As I mentioned in Part 1 of my "Top Ten Greatest San Jose Sharks" series of posts, it was very difficult for me to narrow down my list of players. Over the years, the Sharks have had a number of notable players wear the teal jersey. In fact, there were a lot of big names that did not make my top ten that could end up in the Hockey Hall of Fame; such as Teemu Selanne or Ed Belfour. Unfortunately, neither made my list because both of their stays were rather short and they did not do much to impact the organization. However, the exact opposite can be said of my choice for Number 1...
San Jose, CA - Friday night, the San Jose Sharks battled the Phoenix Coyotes for the final time this season. Though Phoenix did well to keep the game close through the first period, Team Teal proved to be too much and defeated the Coyotes by a final score of 4 - 2.
As expected, a San Jose Shark will often make an impact off-the-ice as well as on-the-ice. Players participate in community events and charity functions, but this is not the off-ice impact that I am speaking of...I am referring to the impact a player has on an organization and its fans because of their on-ice play. In some cases, one single player can change the future of an entire franchise and when something like this occurs, it only makes sense for me to put them in my top four best San Jose Sharks of all time.
The next three San Jose Sharks are on the list because of their solid, consistent contributions over the years. Though I gave them a specific rank of 5, 6, or 7 (within my top ten best San Jose Sharks list), any one of them could have easily jumped into the top four.
San Jose, CA - On Wednesday night, the San Jose Sharks defeated the Los Angeles Kings by a final score of 3 - 1. Thanks to captain Patrick Marleau and his two goals, Team Teal was able to collect two more points in the standings. With only five games left, the Sharks are quickly running out of time in their pursuit of first place Anaheim who is currently two points ahead. Fortunately for San Jose, tonight's win clinched a playoff berth regardless of whether or not they win the Pacific Division.
Over the years, San Jose Sharks history has been filled with both ups and downs. However, no matter how bad things were, Sharks fans have consistently remained loyal to their players in teal. The San Jose Sharks are a relatively young franchise (established 1991), but I don't think it is too early to create a Top Ten Greatest San Jose Sharks list. In fact, I found it rather tough to pick my top ten.
Raleigh, NC - The San Jose Sharks fell to the Stanley Cup Champion, Carolina Hurricanes, on Saturday afternoon by a final score of 6 - 4. Though Team Teal competed well in the third period, it was not enough to overcome the early deficit. After putting themselves in a deep hole by the end of the first period, the Sharks comeback came too late.
Atlanta, GA - Thursday night, the San Jose Sharks defeated the Atlanta Thrashers by a final score of 5 - 1 at Philips Arena. In front of a crowd of 16,367 people, Joe Thornton, Jonathan Cheechoo, and Milan Michalek showcased their talent by scoring a total of 10 points (4 goals and 6 assists). Over the last two games, this line has produced 18 total points.
Chicago, IL - Wednesday evening, the San Jose Sharks defeated the Chicago Blackhawks by a score of 4 - 1. The quick-paced game was the last meeting of the season between these two clubs; Team Teal swept the series 4 - 0. Though the Blackhawks competed well early, Jonathan Cheechoo, Milan Michalek, and Joe Thornton proved to be too much, posting a total of 8 points on the night.
As a graduate of Bellarmine (1995), I consistently scan the Mercury News for articles about my beloved alma mater. Known for our solid sports program (especially soccer), Bellarmine has always offered numerous sports to their students. Unfortunately for me, ice hockey was not an option when I was there, but things have changed.
Denver, CO - On Sunday evening, the San Jose Sharks lost in OT to the Colorado Avalanche by a final score of 4 - 3. Though Team Teal had a one goal lead going into the 3rd period, the Avs came back to steal the two points that were up for grabs. Evgeni Nabokov did his best by stopping 36 of 40 shots on goal, but it was not enough to extend San Jose's winning streak to five.
San Jose, CA - On Friday night, the San Jose Sharks defeated the Columbus Blue Jackets by a score of 3 - 0. In Vesa Toskala's return to the ice, Team Teal showed some weariness, but was still able to gain the needed two points. Fortunately, the San Jose goaltender came up big, turning away 35 shots for the Sharks' fourth shutout in the last seven games.
Glendale, AZ - The San Jose Sharks continued their winning ways by defeating the struggling Phoenix Coyotes, by a score of 5 - 1. Coach Wayne Gretzky's team was simply overmatched in almost every aspect of the game and could not get anything going until the third period, but by then, it was too late.
Since Drew Remenda left for Canada, there has been a lot of chatter about new host Amy Gutierrez. After reading a thread on Chompboard.com, I've realized that many people would like to see someone with more hockey knowledge hosting the show, but hockey knowledge is only a part of what makes a good host.
San Jose, CA - On Tuesday night, the San Jose Sharks embarrassed the Chicago Blackhawks by demolishing them 7 - 1 on a nationally televised game. Team Teal showed a lot of energy and had the Blackhawks chasing the puck the entire night.
Given the current standings, any of the top four teams would be a tough first round matchup. The Nashville Predators lead the league in points, the Anaheim Ducks are not far behind (and have handled the Sharks pretty well all season), the Vancouver Canucks are absolutely on fire with Luongo, and the Detroit Red Wings are an annual Stanley Cup favorite with their All-star defensemen.
Steve Bernier scored a 1st period goal, giving Team Teal the early lead. Though the Oilers had a number of injuries and were all struggling with the flu, they kept the game very tight up until the 3rd period. With less than four minutes remaining in the game, Kyle McLaren blasted a slapper over Roloson's shoulder to extend the lead to two. With little time left, the Oilers pulled Roloson which eventually led to an empty-netter scored by Matt Carle; his 10th on the season.
San Jose, CA - On Friday night, the San Jose Sharks lost to the Vancouver Canucks, 2-1, in front of a hometown crowd. According to Victor Chi's article, in today's Mercury News, "Henrik Sedin popped in the winner by batting home his own rebound after Evgeni Nabolov, who finished with 35 saves, stopped him on a breakaway."
David Pollack's article, in today's Mercury News, takes a look at Coach Ron Wilson's current goalie situation. Even though Evgeni Nabokov has posted over 126 minutes of shutout hockey, it does not mean that he is the new official starting goalie...nor should it. Granted, Nabby has been hot lately, but he is still only 4-5-1 in his last 10 games. Even Nabokov himself said, "It's only been a few games or whatever...let's not rush to make any conclusions."
Since the trade, Bill Guerin has played in four games with the San Jose Sharks. While adding experience and even more depth to the lineup, he has consistently played hard each and every night. Unfortunately, averaging just over two shots a game, Guerin still has yet to find the back of the net.
According to Tom Powers' article, found at Twincities.com, size played a large role in the San Jose Sharks' 3-0 victory over the Minnesota Wild. It's well-known that the Sharks are the largest team in the NHL, averaging 213 pounds per player, but what makes Team Teal even better is its skill and youth. The Sharks are truly set up to make a strong run at the Stanley Cup this year and it is nice to know that other teams recognize it.
St. Paul, MN - On their last stop of a three game road trip, the San Jose Sharks used speed, puck possession, and great goaltending to defeat the Minnesota Wild, 3 to 0. Most of the night, the Sharks were able to put pressure on the Minnesota defense and kept the majority of the play in the Wild defensive zone.
An article on the Dallas Stars Homepage, written by John Tranchina, gives readers insight into how the Stars feel about their performance after being shutout by the San Jose Sharks, 4 to 0.
Marty Turco, Goaltender: "Even though we had more shots and had a lot of close calls, (Nabokov) made some good saves, we hit some posts, we still feel like we can play a lot better than that...That's probably even more disappointing than losing like that, in an embarrassing game to a team we're neck and neck with."
Dallas, TX - On Sunday afternoon, the San Jose Sharks regained their winning ways with much thanks to Evgeni Nabokov and Joe Pavelski. Team Teal showed some grit and played with a mean streak, hitting everything in sight. This aggressive play kept the Dallas Stars on their heels and kept them from getting anything started.
After reading today's San Jose Sharks article in the Mercury News, I had to laugh. Actually, it was more of a scoff than anything else. Regarding the recent slump, Wilson said:
"I'd be scared if we were getting outplayed and out-competed, but that's not the case."
Craig Rivet scores, but Sharks lose fourth straight
San Jose, CA - On Friday night, the San Jose Sharks outshot the Anaheim Ducks (31-25), but again ended up with the short end of the stick. Team Teal loss their fourth consecutive game (Sharks 1 : Ducks 3) dropping their record to 4-5-1 in the last 10 games. They continue to struggle against the teams ahead of them in the standings and it has me a bit concerned.
Since Drew Remenda left for Canada, there has been a lot of chatter about new host Amy Gutierrez. After reading a thread on Chompboard.com, I've realized that many people would like to see someone with more hockey knowledge hosting the show, but hockey knowledge is only a part of what makes a good host.
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