San Jose Sharks: 5 Bold Predictions for 2011-2012

After a terrific 2010-2011 regular season, the San Jose Sharks were once again defeated in the Western Conference Finals. This left many fans (including me) wondering, will they ever win a Stanley Cup?

GM Doug Wilson probably heard their cries. His remodeling of the team has given fans some hope—a chance for a fresh start. The key additions of Brent Burns and Martin Havlat, along with the underrated signings of Michal Handzus, Colin White and Jim Vandermeer have the Sharks poised for yet another playoff run. The only question is, will they win it all?

With that in mind, here are five bold predictions for 2011-2012.

1. The Sharks Will Have the Greatest Defensive Depth in the NHL

Here is what the Sharks are working with on defense:

Brent Burns

Dan Boyle

Jason Demers

Marc-Edouard Vlasic

Douglas Murray

Colin White

Jim Vandermeer

Justin Braun

Before this offseason, this was a team that was criticized for its lack of defensive depth, and the lack of a shutdown defensive pair. With the acquisitions of White, Burns and Vandermeer, they've got three terrific defensemen.

White should be a huge boost to the Sharks blue line. From my fellow FC Scott Semmier of Bleacher Report:

"

He is exactly what the Sharks needed this offseason—a big man that can play physical in front of the net.

If you are the San Joe Sharks, White is just what the doctor ordered. He brings a physical aspect to the ice and he can be that policeman on the ice to deal with any shots taken at some of San Jose's more premiere players.

"

Burns, acquired in a trade for Devin Setoguchi, should shoulder some of the load off of Dan Boyle, who was the Sharks' only offensive threat on defense. Burns put up 17 goals last year, and should play alongside Boyle on the power play. 

Vlasic and Murray, two of the staples of the Sharks, should round out the top four in terms of playing time. Vlasic is a very underrated defenseman, and Murray is an absolute monster on the ice.

It will be interesting to see which defensive pair gets more playing time: White and Vandermeer, or Braun and Demers. The aforementioned White, along with the veteran Vandermeer provide some excellent experience, but the young pair of Braun and Demers are energetic and should develop into excellent blueliners.

Whichever way you put it, the San Jose Sharks have the most defensive depth in the NHL.

2. Torrey Mitchell Will Have a Career Season

Mitchell showed flashes of brilliance last season, including the highlight-reel goal above. Mitchell played in just 56 and 66 games, respectively, in the past two seasons as a result of injuries.

He notched 10 goals in his rookie season, and he will look to get back on track.

From Kevin Kurz of csnbayarea.com:

"

At 26 years old, Mitchell is at the point in his career where he needs to produce, or risk losing his place in an NHL lineup. He’s shown flashes of scoring ability, but has been hampered by injuries over the past few years that may have affected his explosiveness. There’s even an outside chance he could get a look on one of the top two lines, if McLellan is trying to balance out his attack.

"

3. Antti Niemi and Antero Niittymaki Will Compete for Playing Time

Despite being the starter for most of the season and the playoffs, Antti Niemi's job is not safe. Because of injury, Antero Niittymaki was limited to just 24 games played but still finished 12-7 with a solid 2.72 GAA. 

At times, Niemi faltered in the playoffs (giving up four goals in game three vs. L.A.), and he failed to do what he did with the Blackhawks in 2010: Win a Stanley Cup.

Niemi is penciled in as the opening night starter, but expect to see Niittymaki get more starts than a normal backup would. Also, don't forget Thomas Greiss, who signed with the Sharks after a brief stint overseas. Or for that matter, Alex Stalock, who was superb for the Worcester Sharks last season.

It will be interesting to see how this plays out. 

4. Martin Havlat Will Have a Career Season

Sometimes, a change of scenery is all it takes for a player to blossom. For the past five years, Havlat has played for the Chicago Blackhawks and more recently, the Minnesota Wild.

Havlat will most probably play on the first line with Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau. He has never played with a great playmaker like Thornton before, and this should boost his goal total. Just look at what Joe did with Jonathan Cheechoo, helping him win the Rocket Richard Trophy in 2005-2006 with 56 goals.

Now, people might ask, "What about Dany Heatley? He played with Joe Thornton and never really reached his potential in goals." Heatley was also a playmaker. He created scoring opportunities by himself, not with the help of his teammates. Havlat, on the other hand, is a fast, skilled winger who gets in good position to receive a pass and score a goal.

The bottom line: If you play on the same line as Joe Thornton, you're bound to have a great season.

Let's hope that holds true for Havlat.

5. The Sharks Will Have a Chance to Bring a Stanley Cup to San Jose

Not really a bold prediction, but face it—many predictions made a month before the season starts don't pan out.

If the Sharks stay healthy (and that's a big if) and everything on this slideshow holds true, then the Sharks have a shot at winning the Stanley Cup. They might make some moves along the way, but the core of this team is already developed.

The truth is, this franchise has waited too long for a championship. Players such as Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau have worked their tails off for the past decade but have not touched hockey's holy grail. It's time for the Sharks to rally behind their leaders and win one, just one, for the city and its fans.