SHARKSPAGE

Tournament Season: Sharks announce participation in 5-team rookie tournament near Vancouver, 2010 NARCh roller hockey Finals set for SJ, Sweden season opener dates vs Columbus plus exhibition notes

A flurry of news updates were released today by the San Jose Sharks. First, they announced plans to join the Anaheim Ducks, Calgary Flames, Edmonton Oilers and Vancouver Canucks for a 5-team rookie tournament prior to training camp from September 12-16 near Vancouver. The Sharks previously competed in a 4-team Pacific Shootout with Anaheim, LA and Phoenix, before the Coyotes and the Kings split off. The Sharks rookies swept the Ducks rookies in three games during head-to-head rookie meetings last September prior to the start of training camp (game1, game2, game3).

A press release from the Sharks:

Sharks to participate in 4-team Rookie Tournament in Penticton, British Columbia Sept. 12-16, San Jose, Anaheim, Calgary, Edmonton and Vancouver Rookies Will Take Part in Eight-Game Session

San Jose, CA – The San Jose Sharks announced today that they will participate in a round-robin rookie tournament, featuring prospects from the Anaheim Ducks, Calgary Flames, Edmonton Oilers and Vancouver Canucks from September 12-16 in the city of Penticton, British Columbia.

Tournament packages, which include a ticket to each of the eight games, will be available for purchase, starting at $66 plus applicable fees. The first 1000 fans to purchase a tournament package will also receive an exclusive pass, providing them with reserved seating and priority access to the Main Camp. Tournament ticket packages will go on-sale June 26 at 10 am online at www.valleyfirstTIX.com, by phone at 1-877-763-2849 or in person at the South Okanagan Events Centre box office. Single game tournament tickets will be made available in mid-August. Game dates, times and opponents subject to change.

Tournament Schedule:

Game 1 – VAN vs. EDM, Sept. 12, 4PM
Game 2 – SJ vs. ANA, Sept. 12, 7:30PM
Game 3 – ANA vs. CAL, Sept. 13, 4PM
Game 4 – SJ vs. VAN, Sept. 13, 7:30PM
Game 5 – CAL vs. EDM, Sept. 14, 7:30PM
Game 6 – ANA vs. VAN, Sept. 15, 4PM
Game 7 – EDM vs. SJ, Sept. 15, 7:30PM
Game 8 – CAL vs. VAN, Sept. 16, 12noon

More information regarding the Sharks 2010 training camp will be released at a later date. The Sharks will open the 2010-11 season in Stockholm, Sweden against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Oct. 8-9 as part of 2010 Compuware NHL Premiere and NHL Face-Off.

The Sharks-Bluejackets series in Sweden will join Carolina-Minnesota from Helsinki, Finland, and Boston-Phoenix from the Czech Republic to open the 2010-11 NHL season. The Hurricanes and Coyotes will also face off against Kontinental Hockey League clubs in exhibition action as part of the Compuware NHL Premiere Challenge. The Hurricanes will face SKA St. Petersburg in Russia on Oct. 4th, and the Coyotes will face Dinamo Riga in Latvia on Oct. 6th.

According to NHL.com, all 6 NHL teams competing in the Compuware Challenge will face off against European clubs for exhibition games. Other possible exhibition locations include Belfast, Ireland (birthplace of former captain and current free agent Owen Nolan), and Mannheim, Germany. A historical list of NHL teams competing overseas is available here.

[Update] A hockey market is not judged by television ratings and attendance alone, also important are grassroots efforts to grow the sport. San Jose has seen regional college hockey tournaments, NHL Rookie Tournaments and a USA Hockey Women/Girls tournament at Sharks Ice in San Jose, the largest skating and hockey facility on the West Coast of the U.S. The massive 2008 NARCh Finals saw 436 roller hockey teams compete at the new Silver Creek Sportsplex in San Jose. The facility is also regarded as one of the best roller hockey venues in the U.S. After recent regional tournaments wrapped up competition, the 2010 NARCh Finals are again set at Silver Creek Sportsplex in San Jose from July 15th to August 1st.

More from Phillip Brents of California Rubber Magazine:

(NARCh president Daryn) Goodwin said the participation numbers for this year’s Finals should be large once again with all four California regionals boasting sell-outs. A record 436 teams participated in 2008 when the season-ending mega tournament was held in San Jose. Despite the downturn in the economy, Goodwin sees a very robust presence from around the country, particularly from the Golden State, for the 2010 Finals later this summer.

“Overall, it’s been a great year for the regional qualifiers,” Goodwin said. “Participation is up at every regional west of the Rocky Mountains, which is sort of expected. Wherever the NARCh Finals are at, you’ll get more teams from within that region. Last year, since we were in Toronto, we had more teams from Ontario and Michigan and, while some of those dedicated teams will make the trip to San Jose, many won’t.

“Foreign teams have also been an important part of the NARCh Finals and we expect more than ever this year. Since California has a bigger base of teams than any other state, we expect a large turnout for the Finals this year. I’m not sure if it will break the all-time record but I would be surprised if it’s not at least 400.”

Sharkspage couldn’t make it out to the NARCh Finals in 2008, but if they have room for us this year we could be all over it in 2010.

[Update2] Penticton to host Canucks training camp, young stars tournament – Vancouver Sun.

[Update3] Something new for Shark prospects: rookie tournament in B.C. starting Sept. 12 – Working the Corners.

DOH Podcast #104: Chicago Blackhawks championship, Rob Blake retirement

[audio:http://dudesonhockey.com/podcast/doh_2010_0616.mp3]

Mike Peattie and Doug Santana discuss the Chicago Blackhawks first Stanley Cup Championship in 49 years, how bonuses and overages this year will affect the Blackhawks cap next year, discuss the upcoming press conference scheduled for defenseman Rob Blake, and debate whether UFA Patrick Marleau or Evgeni Nabokov should be resigned on the 104th episode of the Dudes on Hockey podcast.

This Sharks podcast is posted here with permission. Visit dudesonhockey.com for more coverage of the team, or download the MP3 file directly here.

Shark Notes – June 14th

WILL UFA EVGENI NABOKOV RETURN TO SAN JOSE? - PHOTO JON SWENSON

A few San Jose Sharks hockey notes:

– The Sharks announced an official press conference Friday at 11AM where captain Rob Blake will discuss his future, and whether he will or will not retire. Comcast Sportsnet Bay Area reported last week that his retirement would soon be official.

– Sharkspage reported earlier that AHL Eddie Shore Award winning defenseman Danny Groulx had left the Worcester Sharks to sign with the KHL Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod franchise. Source was two interviews I did with a Russian website and a Russian newspaper. Word from Sharkspage’s Darryl Hunt in Worcester is that Groulx is in negotiations with the KHL, but he has not signed yet.

– SJ Mercury News beat writer David Pollak offered a correction with regards to the salary of 6-foot-5 Swedish goaltending prospect Henrik Karlsson, listing his 2009-10 salary as $800,000 instead of $1.3 million. “Latest I’m hearing now is that the Sharks are still not sure where Karlsson fits in their plans, understandable since there’s still that matter of how Evgeni Nabokov fits in their plans to be dealt with,” Pollak added.

The capgeek.com figure lists Karlsson’s salary as $1.325M. Checked with capgeek’s Matthew Wuest who listed $810,000 base salary, $90,000 signing bonus and an additional $425,000 in performance bonuses as the numbers he was working with.

– A report from the Swedish newspaper Aftobladet says that Henrik Karlsson signed with the KHL, hat tip to FeartheFin for the link. As evidenced in the KHL item above, keep an eye out for official confirmation.

– To throw a rumor out into the ether, sources inside the Sharks organization and outside of San Jose proper, all have said independently of one another that the Sharks are leaning heavily towards bringing goaltender Evgeni Nabokov back. Sharks President/CEO Greg Jamison said Thursday on Chronicle Live that the team was still in the planning and evaluation phase, conducting individual meetings with players and coaches to chart a course for the future.

It also should be noted what Greg Jamison said about Nabokov on KNBR in April, “Evgeni Nabokov, if he is not the best goaltender in the league, he is in the top three. We have great faith in him. He has played well, he has fought. He takes some criticism, for a game or two, but he always comes back.” More from Jamison on Nabokov and Marleau at the link. One question not asked in recent interviews, did 8 home playoff dates push the Sharks into the black financially this year?

– Spoke with Patrick Marleau’s agent Don Baizley who declined to offer an update on the Sharks forward. Marleau is under contract with San Jose until the start of free agency July 1st. For those counting, the time frame between the locker room cleanout interviews on May 25th and the start of free agency is 36 days.

Marleau declined to speculate on the possibility he could be on the market July 1st. “(Free agency) is something new for me, we will have talks. As far as anything else, I really don’t know yet,” he said at the time.

– The voice of Sharks radio Dan Rusanowsky on a recent interview with KNBR regarding the future of free agents Patrick Marleau and Evgeni Nabokov, “It is reasonable to say one might not be back, a distinct possibility both might not be back.”

– Excellent analysis of potential contract negotiations for restricted free agent Joe Pavelski at FearTheFin.com. After examining NHL comparables with Ryan Kesler, Loui Eriksson, Brad Boyes, Mikko Koivu and Derek Roy, and comparing Pavelski’s situation to past contracts Doug Wilson offered to Clowe, Michalek and Cheechoo, FTF comes to a perfectly reasonable $4.2-$4.5MM, 5-year contract range. Perfectly reasonable, unless the Sharks are interested in locking down Marleau and Nabokov, and a significant chunk of the remaining UFA and RFA roster players.

– Created a twitter list for NHL reporters and bloggers, and San Jose Sharks reporters and bloggers. Feel free to send any suggestions here.

– “2000 PIMs, that tells you he wasn’t a pacifist,” ESPN boxing analyst Teddy Atlas said of Laredo Bucks President/CEO Terry Ruskowski, seated ringside. In other fight/hockey news, UFC announcer Mike Goldberg mentioned on air that Joe Thornton and Dan Boyle were in attendance at UFC 114 Rampage vs. Evans in Las Vegas.

– There has been a burgeoning movement among analytical hockey blogs to track individual scoring chances in games. Derek Zona of the excellent Copper and Blue blog, tracked the head-to-head individual scoring chances for the Sharks-Blackhawks in the Western Conference Finals. It is a fascinating look at how individual matchups progressed during the series. Some of the story lines did not hold up (Bolland vs Thornton), some of them did (Malhotra).

– The farther a team heads in the postseason, the more intense the media scrutiny becomes. Pavelski garned a bulk of the coverage with his otherworldly performance in the first two rounds, but former goaltender and Versus television analyst/SI writer Darren Eliot had some interesting thoughts regarding Evgeni Nabokov. Some quotes from an Eliot interview on Canadian radio:

“If I compared (Nabokov) to Niemi, who has been better in this series first two games. The goals you score on Niemi, the way he plays, the way Michael Leighton plays, you can anticipate the kind of goals he is going to give up, they look the same.”

“The way Evgeni Nabokov plays, you are never sure what kind of goal is going to beat him. He doesn’t play by today’s standards, that real basic, let the puck hit you style… He is a little bit of a throw back, so there are some inconsistencies in his approach to each shot, all of a sudden one sneaks in. From that stand point, he is a little bit unsettling to me when I watch him. He can be great, but you can be one puck away from something very unusual happening, it happens quite often with him.”

Darren Eliot is a very respected analyst, with a depth and breadth of knowledge regarding NHL goaltending. His comments were a gauge of the prevailing sentiment nationally regarding Nabokov in the postseason. A couple of problems, one Nabokov definitely has a specific style and trends that evolve throughout the season. A very aggressive goaltender when he is on the top of his game, he is also intelligent and somewhat combative. He not only has had fairly standard weaknesses over time, but you can see him addressing them over a 10-20 game portion of the season. A problem that may have existed in October, is dealt with rather routinely in March or April. It was another former goaltender and Versus analyst, Daryl “Razor” Reaugh, who said in the Detroit series that Nabokov appeared to have problems picking the puck out of traffic. It was also an issue against Chicago.

The argument that Nabokov’s at times unpredictable style could hinder the Sharks postseason performance is usually made in conjunction with the recommendation to acquire a traditional butterfly goaltender. One who covers a large portion of the net down low, stops the first shot, and offers a steady and similar performance game in and game out. In the same interview, Eliot pointed to the Finnish goaltending development system, and said that goaltending styles are obsolete. “There might be nuances between what Allaire teaches… what Melanson tought in Montreal. There might be differences, but at the root of it all it is all about playing percentages, make yourself big, good lateral movement, leg recovery…” He said there is a movement to develop more of a “system not a style” regarding goaltenders.

A lot of thoughts to consider, but the San Jose Sharks staff has far more information to make a decision on than national pundits who do not get to see this team play on a regular basis.

– Have to mention a very awkward post-season interview Comcast analyst and former Mercury News reporter Ann Killion gave on Chronicle Live. Killion was a guest along with San Jose Sharks radio analyst Dan Rusanowsky and host Greg Papa.

It was awkward all the way around, first Papa criticized Rusanowsky for not giving a yes or no answer to whether Marleau or Nabokov would be back in San Jose. “Never ask a play by play guy a yes or no answer, because they are never going to answer that.” Then Killion made a statement that Marleau was already probably gone, and people in the organization were very unhappy with him in the first round.

“It is payday. I think he is gone. I don’t think there will be a lot of tears. He did end up playing great in the Western Conference Finals. In the first round, there were people within the organization that were rolling there eyes and saying some very bad things about him. They were really tired of the Patrick Marleau we have seen before. I would not be surprised if he left,” Killion said on the panel.

Hard for me to criticize “sources in the organization” when I made the same reference earlier in this post, but mine was bookended with quotes and links readers can examine themselves. Killion also struggled to name any goaltender in the Sharks organization that could step up in the event Nabokov moves on, or any affordable goaltender outside the organization that could step in and log minutes.

Rusanowsky, ever the voice of reason, offered his thoughts on Marleau and Nabokov. “Both of these guys are totally unrestricted for the first time in their careers. They both want to see what that’s like. They want to see who is going to offer them money. They want to see how they are being valued by other organization. Of course with that comes a bit of a premium to gain their services. Whether it is a team back east, say Washington, that might be interested in Nabokov. Or whether it is the Montreal Canadiens, or the Los Angeles Kings want to offer Patrick Marleau a big contract. All of that is going to come down to how the market plays out,” Rusanowsky said.

Comcast Sportsnet California, Chronicle Live and Sportsnet Central have significantly increased the amount of MSM coverage of the team, but occasionally there are weak spots. Usually it comes when one-size-fits-all general pundits try to make noise about sports they do not follow. The Sports Business Journal recently reported that Comcast and SB Nation came to a content sharing agreement. Comcast content may be featured more prominently on SBN blogs, and in select markets SBN bloggers may be featured on Comcast channels. Let’s hope that is the case on CSNCA or CSNBA as well.

[Update] ESPN’s Pierre LeBrun breaks down the San Jose Sharks and Los Angeles Kings interest in the race to sign Patrick Marleau and Ilya Kovalchuk. Could one team sign both?

[Update2] Seto Supports Silicon Valley Duck Race, Sharks Forward Will Serve as Honorary Committee Member – SJsharks.com.

“I am happy to be part of such a good cause,” said Setoguchi. “The Silicon Valley Duck Race raises funds for more than 15 local charities that need the support. As most Sharks fans can imagine, I love rubber ducks, but dislike Anaheim Ducks! I encourage everyone to support this cause.”

Lol, it is a start. Thanks to EM for sending this in.

[Update3] With regards to the Nabokov rumor, the only comments that matter are those that are going to come from Sharks President/CEO Greg Jamison, Sharks EVP/GM Doug Wilson, Evgeni Nabokov himself and his agent Don Meehan. A number of reports have been speaking about Nabokov in the past tense with regards to San Jose, which is directly opposite of what I have been hearing from multiple parties. In addition to an examination of available free agents, promotion from within the organization and salary cap considerations are two other contributing factors.

Boxing Returns to San Francisco: Karim Mayfield earns lopsided TKO in SF ‘Civil War’

SF'S KARIM MAYFIELD DROPPED DE LA TORRE TWICE IN 2ND, EARNS 5TH ROUND TKO

FORMER RAIDER/SABRECAT TONY HIRSCH OVERWHELMED JOVANNI RUBIO

UNLIMITED'S BRUNO ESCALANTE DIGS TO THE BODY VS JONATHAN ALCANTARA

Saturday night at Kezar Arena saw the first professional boxing return to San Francisco in 6 years according to the SF Chronicle. A flamboyant Karim Mayfield (13-0-1, 8KOs) dismantled well traveled journeyman Sergio Joel De La Torre (11-14-3, 1KO) en route to a perfunctory 5th round TKO. The 4-fight card was supplemented by cameos from three rap groups and a ringside drum line.

In front of 1500 fans, Mayfield flipped a switch early in the first round and staggered De La Torre back into the ropes with a heavy overhand right. Able to move in and out with ease, Mayfield set up his opponent at the end of his jab and proceeded to pick him apart. De La Torre was stunned by a right hand, and wobbled with a left for a standing eight count in the second round. The southern California native gamely came back at Mayfield, but he was hit twice on the way in and once on the way out by a lightning quick “Hard Hitta”. De La Torre would suffer another knockdown, ruled a slip, and a third where he rose before a 10 count and was quickly saved by the bell.

De La Torre kept more of a safe distance in the third round, but with his lead left hand low and slower reflexes he was a glorified heavy bag for long stretches. Short, clubbing left hooks inside, and looping overhand rights from a distance peppered him throughout. In the fourth round, Mayfield backed De La Torre up against the ropes and landed a series of chopping right hands that nearly had De La Torre out on his feet several times. An extended combination with De La Torre propped against the ropes in the 5th caused referee Jon Schorle to step in and stop the fight. Mayfield jumped on the top rope in celebration and was clearly moved to fight in front of his hometown fans. The fans, in turn, spilled into the ring to join him.

Three fights were removed from the card as opponents for Cynthia Talmadge, Richard Hargraves and Miguel Lopez dropped out without enough time to schedule replacements. 2006 San Francisco Golden Gloves gold medalist Tony Hirsch (12-3-1, 6KOs), once a SJ Sabrecat and briefly an Oakland Raider, fought Jovanni Rubio (6-12, 5KOs) of Santa Rosa in the semi-main event. There was a brief scuffle between the much shorter Rubio and Hirsch at Friday’s weigh-in at Gussie’s Chicken and Waffles restaurant in the Fillmore district of SF.

After a brief staredown in the center of the ring, Hirsch used his dramatic height and reach advantage to completely overwhelm Rubio. The Oakland-based Hirsch, normally a jr. middleweight, tee’d off on his opponent from outside. He walked through the heads down almost blind effort from Rubio. Hirsch is an athlete turned boxer who can can use ringtime. Against Rubio, the fight was a foregone conclusion. The two biggest punches of the night came in the second from a lunging three quarter left uppercut from Hirsch that landed flush, followed by a right that almost toppled over Rubio like a sack of potatoes. Hirsch cornered Rubio with a swarm and the fight was stopped in the second at 2:34.

The undercard saw a former 2-time Sharkspage fight-of-the-night winner in Jonathan Alcantara (4-2-1) drop a controversial split decision to Hawaiian Bruno Escalante (1-0-1). Alcantara split a pair of tough wars against the hard hitting Juan Tepoz at HP Pavilion in San Jose, and earned an entertaining win over Aaron Alafa in a subsequent fight. Escalante, a former National PAL amateur boxing champion at 112 pounds according to Mario Ortega Jr. of 15rounds.com, was supported ringside by WBA Super Flyweight Champion Nonito Donaire and cornered by former ISKA kickboxing champion Brian “The Mad Stork” Schwartz.

Alcantara’s early fights were entertaining from an anything goes aspect. A more fluid and finesse boxer than several of his opponents, he was not against standing toe-to-toe and trying to slug it out. Saturday night against Escalante he took a more measured approach early. Alcantara managed the ring well in the third, and landed the cleaner and harder punches. In the fourth, Alcantara backed Escalante into the ropes with a hard right hand, and then he started trying to land haymakers. Escalante responded, and backed his opponent off with volume punching, but nothing that did damage. At the end of the round Escalante picked Alcantara up with a double leg takedown attempt seconds before the bell rang. There was no warning from the referee. Fight was scored 37-39, 37-39, 39-37, a split decision win for Escalante. Sharkspage scored it 39-37 Alcantara.

The final undercard bout saw Ben Rivera (1-3) earn a 4-round unanimous decision over the unorthodox and heavily afro’d Shawn Wate (0-5).

A photo gallery from the event is available here.

[Update] Boxing by the Bay: Mayfield Stops De La Torre – Ryan Maquinana for MaxBoxing.com.

“It felt great to have my friends and family behind me,” exclaimed Mayfield, 13-0-1 (8), beaming with pride. “In camp, we worked on getting distance with the jab to set up my right hand, and it all worked out perfectly.”

The featured bout put an exclamation point on a night of professional pugilism at Kezar Pavilion, a building that has hosted the likes of Rocky Marciano and Bobo Olson in the past.

“For a long time, San Francisco was the boxing Mecca of the West Coast,” added Mayfield’s trainer, Ben Bautista. “We’re doing our part here to make it a fight town again.”

Sharks President/CEO Greg Jamison interviewed on CSNBA’s Chronicle Live

CHRONICLE LIVE HOST GREG PAPA, SHARKS PRES/CEO GREG JAMISON - CSNBA

San Jose Sharks President/CEO Greg Jamison was a guest on CSNBA’s Chronicle Live program hosted by Greg Papa on Thursday. The opening segment featured Jamison covering topics from conference and divisional realignment in the West, a reaction to the Stanley Cup Championship won by the Chicago Blackhawks, an update and a timetable on where the Sharks stand with their unrestricted and restricted free agents, and several other topics.

A partial transcript of the interview:

[Q] Chicago is not in the Western United States, is there a way to move to the Eastern Conference of the NHL?

[A] Every year there is someone new and a different team. You have to remember Detroit. At least Chicago is in the Central time zone. Detroit is in the Eastern time zone. That really makes it unusual. We are in the Pacific Division, and Dallas is in the Pacific Division. Believe me, we don’t want Dallas in the Pacific Division, and they don’t want to be there. I would assume if we ever added a team or two, you would probably see a change there. It is not going to happen this summer. I can guarantee you that.

[Q] What was your reaction watching Jonathan Toews lift the cup last night, then hand it over to Marian Hossa? Do you guys have to build your roster now to beat a Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane, and Dustin Byfuglien… are the Blackhawks a team you need to find a way to beat?

[A] We didn’t beat the Blackhawks in the playoffs, so yes we need to beat the Blackhawks. I don’t know that we have to reengineer or redesign our team. I think we built our team to the best of its capability. A couple of years ago you would have said we need to build our team like the Detroit Red Wings. We beat the Red Wings in 5 games. The games were very close. If you look at the games with the Blackhawks and the games with the Red Wings, the similarities were unbelievable. In the Red Wings case, the games went our way, especially that third game where Marleau buried that shot in overtime. You look at the third game in Chicago, in that game Byfuglien came in the middle and buried that shot. The similarities were there. They were close games. We didn’t get any, that is disappointing. Hats off to the Chicago Blackhawks for winning the Stanley Cup, it is very hard to do. We are not going to give up, we are already right back at it. We are already talking about next year. We are going to build the best team we can… and do the right thing at the right time.

[Q] Three weeks from now is the first of July, and the free agents will hit the market. In the interim, could you sign your own free agents? Could you sign Patrick Marleau or Evgeni Nabokov to contracts right now, or do you have to wait until the first of July?

[A] We can sign them. It comes down to the decisions and the conversations that go on. That is what is going on right now. We are having an analysis with the coaches, analysis and individual meetings with the players, the hockey staff, there are a lot of people that will enter into these conversations. Then we will begin to formulate a strategy going forward. We have both unrestricted and restricted free agents, and we have the capability of putting a deal together with them now.

[Q] The salary cap figure, right now about $56 million. You are on the NHL Board of Govenors, as I mentioned earlier. It is going to go up to $58 million dollars, is that accurate?

[A] That is what (NHL Commissioner) Gary Bettman announced the other day. I don’t know if it is for sure yet, but I think it is probably awfully close. It is based on revenues, it based on a percentage with the player salaries, etc. That is where we are headed. It looks like that is the number that would be established. From that point we need to make the decision about what kind of team we are going to put together. Again as I said earlier, and I emphasize this, Doug (Wilson) does as well, we always feel can try to do the right thing at the right time in regards to our player payroll. We always put together a team we think is competitive and can compete for the Stanley Cup. That is the same thing we will do this year. Whatever those dollars come to, that is what it will be. It has yet to be determined, but I can tell you we work very hard at it. The analysis that is put together, and the plan of attack, I think will be very good. We will go after it, and our goal is to win a Stanley Cup in 2010-11.

[Q] Are you going to have the wherewithall to save a few million dollars for the trade deadline in February, or are you going to be a cap team and take it all the way to $58 million and bring your players back?

[A] I think that is speculation right now, we are still talking about that. When I say we are a player payroll team, what I mean by that is you do have to look at the entire season. Sometimes how you went into a season is not how you end a season. Last year we didn’t get Dany Heatley done until literally the first day of training camp. I think that took a lot of the summer to come together, but it was worth waiting on. Those decisions will be made this summer before July 1st, sometimes on July 1st, and many times after July 1st. How we build it, and how much money we spend at a certain time is yet to be determined, sometimes it is what the market dictates. What players we decide to go with and go forward with, or what players we get done in regards to salaries, then we will step forward and say are we going to spend to this salary here, are we going to save some, what is the trading deadline look like, how are some of these players going to evolve. When I say complicated, I am not trying to say it is so complicated it can’t be done, but I think there is a system you have to put into play. I think Doug (Wilson) and his group have done a very good job of doing that over the years.

The conference and division realignment question was a bizarre one from Papa, but it yielded a rather interesting answer in Dallas and Detroit. Not mentioned was the league ownership of Pacific Division member Phoenix, and what the impact would be if a sale to keep the Coyotes in Arizona fell through. Papa wasted time with questions on the increase in the salary cap and on a West Coast version of the very successful Winter Classic, but Jamison proffered interesting answers nonetheless.

His answer on a question about roster and salary speculation was a little more difficult to decipher, but in the past the Sharks organization has put in place players caps. Owen Nolan was a cap on salaries at one point, maybe Joe Thornton is another. Production, seniority and performance all have played a role in what the Sharks have offered players in the past.

There was a lot of wiggle room and ambiguity in Jamison’s answer, and fans and media covering the team still have no idea what the summer holds. One thing is certain, with 2 of the top 3 unrestricted free agents on the market under a Sharks contract until July 1st, San Jose could again be the eye of the NHL media storm.

Chicago Blackhawks end 49-year Stanley Cup Championship drought with 4-3 OT win over Philly, in a class by themselves in 2009-10

PATRICK KANE'S SHARP ANGLE OT GW GOAL BEATS MICHAEL LEIGHTON - NBC

The best team in the NHL won the most coveted championship trophy in all of sports. After fighting off a late Philadelphia comeback in regulation, Patrick Kane beat Kimmo Timonen along the boards and flicked a seeing eye wrist shot that iced a 4-3 overtime win. The Chicago Blackhawks can shake off five unsuccessful trips to the Finals (62, 65, 71, 73, 92) since their last Stanley Cup Championship in 1961, and they can take pride in completing the rejuvination of an orignial six hockey market that had fallen on tough times in recent years.

Gone are the half empty buildings, and local television and media battles that enveloped late owner Bill Wirtz. After his son Rocky Wirtz took the reigns, he established not only a link with the team’s past, but also a link to the heart of the city, and a link to the heart of the sport. It became fun to reminisce about past greats Bobby Hull and Stan Mikita, and for a younger generation to think back to powerhouse early 90’s teams that included Jeremy Roenick, Chris Chelios and Ed Belfour. The conversations carried on from the concourse of the United Center, to radio and television, and on the internet to create a surge of interest in the team locally and nationally.

21-year old Patrick Kane, 22-year old captain Jonathan Toews, 25-year old behemoth Dustin Byfuglien and rookie but not technically a rookie netminder Antti Niemi have created their own legacy. In a solid sports town, they can stand alongside the Superbowl shuffling Chicago Bears. They can’t match the duration but they can match the passion of the championship winning Chicago Bulls, and with his airness Michael Jordon in attendance offering his support. A little of the Chicago Cubs and Wrigley Field cool can also now bleed over to the Blackhawks.

The diehard fans who supported the team through the lean times deserve recognition, but there were a number of casual fans and non-sports fans alike that picked up interest and followed the playoff run along the way. It was a fun ride. A few members of the Blackhawks may have started the Championship celebration a year or two before winning a Stanley Cup, but they earned a “talk to the ring” rebuke for future detractors. The franchise faces difficult offseason decisions with over $57M locked up to 14 roster players, but you have to take chances to win a Cup. Misson accomplished.

The flamboyant Kane lead the team in scoring during the regular season, and he capped the postseason with his first game winning goal of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. It was an awkward game winning moment with both NBC and CBC broadcasts of the game missing a clear call of the play. As Flyers goaltender Michael Leighton tried to seal the post, Kane’s hard angle shot slid through 5-hole and lodged hidden from view under the side of the net. NBC’s Mike Emrick paused, noted the fact there was no goal light or goal call from the official, then added “What Chaos”. On CBC, Jim Hughson exclaimed “Where is the puck?” while Kane sped down the ice and jumped into the arms of Antti Niemi.

The play went to review, excuse Buffalo Sabres fans for throwing up a little bit after Brett Hull’s foot-in-the crease effort, but it was an easy call to make. It was ruled a goal, and the Blackhawks began their celebration in earnest. After his gold medal performance in the 2010 Olympics, and his Conn Smythe Playoff MVP winning performance against the Philadelphia Flyers, speculation about the future impact of the Blackhawks and their young captain Jonathan Toews has been off the charts.

Toews took his moment raising the cup, and then looked for teammate Marian Hossa. Hossa was appearing in his third straight Stanley Cup Final with his third different NHL team. The Czech native, and original Ottawa Senators draft pick in 1997 (Thornton 1st, Marleau 2nd, Hossa 12th) had to endure withering criticism and incessant talk of a “Hossa curse” after two unsuccessful Cup appearances. After signing a 12-year, $62.8M contract, Hossa lit the lamp only 3 times in the playoffs. Instead of circling the wagons from pressure and criticism, he made an impact in other areas of the game. He was focused and aggressive defensively. He used his size and speed for monster puck possession shifts that created time and scoring chances for linemates. It looked like Marian Hossa went through a flood of different emotions as he raised the Cup for the first time.

“When we got to the Final again, I was so happy to be in the Final but at the same time it was scary,” Marian Hossa told reporters after the game. “I’m so glad. I won it. I got the Stanley Cup. What a feeling. Wow. This is unbelievable.”

The Blackhawks definitely won on enemy territory. There was a reason this blog wrote that the biggest addition of the 2009 offseason was the departure of Chris Pronger from the Western Conference. His level of intensity, ill-temper and near constant borderline illegality makes standing in front of the goal crease a gamble in faith. That being said, Flyers fans offer their own intimidating presence. A sea of orange inside the Wachovia Center rained down boo’s on the Cup celebration, the Conn Smythe presentation, the Stanley Cup celebration, the team photo, and several subsequent interviews. It was not disrespectful in the slightest, in fact it was a measure of respect. If fans in Philly hate you that much, you are doing something right.

Congratulations to the Chicago Blackhawks, 2009-10 NHL Stanley Cup Playoff champions.

[Update] Longest Stanley Cup Droughts – Sports Illustrated photo gallery.

Andre Ward World Boxing Classic open workout photos, conference call quotes

ANDRE WARD LANDS A LEFT HOOK IN WEDNESDAY OPEN WORKOUT AT KINGS GYM

WARD ANSWERED QUESTIONS FROM TELEVISION, PRINT AND ONLINE MEDIA RINGSIDE

ANDRE WARD IS TIED WITH 4 WBC BOXERS AT 2 POINTS, WITH 1 FIGHT IN HAND

Oakland’s Andre Ward (21-0-0, 13 KOs) returns to Oracle Arena to face Tulsa native Allan Green (29-1-0, 20KOs) for the second round of Showtime’s Super-6 World Boxing Classic tournament on Saturday, June 19th. Ward is coming off a stunning 11th round stoppage of tournament favorite Mikkel Kessler last November that shocked the national and international boxing community, but it was an outcome that many local boxing pundits did not consider an upset. The 2004 Olympic gold medalist will face a grizzled veteran in Allan Green, a late tournament replacement after Jermain Taylor withdrew due to a brutal 12th round KO at the hands of Arthur Abraham last October.

A photo gallery from Wednesday’s open workout at King’s Gym in Oakland is available here.

Quotes from the Tuesday conference call with WBA Super Middleweight champion Andre Ward, #8 ranked Super Middleweight Allan Green (Ring Magazine), and Ward promoter Dan Goossen.

[Q] Can you compare Allan Green with any boxers you have faced in the past?

[Andre Ward] “I don’t know if I can compare Allan with anyone I’ve ever fought before. At the end of the day each fighter has his own strengths and his own weaknesses. If you’re going to become a great fighter you have to learn to exploit his weaknesses so that’s what we’re working on. But I don’t get caught up in trying to compare this guy with that. At the end of the day I look at June 19 as a fresh night. And it’s all about showing up on that night. So even though we’ve studied tape I expect a better Allan Green than what I’ve seen on tape. I’ve prepared myself mentally for this to be the toughest fight of my career.”

[Q] Allan Green has had some negative things to say about you. Has that bothered you?

[Andre Ward] “Bother me? No. Use them? Absolutely. I don’t read a lot of press before the fight but I get people coming up to me all the time saying, ‘Did you hear this or did you hear that?’ I’ve been like since the amateurs but for some reason I live like a lamb before the fight. I’ve heard his comments on Fight Camp 360 and you better believe I use that. It bothers me in a good way because I constantly have something to prove and that’s what not a lot of people realize. I think a lot of people think I’m coming in here really well rested and really enjoying the fact that I’ve got a championship. But it’s been all work. For me, I try to say as little as possible before a fight. I’m not going to stand there and get pushed down or get bullied but at the end of the day I just shut my mouth, work hard and take care of business. So that’s what I plan on doing 11 days from now.”

[Q] What does it mean for you to fight in Oakland?

[Andre Ward] “It’s a huge deal for me to be fighting in Oakland. There’s a lot of negative things that come out of this city, but there’s also a lot of good. In this economy people are coming out and spending their money on these fights and having a good time. It’s exciting to see people excited about these fights; for fathers to be bringing their kids. Even women who would never go to a fight come up to me and my wife and say I bought a ticket and I’m coming to the next fight. It’s a lot of positive recognition and it’s one of the reasons I’m in this sport. It’s not to make money or build a legacy but to make a positive impact. We’re slowly and surely doing that and it’s very dear to my heart.”

[Q] How are you going to approach this fight?

[Andre Ward] “If he (Green) has a chip on his shoulder then that makes two of us. I’ve been away from my family for a long time. I’m a bit irritable. He’s desperate to win but I want to keep my title. I don’t know if it’s now or it it’s later but I know eventually I’m going to get respect for the dog that’s in me and for the bite down that I have. It’s about going out there and taking care of my business. I expect him to have a chip on his shoulder because I definitely have one on mine. It’s just go time. At some point the talking just stops and it’s about just showing up. If Allan Green beats me I’ll take my hat off to him. I don’t make excuses. And I expect the same from him if I beat him. What I’m prepared for is a dog fight. I’m prepared for anything he’s got.”

[Q] What is the condition of your knee injury that caused the fight to be pushed back from its initial date of April 24th?

[Andre Ward] “My right knee is fine. We’ve had no issues with the knee throughout our entire training camp. Coming off of surgery there are certain things you need to do in rehabilitation just to keep the muscles and the hamstring and all the different muscles that wrap around the knee; just keeping them strong. The knee has really been a non-issue in this camp.”

[Q] Andre Ward currently looks like the class of the tournament, what do you need to do to beat an Andre Ward?

[Allan Green] “Andre looked great against Kessler but I’m not Kessler. Mikkel Kessler really couldn’t deal with a lot of things that Andre was doing. I’m slick guy and I’m a sharp guy. I’ll fight however my opponent wants to fight. If I have to be slick I’ll be slick. If I have to box I will box. If I have to brawl I’ll brawl. I expect a thinking match. I can’t give my game plan. Andre is not the easiest guy to fight with his style but I understand how to fight him because I fought a lot of those guys in the amateurs. I understand his style.”

[Q] You had to wait a long time before you could join the World Boxing Classic tournament. What are your thoughts about not being a part of the original six, and being able to compete now?

[Allan Green] “I think I belonged in the tournament originally. As far as (Andre) Dirrell goes I don’t think he was ready. The thing I didn’t understand was Jermain Taylor getting into the tournament. No offense against Jermain but we fought on the same show and I won my fight and he lost his fight. I got pushed back to ShoBox and he got put into the tournament. That’s what I didn’t understand.”

[Q] Is your back against the wall a little bit, coming in late and needing to get enough points to make it to the next round of the tournament?

[Allan Green] “I’m not coming into this tournament thinking about points. I’m thinking about victories. With victories come points. I don’t want to put any more pressure on myself than I already have. The only points I’m worried about are the points in the fight. And that’s up to the judges. So I can’t worry about that. I can’t put pressure on myself like that.”

[Andre Ward promoter Dan Goossen] “Here is the way I look at it, we are all in this together. I am working hand in hand with Lou DiBella and Antonio Leonard… With the Ward victory, and we anticipate that, it still leaves the tournament in great shape because all the other fights have certainly gone in directions that a lot of people didn’t anticipate. We believe we have a fighter, I know there has been a lot of talk about Allan Green, as well as they should. He is a tremendous athlete, certainly a world class fighter, and he has a lot of belief in his abilities. We don’t have a problem with that, but when you get ready for an Andre Ward you get ready for something you have never encountered before. Andre has all the goods. One of the reasons we got into this tournamnet from the outset, was to make it to the finals, to win it, and to become a major pay-per-view star. The tournament itself is great for the fans, and great for the network, but more importantly our target was always Andre Ward being a pay-per-view star.”

Rob Blake confirms retirement after 20 NHL seasons

20-YEAR NHL VETERAN ROB BLAKE CONFIRMED HIS RETIREMENT WEDNESDAY

#4 BLAKE CRASHED INTO #39 NIKOLAI KHABIBULIN IN 2008-09

BLAKE ANSWERED QUESTIONS AFTER BECOMING THE 10TH CAPTAIN IN SJ HISTORY IN 2009

San Jose captain Rob Blake said he had made up his mind on retirement after the Sharks were eliminated from the Western Conference Finals by the Chicago Blackhawks, he just needed time to speak with family and friends in order to finalize the decision. “I need to meet with Doug (Wilson), I need to meet with Todd (McLellan). It will take some time. I don’t think it is that tough a decision by any means, it just takes some time,” Blake told the assembled media as he was cleaning out his locker.

“There is an emotional factor when you are done with a season. You need to wait that out. Then you need to talk to influential people in your life, and guys you have a lot of trust in. You put all that together, and then you make your decision. That is why guys usually wait a little bit,” Blake said.

Today that decision was made public. A report on CSNBayArea.com earlier today cited a source that said Blake made the decision to retire, but he was holding off on the announcement in order not to distract attention from game 6 of the Stanley Cup Finals between Chicago and Philadelphia. It was a selfless act for the good of the game, and one that is more than representative of his leadership on the ice in San Jose during two seasons with the organization. Blake’s decision to retire was confirmed publicly by TSN’s Darren Dreger via twitter.

In September, Blake was named the 10th captain in San Jose Sharks history. “I welcome the challenge, first of all it is a tremendous honor,” Blake said of the announcement. He succeed Wayne Gretzky as the captain of the Los Angeles Kings from 1998-2001, won a Stanley Cup in a 4+ year detour in Colorado, then rejoined the Kings to serve as assistant captain and captain. “”I am going to take what I learned, from some of the things that didn’t go right in Los Angeles, make those try to go better, you learn from those experiences,” Blake said of how he will approach his captaincy in San Jose.

His approach was as professional off the ice as it was on it, with far fewer elbows thrown behind the play. He struggled to regain the offensive form he maintained in 2008-09, registering only 3 points in his first 13 games this year. San Jose Sharks television analyst Drew Remenda said that breaks due to an early season injury, and the subsequent 3 week Olympic break, rejuvinated Blake’s game and helped him register 11 points in March and April. More than just impacting the scoresheet, the 6-foot-4, 225-pound blueliner made approaching the Sharks goal crease or chasing down a puck in the corner a perilous endeavor.

On April 4th in the final regular season meeting between the Sharks and the Colorado Avalanche, Blake checked Peter Mueller hard into the end boards. Mueller, a trade deadline acquisition, had been one of the hottest offensive forwards in the league since coming to the Avalanche. After registering 2 goals and an assist, Mueller crashed awkwardly into the boards after the hit. His head and shoulder made seperate, and brutal, contact with the wall. Mueller needed to be assisted off the ice with an apparrent concussion and an upper body injury. “You never want to see a guy get hurt, no matter what, but the thing that happened, that’s hockey,” Blake told the Denver Post.

Blake’s presence on the blueline became more of an issue when the Avalanche shook out as the Sharks first round playoff opponent for the fourth time. Blake steadied San Jose after a puck went off his skate for the game winning goal against in game 1, and another of his clearing attempts went off the throat of Marc-Edouard Vlasic for an own goal in game 2. When a Dan Boyle clearing shot went off the stick of Ryan O’Reilly to end game 3 for Colorado, full panic mode set off among a select group of fans and media in San Jose. East coast and Canadian media buried the team under past playoff shortcomings. Blake was front and center in the media, stressing a one game at a time mantra, and he presented a calming and confident influence on the locker room.

That calm was not evidence on the ice. Blake again was a physical force in the Colorado WCQF series, and a hit on forward T.J. Galiardi drew the wrath of the Denver Post’s Adrian Dater and calls for a suspension after game 2. In the second and third rounds of the playoffs, Blake was tasked to clear the crease of unwanted traffic, and he was effective. While Detroit continued to go to the well in front, Chicago made adjustments and slid to open areas higher in the slot. The Sharks, Blake included, were a step slow against the Blackhawks on both sides of the ice.

Blake finished his career by leading the San Jose Sharks to their most successful season in the franchise’s 19-year history. The 1998 Norris Trophy winner as the league’s best defenseman finishes with 240 goals, 537 assists and 777 points. The prolific offensive-defenseman played in 6 NHL Allstar Games, and he represented Canada in 3 Olympic appearances, 5 World Championships and the World Cup in 1996.

There are rumors he could be interested in a front office position, but he noted that travel was not a part of the equation near-term. “I don’t know that I want to travel as much, but I’d like to learn more about the business, get a real education about the other side of the game,” Blake said after his 2009-10 season ended. If he returns to the NHL in another capacity, many are hoping he brings that old school presence to the Sharks front office.

Rob Blake’s departure will raise many questions… Who will be the next San Jose Sharks captain, will a new free agent defenceman be brought in to replace them, how will the Sharks on-ice physicality change for 2010-11. Questions that will take several months for answers.

[Update] Source: Sharks captain Blake to retire – Pierre LeBrun for ESPN.com.

[Update2] Defenseman Blake to retire after 21 NHL seasons – TSN.

DOH Podcast #103, Interview with AHL Worcester Sharks Director of Public Relations and Broadcaster Eric Lindquist

[audio:http://dudesonhockey.com/podcast/doh_2010_0609.mp3]

Mike Peattie and Doug Santana discuss the Flyers-Blackhawks Stanley Cup Finals and interview Worcester Sharks Director of Public Relations and broadcaster Eric Lindquist on the 103rd episode of the Dudes on Hockey podcast. Lindquist touched on 13 rookies that played in Worcester this year, the youngest team in the AHL, made a comparison of Alex Stalock to an early career Cam Ward, and compared the development track of Thomas Greiss and Alex Stalock in the Sharks organization.

This Sharks podcast is posted here with permission. Visit dudesonhockey.com for more coverage of the team, or download the MP3 file directly here.

San Jose Sharks 2010-11 contract status/salary cap chart

SAN JOSE SHARKS 2010-11 CONTRACT STATUS/SALARY CAP CHART - CAPGEEK.COM

Using capgeek.com, the Sharks rough offseason salary cap and roster picture has wide room for movement. Six forwards, five defenseman, and one goaltender are under contract for 2010-11. Added to the chart are three promotions from the AHL for reference, Frazer McLaren, defenseman Mike Moore and goaltender Alex Stalock.

The Sharks would need at a minimum to sign five forwards and a depth defenseman with $18M in cap space. Cornerstone unrestricted free agents Patrick Marleau (2009-10, $6.3M) and goaltender Evgeni Nabokov (2009-10, $5.375M) will set the tone for offseason maneuverings, and quite possibly set the direction of the franchise for the foreseeable future. A recent AOL Fanhouse survey of free agents ranked Marleau as the second best forward available, behind only Ilya Kovalchuk. Evgeni Nabokov was ranked as the top free agent goaltender available this offseason, ahead of Mason (#17), Theodore (#35), Turco (#37), Leighton (#40) and Ellis (#45). Manny Malhotra (#23) and Scott Nichol (#50) were other San Jose Sharks represented on the list.

With one season left on a previous contract, Marleau signed a 2-year extention for $6.3M per year prior to the start of the 2007-08 season. It mirrored a short-term, 3-year contract center Joe Thornton signed that summer before his legacy contract with Boston expired after the 2007-08 season. Whether the former Sharks captain would be willing to take a shorter term contract to keep the pieces together for another playoff run or two, or whether Marleau would prefer a long-term contract to plant roots with a franchise remains to be seen. That decison needs to be made, or planned for, before any of the remaining roster moves can be put into motion.

Marleau rebounded after his first major knee injury at the end of 2008-09 with a career high 44 goals, and nearly a point-a-game performance in the playoffs (.928 pts/gm). NHL teams employ a phalanx of lawyers and salary cap specialists to massage numbers into favorable salary cap hits, but for a rough comparable consider: Crosby ($8.7M) 51 goals, Stamkos ($3.7M) 51 goals, Ovechkin ($9.5M) 50 goals, Gaborik ($7.5M) 42 goals, Kovalchuk ($6.4M) 41 goals, Semin ($6M) 40 goals, and Heatley ($7.5M) 39 goals. Dany Heatley’s contract was mitigated for 2009-10 when the Edmonton Oilers were forced to make an upfront payment of $4M on July 1st. Given the rough numbers, and by any consideration Marleau is the most complete 2-way forward available this offseason, he could slot somewhere between $6.5 and $7.5M with the distinct possibility another team will offer more to bring in a new cornerstone for their franchise.

The market for big ticket marquee goaltenders mirrors the Dow or the Nasdaq, and is approaching dot com bubble bursting levels for the NHL. The reality is that Evgeni Nabokov is a top-5 goaltender talent-wise, but he may have to accept top-10 or top-15 money to sign long-term this offseason. The playoff success of Jaroslav Halak, Michael Leighton, Antti Niemi and Craig Anderson has moved the needle for general managers in how they might approach the construction of their teams. Globe and Mail reporter Eric Duhatschek speculated in a recent podcast that goaltenders expecting $4-5M per year may only get an offer of $2-3M. A ranking of goaltenders by 2009-10 salary is available from NHLnumbers.com here.

It might be a mistake, an abberation in performance that could negatively influence a decision vital to the core of a team. “A team with a top goaltender, you’re not going to let him go to sign a guy for $1 million. It doesn’t make sense,” new Tampa Bay Lightning GM Steve Yzerman told Craig Custance of SportingNews.com. “If you don’t have a top goaltender, you sign a guy for a year and hopefully he has a good year and he has a good run. The philosophy is dictated by your personnel a little bit.”

Evgeni Nabokov fought his way into the starting job in San Jose, emerging from a goaltending logjam that included Vezina winner Miikka Kiprusoff and Vesa Toskala. In a search for salary cap comparables and available free agents, the biggest challenge Nabokov may face could come from within the organization. 6-foot-1, 210-pound German-born Thomas Greiss (2004 draft, 3rd round, 94th overall) has the size and athleticism to be a successful NHL goaltender. He has playoff experience in the AHL, but he is an unproven commodity. The Sharks will never learn what they have unless he is given an opportunity to carry more of the load, something that is difficult when Evgeni Nabokov averages 70 starts over the last 3 seasons.

Behind Greiss on the depth chart sits the most talented goaltending prospect the Sharks have had since possibly Nabokov or Kiprusoff, former University of Minnesota-Duluth netminder Alex Stalock (2005 draft, 4th round, 112th overall). As a rookie the 6-foot-0, 185-pound South St. Paul native registered an AHL-best 39 wins with the Worcester Sharks this season, more than the highly touted Jonathan Bernier (30) or Corey Schneider (35).

In addition to his own group of youtube Stalock superfans, he was also described by Sharkspage’s Darryl Hunt as “the second best goaltender to ever play for a Worcester AHL team, behind only Dwayne Roloson.” Stalock heads a Goaltending Factory pipeline of prospects that includes 6-foot-5 Swedish goaltender Henrik Karlsson (RFA), University of Massachusetts Lowell goaltender Carter Hutton, Tyson Sexsmith, Thomas Heemskerk (WHL) and Finnish netminder Harri Sateri.

If the Sharks were to take a youth movement goaltending track and lock up key unrestricted and restricted free agents, they could do so from within. It would be the largest decision the franchise has made since the trade of former captain Owen Nolan. Evgeni Nabokov has faced more shots and played more minutes with a San Jose Sharks crest on his jersey (14757, 32492), than the next four goaltenders combined (Irbe, Shields, Vernon and Toskala). The former Calder winner and Vezina runner up is the franchise leader in games played (563), wins (293), saves (13463) and shutouts (50).

The Sharks are not looking to pay for regular season success. For three consecutive regular seasons the San Jose locker room has had to withstand a yearlong barrage of playoff questions before the postseason even began. “The Sharks have had an 82-game preseason,” one analyst said after the 2009-10 regular season campaign. The most common critique of Nabokov is that he did not steal enough games to get the franchise over their perennial playoff hump.

Marleau and Nabokov were paid to be difference makers, something each has struggled with at times in the past. While many point to Marleau’s pair of game winning goals against Detroit, or his 5 goals and 71% of the offense generated against Chicago, Nabokov’s contributions are almost criminally overlooked. Much like the defense in front of him, Nabokov pushed through early mistakes and bad bounces and allowed only 4 goals against in the last 4 games of the WCQF series with Colorado.

Against Detroit, games were never out of hand but Nabokov locked down the goal crease long enough admist heavy traffic to give his team an opportunity to win 4 out of 5 games. In Chicago, where the Sharks were swept in 4 games, Nabokov allowed 13 goals on 128 shots against but the goal support he received was non-existent. The third best offense in the Western Conference (3.22/gpg), and the fourth best in the NHL, could only manage 7 goals in 4 games agaisnt Chicago (1.75/gpg). All but 2 goals came from Patrick Marleau.

The bottom line is that the Sharks offseason plans begin and end with Patrick Marleau and Evgeni Nabokov. As vital a role as Joe Pavelski, Devin Setoguchi, Rob Blake and others played, the future of the franchise rests with the two longest tenured Sharks. The franchise could see massive upheaval after the start of free agency on July 1st. Until that time, both players are under contract with the San Jose Sharks. As the next post will show, a decision to remain with the team will have to be made in conjunction with Sharks management, and with a cooperative effort from players currently under contract as well as returning UFA/RFA’s.

[Update] Bettman: Salary cap to go up $2 million – Mike Heika for the Dallas Morning News Stars blog.

Despite the tough economy, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said if the NHL Players Association opts to use the escalator he expected the salary cap to go up another $2 million _ or to almost $59 million next season.

The cap ($56.8 million for the 2009-10 season) is figured after each season on a complicated formula, and for it to go up $2 million means that the league is doing pretty well. The strength of the Canadian dollar is playing a big role in the rise.

More details from this Gary Bettman interview with HNIC’s Ron MacLean on June 2nd.

Darryl Hunt: Worcester Sharks 2009-10 Report Card

WORCESTER SHARKS GOALTENDER #31 TYSON SEXSMITH - FILE PHOTO

With the AHL season over for the Worcester Sharks, it’s time to update the mid-season report card to reflect the entire 2009-10 season. The grades represent their play though the regular season and playoff run. The player’s contract status is also listed if known, either by type of free agent the player is or by the kind of contract the player is under for next season.

Each player’s grade is based on what was expected of them, how they performed against those expectations, and a general feel of how they have played compared to other players on the team. Players are listed by number, forwards first, then defensemen, and ending with the goaltenders.

7 LW John McCarthy (2 way contract)
AHL reg: 74 games; 15g, 27a = 42; +36; 39 PIM
NHL reg: 4 games; 0g, 0 a = 0; (-4); 0 PIM
AHL play: 11 games; 2g, 3a = 5; +1; 10 PIM
NHL play: Recalled, did not play
Starting with his opening professional shift McCarthy fit right in with the WorSharks high energy third line, and helped propel his two line mates to career seasons. His +36 rating set a team record for Worcester, and his offensive numbers in his rookie campaign beat his four year totals at Boston University in most categories. In addition to his offensive numbers McCarthy was also one of Worcester’s better defensive forwards, and was one of the team’s main penalty killers throughout the season. It looks like San Jose has found a diamond in the rough with this seventh round pick.
GRADE: A

 
9 C Logan Couture (2 way contract)
AHL reg: 42 games; 20g, 33a = 53; +16; 12 PIM
NHL reg: 25 games; 5g, 4a = 9; +4; 6 PIM
NHL Play: 15 games; 4g, 0a = 4; +1, 4 PIM
Simply put, Couture is the best forward prospect to ever play in Worcester. Couture has a knack for being in the right spot at the right time, and for finding the open passing lane to give his line mates uncontested scoring opportunities. While not the fastest skater on the ice, Couture’s hockey sense more than makes up for any shortcomings in that area, and his uncanny ability to end up with the puck on his stick for great scoring chances made AHL defensemen look silly in nearly every game he played. It’s a pretty safe bet the WorSharks have seen the last of Couture.
GRADE: A

 
10 C Dwight Helminen (UFA)
AHL reg: 74 games; 12g, 10a = 22; (-20); 16 PIM
NHL reg: 4 games; 1g, 0a = 1; (-1); 0 PIM
AHL play: 2 games; 0g, 0a = 0; E; 0 PIM
NHL play: 7 games; 1g, 0a = 1; E; 4 PIM
Despite playing on a team full of offensive weapons Helminen had his worst offensive season since his rookie campaign, and his (-20) rating was by far the worst on the team. The lack of any type of physical game hurt Helminen’s play as he was thrown around like a rag doll by bigger and stronger players. With so many other players having better seasons many fans openly wondered why San Jose chose to add Helminen to their playoff roster as nothing about his play in Worcester stood out as being worthy of recall.
GRADE: D

 
11 C Cory Quirk (unknown)
AHL reg: 59 games; 8g, 13a = 21; +8; 14 PIM
AHL play: 11 games; 2g, 1a = 3; +3; 2 PIM
A free agent signee from UMass-Amherst, Quirk saw time on every line except Worcester’s high energy third line. His lack of size is his biggest downfall, but because he consistently outworks his opponents he is able to have some success at the AHL level. Quirk most likely won’t ever see a game in the NHL, but he is the type of player every AHL team needs to be successful.
GRADE: C

 
14 LW Frazer McLaren (2 way contract)
AHL reg: 52 games; 4g, 11a = 15; +2; 148 PIM
NHL reg: 23 games; 1g, 5a = 6; +6; 54 PIM
AHL play: 11 games; 0 g, 0a = 0; (-1); 37 PIM
NHL play: Recalled, did not play
Despite not usually being surrounded by players having good offensive seasons McLaren was still able to double his point total from last season, and also continued his improvement in penalty killing. McLaren’s biggest problem is he occasionally forgets he’s a hockey player and not just a fighter, and that leads to bad play and dumb penalties. Once McLaren gets over that “identity crisis” he should turn out to be a decent NHL forward.
GRADE: C

 
15 C Steven Zalewski (RFA)
AHL reg: 78 games; 22g, 40a = 62; (-13); 20PIM
NHL reg: 3 games; 0g, 0a = 0; (-2); 0 PIM
AHL play: 11 games; 1g, 5a = 6; +1; 4 PIM
For the second season in a row conditioning issues seemed to be an issue for Zalewski. In his last 25 regular season games Zalewski collected just 9 points and went (-12), and looked like he was lagging behind on nearly every shift he took. If the NHL is in Zalewski’s future it will not be as a center as his inability to consistently win face-offs causes issues on both ends of the ice. All those negatives overshadow the fact Zalewski was in the AHL’s top 50 in 10 different offensive categories.
GRADE: D

17 C Ryan Vesce (UFA)
AHL reg: 35 games; 14g, 16a = 30; +3; 20 PIM
NHL reg: 9 games; 3g, 2a = 5; (-1); 0 PIM
AHL play: 6 games; 3g, 1a = 4; (-1); 0 PIM
NHL play: Recalled, did not play
Injuries were the big issue for Vesce, who was never really 100% after suffering an early season injury while on recall to San Jose. The WorSharks captain still had a decent season considering the low number of games he played, and was just getting back to full stride when he was injured again during the first playoff series. If he’s not resigned by San Jose he’ll leave some pretty big shoes behind for the WorSharks to fill.
GRADE: B

 
21 C Benn Ferriero (2 way contract)
AHL reg: 58 games; 19g, 31a = 50; (-6); 20 PIM
NHL reg: 24 games; 2g, 3a = 5; +4; 8 PIM
AHL play: 11 games; 4g, 2a = 6; (-2); 4 PIM
NHL play: Recalled, did not play
After starting the season in San Jose and then getting used to the cross country trips on the Worcester shuttle, Ferriero settled in nicely to become one of the WorSharks top forwards. Like many former NCAA players, the former Boston College standout had a drop off as the number of games he played quickly passed what he was used to in college. But Ferriero was able to put that behind him and have a good playoff run and tie for the team lead in playoff goals, including back to back game winners against Lowell in round one.
GRADE: B

 
22 C Andrew Desjardins (RFA)
AHL reg: 80 games; 19g, 27a = 46; +29; 126 PIM
AHL play: 11 games; 2g, 2a = 4; +1; 32 PIM
NHL play: Recalled, did not play
Last season Desjardins was one of two players to earn a roster spot in Worcester out of training camp. This season he was rewarded for his play by being signed to an NHL contract during the season. A tenacious forechecker, Desjardins anchors the WorSharks energy line with his physical play both in the open ice and along the boards. Desjardins also has the ability to get under his opponent’s skin, which many times resulted in power play chances for Worcester.
GRADE: A

 
23 RW Dan DaSilva (UFA)
AHL reg: 72 games; 21g, 31a = 53; +23; 65 PIM
AHL play: 11 games; 2g, 6a = 8; +2; 8 PIM
The third member of Worcester’s energy line, DaSilva set career highs in goals, assists, and points during the regular season, and was the WorSharks point leader for the playoffs. Not a flashy player, DaSilva style of play simply gets the job done and is the perfect complement to his line mates. While his two line mates kill penalties, DaSilva sees his special teams time on the second power play unit. The only member of the “Crazed Rats” line without an NHL deal, San Jose may need to offer him one to keep him within the organization.
GRADE: A

 
24 LW T.J. Trevelyan (2 way contract)
AHL reg: 63 games; 28g, 16a = 44; +2; 16 PIM
AHL play: 8 games; 4g, 2a = 6; +1; 2 PIM
Despite missing over seven weeks with a broken jaw, Trevelyan was able to match his career high for goals. A facial injury caused him to miss three playoff games but he was still able to tie for the team lead in playoff goals. A pure goal scorer, Trevelyan is a threat to light the lamp every time he touches the puck. Signed to an AHL deal last summer, Trevelyan’s play has earned him a two-way NHL deal with San Jose for next season.
GRADE: B

 
28 LW Dennis McCauley (UFA)
AHL reg: 45 games; 10g, 4a = 14; +1; 84 PIM
AHL play: 8 games; 0g, 2a = 2; +1; 2 PIM
While many AHL teams have enforcers that can’t play hockey, the WorSharks were lucky enough to have one that could. McCauley played meaningful minutes, including occasionally being on the ice in the closing minutes of close games. Twice during the season McCauley outraced opponents to iced pucks to bang them home into empty nets to clinch victories. McCauley also registered one of the team’s only hat tricks of the season. No one will confuse McCauley for Wayne Gretzky, but teams that overlooked him often paid the price for doing so.
GRADE: B

 
47 C Kevin Henderson (unknown)
AHL reg: 64 games; 2g, 13a = 15; E; 45 PIM
AHL play: 11 games; 0g, 1a = 1; (-3); 4 PIM
The last of the WorSharks regular forwards to score a goal, Henderson never really showed the offensive upside that brought him to Worcester. His usual position was the fourth line center, but after a string of injuries Henderson centered the top line for a handful of games. The change of line mates didn’t help as Henderson continued to be snake bitten in the offensive zone. If there was an award for hardest worker Henderson would certainly have been in the running, but at this level sometimes working hard just isn’t enough.
GRADE: D

 
53 LW Brandon Mashinter (2 way contract)
AHL reg: 79 games; 22g, 15a = 37; +1; 117 PIM
AHL play: 11 games; 1g, 5a = 6; +3; 6 PIM
A free agent signee out of the OHL, San Jose is grooming Mashinter to be an NHL level power forward. Based on his play in his rookie season he is well on his way to making their plans a reality. With two Gordie Howe hat tricks, nine multi-point games, and 12 fights Mashinter showed good offensive potential while also being able to play a physical game. Mashinter was also the first player in WorSharks history to have double digit goals and fights in the same season.
GRADE: B

 
3 D Joe Loprieno (2 way contract)
AHL reg: 46 games; 0g, 4a = 4; (-1); 52 PIM
AHL play: Did not play
With a deep line-up at defense for most of the season, one of the odd men out was Loprieno. The lack of playing time he made any sort of development hard, and it showed in the games he did get in to. Loprieno played a physical game in college but his inability to crack the line-up made improving in that area difficult, and because of that forwards had little problem shaking off his checks.
GRADE: D

 
4 D Danny Groulx (signed KHL contract)
AHL reg: 80 games; 14g, 52a = 66; +17; 80 PIM
AHL play: 10 games; 1g, 6 a = 7; +1; 6 PIM
You don’t win the Eddie Shore Award as the AHL’s outstanding defenseman by accident, and Groulx was certainly a worthy recipient of the award. With a career year in goals, assists, and points Groulx was like a forward playing defense. His laid back defensive style was a source of consternation for fans watching, but it often proved effective and led to many odd man rushes back toward the opponent’s goal. You might not want Groulx playing on your top pairing, but you certainly want him playing on your team somewhere.
GRADE: A

 
8 D Mike Moore (2 way contract)
AHL reg: 64 games; 3g, 19a = 22; +16; 82 PIM
AHL play: 11 games; 0g, 0a = 0; +1; 14 PIM
NHL play: Recalled, did not play
Playing on the WorSharks top defensive pairing increased Moore’s playing time, and as a result he played more of a well rounded defensive game as opposed to just trying to drill his opponent into the fourth row. There were some obvious growing pains, but his play was consistent enough for San Jose to sign him to a contract extension during the season. Should the Worcester shuttle start running again next season Moore could be a frequent passenger.
GRADE: B

 
19 D Michael Wilson (UFA)
AHL reg: 54 games; 5g, 10a = 15; +4; 42 PIM
AHL play: 8 games; 0g, 1a = 1; (-2); 4 PIM
With the addition of some muscle mass and a year of pro experience under his belt, Wilson was by far the most improved player on the WorSharks roster from last season. Being the only defenseman on an AHL contract through most of the season Wilson was not always able to crack the line-up, but when he did he showed all the skills of a two-way defenseman that were lacking in his rookie campaign. With San Jose having several defensive prospects lined up Wilson may be the odd man out, but he should have little trouble landing a spot elsewhere next season.
GRADE: B

 
25 D Derek Joslin (RFA)
AHL reg: 55 games; 5g, 27a = 32; +14; 29 PIM
NHL reg: 24 games; 0g, 3a = 3; +1; 12 PIM
AHL play: 11 games; 4g, 1a = 5; +2; 4 PIM
NHL play: Recalled, did not play
After being passed on the depth chart by Jason Demers San Jose was obviously looking to see how Joslin would handle it. Offensively Joslin handled it decently, but on defense he made far too many mistakes that showed how far he really needs to go to be a full time NHL defenseman. One place where he needs to improve dramatically is in getting his shots off faster. No player on Worcester had their shots blocked more often than Joslin, and too often that led to odd man rushes back toward his own net.
GRADE: C

 
26 D Joe Callahan (UFA)
AHL reg: 35 games; 4g, 11a = 15; +5; 19 PIM
NHL reg: 1 game; 0g, 1a = 1; +1; 0 PIM
AHL play: 2 games; 0g, 0a = 0; E; 2 PIM
Injuries limited the veteran defenseman to just 35 games, and unfortunately for Callahan his play in the playoffs showed he probably should have hung it up for the season after neck surgery. When he played it was often like there were two different players wearing his jersey, with some nights Callahan looking like an all-star and others like he’d never played defense before. With the quantity of defensemen in the system odds are Callahan won’t be back next season.
GRADE: C

 
27 D Nick Petrecki (2 way contract)
AHL reg: 65 games; 2g, 12a = 14; (-4); 106 PIM
AHL play: Did not play
The youngest player on the roster, and the majority of nights it showed as Petrecki was constantly outmatched by faster forwards. An incredible physical presence at Boston College, Petrecki was never able to convert his college play to the pro style. He certainly would have benefited from some time in the ECHL, but “hockey politics” kept him on the AHL roster. Hopefully next season Petrecki can improve and recover from what is essentially a wasted season in his development. The only thing keeping him from getting a failing grade is the hard work he’s put in to get better.
GRADE: D

 
29 G Frank Doyle (UFA)
AHL reg: 10 games; 6-3-0; 2.94; .899
AHL play: Did not play
Signed to an NHL deal after Sexsmith went out with a season ending injury, Doyle proved to be a very efficient back-up to budding star Alex Stalock. With the backlog of goaltenders in San Jose’s arsenal for next season there’s little chance he’ll be back, but he was certainly just what was needed at the time he was signed.
GRADE: B

31 G Tyson Sexsmith (2 way contract)
AHL reg: 13 games; 4-6-1; 3.94; .860
AHL play: Injured, did not play
It’s tough going from being the number one guy to being the guy sitting on the bench, and Sexsmith had his issues doing just that. Sexsmith did have a couple of good games, but unfortunately each good game was followed with a terrible one. Because it’s hard to tell how badly his play was affected by the sport’s hernia he suffered from and how much sitting behind Stalock was to blame, we’ll hold off giving Sexsmith a grade for his rookie campaign.
GRADE: Incomplete

32 G Alex Stalock (2 way contract)
AHL reg: 61 games; 39-19-2; 2.63; .908
AHL play: 11 games; 6-5-0; 2.28; .919
NHL play: Recalled, did not play
The rookie phenom is the second best goaltender to ever play for a Worcester AHL team, behind only Dwayne Roloson. What more needs to be said? From the first game of the season Stalock played like a veteran beyond his years and led the AHL in games played and wins, along with being in the top five in four other categories. Stalock looks to be another great mid-round draft pick for San Jose.
GRADE: A

Report of San Jose Sharks 20th anniversary 1991-2011 logo surfaces

SHARKS REPORTED 20TH ANNIVERSARY LOGO 1991-2011- ICETHETICS

According to Icethetics, this is an unconfirmed release of the 20th anniversary logo for the San Jose Sharks (1991-2011). It will be the 20th year anniversary of the team’s inaugural season, but only the 19th season in operation due to the 2004-05 NHL lockout. Solid design.

Scouting report on University of Massachusetts Lowell goaltender Carter Hutton

UMASS LOWELL GOALTENDER #30 CARTER HUTTON - FLICKR PHOTO DENNIS PAUSE

The San Jose Sharks announced the signing of four players on Tuesday, including University of Massachusetts Lowell goaltender Carter Hutton. The 6-foot-1, 185-pound native of Thunder Bay, Ontario averaged 21+ games played in 4 seasons at UMass Lowell, and registered a career high 13 wins, .928SV% and 2.04GAA in 2009-10. According to Lowell.com, Hutton leaves the college as the all-time career leader in shutouts (10), goals against average (2.33) and is tied with Nevin Hamilton for career save percentage (.913).

Hutton was signed to an amateur tryout agreement with the Adirondack Phantoms of the AHL after his senior college season was over. He stopped 23-of-25 shots against in a 3-1 loss, and earned a 4-3 win with a 35-save effort in his first two professional starts. He was called up to the Philadelphia Flyers on an emergency basis after the onslaught of goalie injuries continued in Philly.

A brief scouting report from Sharkspage and Red Line Report scout Max Giese:

Good skater who is active handling and playing the puck, quick footwork allows him to get into set position early and to make saves under control… Moves well in his crease but he needs to challenge shooters more consistently…  Tends to allow traffic in front of his net to force him to play too deep in the paint… Will need to handle traffic better in the pro game… Has good character and is a leader between the pipes… Intelligent, makes smart reads and anticipates the developing play well around him.

Excellent photo used with permission from Easthampton, MA photographer Dennis Pause.

AHL’s best defenseman, Worcester Sharks blueliner Danny Groulx, in negotiations with KHL

Worcester Sharks defenseman Danny Groulx, recipient of the Eddie Shore Award as the AHL’s best defenseman in 2009-10, signed with the Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod franchise in the Kontinental Hockey League according to Russian sources. (Correction from Sharkspage.com’s Darryl Hunt, Groulx is currently in negotiations with the KHL.)

A Calder Cup winner with Hamilton in 2007, Groulx was named as a first team AHL allstar this season after registering a career highs in assists and points. He lead all AHL defenseman with 52 assists and 66 points in 80 games played. Danny Groulx’s AHL ironman streak was halted at 208 straight games, playoff and regular season included, suffering a concussion when he ran into a teammate during the third game of the playoff series with Manchester.

In his 8th AHL season, the 6-foot-0, 200-pound offensive blueliner from Quebec signed a 1-year free agent contract with Worcester last July. Terms of his latest contract with Nizhny Novgorod are not available as of this posting. He joins a Torpedos Nizhny Novgorod team that finished 4th in the Tasarov division in 2009-10, and 9th in the KHL’s Western Conference with a 24-27-5 record for 75 points.

The Sharks recently re-signed defenseman Taylor Doherty, forwards Tommy Wingels and Marek Viedensky, and goaltenders Harri Sateri and Carter Hutton. Defenseman Julien Demers (2008, fifth), Samuel Groulx (2008, fourth) and Patrick Zakrisson (2007, fifth) were not signed and will re-enter the 2010 NHL Entry Draft (Los Angeles, June 25-26).

[Update] Semi-confirmation from this Czech hockey website — hokej.cz.

DOH Podcast #102, Chicago-Detroit cap situations, Devin Setoguchi and Joe Pavelski RFA’s, recent prospect signings

[audio:http://dudesonhockey.com/podcast/doh_2010_0602.mp3]

Mike Peattie and Doug Santana discuss the offseason salary cap situations facing the Chicago Blackhawks and Detroit Red Wings, examine the RFA situation for Joe Pavelski and Devin Setoguchi, come up with prospective contract offers, and take a look at recent San Jose Shark prospect signings and non-signings on the 102nd episode of the Dudes on Hockey podcast.

This Sharks podcast is posted here with permission. Visit dudesonhockey.com for more coverage of the team, or download the MP3 file directly here.

California Proposition PAV-8 needs your vote, Pavelski’s spin-o-rama goal trailing Robert Nilsson in NHL head-2-head polling

Joe Pavelski’s backhand spin-o-rama goal against Dan Ellis is trailing a goal scored by Robert Nilsson on NHL.com’s new goal-of-the-year digital highlight contest. According to current totals Edmontonians have helped Nilsson to 67% of the vote (231-114). Votes for this Pavelski goal can be cast today only.

The single elimination tournament bracket features 16 of the best goals scored during the 2009-10 NHL season over 16 days. Crosby, Parise, Lombardi, Lapierre and Datsyuk goals have already been eliminated. For more information visit goalsoftheyear.nhl.com. This contest was created by Head 2 Head media.

This transgression will not stand. The ‘Big Pavelski’ needs your vote. A few weeks after this play Pavelski faked a spin-o-rama in the outside direction, turned inside and lasered a pass to Ryane Clowe for a 1-timer at the top of the crease. If the left hand don’t get you, the right hand will.

The most luxurious press box in all of sports — the BBC F1 Monaco trackside yacht

JAKE HUMPHREY, DAVID COULTHARD, EDDIE JORDAN BROADCAST FROM TRACKSIDE YACHT - BBC

COASTAL VIEW SURROUNDING THE MONACO HAIRPIN - BBC

The transition of Formula 1 from ITV to BBC on British television is going swimmingly. For 11 years the camerawork on ITV was the gold standard for sports broadcasting. When BBC gained the rights to FIA in 2009, there was some trepidation about how that coverage would continue.

It was not needed. The BBC immediately made its mark on F1 with a depth and breadth of layered reporting that does not dumb itself down for viewers. Instead, intricate and many times secretive equipment details are mixed in with team politics, as well as the first person experiences of former drivers David Coulthard, Martin Brundle, and former owner Eddie Jordan. The camerawork has steadily improved, and often takes chances with angles or locations to open a new window into the race for viewers.

A 1500 frames per second camera was used the last two years at the German Grand Prix to give a fascinating look at the amount of stress F1 cars take on corners. In its second season at the luxurious Monaco Grand Prix, the British Broadcasting Corporation broke out the big guns… a trackside yacht.

In a race organization filled with extravagance and ostentatiousness, Monaco is at the top of the mountain. Alongside one of the greatest concentrations of wealth in the world, terraced hillsides and yacht-lined shores created a “tableau of colors” according to one announcer. The pre-race program was hosted from the BBC yacht, with post-race festivities moving to the swimming pool alongside a nearby Red Bull Racing yacht for victorious drivers Mark Webber (1st) and Sebastian Vettel (2nd).

The race itself, normally a very tight and orderly affair, was one of the most wild at Monaco in modern history. A crash in qualifying forced Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso to start the race from the back of the pack. An early saftey car allowed Alonso to make the mandatory pitstop, and he proceeded to blitz through the field finishing in 6th. Under caution, 7-time world champion and 5-time Monaco champion Michael Schumacher passed Alonso for 6th on the final corner, a result he was forced to relinquish after the race. Schumacher was dropped from 6th to 12th after the ensuing penalty.

The Grand Prix in Monaco also has an odd tradition of racers going about their own way after crashing out on the track. In 1988 sharkspage favorite Ayrton Senna famously crashed his McLaren just before the tunnel, and he walked to his nearby Monaco apartment without saying a word to his team or the media. In 2006 another sharkspage favorite, Kimi Raikkonen, took his shirt off and suntanned from his trackside yacht after crashing on the course.

This year it was rookie Nico Hulkenberg crashing out on his second lap, and deciding to watch the race from the side of the track instead of returning to the paddock. In a wealthy Mediterranean principality where many of Europe’s elite own a residence for this race weekend alone, you can not blame a driver for wanting to sit back and enjoy the view.

[Update] On-board video and Monaco track analysis from Mark Webber’s 2010 pole position lap in qualifying. Webber also beat Hamilton for pole position in tomorrow’s race at Istanbul Park in Turkey.

DOH Podcast #101, Reactions after WCF loss to Chicago, ‘fireproof’ status of McLellan and Wilson, UFA situation for Marleau and Nabokov

Mike Peattie and Doug Santana pick apart the Western Conference Final loss to Chicago, cover the reasons for the ‘fireproof’ status of head coach Todd McLellan and GM Doug Wilson, examine the UFA situation for Patrick Marleau including comparables, plus/minus aspects of his game, and potential long-term contract offers, examine the UFA situation for goaltender Evgeni Nabokov, including a top 10 NHL goaltender list and a look at some postseason shortcomings on the 101st episode of the Dudes on Hockey podcast.

This Sharks podcast is posted here with permission. Visit dudesonhockey.com for more coverage of the team, or download the MP3 file directly here.

Post-season interviews with San Jose Sharks head coach Todd McLellan and EVP/GM Doug Wilson

End-of-season media interviews with head coach Todd McLellan and EVP/GM Doug Wilson. Coach McLellan talked about his initial emotions after the Chicago Blackhawks series:

It sets in now. You are wound up with a lot of emotion in the loss to Chicago. We realize where we got to and what we failed to do. In some sense, you are proud of the group that they battled and overcame in some areas, and there are some things you are disappointed in. There are a lot of mixed emotions. Over the next few weeks we will be able to sort through them, talk to players, and figure out where to go from here.

McLellan also detailed changes minor and major that may be conducted in the offseason, and then offered a word of warning for his staff, Sharks players, and fans in the Bay Area:

We have to be careful we are not walking around and patting ourselves on the back. We set some new standards for the organization. The players lived up to them. Ultimately, we were beat by a very good Chicago team. I felt we could have played better, could have challenged them more. The season is a success as long as we do something with the growth next year. If we take a step backwards, we can’t look at this as successful one bit.

EVP/GM Doug Wilson detailed his initial reactions after the Western Conference Final loss to Chicago, and waded into issues of offseason salary cap management, and the pending unrestricted free agency of former captain Patrick Marleau and starting goaltender Evgeni Nabokov:

The first thing you do right now is decompress. We always give everybody an opportunity to be heard, and review the season. Right out of the gate I am damn proud of this hockey team, the coaching staff, and the fanbase for the support they gave us. It is a different feeling than we have had. We made huge strides as an organization, the standards, and the expectations. I do thank this group for that. The key is to build upon that. A lot of good things happened this year, a lot of success. We didn’t get ultimately where we wanted to get to, but I do feel this organization is now in a place where the standards to understand what it takes to get to. A lot of guys in this room have a lot to do with setting those standards.

Under this (salary cap) system, you always have a lot of work to do. That is the reality of this business. We work hard to make this a place players want to be. It is teammate to teammate respect and self motivated people that want to be people who are like that. That is why this dressing room is the most important thing in this organization.

We are very proud of (Marleau and Nabokov). They competed hard, and were very great teammates. This isn’t the time, and people should not get into the point of premature assessments or jumping to conclusions. We will make those decisions going forward. These are people who have done tremendous jobs for this organization. Both of them are outstanding hockey players. We will deal with that in the near future.

[Update] San Jose Sharks Rob Blake reportedly leaning toward retirement – San Jose Mercury News.

Locker room cleanout video interviews with Patrick Marleau, Evgeni Nabokov and Joe Thornton

The San Jose Sharks held end-of-season lockerroom cleanout interviews with local media today after a long and grueling postseason. A majority of the interest centered around upcoming unrestricted free agents Patrick Marleau and Evgeni Nabokov, and both pointed to a feeling of ‘unfinished business’ surrounding their long tenure with the franchise. Joe Thornton, Dany Heatley, captain Rob Blake, Dan Boyle and Manny Malhotra along with several others answered questions in the media scrum.

Patrick Marleau answered several questions, including his thoughts on the Sharks playoff run, and what he thinks about his pending unrestricted free agency this summer:

You get a feeling for the work it takes to get as far as we did, and basically we were only half way there. There is still a lot of work that needs to be done to get to that next level, to win the Stanley Cup.

(Free Agency) is something new for me, we will have talks. As far as anything else, I really don’t know yet.

Goaltender Evgeni Nabokov was reflective and proud of San Jose’s postseason run, but he turned combative when his tenure as a San Jose Shark was spoken of in the past tense. Twice he spoke at length about wanting to remain with the team, and with this specific group of players. He also stressed a sense of ‘unfinished business’, and gave a clear impression that if the management wants him to stay, he will.

(The ball) is not in my court really, it is up to the organization. Then after that, it will be in my court. It is their decision, then my decision. It is a weird situation, I haven’t been in that situation in a very long time. To be honest, I don’t know what is the right way to answer.

Absolutely (I would remain with the team if it was up to me). I would like to be with these guys. I think we have a really good team. We have been through a lot of different things, bad seasons, and very good seasons. I don’t like not finishing something. I would like to finish something here, then I could sleep well.

[Update] Youtube rejected a longer version of this video, below are selected comments by Dany Heatley, Rob Blake, Dan Boyle and Manny Malhotra. Dany Heatley on his feelings after the series loss to Chicago, how everyone plays through injuries in the playoffs, and his outlook for the summer:

Disappointment. We felt we had the group to do it this year. Overall I think it was a good season. We took some steps forward, and we believe in this group. The guys in this room are a lot of fun to play with, we had a lot of good times.

Throughout a hockey season, throughout the playoffs, everybody has got something going on. You just have to do your best with it… I was fine out there, good enough to play.

Last summer, I don’t want to repeat that. There is not a lot of time until training camp. I am excited to get a little time off, and then get right back at it, and get back here with these guys. It was fun to come to the rink every day.

There was speculation 40-year old captain Rob Blake may have played his last game in the Western Conference Finals, but at this point he was not prepared to confirm or deny a 21st NHL season.

I need to meet with Doug (Wilson), I need to meet with Todd (McLellan). It will take some time. I don’t think it is that tough (a decision) by any means, it just takes some time. There is an emotional factor when you are done with a season. You need to wait that out. Then you need to talk to influential people in your life, and guys you have a lot of trust in. You put all that together, and then you make your decision. That is why guys usually wait a little bit.

Defenseman Dan Boyle looked back at the playoffs and at the series against Chicago:

I like the makeup of our team. If we start the series again today or tomorrow, it could be a different result. I am not convinced they would beat us again. It is what it is. History just says you are going to lose playoff series before you win a Cup.

No, we beat a very good team (in Detroit). The media and people outside are going to say they exhaled, and it was a letdown. It was just a missed opportunity. We missed an opportunity in game 1. Game 2 wasn’t very good. Games 3 and 4 could have gone the other way. It was a missed opportunity on our part. I don’t think the Detroit series had any factor into it at all.

From experience, I think a break does help. I think our first game, our first period was one of the best we had all series.

Manny Malhotra took less than market value to fit under the salary cap for the 2009-10 season in San Jose, and should be at the head of the line for a new contract offer over the summer. It was made clear that he and his family wanted to remain in San Jose, that he felt the team was building toward a Stanley Cup Final apperance, and he had glowing comments about the Sharks organization, the fans, and the city:

Just talking with my wife, I would love to stary here. It has been a great experience so far. The talks we had last year with Doug (Wilson), we didn’t want it to be a one and done situation. I wanted to find a home again, to grow a home with an organization. It has been a great start, and hopefully this relationship can continue.

(The playoff run) was a step towards where we want to go. I told everybody from day 1, this team has a unbelievable game plan as far as how to get to the Stanley Cup. We executed that throughout the year. It is definitely a situation as a player you want to be a part of.

Everything (is special here), every aspect of it. The team itself, how you are treated as a player. It is incredible, I really can’t even explain it. The fans and the city, it is a privilege to play in front of a sellout every night, and as loud as they get, and as in to the game as they are. That is a privilege to play in front of as an athlete. You can go up and down the checklist, everything about San Jose is a plus.

[Update2] Evgeni Nabokov on future with Sharks: ‘I want to be part of it, but I don’t know if it’s up to me’ – David Pollak’s Working the Corners blog.