He spent less than four months in the Sharks organization, yet his name still resonates with the fan base — and not in a favorable way.



Roman Polak.



The defenseman was acquired by the Sharks on Feb. 22, 2016, bringing with him a right-handed shot and some physicality. The Sharks were in need of both before the deal, and Polak fit the bill, so much so that they sent a pair of second-round picks to Toronto to acquire his services.



Polak served his purpose, for a time. In playoff series wins against the Los Angeles Kings and St. Louis Blues — two heavy teams — Polak was an effective third pairing defenseman as the Sharks advanced to their first-ever Stanley Cup Final.



But in that Final against Pittsburgh, Polak was exposed. He and partner Brenden Dillon just simply couldn’t keep up with the speedy, relentless attack of the Penguins, and rather than limit their minutes or replace Polak with Dylan DeMelo, Pete DeBoer stuck with the...