San Jose Sharks 2009 Season Preview, Picks & Odds

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San Jose Sharks 2008-’09 record:
53-18-11, 117 points (1st in Pacific, 1st in West)

San Jose Sharks 2008-’09 playoffs:
Lost to Anaheim Ducks 4-2

The Sharks were the best team in hockey last year, winning the President’s Trophy with a 53-18-11 record, good for 117 points. Led by dynamic centers Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau, the Sharks finished 7 th in the NHL in goals and were among the favorites for the Stanley Cup entering the playoffs. Unfortunately, the Sharks flopped in the first round and were eliminated by the Ducks and embarked on an offseason of discontent.

San Jose Sharks 2009 Preview

San Jose Sharks General manager: Doug Wilson (240-115-55, 6th NHL year, 1st team)

San Jose Sharks Coach: Todd McLellan (53-18-11, 2nd NHL year, 1st team)

San Jose Sharks Captain: Rob Blake

San Jose Sharks Top Returning Scorer: C Joe Thornton (25 goals, 61 assists, 86 points)

San Jose Sharks Top Returning Goalie: Evgeni Nabokov (41-12-8, 2.44, .910)

San Jose Sharks Key Additions: LW Dany Heatley; C Dwight Helminen; RW Jed Ortmeyer; D Joe Callahan; C Scott Nichol; C Manny Malhotra.

San Jose Sharks Key Subtractions: G Brian Boucher; RW Riley Armstrong; RW Claude Lemieux; LW Travis Moen; D Brad Lukowich; D Christian Ehrhoff; C Jeremy Roenick; LW Lukas Kasper; RW Mike Grier; C Marcel Goc; LW Milan Michalek; D Alexei Semenov; RW Jonathan Cheechoo.

San Jose Sharks Top Line: LW Dany Heatley, C Joe Thornton, RW Ryane Clowe

San Jose Sharks Top Defensive Pairing: Marc-Edouard Vlasic, Rob Blake

There will be few teams in the league that can match the Sharks’ top end scoring talent. Their top six forwards will be Thornton, Heatley, Marleau, Devin Setoguchi, Ryan Clowe and Joe Pavelski, who combined for 180 goals and 225 assists last season! That’s a ton of scoring power and the Sharks will undoubtedly finish the season among the league’s most dangerous offenses.

The blue line is where the Sharks might have some trouble. Dan Boyle, Rob Blake and Marc-Edouard Vlasic give them a solid trio but there isn’t much depth or experience beyond. The Sharks are going to be young this season and I’ll be shocked if they don’t make a deal at some point for some blue line help.

The good news is that keeper Evgeni Nabokov is one of the best goalies in hockey and can be counted on to play a ton of games at a very high level. However, there is some concern that he’ll tire by the time the playoffs roll around and considering that his backup will likely be a rookie, this is another position that the Sharks would be wise to pick up some depth.

2009 San Jose Sharks Goaltending:

Nabokov enjoyed another powerfully strong regular season, following by another patented postseason meltdown. Too many weak goals leak through him and he developed a nasty habit of allowing early goals, putting his team in a hole. Plays aggressively, is quick and agile and owns a rapier-like glovehand.

2009 San Jose Sharks Player To Watch:

LW Jamie McGinn. Moved quickly up depth chart with departure of Michalek to Ottawa in the Heatley trade. Produced 4-2-6 totals in 35 games with Sharks last season after quick 19-goal outburst with Worcester (AHL) in pro debut. Gets to the scoring spots at the appropriate times and is equipped with the quick release of a sniper.

2009 San Jose Sharks Offense:

Just when it seemed the Sharks might be poised to make their long-expected deep run in the playoffs, they fizzled out again. Not even the club’s first Presidents’ Trophy mattered. The biggest move in the offseason shakeup came when Cheechoo and Michalek were dealt to Ottawa for Heatley. Thornton played in every game last season and posted a team-high 86 points (25 goals, 61 assists), but he managed only one goal and four assists in the playoff loss to Anaheim. The Sharks are 189-82-33 in the regular season since Thornton was traded to San Jose by Boston on Nov. 30, 2005. He has 92 goals and 292 assists in 304 games, but San Jose hasn’t gotten past the second round. With Dan Boyle and Blake joining the team last season, the Sharks had the highest-scoring defense in team history.

San Jose Sharks 2009 Season Predictions

They stripped the captaincy from the underachieving Marleau, then dealt two-thirds of their No. 1 line to add the underachieving Heatley. Closed 12-10-2 last season, evidence that things were going south long before playoff loss to Ducks.

We predict that the San Jose Sharks will finish 1st in the NHL Pacific, 1st seed in West: 105 points.

San Jose Sharks Betting

San Jose Sharks Stanley Cup Odds: +600
San Jose Sharks Western Conference Odds: +280
San Jose Sharks Pacific Odds: -200

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