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Top 25 NHL defensive defensemen so far in 2011-12

Top 25 NHL defensive defensemen so far in 2011-12

One-third into the 2011-12 season, enough hockey has been played to give us a good idea of the best players so far this season. Now let’s have a look at the best defensive defensemen in the NHL this year. Those rearguards are often forgotten when we look at their team’s overall success, but they are [...]

Sharks/Kings Preview and CA hockey

Sharks/Kings Preview and CA hockey

There may be more buzz over the Giants-Dodgers baseball series going on in San Francisco right now, but that may build up an all-California playoff series between the San Jose Sharks and Los Angeles Kings even more. Game 1 at HP Pavilion in San Jose on Thursday may spearhead the animosity between the teams in [...]

Come a Long Way

Come a Long Way

The San Jose Sharks off-season is one defined by a team that could be dramatically changed by just a few minor moves. However, instead of harping on the “inevitable” defenseman acquisition that the Sharks still need, let’s focus on an area that use to be their biggest weakness. In the past the Sharks were a [...]

Sharks roster looks better or worse?

Sharks roster looks better or worse?

The San Jose Sharks roster looks vaguely familiar at this point in the off-season. Perhaps that’s because it’s virtually the same team that took them to the Western Conference Finals last season. That finish warranted few alterations to the roster, but are the Sharks in any better shape to improve on last season’s breakthrough in [...]

Sharks again look to fill glaring need for defenseman

Sharks again look to fill glaring need for defenseman

The Chicago Blackhawks matched the San Jose Sharks offer sheet for Niklas Hjalmarsson, leaving the Sharks biggest hole still empty in the form of a top-4 defenseman. There are a billion reasons why the offer sheet made sense. It subtracted from the team that blocked the Sharks road to a Stanley Cup birth, improving their [...]

Sharks roster taking shape

Sharks roster taking shape

The San Jose Sharks filled their goaltender vacancy by signing 30-year-old Antero Niittymaki to a 2-year deal worth $4 million. Niittymaki will get a shot at the Sharks starting job in goal and he’s had experience in that position, at least more so than either Thomas Greiss or Alex Stalock. When the Sharks were eliminated [...]

Sharks bring back Big Fishes, unfortunately Guppy comes as well

Sharks bring back Big Fishes, unfortunately Guppy comes as well

The big decision for the San Jose Sharks has been made. All summer long fans wanted to know which of the two longest-tenured Sharks would be coming back, Patrick Marleau or Evgeni Nabokov, if either. Shortly after declaring that Nabokov would not be re-signed, Sharks GM Doug Wilson retained his two biggest playoff performers from [...]

Bittersweet Symphony: The 2009-10 San Jose Sharks

Bittersweet Symphony: The 2009-10 San Jose Sharks

All of the Bay Area has gone into rain-filled slumber as the beloved San Jose Sharks 2009-2010 season is over.There is a bittersweet taste in the mouths of Sharks fans world-wide.Though the team exorcised it’s playoff demons by advancing to the Western Conference Finals, they ultimately fell short of their goal of winning the first [...]

Boyle wins it in OT… for wrong team.

Boyle wins it in OT… for wrong team.

Good teams find a way to win. The San Jose Sharks find ways to lose. They dominated most of game 3 against the Colorado Avalanche, but thanks to Craig Anderson and Dan Boyle they came out down 2-1 in the series. The winning goal in game 1 went off of Rob Blake’s skate with less [...]

Nabokov sets NHL record in style

Nabokov sets NHL record in style

San Jose Sharks netminder Evgeni Nabokov became the first goalie to win 11 straight road games in NHL history. Nabokov made a career-high 50 saves and shut down all three shootout attempts in a game where the Sharks were completely outplayed by the Detroit Red Wings. Thanks to his play, the Sharks pulled out a [...]

Sharks acquire “The Secret Weapon”

Sharks acquire “The Secret Weapon”

It’s now completed, the San Jose Sharks have acquired Niclas Wallin and a fifth round pick in the 2010 draft from the Carolina Hurricanes for a second round pick in the 2010 draft. The second rounder is Buffalo’s, received by the Sharks in the trade that sent Craig Rivet to Sabres. Wallin waived his no-trade [...]

Sharks short-handed defense stands strong in 5-2 win

Sharks short-handed defense stands strong in 5-2 win

The San Jose Sharks will most likely be looking for a defense-man at the trade deadline if anything at all. Perhaps they made a case that they do indeed go eight deep on the back-end after a 5-2 victory over the Minnesota Wild. Defensive stalwarts Dan Boyle and Marc-Edouard Vlasic did not play in this [...]

Sharks’ streak stumbles in Kings’ moat

Sharks’ streak stumbles in Kings’ moat

Riding an eight-game win streak, the Sharks couldn’t have felt more confident facing the Los Angeles Kings at HP Pavilion for another Pacific Division showdown. Apparently the Kings didn’t feel like obliging because the Kings throttled the Sharks 6-2 behind Quick’s 45 saves and Drew Doughty’s four assists. Though they more than doubled the Kings [...]

Pacific division battles

Pacific division battles

Sharks vs Coyotes recap: The San Jose Sharks and Phoenix Coyotes played a playoff-type battle that was highlighted by a goaltending duel from two of Russia’s Olympic netminders. The Sharks would win the tilt in the shootout 3-2 (1-0). Evgeni Nabokov and Ilya Bryzgalov were at the top of their games in a Pacific division [...]

Forwards not the only front loading on Sharks

Forwards not the only front loading on Sharks

In light of the recent struggles, it’s easy for people to start airing their criticisms for the San Jose Sharks offense. A lot of emphasis has been put on the team’s forward lines being front loaded. However, looking up and down the roster, that does not appear to be as much of a long-term issue [...]

11 Round Shootout at the Tank, Sharks come up short again

11 Round Shootout at the Tank, Sharks come up short again

The San Jose Sharks are going to be happy that there’s no shootouts in the playoff because they almost literally went through the lineup without beating Dallas Stars netminder Marty Turco. It came down to defenseman in the 11th round; Matt Niskanen scored, Marc-Edouard Vlasic did not. The result is a 3-2 win for the [...]

“Globetrotters” blow late lead for Sharks, lose in shootout

“Globetrotters” blow late lead for Sharks, lose in shootout

The San Jose Sharks blew a 2-1 lead to the St. Louis Blues with just over 6 seconds left in the game, and would eventually lose in the shootout (2-1). To make matters worse, the tying goal surrendered occurred while the Sharks were on a power play. Sharks coach Todd McLellan refers to his first [...]