Bleacher Report - San Jose Sharks

San Jose Sharks: Does a Stanley Cup Make Doug Wilson the Best GM Ever?

Andy Bensch — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 03:00:37 -0500

The San Jose Sharks are currently known as playoff "chokers" by the majority of NHL fans.

Every year for the past four seasons the Sharks are picked as a Stanley Cup favorite, but each year they fail to get past the second round.

However, you cannot fault their General Manager Doug Wilson. The guy has done everything in his power to create a winning formula and each year he makes a change or two, or three or four, in order to improve his team.

As fans, what more can we ask for?

Wilson has put together one of the most star-studded rosters the game has ever seen, but he hasn't neglected the importance of role players either.

If the Sharks go onto win the Stanley Cup this year, it just might cement Wilson's legacy as the best GM in the history of the NHL.

Perhaps some history buffs out there will throw out the names of GM's who put together the dynasties of the Montreal Canadiens and the Gretzky-led Edmonton Oilers but nobody has made the type of trades Wilson has made over the last few seasons.

Joe Thornton, Dan Boyle and Dany Heatley; as members of the Sharks, the trio has combined for 514 points.

The seven players Wilson traded away to receive them: Marco Sturm, Wayne Primeau, Brad Stuart, Matt Carle, Ty Wishart, Milan Michalek and Jonathan Cheechoo have combined for just 368 points.

Essentially, Wilson traded for the league's best set-up man, the league's best offensive defenseman and the league's second-best goal scorer while giving up next to nothing.

Not a single other GM in the history of the sport has made three steals of this magnitude in just a four year span.

But it's not just the trades that would make Wilson the best GM of all-time but his drafts and free-agent signings that are just as productive.

In fact, despite taking over the Sharks GM position just six years ago in 2003, all but four Sharks on the current roster were either drafted, signed or traded for by Wilson.

Only Patrick Marleau, Ryane Clowe, Evgeni Nabokov and Douglas Murray became Sharks due to the work of Wilson's predecessor Dean Lombardi.

Plus all four of those have since been given contract extensions by Wilson to stay in San Jose.

But the rest of the Sharks became Sharks for the very first time via Wilson's maneuvering.

While Wilson has made his most significant additions via trade, he has added gems to his lineup in a whole multitude of different ways.

The list of current Sharks acquired via trade by Wilson are as follows:

Joe Thornton, Dany Heatley, Dan Boyle, Marc-Edouard Vlasic, (received as a Calgary Flames draft choice in the Miika Kiprusoff trade) Kent Huskins, and Jody Shelley

However, the majority of Wilson's roster has been put together through everything but trades.

Players Wilson has drafted using the team's original picks:

Joe Pavelski, Devin Setoguchi, Logan Couture, Jamie McGinn, Derek Joslin, Frazer Mclaren, Steven Zalewski

Players Wilson picked up after they went undrafted: Jason Demers, Brad Staubitz, and Ryan Vesce.

And finally Wilson's free-agent signings: Rob Blake, Scott Nichol, Manny Malhotra, Jed Ortmeyer, and Benn Ferriero.

The Sharks currently have a major contributor on their roster from each of these groups.

Wilson's undrafted signings are making an impact, his veteran free-agent signings are making an impact, his draft picks are making an impact and his trade acquisitions are making an impact.

As a GM, Wilson does not take anything for granted. He analyzes every aspect of his team as thoroughly as possible and looks to add elements to his team in every fashion imaginable.

He even made the correct move in firing Ron Wilson as head coach after the 2007-08 season.

The move wasn't necessary, the onus is on the players for not getting the job done. But with the way the Sharks were evolving after that season, a shake-up was needed as Ron Wilson had clearly worn out his welcome.

A year after Wilson made the coaching change, he faced arguably his toughest offseason as GM.

The Sharks had been upset in the first round of the playoffs after finishing the regular season as the top team in the NHL.

Sharks fans were calling for either Patrick Marleau or Evgeni Nabokov to be traded, and a big free-agent splash to be made.

Wilson could have very easily made a rash decision and made an unnecessary trade or throw excess money at a free-agent.

However, San Jose's GM let things come to him. He thoroughly completed the "autopsy" of his team and waited out the offseason for the best moves to identify themselves.

Instead of signing a big-time scorer like a Marian Gaborik, Martin Havlat or Marian Hossa, Wilson waited for the trade market to develop.

With the Ottawa Senators in a bind to trade the then disgruntled Dany Heatley, Wilson was able to seal the deal just before training camp started because Ottawa wanted him out.

The Senators were in the position where they needed a change more than the Sharks did and all Wilson had to do was reap the benefits.

After making his big move through the trade market, Wilson still wasn't done.

By taking the wait and see approach, Wilson was able to absolutely steal a Manny Malhotra as a free-agent in late September. Malhotra signed a one-year deal worth 700K.

Combined with veteran center Scott Nichol, who Wilson signed earlier in the offseason, the Sharks now had two premier face-off men to play primarily on their bottom two forward lines.

With these three primary additions, along with bringing in a few other free agent forwards like Benn Ferriero and Jed Ortmeyer, Wilson has created a Sharks team that has many thinking this year will finally be the year for San Jose.

If this current crop of Sharks can get over the hump and win the Stanley Cup, it would be hard to argue against Wilson as the best GM ever.

If this current crop of Sharks can win multiple Stanley Cups, then Wilson will become hands down the best GM ever.

His savvy, his patience, and his pure ability to do everything it takes to create a winner has made Sharks fans thankful for having such a wise hockey mind running the ship.

All that is left is for the players to solidify Wilson's genius by winning hockey's holy grail.

Read more San Jose Sharks news on BleacherReport.com

2010 Olympics: Canada vs. Russia for Hockey Gold?

Andy Bensch — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 23:51:12 -0500

Every four years hockey fans get to enjoy their favorite game played on an international level.

If anything can match a hockey player's dream of winning the Stanley Cup, it would be the dream of winning gold at the Olympics.

This season, the NHL will take a break come mid-February for the XXI Winter Olympic games in Vancouver, British Columbia.

It is only fitting that the upcoming Olympic games are being hosted in Canada, and the 2014 games are taking place in Sochi, Russia. Is it possible that the men's hockey finals will match up Canada and Russia in back-to-back Olympics? As of now, that looks to be a major possibility.

Although neither country reached the finals at Turin, Italy in 2006, both countries lay claim to the world's best players. Plus, with the Olympics in Vancouver, it would take a colossal meltdown for Team Canada not to reach the final.

The Canadian team is essentially take your pick:

Forwards: Joe Thornton, Jarome Iginla, Sidney Crosby, Shane Doan, Vinny Lecavalier, Ryan Getzlaf, Dany Heatley, Rick Nash, Jonathan Toews, Martin St. Louis, Patrick Marleau, Brenden Morrow, Mike Richards.

Defense: Dan Boyle, Chris Pronger, Jay Bouwmeester, Dion Phaneuf, Scott Niedermayer, Mike Green, Shea Weber, Duncan Keith.

Goaltenders: Martin Brodeur, Roberto Luongo, Marc-Andre Fleury.

Even though Team Russia will have difficulty matching Canada's depth, they can boast about having two of the best three players in the world in Evgeni Malkin and Alexander Ovechkin.

Rounding out the rest of the Russian forward group are the following:

Alexander Semin, Ilya Kovalchuk, Pavel Datsyuk, Nikolai Zherdev, Alexander Radulov, Alexander Frolov, and Alexei Kovalev

Defensively the Russians can throw out a couple of big names as well, including Sergei Gonchar and Andrei Markov.

Both defenseman are currently on the shelf with injuries, but both have a significant chance at returning by the Olympics. Gonchar will almost definitely be available unless he suffers another injury before that time, and Markov could start skating on that injured ankle come beginning of February. It will be a wait and see approach for Markov though.

The rest of the Russian defense includes Fedor Tyutin of Columbus, Anton Volchenkov of Ottawa, and Edmonton's Denis Grebeshov.

When it comes to goaltenders, its not too far-fetched to think Russia may actually have an advantage.

Considering both Luongo and Fleury haven't been playing at the top of their games so far this season, Canada might not have the depth after Brodeur.

However, Russia has arguably two of the hottest goalies in the NHL with the Sharks' Evgeni Nabokov and the Coyotes' Ilya Bryzgalov. Add in the savvy veteran Nikolai Khabibulin, and Russia is three deep in net.

With the 2006 Olympic finalists Sweden and Finland aging quickly, it wouldn't be a surprise if both Canada and Russia met in the Vancouver final. And if it happened, it would probably be the most anticipated hockey game in the history of the sport.

Canada, the birthplace of hockey, and Russia, the largest country in the world going mano-a-mano for the gold?

Instead of Crosby and Malkin going against Ovechkin like we see in the NHL, it's going to be Malkin and Ovechkin against Crosby.

Instead of Thornton and Nabokov against Doan and Bryzgalov like we see in the NHL, it's going to be Thornton and Doan against Nabokov and Bryzgalov.

We could essentially see a line of Heatley-Thornton-Marleau trying to score on Nabokov.

And no, I'm not talking about a Sharks practice, were talking about the Olympics. Sharks against Sharks will be the setting of some of the most competitive hockey you will ever see.

While some fans who aren't familiar with Olympic hockey may be confused with all the different players playing against their NHL teammates, country against country hockey actually makes for an entertaining game no matter the outcome.

Unless you're Canadian or Russian, you probably don't have a particular team to root for which will make the game itself more entertaining to watch.

If you're an Penguins fan from the States, you will naturally hope both Crosby and Malkin make some plays. Similarly for Sharks fans who will want Heatley and Thornton to score, but they'll also want Nabokov to make some saves.

Therefore, no matter the score, those fans without a bias will watch from beginning to end because it is essentially an NHL All-Star game with one exception: the players will be performing like the Stanley Cup is on the line.

With a chance at winning a gold medal being just as big, if not bigger, of a dream for certain players then winning a Stanley Cup, Olympic hockey is an incredible showcase of the skill and precision of the world's best players.

Plus, with these two teams there are just so many intriguing story lines.

Remember when Nabokov absolutely robbed Kovalchuk twice during the All-Star game two years ago? Now instead of going against each other, Kovalchuk and Nabokov have the opportunity to play on the same side.

Furthermore, Ovechkin scored his first career goals against the Sharks, but Nabokov stoned him numerous times in the same game.

Those watching that game will tell you how entertaining it was to see Ovechkin skate by Nabokov and mutter something in Russian, probably along the lines of "Darn you, Nabby!"

With the Olympics, we will get to see the two play for the same squad. Nabokov plus Ovechkin? Talk about a dynamic duo of scorer and goalie.

Now on the Canadian side, the story lines are just as plentiful.

Guys like Crosby, Richards, and Lecavalier will now be helping Brodeur keep the puck out of the net instead of trying to get it past him like they have done their whole careers.

Shark-killer Chris Pronger will be playing alongside Patrick Marleau and Joe Thornton. Although Sharks fans may have a hatred towards the big bruising Pronger, they can't help but wonder about how awesome a combination that trio would be on the Sharks.

Capitals defenseman Mike Green will be passing to Lightning forwards Vinny Lecavalier and Martin St. Louis instead of defending the talented duo like he does six times a year.

Depending on the line combinations, an Anaheim Duck in Ryan Getzlaf could be setting up a Dallas Star like Brenden Morrow. A Chicago Blackhawk like Jonathan Toews could be setting up a Columbus Blue Jacket like Rich Nash.

We see combinations like these in NHL All-Star games, but as we all know, nobody plays defense in the All-Star game.

However, these superstars playing in the Olympics are going to make the games in Vancouver some of the most entertaining hockey ever. With the offensive talent, defensive specialists and top tier goal-tending on both teams, there is good chance we could see them meet in the final.

As a hockey fan, watching these two nations go up against one another for the gold would easily be the highlight of the Olympics.

Read more San Jose Sharks news on BleacherReport.com

Year of the Sharks: Why San Jose Will Be the 2010 Stanley Cup Champs

Matt Hutter — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 20:10:09 -0500

We all know this team's story, but a quick review of some of the highlights can't hurt.

So, after making some strategic draft, trade, and free-agent moves, they've emerged into a contender.

In fact, they're the odds on favorite at the beginning of the season.

They make the playoffs, and, no championship.

The next year, they have one of the best regular seasons in NHL history, surely, they will win the Cup now.

Nope.

They fizzle in the playoffs.

Beaten by, what many believe is an inferior team.

Fans are furious, the team dejected. They ask, "How can we ever get over the hump and win this thing?"

The captain, the guy who was drafted by the team and eventually made the center piece around which all other parts are placed, is severely questioned.

Rumors of trades persist. "Maybe we can't win with him," they say. "We can get a lot back in return in a trade," they speculate.

But, the team sticks with him, and moves forward.

The next season, they identify a key need.

A sniper, an out and out goal-scoring monster, the type of guy goalies pray won't touch the puck because, if he does, it is likely to zip right past them.

They get him.

He delivers as promised and fits the team like a glove.

Yes, Brendan Shanahan was absolutely key to the Detroit Red Wings finally winning the Cup in 1997 on route to becoming the closest thing to a dynasty the NHL has seen since the New York Islanders of the early 1980's.

Oh, did you think we were talking about the San Jose Sharks?

Well, looking over the path to glory Detroit began in 1995, one could very well map it onto the Sharks journey since 2007 and find some curiously similar story lines emerge.

The Sharks have been the Cup favorites of many hockey pundits at the beginning of the past two seasons, and with good reason.

They've assembled an outstanding team, featuring some of the best players in the league.

Their regular season dominance is staggering, absolutely NO ONE in the league looks forward to playing the Sharks.

Most importantly, there is no reason this team should NOT win. Looking over the roster, you'd be hard pressed to find any weaknesses.

But, the weaknesses that have prevented the Sharks from winning the Cup were not evident from the roster.

Granted, adding a sniper like Dany Heatley was a very needed move. But this team was as strong as any other in the league over the past few seasons.

No, the weakness this team has had is a lack of desperation and the belief that, if things don't work out this time, "we'll get 'em next year."

I think it's safe to say that, as of now, there is no "next year."

This was the same attitude the Red Wings had in 1996-97.

They got swept in the Cup finals in 1995 by New Jersey, despite being the odds-on favorite to win.

"We'll get 'em next year."

They got beat by the newly minted Colorado Avalanche in the 1996 semi-finals, despite winning a staggering 62 games in the regular season.

"We'll get 'em next year."

People started to write them off the following season because, why get burned again?

They should have won the past two years but didn't, why is this year going to be any different.

The Red Wings' answer?

"There is no next year."

It's hard to identify exactly how you know a team has reached this point, but, from watching the drama in Detroit unfold in the 90's, I can tell you the Sharks have "it" this year.

Maybe it's swagger.

Maybe it's confidence.

Maybe it's simply no longer being excited about scoring the goal that makes it a 6-1 win.

Maybe it's enjoying the fact that you're leading the league in points in November, but still feeling as if you've yet to accomplish anything.

Yes, the Sharks added Heatley to a line-up already boasting Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau. But they also added Scott Nichol and Manny Malhotra.

Not marquee players, but guys you absolutely need come playoff time.

Their "secondary-scorers" are Devin Setoguchi and Ryan Clowe. Players that would be go-to guys on many other teams.

They have Dan Boyle and Rob Blake on the blue-line.

Two guys who've won before and knows what it takes to do it again.

Evgeni Nabokov has been solid as a rock in goal. He may not be pitching a shutout every night, but he's giving his team the confidence to play their game and win.

They have all the pieces to prove to themselves and the rest of the league, they are the best team.

They are champions.

But they have more than that. They have the understanding that, there is no "next year."

The Heatley trade proved that.

This is it.

2010 is the year the Sharks hoist the Cup and may very well be the launch pad to many more.

If not, then this team will have played its last season together.

That's the feeling Detroit had in 1996-97, and they didn't want to see it come true.

There are no more tomorrows, no more chances, and no more excuses.

Like the Detroit Red Wings before them, they've gone through enough disappointments to know that, they have one and only one option: Winning the Stanley Cup.

Mark my words, as a long-time Red Wings fan, I know what a champion looks like.

The San Jose Sharks will win the Cup in June.

Read more San Jose Sharks news on BleacherReport.com

San Jose Sharks: Keeping Tabs On the 2009 Draft Picks

Jason Figueiredo-Dumpit — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 12:39:10 -0500

It has been five months since the 2009 NHL Draft took place, and unless your draft picks were named Tavares, Hedman, Duchene, or Kane, you have probably already forgotten who your team selected.

This definitely rings true for the San Jose Sharks. In the 2009 Draft, the Sharks didn’t pick until late in the second round and although San Jose has had great success in finding gems in these later rounds, it is easy for players to quickly slip through the cracks if we are not constantly reminded about how they are performing in the leagues that they are currently playing.

Here is a quick look at how the San Jose Sharks 2009 Draft Class is currently performing in this young hockey season.

William Wrenn, D – Second Round, 43th Overall Pick

Drafted for his outstanding play with the U.S National Under-18 Team, Wrenn is currently playing in his first year with University of Denver Pioneers.

The Anchorage Alaska native notched an assist in his second game and through nine games this season has collected three assists. Wrenn’s two-way play propelled him up draft boards this past offseason and while three assists isn’t exactly mind blowing, it is a decent start for a freshman in a brand new system.

He was praised by the International Scouting Services (ISS) as being “a good puck-moving d-man who [is] also one of the best defensively” and as the year moves along, continued improvement in all areas of his game should be witnessed.

Taylor Doherty, D – Second Round, 57thOverall Pick

Praised by many for his bruising play and his tremendous size, the 6'8", 218 lbs defenseman received comparisons to Zdeno Chara during the 2009 draft process. Taylor currently laces his skates for the Kingston Frontenacs in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) and is on pace to have a career season.

In his first two seasons with the Frontenacs, Doherty posted 20 points per season in just over 60 games each year. This season through 24 games, he already has 11 points (1G, 10A) and more importantly coaches are claiming he has learned to use his body more effectively.

Many don’t believe that Taylor will be an offensive defenseman in the next level and according to HockeyProspect.com, he still needs work with his mobility in high traffic areas. But Doherty's size is a great asset to have and watching him develop will be a treat.

Philip Varone, C – Fifth Round, 147thOverall Pick

A draft pick that many believed would go in the top-100, Varone unexpectedly dropped in the Central Scouting Rankings from 90th overall in their mid-season rankings to 172nd in their final rankings. This didn’t stop Tim Burke and the Sharks front offense from jumping on Philip when their turn finally came around again in the fifth round.

A point per game producer with the London Knights of the OHL the two seasons before the 2009 draft, Varone appears to be on pace to do more of the same this season.

Through 18 games, Varone has notched 15 assists in route to collecting 18 points. In the month of November, Philip has eight points so far, including a four assist night last week. He has only been held off the score sheet in five games this year and is currently tied for third on the Knights in points.

Marek Viedensky, C – Seventh Round, 189th Overall Pick

A solid 2009 World Juniors Tournament put this young center on the San Jose Sharks radar during the 2009 draft. Centering one of the top lines for Team Slovakia, Viedensky tallied four assist in seven games and appeared quite composed.

Last season for the Prince George Cougars in the Western Hockey League (WHL) Marek also dazzled the competition, putting up 40 points (16G, 24A) in 59 games.

This season he appears to be off to an outstanding start, collecting 13 assists and 15 points in 19 games with the Cougars. He currently leads Prince George in assist, points, and +/-.

Dominik Bielke, D – Seventh Round, 207th Overall Pick

Receiving praise from several of the Sharks players and staff for his play in Germany, the Sharks used their final pick of the 2009 draft on this, as Tim Burke put it, "big kid."

Weighting in at 190 lbs with a 6-foot-3 frame, Bielke will have a ton of time to develop in Germany’s Two Bundesliga league with the Dresden Ice Lions.

Through 11 games this season, Dominik is third on the Ice Lions in penalty minutes with 43.

Read more San Jose Sharks news on BleacherReport.com

San Jose Sharks: Adapting to Adversity Is Increasing Chemistry

Andy Bensch — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 18:09:41 -0500

When the San Jose Sharks take on the Nashville Predators tonight, they will be without forwards Devin Setoguchi and Brad Staubitz.

Setoguchi is day-to-day after tweaking the same lower body injury that kept him out of the lineup for about two weeks from Oct. 24 to Nov. 10, and Staubitz will be monitored carefully after taking a puck to the face in Monday's optional practice.

What does this mean for the league-leading Sharks? It means three forwards from Worcester have been recalled to play on the fourth line in tonight's game against the Preds.

Along with Logan Couture, who was sent down and called back up between Sunday's game in Chicago and tonight's game in Nashville, forwards Frazer McLaren and Benn Ferriero have also been recalled.

Now, if similar injuries had caused an entire line to be called up from the AHL last season, Sharks fans would have had a right to worry. Forwards like Tomas Plihal, Lukas Kaspar, and Tom Cavanagh didn't exactly put Sharks fans at ease when they got their shot a year ago.

However, fans have already seen quality play at the NHL level from all three of the forwards called up for tonight's game.

Ferriero performed admirably in 17 games before being sent back to Worcester, showing the flexibility to play on the second, third, and fourth lines. McLaren has played in just four games with the Sharks so far this season, but he had an impressive fight in the home opener against Columbus and his physical play along the boards was remarkable.

And Couture, a former first-round pick, scored his first NHL career goal that put the team up 1-0 against Detroit.

Sharks fans should look for this line to cause the Nashville defense some trouble down low with their size and speed.

But the injuries sustained over the last few days have given the Sharks much more than just a brand new fourth line combination.

With Setoguchi out of the lineup, three players in particular are moving up to a line where they have already demonstrated chemistry this season.

Ryane Clowe jumps back up to the first line with Joe Thornton and Dany Heatley, a combination that proved to be quite successful for a short stretch of games during Setoguchi's absence.

Taking Clowe's spot on the second line is Manny Malhotra, who once again joins up with Patrick Marleau. When Pavelski was hurt for 15 of the Sharks' 22 games, Malhotra and Marleau proved to be a dynamic duo no matter who was on the right side of their line.

Setoguchi and Ferriero both saw time alongside Marleau and Malhotra, so Joe Pavelski being in the mix shouldn't mean anything different.

Since Malhotra is bumped up to second line duty, the third line that had become a superb trio of veterans including Scott Nichol and Jed Ortmeyer has been broken up.

However, taking over Malhotra's spot on the left wing of that line will be none other than Jamie McGinn, whose majority of success this season has come from that spot.

When Malhotra was playing up on the second line earlier in the year, the combination of McGinn-Nichol-Ortmeyer was performing just as well, if not better, than the Malhotra-Nichol-Ortmeyer trio.

Granted no team wants to see any of their players hurt, but having to adapt and change up the lines has allowed Sharks head coach Todd McLellan to see what different combinations work well together.

In order to understand the benefit of multiple combinations that already have proven chemistry, it is important to look at a healthy Sharks lineup and how it can adapt to various injuries.

If healthy, (minus Torrey Mitchell who hasn't played in a regular season game in over a year) the Sharks forward lines look as follows:

Heatley-Thornton-Setoguchi

Clowe-Marleau-Pavelski

Malhotra-Nichol-Ortmeyer

McGinn-Couture-Staubitz

But what if, say, Pavelski suffers an injury? The Sharks don't have to fret. The alteration has two simple scenarios.

Scenario One: Top line remains the same, and the following changes occur:

Malhotra-Marleau-Clowe becomes the second line, McGinn-Nichol-Ortmeyer becomes the third line, and McLaren-Couture-Staubitz becomes the fourth line. Now whether Shelley, Vesce, Ferriero, or McLaren take over the left-wing on the fourth line isn't vital.

The important thing for the Sharks is that the second and third lines still have chemistry out on the ice.

Scenario Two: With Pavelski out, McLellan may decide to flip-flop Setoguchi and Clowe.

This move would create lines of Heatley-Thornton-Clowe, Malhotra-Marleau-Setoguchi, McGinn-Nichol-Ortmeyer, McLaren-Couture-Staubitz.

Now what if Setoguchi and Staubitz are out with injury? Well, since tonight's game will have both right-wingers out of action, the following adaptations will take place:

Heatley-Thornton-Clowe

Malhotra-Marleau-Pavelski

McGinn-Nichol-Ortmeyer

McLaren-Couture-Ferriero.

With this lineup, the top three lines still have a clear chemistry despite not being the normal groupings.

Plus, if the Sharks come out slow, McLellan could always bump Ferriero up to the second-line alongside Marleau and Pavelski. He would then drop Malhotra back down to his familiar spot on the third line with Nichol and Ortmeyer and subsequently put the more experienced McGinn down on the fourth line to give the group some extra physicality.

The benefit of multiple players having chemistry with various linemates will allow McLellan extra flexibility which will be especially valuable come playoff time.

Unlike last season where the top two lines of Marleau-Thornton-Setoguchi and Michalek-Pavelski-Clowe were almost entirely set in stone for the majority of the season, the Sharks now don't have to worry as much about injuries.

If anyone of the top-six were to have gone down with an injury last year or if the lines got stale, there wasn't a clear Plan B to get the scoring lines going.

Since the top-six from last season were relatively healthy, the lines hardly ever changed.

But when it came to the end of the regular season and playoffs last year, injuries and poor play saw the top two lines have a huge drop-off in production.

The problem was that McLellan didn't have any other options. Was Mike Grier, Travis Moen, or a 39-year-old Jeremy Roenick going to jump up to top line duty and change anything?

Neither Grier nor Moen had the skill level to play on the top two scoring lines, and although Roenick had the skill, he was simply just too beat up to play a full game as part of a scoring trio.

Fortunately for McLellan and the Sharks, the injury bug has hit in the beginning of the year this season as opposed to right before the playoffs.

Consequently, even though the season is less than two months old, the Sharks already have numerous line combinations that work well together.

This ability to adapt without some of their top-tier players has given San Jose an advantage most teams don't have. Most teams with significant injuries have struggled to start the season but the Sharks continue to look like they never miss a beat despite missing someone from their lineup.

Granted no coach will say injuries help their team in the short run, but coaches will always say it allows them to try different combinations and get extended looks at younger players.

In the case of the Sharks, those different combinations and younger players are allowing them to flourish in the face of adversity.

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Shark Attack: San Jose's Dany Heatley Proves To Be Dynamic Scorer

Nick Burger — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 23:28:42 -0500

When you think about NHL snipers, you probably think about their booming slap shots and their quick wrister nailing the open corner of the net.

San Jose Sharks' left winger Dany Heatley can do those things, and he has done all those things as well as any sniper in the league throughout his seven-year career.

The native of Freiburg, West Germany has scored 50 goals twice in his career, and has accumulated 275 goals in 529 NHL regular season contests.

But Heatley is a versatile goal-scorer. In 22 games this season, Dany Heatley has scored 14 goals and 23 points on the Sharks' top offensive line.

The 28-year-old is currently on pace to score close to 50 goals this season. This would be his third time accomplishing reaching the 50-goal plateau.

His 14 goals this season has him tied for first in the league right now, and he has been hovering around the top five in goals for most of the season.

Heatley's 14 goals are only equaled by Anze Kopitar of the Los Angeles Kings and Alexander Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals.

Heatley finished the 2008-09 season ninth in the NHL with 39 goals for the Ottawa Senators. One goal ahead of current teammate Patrick Marleau.

As "Heater" has simply stated numerous times this season, "I like to shoot the puck."

The 6-foot-4, 221-pound winger has probably said that in a majority of his interviews since arriving in San Jose, but he has certainly been true to his word.

Although Heatley has showcased his howitzer of a shot and pin-point accuracy on numerous occasions, he has shown that he can find different ways to score.

Yes, No. 15 has scored some highlight reel goals this season, but he has also done some things that weren't advertised to Sharks' fans when he was traded from the Ottawa Senators for forwards Milan Michalek, Jonathan Cheechoo, and a second round pick in the 2010 NHL entry draft.

I'll just say right now that, as a Sharks' fan and Bay Area resident, I only got to see Heatley play for the Senators and Atlanta Thrashers once in a blue moon.

For that reason, my knowledge of Heatley's style of play and strategy for goal scoring prior to landing in the Bay Area wasn't very high. However, I did know about his spectacular offensive prowess.

But enough about me.

The point is that the hopeful for Canada's Olympic team has been willing to find certain ways to score that some sharp shooters aren't willing to do.

That method pertains to the old adage: "go to the net."

As an old hockey coach of mine has said of that strategy, "it's not rocket science."

And the former Senator and Thrasher certainly knows that.

Sure, Heatley might not be as tenacious or agitating in the corners as guys like Scott Nichol and other energy players, but he has shown that he is willing to pay the price in front of the net to light the lamp.

Of Heatley's 14 goals this season, he has scored 10 of them below the hash marks in front of the opposing net.

That's not to say that those goals have all been of the garbage variety, but they have been those "will, not skill" goals that head coach Todd McLellan iterates to his team on a constant basis.

The other four goals notched by the perennial all-star were a slap shot for his first goal of the season against the Kings, a one-timer at home against the Minnesota Wild, another one-timer in Chicago against the Blackhawks, and his hat-trick-clinching goal against the Columbus Blue Jackets on a penalty shot.

To bottom line all of this, the Calder Trophy-winner in the 2001-02 season as the NHL's top rookie hasn't been the typical "pure goal-scorer" that Sharks' fans might have expected.

Some of the finesse players in the league don't like standing in front of the net to score the ugly goals that Detroit Red Wing's left winger Tomas Holmstrom has trademarked during his 12-year career.

But don't tell that to Dany Heatley.

Despite his skill and bomb of a shot, this Sharks' first line sniper has worked as hard for his goals as teammate Jed Ortmeyer has on the third line.

Suffice to say, Heatley is not the only sniper in the league who has a nose for the net.

But not all big-time goal-scorers like Heatley are willing to take the punishment in front of the net in order to score.

After getting off to somewhat of a slow start this season, if one could call eight and a half periods without scoring "slow," Heatley now leads team teal in goals and has been the big gun the San Jose expected him to be when they acquired him just before training camp started.

The 50-goal scorer's determination to find the back of the net at all cost is what has made him one of the premier goal-scorers in the NHL.

Heatley's ability to score goals in different ways makes him even more dangerous for the Sharks.

His style of play and approach to offense might be what the Sharks need to get over the hump.

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Why the San Jose Sharks Are Finally More Than Just Joe Thornton

Andy Bensch — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 21:48:55 -0500

In just about two weeks the anniversary of the blockbuster trade that brought the then Boston Bruin Joe Thornton to San Jose will pass us by.

It will mark the fourth full year in which Thornton has been a member of team teal. Now despite his knack for staying healthy, (hasn't missed a game as a Shark) Thornton suffering an injury has been what the San Jose faithful have dreaded for the majority of those four years.

Prior to this season, it was quite common to hear fans in the Bay Area claim "the Sharks are good but they are screwed if Thornton gets hurt."

And those fans spoke the truth. If the seemingly unbreakable Joe Thornton were to have suffered a lengthy injury, San Jose would have been a playoff bubble team at best.

However, you won't hear a single Sharks fan making that claim this season. Losing Joe Thornton would be a significant loss if the former Hart Trophy winner went down with injury, but it wouldn't be catastrophic.

In fact, even without "Jumbo Joe," the Sharks probably end up fighting for a top-five playoff spot in the West.

The Sharks finally have a well-rounded team that can easily adapt on the fly.

First and foremost for the new team aspect of the Sharks is the addition of superstar Dany Heatley.

The two-time 50 goal scorer averages more than a point per game for his career and has been everything as advertised when the Sharks acquired him this past offseason.

In 22 games this season, Heatley has tallied 14 goals and 23 points, helping lead San Jose to the best record in the NHL.

However, Heatley's acquisition isn't even half of the reason why this year's Sharks team doesn't have to rely on Thornton.

What actually makes the Sharks so much more of an all-around hockey club is their depth throughout the lineup. And that depth begins with the emergence of Joe Pavelski and Devin Setoguchi.

It was only just two years ago during the 2007-08 season where Pavelski and Setoguchi were both new kids on the block. Pavelski was in his second year, (first full season) and Setoguchi was a rookie.

Both forwards combined for just 57 points that year and the Sharks were bounced from the playoffs in the Western Conference semifinals by the Dallas Stars.

Last season Pavelski and Setoguchi combined for 124 points. Now injuries are going to limit both players to less than a full season this year, but adjusting their current paces to a full season of play, the now veteran forwards are once again on fire.

Pavelski is on pace for a 95 point season over 82 games, and Setoguchi is on pace for 58 points. Simply doing the adding, the duo is on pace for 153 points (again, if they could play in 82 games).

The performance of these forwards begs the following question: If you're the opposing team, who are you going to stop?

Take away Joe Thornton, and you have to deal with Dany Heatley, take away Heatley, deal with Patrick Marleau, take away Marleau, deal with Ryane Clowe etc.

However, along with the aforementioned Pavelski and Setoguchi, those forwards are merely the top-six for San Jose. Unlike years past, they don't account for all the Sharks' scoring.

Energy guys on the third and fourth lines like Manny Malhotra, Jed Ortmeyer, and Jamie McGinn have chipped in more than enough offense considering their main jobs involve simply bringing energy and playing solid defensively.

When an opponent's top defensemen are busy defending the Sharks' powerful scoring threats, the energy lines for San Jose typically have lots of room to grind out shifts along the boards in the offensive zone.

Each line the Sharks throw out this season can bring the intensity, and they all usually hold the puck in the offensive zone much longer than they have to spend defending it in their own zone.

Unfortunately, it wasn't always that way. During recent seasons the Sharks were primarily a three-line team, especially in the playoffs.

Jody Shelley and his mix and match group on the fourth line was seldom used over the past few years, but San Jose finally has the depth to roll all four lines much more fluidly.

But not only do the Sharks have depth in their starting lineup, they have talented players waiting to crack the lineup. Along with the injured Torrey Mitchell, there are a bunch of other talented forwards who have made significant contributions even though they currently aren't in the lineup.

Depth-wise, Sharks forwards 13-18 have chipped in with 14 points this season. Ryan Vesce, Benn Ferriero, Jody Shelley, Logan Couture, and Frazer McLaren have combined for 14 points, almost three each on average. Fourteen points from that group speaks volumes about the contributions throughout the entire roster.

In terms of players stepping up due to injury, it has been none other than Vesce making the biggest impact. With Pavelski hurt and Setoguchi dropped down to the second line, Vesce scored in three straight games playing on the top line.

No matter who goes down with injury, the Sharks have been well-suited to take the blow in stride and keep putting forth quality effort after quality effort.

Therefore, even if the "Big Cup of Joe" were to miss a stretch of games, this Sharks team could actually fare well without him if needed.

The most telling sign of this is that Thornton has only had the primary assist on two of Heatley's 14 goals so far this season, and just on six total.

Dan Boyle on the other hand has had the primary assist on four Heatley tallies and seven in total.

Healtey's ability to find the open spot on the ice has even made rookie defenseman Jason Demers look like a Dan Boyle clone when he tipped in a sweet pass from Demers in the game against Colorado.

Simply put, it doesn't matter who is passing to the Shark sniper, he is going to score his goals.

But to be fair, it is the regular season and we have seen this type of domination from the Sharks before. However, the ability to spread the wealth this season has not been seen since Thornton's arrival.

So far this year a stronger team vibe has been evident on the ice. Whether that is truly the case or not, well, we as outsiders can only speculate.

But with contributions coming from every single player reporters can find in the Sharks locker room, and even some down at the Sharks AHL affiliate in Worcester, this San Jose team feels different.

That new vibe is why a significant portion of both fans and experts believe this might finally be the year where the Sharks break through for extended playoff success.

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