2009-10 NHL Season Preview: San Jose Sharks

by James Mirtle on Sep 27, 2009 11:00 AM CDT Comment 19 comments

Who's in: Dany Heatley, Manny Malhotra, Scott Nichol, Jed Ortmeyer
Who's out: Brian Boucher, Jonathan Cheechoo, Christian Ehrhoff, Marcel Goc, Mike Grier, Claude Lemieux, Brad Lukowich, Milan Michalek, Travis Moen, Tomas Plihal, Jeremy Roenick, Alexei Semenov

Outlook: Pressed flush against the salary cap all summer, the Sharks stood pat well into August, adding only checker Scott Nichol via free agency and locking up Rob Blake, Kent Huskins and Ryane Clowe on new contracts. Exiting stage left were really only minor parts, however, with Mike Grier and Travis Moen constituting the biggest losses in the early going.

GM Doug Wilson swung for the fences in September, however, landing sniper Dany Heatley in exchange for similar salaries in Milan Michalek and Jonathan Cheechoo, and his presence up front gives Joe Thornton an elite trigger man. In order to ease the cap crunch, Wilson also dumped some major salary in a deal to Vancouver, shuttling out defencemen Christian Ehrhoff and Brad Lukowich for depth prospects.

A lot went right for San Jose last season, including the fact seven players topped 50 points, so much of coach Todd McLellan's challenge will be in simply getting his troops to perform up to the same level. This is a team down considerable depth throughout the lineup, and injuries to key performers could potentially be devastating given how top heavy this crew is. The signing of Manny Malhotra will help, especially defensively, but how players like Torrey Mitchell and Jamie McGinn fare in much larger roles will be a factor.

(Not having a veteran backup for Evgeni Nabokov could also come back to bite the Sharks, although that's a sacrifice more and more teams are making due to the salary cap.)

Ultimately, because of what's happening with the teams in the Pacific Division, however, San Jose is the easy favourite to again win the division and finish near the top of the Western Conference. Bringing in Heatley could be a home run if he pots 60 goals alongside Thornton, but his salary and recent history brings along with it some cause for concern.

Make no mistake, this is a good team — but one not without some warts.

X-factor: Joe Pavelski

For a more in-depth Sharks preview, visit Fear The Fin
For more NHL analysis, check out the McKeen's Hockey Yearbook

Poll

Where will the Sharks finish in the Western Conference this season?

1

163 votes

2

99 votes

3

38 votes

4

16 votes

5

8 votes

6

4 votes

7

0 votes

8

5 votes

9

1 votes

10

2 votes

11

1 votes

12

0 votes

13

0 votes

14

0 votes

15

12 votes

349 votes | Poll has closed

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Comments

One vote for 15th. :)

I wonder if it’s the same person voting in every poll that whatever team is previewed is going to be in dead last?

"For myself I am an optimist - it does not seem to be much use being anything else." -- Winston S. Churchill

by Baroque on Sep 27, 2009 11:48 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

There’s multiple people like that.

I voted 2nd. Detroit’ll beat ’em.

by red army line on Sep 27, 2009 1:14 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I wouldnt be surprised if both Detroit and the NW winner beat them.

The Sharks are living off the legacy of a ridiculous first half last year, but they were a very pedestrian team in the second half.

by Resolute on Sep 27, 2009 1:23 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Plus Anaheim, Dallas, and LAK will be better.

by red army line on Sep 28, 2009 9:31 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Also, very injured in the second half. They had at least 6 roster players injured for the entirety of March, with 10 players injured at one point. That amount of injuries all at once would slow down any team.

"I think I realized after the second or third punch, I should have taken his helmet off sooner." - Ryane Clowe
Proud member of the "Don't Trade Marleau" Club
Fools and Sages

by mymclife on Sep 28, 2009 12:42 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Those are some frightening eyes.

The Daily Forehand -- SB Nation's Tennis Destination.
Broad Street Hockey.

by Ben Rothenberg on Sep 27, 2009 1:17 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

The dilated pupil is scary, yeah.

Now, you can follow my uninteresting life on Twitter.

by Nael M. on Sep 27, 2009 2:18 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Even scarier with red-eye. Terminator.

by Bosc Ulrich on Sep 28, 2009 5:16 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

They’re no Jonathon Toews eyes. Those are freakin scary.

Hockey blogging can't get any flatter.

by saskhab on Sep 27, 2009 3:26 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Anyone think that they won’t win their division? It’s tough to see a legitimate challenger to their Pacific Division title.

Hockey blogging can't get any flatter.

by saskhab on Sep 27, 2009 3:25 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

I think they'll struggle early...

with all the lineup changes, 9 of 12 on the road to start, questionable defensive depth and no legitimate backup goalie. But this is easily a 100-110 point team as configured now.

by bison on Sep 27, 2009 5:11 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs