Nils Ekman, LW (Trade-NYR); Scott Parker, RW (Trade-Col); Grant Stevenson, C (FA)
John Jakopin, D (FA-NYR) ; Gregg Naumenko, G (FA-Europe) ; Jeff Nelson, C (FA-Minor leagues); Teemu Selanne, RW (FA-Col); Chad Wiseman, LW (Trade-NYR)
Evgeni Nabokov is looking to rebound after a difficult season. It started in the summer when the Sharks and Nabokov failed to
hammer out a new contract. The Russian goaltender skipped out on training camp and the Sharks' first five games of the season
A deal eventually got done, but Nabokov never seemed to rediscover the dominating form he showed in his first two seasons.
Nabokov posted decent numbers — a 19-28-8 record with a 2.71 goals-against average — but bad goals came more frequently and game-stealing performances were few and far between.
If Nabokov doesn't bounce back, coach Ron Wilson has two decent backups to choose from in Miikka Kiprusoff and Vesa Toskala. Kiprusoff, like Nabokov, is coming off a disappointing season. He struggled when thrust into the starters' role during Nabokov's holdout. In his first six appearances he allowed 23 goals. He finished the season with second lowest save percentage in the NHL.
Toskala, meanwhile, took advantage of a late-season promotion from the minors by going 4-3-1 during 11 appearances.
The current incarnation of San Jose Sharks barely resembles the team that opened last season. At the beginning of the campaign, the Sharks believed themselves to be Stanley Cup contenders. When it became obvious that wasn't the case, management began jettisoning bodies.
Gone are Owen Nolan, Teemu Selanne, Niklas Sundstrom, Adam Graves, Marcus Ragnarsson, Bryan Marchment and Jeff Jillson. The only notables to survive the Sharks' bloodletting were Vincent Damphousse, Mike Ricci and Scott Thornton. That trio is being counted on to lead the Sharks' inexperienced, but emerging, attack.
With a total of 56 goals between them, Patrick Marleau and Marco Sturm are two of the game's top young shooters. San Jose also is hopeful that Jonathan Cheechoo and Brad Boyes can make a meaningful contribution.
The Sharks' blueline is also inexperienced, but with time it should develop into a team strength. Mike Rathje, the defence corps' leader, plays a strong position game. Kyle McLaren's size and willingness to lay the body would intimidate almost any attacker.
Brad Stuart is a smooth skater and creative attacker, capable of quarterbacking the power play. The disciplined Scott Hannan will again be on the ice in key defensive situations.
The Sharks like rookie Christian Ehrhoff's offensive upside and will give him every chance to contribute.
Marleau has shown consistent improvement throughout his five-year NHL career. He's blessed with decent size, great speed and natural goal-scoring ability. Last
year he recorded a career-high 57 points. The Sharks hope he will take his game
up another notch and become one of the league's top centres.
