San Jose Sharks: 10 Reasons the Offense Is Clicking WIthout Dany Heatley

The San Jose Sharks boast a new-look group of forwards this season after dealing snipers Devin Setoguchi and Dany Heatley to the Minnesota Wild over the summer. 

The two wingers—Heatley in particular—were integral pieces of San Jose's top six last year, and their departure has required head coach Todd McLellan to significantly alter his offense.

Though many expected the Sharks to struggle without two of their top goal scorers, they have managed to produce offensively early in the season, even without newly-acquired winger Martin Havlat, who missed the first four games of the season due to a lingering shoulder injury. 

Here are 10 reasons why San Jose remains an offensive powerhouse in the absence of Heatley, who was previously their second-best goal scorer.   

10. Chemistry Between Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau

Two-thirds of the San Jose Sharks' top line remains intact.

Dany Heatley spent most of the last two seasons riding shotgun on a line with world-class playmaker Joe Thornton and speedy sniper Patrick Marleau. 

During that time, Marleau netted considerably more goals than Heatley, and Thornton led the entire team in points. 

The two most important players on that line are still on the team and have routinely put their tremendous chemistry on display. Don't expect that to change anytime soon.  

9. Logan Couture Ready for Bigger Role

Logan Couture enjoyed a terrific breakout season last year, potting 32 goals and earning a Calder Trophy nomination in the process.

He's now penciled in as the San Jose Sharks' second-line center and will be relied upon to continue producing at a high level. 

The two-way pivot has looked strong so far this season, centering power forward Ryane Clowe and shifty winger Martin Havlat, who recently suited up for his first game as a Shark after fully recovering from a shoulder injury. 

The tremendous amount of talent Couture possesses, coupled with two skilled and experienced linemates, will help him play a key role in generating secondary scoring for the Sharks this season. 

8. Michal Handzus Provides Scoring Depth from Third Line

After spending four seasons with the division rival Los Angeles Kings, Michal Handzus signed a two-year contract with the San Jose Sharks in July and has been slotted into the lineup as the club's third-line center. 

The 34-year-old Slovak lacks high-end speed, but he makes valuable contributions to the team in all three zones and is a severely underrated scorer. 

Handzus has already potted two goals in seven games for San Jose this season and has earned himself some ice time on the power play. He managed back-to-back 42-point campaigns with the Kings in 2008-09 and 2009-10 and registered 30 points last year.

Though he's relied on to kill penalties and play a physical, defensively responsible game, Handzus will provide the Sharks with secondary scoring and a big body to stick in front of the net on the power play. 

7. Dan Boyle Continues to Be Elite Playmaker from Point

Dan Boyle isn't a forward, but he is an integral part of the San Jose Sharks' power play and often leads the rush into the offensive zone. 

Easily one of the NHL's top puck-moving rearguards, Boyle has put up more than 50 points each of the last three seasons as a Shark.

He has also been extremely productive offensively during the postseason, where he registered 14 points in 15 games in 2009-10 and 16 points in 18 games last season. 

At 35, Boyle is approaching the end of his career, and it won't be long until he's incapable of producing at such a high rate. For now, though, he's San Jose's power-play quarterback and the catalyst of their offense.

The Sharks won't struggle to put up points as long as they have Boyle controlling the play from the point. 

6. Offense More Dynamic Without Dany Heatley

Other than his hard shot and quick release, Dany Heatley doesn't bring a whole lot to the table.

He's a slow skater, he isn't physical, his defensive play is mediocre and he often looks disinterested when the puck isn't on his stick. 

The absence of the one-dimensional sniper allows the coaching staff to put together balanced lines consisting of players who complement each other and who are skilled in various areas.

The San Jose Sharks' new-look second line, for example, consists of three very different forwards who excel at more than one thing and whose play styles go very well together.

Ryane Clowe brings physicality, puck control and strong board-play, Logan Couture provides goal scoring, strong defensive play and terrific vision and Martin Havlat is a crafty playmaker who plays a responsible two-way game and possesses exceptional speed.

Each of San Jose's four forward lines is crafted in this fashion, creating a dynamic offensive unit capable of producing in any given situation.   

5. Joe Pavelski Emerging as First-Line Talent

Coming off a stellar 2010-11 season in which he tallied a career-high 66 points, Joe Pavelski is quickly transitioning from solid second-liner to exceptional first-liner. 

The Wisconsin native already has a team-leading eight points, including six goals in just six games played so far this season on the San Jose Sharks' first line. 

Pavelski is a big-minute player who is used in all situations as a key penalty killer and a potent power-play scorer. He's a key player for the Sharks and, at just 27 years old, is only now entering the prime years of his career.

Look for Little Joe to fill the void created by Dany Heatley's departure on the first line and come close to scoring a point per game this season.  

4. Increasing Chemistry Between Ryane Clowe and Logan Couture

Two essential components to the San Jose Sharks' top six, Ryane Clowe and Logan Couture first played on a line together last year and instantly developed strong chemistry.

Now, the two forwards seem to feed off one another and slump when separated.

It shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone, then, that Clowe registered a career-high 24 goals and 62 points last season while playing on Couture's wing. Couture obviously benefited, as well, as demonstrated by the 32 goals he potted last season. 

Clowe and Couture are two very different players who play the game in distinct ways, but their styles mesh extremely well together, and they seem to make each other better. 

3. Brent Burns Provides New Scoring Option

The consensus regarding Brent Burns is that he is a physical, smooth-skating, two-way defenseman.

While he does possess those traits, the truth is that Burns is almost impossible to label because he is so unpredictable and tends to be all over the ice. 

His adventurousness gets him into trouble at times, but Burns is a rare breed who can be a highly-effective scorer if utilized properly, which he proved last season with an impressive 17 goals.

Burns brings an element to the San Jose Sharks blue line that they didn't have last year and haven't had at any point in franchise history.

He is a legitimate scoring threat who can contribute on both ends of the ice, and he will undoubtedly help make up for some of the goal-scoring prowess lost by moving Dany Heatley.   

2. Martin Havlat Brings Elite Speed and Playmaking Abilities to Lineup

Acquired from the Minnesota Wild in exchange for Dany Heatley this offseason, Martin Havlat is a world-class skater and crafty puck handler.

He has an uncanny ability to create scoring opportunities out of nothing, and his quick hands and terrific vision allow him to find his teammates and dish the puck effectively.

Because he is such a dynamic player in all three zones, Havlat will play a key role on the team this year as a scorer, a leader and a defensively responsible veteran.

He is exactly what the San Jose Sharks were lacking in their top six last season and his compete level, which is much higher than Heatley's, will help the Sharks come playoff time.

Which leads me to my final point...   

1. Dany Heatley's Absence Should Change Locker Room Culture in Positive Ways

Dany Heatley's off-ice antics throughout his career have been well documented.

While playing for the Atlanta Thrashers early in his career, Heatley got into a severe car accident that claimed the life of passenger and teammate Dan Snyder.

He promptly requested a trade and was shipped to the Ottawa Senators.

After four successful seasons with Ottawa, including two back-to-back 50-goal campaigns, Heatley complained about his new role on the team as assigned by newly-hired head coach Cory Clouston and publicly requested a trade soon after.

The no-trade clause included in his contract, however, allowed him to opt out of a trade to a team that he had no interest in playing for, effectively handcuffing general manager Bob Murray. The Senators were offered an enticing package from the Edmonton Oilers, but Heatley nixed the deal and was eventually dealt to the San Jose Sharks for a much smaller return.

As a Shark, Heatley failed to regain his elite form as one of the league's top snipers and displayed poor work ethic.

He frequently lagged behind the play, refused to play physical and disappeared in important situations, managing just three goals and six assists in 18 playoff games last season. 

Perhaps the greatest way in which San Jose has improved as a team is by ridding themselves of a player who rarely performs to his potential and who has a tendency to falter when needed most.

Without Heatley, the Sharks' top two lines consist of six players who compete on more than one end of the ice and who skate hard, hit hard and play reliable two-way games.

Sam Kelly is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report. You can follow him on Twitter @samkelly10.