NHL Season Preview: San Jose Sharks

Welcome to the NHL FanHouse 2008-09 season preview. While other sites are previewing "30 teams in 30 days," we decided to take advantage of the extra time off before the start of the season to bring you all 30 previews over the next three weeks. We're counting down in reverse order of finish from last season in each conference every weekday from now until October 3. Look for an Eastern Conference preview every morning and a Western Conference preview every afternoon. Click here to read them all.

Who's In: Dan Boyle, D (Trade-TBL); Brad Lukowich, D (Trade-TBL); Rob Blake, D (FA-LAK); Jeff Friesen (FA-tryout)

Who's Out: Brian Campbell, D (FA-CHI); Matt Carle, D (Trade-TBL); Craig Rivet, D (Trade-BUF); Curtis Brown, C (FA-Switzerland)

What's Changed: A surprising amount, actually, considering that the San Jose Sharks had the second-most standing points in the league last year and surrendered the third-fewest goals-against. How do the Sharks plan on improving on those results? Simple -- fire the head coach and replace half the players on the blueline.

Out the door went coach Ron Wilson, who had improved the Sharks' regular season points total each year since the lockout, but had the misfortune to lose back-to-back-to-back games in the second round of the playoffs three years in a row. New coach Todd McLellan comes from the assistant coach position with the Detroit Red Wings, and Sharks fans are hopeful that he can bring some of that postseason success they've been starving for. Also, the three new defensemen -- Blake, Boyle, and Lukowich -- all come in with cup rings. Have the Sharks improved with all this postseason experience, or were they actually better off last year?

Regardless of what happens with the defensive pairs, the Sharks are a team that revolves around Joe Thornton, who's had excellent seasons both personally and team-wise -- only Detroit has earned more standings points than San Jose since Thornton's Sharks debut. Thornton may start the year on a line with Patrick Marleau, who is coming off a rough year, and Devin Setoguchi. The second line figures to feature Milan Michalek, Joe Pavelski, and Jonathan Cheechoo, who also needs a rebound performance. The third and fourth lines will feature Ryane Clowe, Mike Grier, Marcel Goc, and Jeremy Roenick, a.k.a. the fourth greatest video game player ever.

The Sharks will have to start the year without youngster Torrey Mitchell, however, as he fractured his leg in the preseason and will be out for two months. Mitchell was a rookie last year, but showed great promise in a checking role, and will definitely be missed. His absence does create an opportunity for a former Sharks standout to return, though -- Jeff Friesen has been on a professional tryout with the Sharks and is expected to fill in on the checking lines. Friesen, if you recall, was once traded for Teemu Selanne, but that trade didn't work out for either team, so now things are finally being remedied.

The blueline will be divided among newcomers Rob Blake, Dan Boyle, and Brad Lukowich along with returning players Marc-Edouard Vlasic, Christian Ehrhoff, and Douglas Murray, who recently signed a team-friendly contract extension. I'm not sure how McLellan will pair up his blueline bench, but he has already put Rob Blake and Dan Boyle together for preseason power plays. It certainly seems to be a good mix of veterans and youth, with a good set of puck-movers and puck-stoppers, and Alexei Semenov can fill in when Sharks fans need someone to yell at.

Just like the Ducks were two days ago, the Sharks find themselves in a salary crunch heading into the regular season, and most have figured that Kyle McLaren will be traded soon. Who knows? Just hours after my Ducks preview, Brian Burke traded Sean O'Donnell and solved Anaheim's cap crisis, so perhaps a McLaren trade is imminent.

In net will be Vezina loser Evgeni Nabokov, plus backup netminder Brian Boucher. Boucher is a veteran capable of spelling Nabokov, which is an element that the Sharks didn't have at the start of last year. Nabokov figures to appear in less than the 77 games he participated in last year, which should hopefully allow the Russian workhorse to be a bit fresher in the playoffs.

Who's on the hook: For the regular season, it's probably Jonathan Cheechoo. The former Richard Trophy winner, recovering from a hernia injury, potted only 23 goals last season, the lowest total since his rookie campaign. Whether he can regain his 2005-06 goal-scoring form remains to be seen, but Sharks fans are still hopeful that Cheechoo can rebound. Cheechoo probably won't get moved, as his contract is very reasonable, but he is starting the season on a separate line from Jumbo Joe Thornton, and if his play continues to struggle, may not get another real opportunity to earn his way back to the top line.

For the postseason, though, it's Joe Thornton, unfairly as ever. Until Thornton convincingly puts the team on his back in the playoffs, he'll carry the unfortunate "choker" label for hockey fans in and out of San Jose.

Where they'll finish: With a new coach and a new blueline, nothing is guaranteed for the Sharks, especially if there is an extended transition period to start the year. Still, it's hard to imagine with all the talent that the Sharks have that they won't be contenders for the Pacific Division title. Again, it's going to be a tough road, as the Anaheim Ducks and the Dallas Stars figure to be strong contenders, and the Phoenix Coyotes look to continue their improvement. Wherever the Sharks finish, however, they'll really be judged on their postseason performance. It's a tough western conference, and perhaps with the new additions the Sharks can play to their potential in April, but there's some 82 or so games that need to happen first.

Blogs to Watch: Working the Corners, Seagate Broadcaster Blog, Sharkspage, Battle of California, We Bleed Teal, Two For Elbowing, Couch Tarts, Sharks Hockey Analysis, Fear the Fin, Bleed Teal, A Hockey Guy, Sharks Hockey Odyssey, Todd Harvey's Tears, Slightly Saucy

Gratuitous YouTube Embed: A nice little interview with Jeremy Roenick the poker player from this past summer. Yes, THE Jeremy Roenick. Enjoy!