San Jose Sharks | 
It is a question that has been talked about since Joe Thornton was traded from the Boston Bruins in 2005.
Are the San Jose Sharks a legitimate threat to win the Stanley Cup?
After knocking out the Calgary Flames 4-3 in the first-round of the playoffs last season, the Sharks came up lame against the upstart Dallas Stars and fell 4-2 to go back-to-back seasons of being eliminated before the third-round. This for a team, with the aforementioned Thornton, and star players Patrick Marleau, Jonathon Cheechoo, and Evgeni Nabokov, who finished with over 100 points in the previous three seasons, and were considered legitimate Stanley Cup contenders in both seasons.
Once the Sharks were ousted by the Stars in last year’s playoffs, there was a cry for change from not only upper management, but the faithful Sharks fans. There was speculation that captain Patrick Marleau could be on the move due to low production, 48 points in 78 games during the regular season, and an apparent rift between him and Coach Ron Wilson.
Once the Sharks were ousted by the Stars in last year’s playoffs, there was a cry for change
It was decided that Wilson would be the fall guy for the Sharks troubles, and not Marleau. Wilson was fired and the rest of the team remained together. It did not take long to find a replacement for Wilson, as former Detroit Red Wings assistant coach Todd McLellan was named as head coach for the 2008-2009 season.
Many became skeptical of this move, including myself, as to how a rookie head coach was supposed to lead a team who had so much expectation, over the hump and achieve their goal of winning the Stanley Cup.
McLellan has been doing a great job of bringing this group together so far this season, as the Sharks are tops in the NHL through 28 games with 48 points, Patrick Marleau is having a bounce-back year scoring 31 points in 28 games, and they are playing their best hockey ever as a group.
In a recent media conference call with McLellan, he discussed the success of the team so far, feeling that the Sharks “came together fairly quickly at camp. For the most part the players have been very receptive to some new ideas. They have been open to trying things a little outside their comfort zone.”
With the success that the Sharks have had so far, and with no signs of it slowing down any time soon, it leads many to ask that same old question that seems to pop up every season; Are the San Jose Sharks for real?
For Open Ice Hockey, I’m Jesse Michael
Topics: Joe Thornton, NHL, Patrick Marleau, Playoffs, San Jose Sharks, Stanley Cup, Todd McLellan
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