns in the high slot with a pass from the wall. Burns’ shot was redirected by Melker Karlsson to give the Sharks a 4-2 lead on a night in which they weren’t quite at the top of their game.
Haley added another assist on Karlsson’s empty net goal in the 5-2 final, for his first multi-point game since Dec. 7, 2017. The Sharks’ fourth liners — Haley, Karlsson and Barclay Goodrow — posted the team’s three best shot-attempt percentages, too.
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“We were happy with our game,” Haley said. “I think we could have had a lot more goals than we even did. Obviously chipping in and helping get the win is a success for us.”
There’s the potential for more success down the line, as the Sharks are among the best teams in the NHL. They closed to within three points of the idle Flames for first place in the Pacific Division on Sunday, and are 10-1-1 in their last 12 home games.
In what has been an eventful and, at times, tumultuous year for Haley, he’s aware of the possibilities in front of him and the team over the next several weeks and, potentially, months.
“Obviously it’s been an up-and-down year, but I think in the grand scheme of life, it’s still been a great year,” he said. “I got to figure some stuff out for me personally, and my family. Obviously it wasn’t ideal not playing (in Florida), but in our job, it happens.
“Hopefully we can cap it off here with something really special. In that case, it would be the best year of my life. You never know, right?”
— Reported from San Jose
(Photo: Brandon Magnus / NHLI via Getty Images)