A San Jose Sharks Blog

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March 28, 2007

Numbers 5 through 7

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.

Number 7: Jonathan Cheechoo
Some of you may be surprised to see the Rocket Richard Trophy winner so low on my list, but I will explain why. Clearly, Cheechoo is one of the best triggermen the Sharks have ever seen; however, he has only played four seasons with Team Teal. Moreover, in his first two seasons, he posted a modest total of 63 points (37 goals and 26 assists). It was after the addition of Joe Thornton did Cheechoo finally become a star. Over the past two seasons to date, Jonathan has posted 87 goals while still taking care of the defensive side of the puck. His overall game is solid, but what really sets Cheechoo apart is his willingness to mix it up. Most snipers stay away from the tough scoring areas, but Number 14 does not; every night, Cheech gets his nose dirty AND scores goals.

Number 6: Vincent Damphousse
This talented centerman played six seasons with the San Jose Sharks. Averaging roughly 60 points a season, Vincent didn't necessarily set the NHL world on fire; however, he did add leadership and experience to a rather rough team. At the time, the Sharks had a lineup full of bangers who were able to get the job done on most nights, but something was missing. What the team lacked was a slick, play-making center to quarterback the power play and Damphousse fit that role perfectly. Thanks to Vinnie, the Sharks made the playoffs five times out of the six seasons when he was in teal.

Number 5: Evgeni Nabokov
In his NHL debut, the young goalie faced-off against the great Patrick Roy and earned only a tie for his shutout performance. Fortunately for the Sharks, Nabokov would continue to put up bagels over the next six seasons. To date, Evgeni has shutout his opponents 34 times, which ranks second amongst NHL goalies since 1999 - 2000 (Brodeur: 56 shutouts). His steady play anchors the defense and gives the Sharks a chance to win every night. In fact, when he is on his game, Nabby simply seems unbeatable.

To be continued...next up, numbers 2 through 4.

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