Sharks Recall Kurtis Gabriel and Josef Korenar from the Barracuda + Other Roster Moves

 Despite the earlier news about the Sharks' next two games getting postponed, Team Teal has made several roster transactions, which will be mentioned in order of importance: 

The Sharks have called up F Kurtis Gabriel and G Josef Korenar from the Barracuda in the AHL.  

In return, the Sharks have sent down the following players to the Barracuda: G Alexei Melnichuk, D Jake Middleton, D Brinson Pasichnuk, D Nicolas Meloche, F Jeffrey Viel, F Fredrik Handemark, F Joel Kellman, F John Leonard, and F Rudolfs Balcers. 

Balcers has been been sent down on a conditioning assignment and will join the Sharks once his conditioning assignment has been completed.

Source: sjsharks.com

Sharks Home-Opening Series Vs. Golden Knights Postponed

 The Sharks' next two-game series against the Vegas Golden Knights on February 1 and 3 has officially been postponed due to COVID-19 protocols. These two games were originally scheduled to be played in Arizona, but will now be played at a later date in San Jose.

As mentioned in the previous post, there have been some positive COVID-19 tests within the Golden Knights, leading to the postponement of their current series vs. the Blues. The Sharks' next two games have been added on to those games primarily as a precautionary measure. So far, there have been four members of the Golden Knights who have tested positive and are being isolated, consisting of one player and three coaches. Vegas' training facilities have been closed "until further notice," according to the NHL. 

As for the Sharks, they will be flying back to the Bay Area tomorrow morning after a lengthy road trip to start the season. It sucks that their home opening series won't be played when they were supposed to be played, but at least they will be able to return home sooner than expected, be with their families and loved ones, and receive about a week of rest before facing the Ducks in Anaheim on February 5. 

Source: NBC Sports Bay Area/California

Sharks Game 8 Recap: Avalanche 3, Sharks 0 (1/28/21)

 The Sharks' defense improved from the other night, but their offense couldn't get anything going as they were shut out by the Avalanche 3-0 to complete their two-game series in Colorado. 

The game remained scoreless for the first two periods and the first half of the third period. During those scoreless frames, the Avalanche hit the posts at least six times. The last half of the third saw three straight goals from the Avs, two of them from Nazem Kadri and the other one from Andre Burakovsky. 

Despite the loss, Devan Dubnyk had his best performance so far this season, recording 35 saves on 38 shots from Colorado. San Jose was outshot 38-21 tonight and didn't spend enough time in the Avs' end of the ice as they should've. Ryan Donato continues to play hard and create chances in front of the net, while Dylan Gambrell had a solid performance despite not recording any points. On the other hand, the Sharks had three opportunities on the power play, and those chances looked atrocious.

Marcus Sorensen was almost a healthy scratch in favor of Sasha Chmelevski in tonight's game, but since there was a problem with the taxi squad roster, Sorensen remained in the lineup. 

Patrick Marleau tied Ron Francis for fourth in all-time games played with 1,731. He will have sole position of fourth in that list in the "home" opener in Arizona vs. the Golden Knights on Monday. 

Overall, Team Teal seemed pretty exhausted from being on the road for a while. They are now 3-5-0 on the season and the only team in the NHL that hasn't played a home game yet, and there is now a light at the end of that tunnel. Luckily, the Sharks have three days off to rest before the home-opening series against the Golden Knights starting on Monday at 6 pm PT. 

Speaking of the Golden Knights, they had their current series against the Blues postponed as at least a few members of the Knights tested positive for COVID-19. Vegas also had to close their practice facilities to do a deep-cleaning. Depending on how this unravels, there is a possibility that the Sharks next two-game series could get postponed as well. We will find out in the next few days if there are any more positive tests within the Golden Knights and if the Sharks' home-opening series will be affected by these positive tests. 

Source: NBC Sports Bay Area/California

Sharks News & Notes (1/27/21)

 Here are some San Jose Sharks headlines that were released today that are worth discussing: 

• The Sharks acquired Christian Jaros in a three-team trade involving the Ottawa Senators and Anaheim Ducks. In this deal, Jack Kopacka and a 2022 seventh round pick from the Sharks are headed to the Senators, while Trevor Carrick is headed to the Ducks. 
  

 This move was made to strengthen the Sharks' defensive depth after they were bounced by the Avalanche last night. According to Sharks GM Doug Wilson, Jaros "is a big right-shot defenseman who plays a physical game." 

The 24-year old defenseman played in 13 NHL games with the Senators last season, tallying three assists and six penalty minutes. He also recorded 15 points in 34 AHL games and had a +20 rating with the Belleville Senators last season.

• The Sharks have officially received the green light from Santa Clara County to play the remainder of their home games at SAP Center this season starting February 13 vs. the Ducks. However, no fans will be allowed to attend the remaining 28 home games at the Tank this season. In regards to the Sharks' home-opening series against the Golden Knights in early February, a limited number of tickets will be available for those games in Arizona. Overall, this is great for the team, but hopefully the pandemic improves well enough in the next few months so that at least some fans can attend games at SAP Center this season.
  

• Jake Middleton has been placed on waivers by San Jose. Team Teal has had many defensive woes so far this season, with Middleton being responsible for a good chunk of them. He isn't absolutely terrible, but he happened to be the odd man out when the Sharks were making lineup changes going forward. This move also came as the Sharks landed Christian Jaros in a three-team trade with the Senators and Ducks, as discussed in the first headline. 

Stay tuned to CPF Hockey for more Sharks news and updates. 

Sources: NBC Sports Bay Area/California, Bay Area News Group 

Sharks Game 7 Recap: Avalanche 7, Sharks 3 (1/26/21)

 This was an ugly one. The Avalanche put up a touchdown as they took down the Sharks 7-3 in the first game of this two-game series. 

Despite the way the rest of the game went, the Sharks scored first in the first period on a goal by Ryan Donato off his own rebound. This is Donato's third goal on the season, and he continues to play well for the Sharks, especially since he's usually outside the top six forward group. Donato also tallied an assist on the Sharks' last goal in the third period by Logan Couture. Kevin Labanc and Logan Couture were credited with the assists on the first goal. Labanc also added another assist on the Sharks' last goal of the game by Logan Couture.

Following the first goal later in the first period began a string of five consecutive goals for the Avalanche, the first one by former Shark Joonas Doonskoi. The three goals that Colorado scored to complete the first period were all in a span of three minutes. Things really began to fall apart early in the second period when John Leonard mishandled the puck on the power play, leading to a shorthanded goal by Valeri Nichushkin. After Sam Girard scored the fifth-straight Avalanche goal roughly four minutes later in the second, Martin Jones was pulled from the game and substituted by Devan Dubnyk. Not long after the goalie substitution, the Sharks got one back on Noah Gregor's second goal of the year, with assists from Timo Meier and Dylan Gambrell. Devan Dubnyk then proceeded to give up two more goals later in the second, which consisted of one by Devon Toews and Brandon Saad's second goal of the game. I should mention that Cale Makar tallied three assists in this game, which was a big help to my fantasy team. 

Towards the end of the game, when the Sharks basically had no chance of getting back in it, Team Teal let its frustrations be known to the Avs as tensions rose and things got chippy between the two teams. 

Overall, second periods haven't been kind to the Sharks this season. Both Jones and Dubnyk were left out to dry in this game, with Jones recording 14 saves and Dubnyk recording 21 saves of his own. 

The next and last game of this series is on Thursday at 6 pm PT. I expect the lineup to be shuffled again, but who knows who will and should be starting in net on Thursday. All I know is that the Sharks need to perform better in all areas of the game, especially on defense and while handling the puck, and become more challenging to play against if they were to bounce back from last night's contest, which I believe is very possible. I understand that the Avalanche are extremely talented, firing on all cylinders, and one of the top teams in the NHL, so splitting this current series won't be an easy task. Hope last night's game was just a doozy and not anything more troubling.

On a positive side note, if you haven't already heard, the state of California recently lifted its stay-at-home order for all regions, indicating that the Sharks may return to SAP Center sooner than initially anticipated. 

Sources: NBC Sports Bay Area/California, ESPN

The Time I Saw the Stanley Cup Up Close

 As a hockey fan, I can say that I had the opportunity to see and touch the ultimate prize up close, and it was well worth it. This happened just over two years ago as the local junior team where I live was going to have it on display at one of their games. I knew from the moment I found out about this that it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and I had to capitalize on it. It's rare that the Stanley Cup makes a visit to your hometown, especially if hockey isn't all that popular there. 

The local junior team in my hometown doesn't usually have too many people coming to their games, but there were certainly more people who showed up to this one since Lord Stanley was in attendance. Once I got there, I first had to buy my ticket. My seat was in one of the middle rows near center ice. It was also my first and only hockey game that I've attended that didn't involve NHL teams. 

As I entered the seating area, I ran into my friend who was working for the local junior team at the time. I was speaking with him until the line to see the Stanley Cup started to get significantly longer. In fact, for much of the game, the line to see the Stanley Cup up close wrapped around most of the lower bowl of the arena. It was best for me to get in line to see the Cup towards the beginning of the game as it would be more difficult to see it at any other time. In addition, the main reason I was at this game was for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I remained in line from before the start of warm-ups to the beginning of the first period. My turn to see Lord Stanley eventually came. I think we can all agree that it is the greatest trophy in all of sports. It is even more magnificent seeing it up close. I almost didn't touch the Cup due to a somewhat well-known superstition in the hockey world, but this may be my only chance to be up close with the Cup, so I placed my hand on it when my pictures with the Cup were being taken. Once my turn was up and other fans in attendance were receiving their turn with the Cup, I stood further back from others but still in the same room to soak this moment in for a little while longer. I eventually located my seat to catch the rest of the game. I'm not too familiar with my local junior team, but all I know is that they won this particular game. I also remember that the Sharks were playing that same night against the Golden Knights and got a huge win in the last few minutes of their game. 

On a side note, many of the fans in attendance repped a variety of NHL teams, most of them being Sharks fans like myself. Other teams in that variety included the Blackhawks, Kings, Ducks, Red Wings, Golden Knights, Wild, Flyers, Penguins, Lightning, Maple Leafs, Canadiens, Oilers, Rangers, Coyotes, Capitals, Bruins, Stars, Hurricanes, Avalanche, and Blues. I didn't expect to see many fans of other NHL teams there besides the two teams from Southern California and a few of the more well-known and successful franchises.

Lastly, once the game was over, I remember it was incredibly foggy once exiting the arena and heading home. Overall, seeing the Stanley Cup up close is an experience I will never forget. Many hockey fans can only dream of seeing the Stanley Cup up close, and many players and coaches can only dream of hoisting the Cup one day. I can say that I have seen and touched the Stanley Cup, and I'm very grateful for it. If another opportunity for me to see the Stanley Cup in person arises again, there's no question that I will fully take advantage of it as much as I possibly can. 

Sharks Game 6 Recap: Sharks 5, Wild 3 (1/24/21)

 The Sharks got a much-needed win in Minnesota vs. the Wild last night 5-3, splitting their first two-game series with the Wild. 

This game also happened to be the Sharks' first regulation win of the season, which was bound to occur sooner or later. Team Teal is now 3-3-0 through six games this season and has split every two-game series it's played so far. 

Although San Jose gave up the first goal of the game in the first period to Zach Parise, the Sharks were able to get their offense going and capitalize on opportunities in front of the net. These began with a goal by Ryan Donato late in the first to tie it up at one. Erik Karlsson and Kevin Labanc assisted on the first goal by Donato. Donato also recorded one assist along with Timo Meier on the Sharks' second goal of the game in the second by Evander Kane to go up 2-1. Noah Gregor followed up the Evander Kane goal with his first of the season to go up 3-1 in the second period, with Mario Ferraro assisting on that goal. 

The Wild then scored two unanswered, one late in the second by Nick Bjugstad and one near the midway point of the third by Kevin Fiala. Bjugstad almost had another one in the second, but it was overturned after he had pushed Martin Jones into the net with his stick on that play. 

During the middle of the third, Jordan Greenway appears to rough-up Tomas Hertl, creating a scrum involving nearly everyone on the ice. Brent Burns got heated and went after Greenway to incite the scrum. Hertl was taken to the bench to get evaluated, while both Burns and Greenway each received two minutes for roughing, beginning 4-on-4 play. 

Late in the third period, Brent Burns scored the game-winner by dancing through five Wild defenders and shooting top corner on the backhand. This was easily the best play of the game on one of the best plays of Burnzie's career so far. Hertl still remained in this game after getting shaken up in the third and was credited with the lone assist on the Burns GWG. Matt Nieto sealed the deal with less than 30 seconds remaining by finding the back of the empty net to win it 5-3.

This was a crucial win for the Sharks as their next two series are against the Avalanche and Golden Knights, who are expected to be the top two teams in the West Division. 

Martin Jones saved 26 of 29 shots against the Wild, putting up an .897 save percentage. Shots were 36-29 in favor of the Sharks. San Jose also dominated in the faceoff circle 40-30. 

Compared to the previous game, the Sharks' coaching staff had shuffled the lines in this game, and it seemed to work in their favor. 

San Jose's next series against the Avalanche in Colorado starts on Tuesday at 6 pm PT. Stay tuned to CPF Hockey for all of your Sharks news and updates. 

Sources: NBC Sports Bay Area/California, ESPN

Sharks to Play Home Opening Series in Early February Vs. Vegas in Arizona

 For some time, we didn't know if Santa Clara County would give the Sharks the green light to play their home games at SAP Center in time for their home opening series in early February against the Golden Knights. Now we know where things stand for that series. 

The Sharks will be playing their first two 'home' games in Arizona, temporarily sharing Gila River Arena in Glendale with the Coyotes. This comes as Santa Clara County's ban on contact sports remains in place until the county sees an improvement in its handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Team Teal held its training camp in Arizona, so it wouldn't make sense for the team to relocate to another temporary facility. They're still hoping to return to SAP Center at some point during the 2021 season, but that remains uncertain whether they will be able to or not. 

After the two-game series against the Knights on February 1 and February 3, the Sharks' next 'home' games aren't until February 13 and February 15 against the Ducks; where exactly those games will be played has yet to be determined. 

In the meantime, the Sharks are working with the NHL to figure out a way to allow the players and coaches' wives, girlfriends, and families to visit the team during their first 'home' series in early February. This is necessary as it will lessen the burden of being on the road for too long. 

I understand why the Sharks can't play in San Jose right now and possibly for the forseeable future. At the same time, I think it's ridiculous that the Sharks have to play their home games elsewhere while their in-state rivals, the Kings and Ducks, get to play in their home arenas when the COVID situation in Southern California is worse than that of Santa Clara County. Although the Sharks may not be able to have fans at their games this season, I hope the Sharks don't have to play all of their games on the road, primarily for the team's mental health. In addition, I can't wait to be able to attend another Sharks game in the near future. 

Other News & Notes: 

• Martin Jones will be the starting goaltender in the Sharks' next game tomorrow vs. the Wild. So far, no other lineup changes have been made ahead of tomorrow's game. 

•  A blockbuster trade in the NHL was announced earlier today, as the Winnipeg Jets acquired forward Pierre-Luc Dubois and a 2022 third round pick from the Columbus Blue Jackets in exchange for forwards Patrik Laine and Jack Roslovic. This trade fulfills team needs on both ends of the deal, while the players involved in this trade ultimately needed a change of scenery from their now previous teams. However, Dubois, Laine, and Roslovic won't be able to join their new teams right away as they are subject to quarantine rules in place by the NHL and at the U.S.-Canada border. 

Sources: NBC Sports Bay Area/California, The Athletic, NHL.com 

Sharks Game 5 Recap: Wild 4, Sharks 1 (1/22/21)

 The Sharks dropped their series opener in Minnesota against the Wild 4-1 last night. 

This wasn't a terrible loss, but the main reason why this game got away from the Sharks was that they couldn't get their top six forwards going on offense. 

San Jose gave up the first goal of the game in the first period to Joel Eriksson Ek to put the Wild on the board first. The Sharks later tied the game on Matt Nieto's first goal of the season and first goal with the Sharks since February 16, 2016 vs. the Lightning. Erik Karlsson and Patrick Marleau were credited with the assists on the Nieto goal. Other than this goal, Team Teal wasn't able to generate much offense and get pucks in the net. 

Minnesota took the lead in the second period by Zach Parise scoring off a rebound. This game didn't feel like a 4-1 loss for the Sharks, but the Wild added two empty-netters late in the third, explaining the end result. The Sharks are now one of only two teams in the NHL this season yet to record a regulation or overtime win, with the other team being the Boston Bruins.

There weren't any changes to the Sharks' lineup from their previous game except for Devan Dubnyk starting in goal against his former team. Despite the loss, Dubnyk performed great, recording a .926 save percentage and stopping 25 of 27 shots from the Wild. 

Although this game didn't end the way it should've, Erik Karlsson continued to play well on both sides of the puck. The third and fourth lines also performed well and had a lot of chemistry together. Ryan Donato played his hardest and had plenty of opportunities against his former team, but came up short every time. 

On a side note, Kirill Kaprizov is looking like an early favorite for the Calder Trophy and has been impressive in his rookie campaign so far. 

The Sharks are now 2-3-0 through five games in the 2021 season and remain stuck at four points in the West Division standings. They will complete their first two-game series against the Wild in Minnesota on Sunday at 5 pm PT. 

In other news, it has been reported that Jumbo Joe suffered a rib fracture and will miss at least four weeks with the Maple Leafs. 

Sources: NBC Sports Bay Area/California, ESPN

Sharks Game 4 Recap: Sharks 2, Blues 1 (SO) (1/20/21)

 The Sharks split their first two-game series with the Blues in a 2-1 victory in the shootout last night. 

San Jose didn't have much going for them in the first period except for Evander Kane taking a few penalties, one of them being errant. He ended up taking a few more penalties later in the game for a total of eight penalty minutes on the night.

The game remained scoreless until early in the second period when Brayden Schenn put the Blues on the board first. Later in the second, Marcus Sorensen scored while diving for the puck towards the net to tie it for Sharks, which was pretty incredible. Mario Ferraro and Matt Nieto assisted on the play. 

Both teams were scoreless in the third as it remained tied at one heading into overtime and eventually a shootout. Ryan Donato had a great scoring chance during overtime and could've put the game away for the Sharks, but it was called off due to goaltender interference. 

It wasn't until the last attempt of the first round of the shootout when Tomas Hertl scored to win the game for the Sharks. This was a much-needed win for Team Teal as they are now 2-2-0 on the season. Both of the Sharks' wins this season came in the shootout, while they only had three shootouts the entire season last year.

Despite not showing up on the scoresheet, Erik Karlsson had his best game of the season thus far. Karlsson skated well, and his presence was felt throughout the game. He also created plays and space when necessary and was in similar form to his days as an Ottawa Senator. 

Dylan Gambrell was inserted into the lineup for the first time this season, playing on the third line with Stefan Noesen and John Leonard. Martin Jones was given the starting nod in net last night and played fantastic, stopping 22 of 23 in the crease. Jones tends to perform better when he starts every other game rather than in consecutive games, which is also the case with many other goalies in the NHL. 

Shots were 38-23 heavily favoring the Sharks, while the Blues prevailed in the faceoff circle 27-22. 

Next up, the Sharks travel to Minnesota for a two-game series against the Wild starting on Friday. Puck drop on Friday is at 5 pm PT. Hope the Sharks can carry their current momentum into Minnesota and continue to win, because I know they can. 

In other news, the Sharks' team plane was lent to President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris' campaign team to be used for Biden and Harris' historic inauguration early yesterday. 

Sources: NBC Sports Bay Area, ESPN

My Favorite NHL Teams Ranked From Least Favorite to Favorite

CPF Hockey isn't complete without ranking my favorite NHL teams, and in this post I will be ranking all 31 (soon to be 32) NHL teams from my least favorite to favorite (you should already know number one by now). I also plan to give some reasoning as to why teams are ranked where they are on my list. My rankings may change as time goes on, but I don't expect any of those changes to be drastic. Without further ado, let's get into it:

A quick disclaimer: for those of you who support other NHL teams, don't get angry and start hating in the comments because I ranked your team lower than you would've wanted me to. These are all my personal opinions, and if we all agreed on everything, the world would be a pretty boring place. 

 

32) Los Angeles Kings 

 

If you know who my number one team is, my absolute least favorite team shouldn't come as much of a surprise to you. The Kings have been one of the Sharks' biggest rivals ever since the Sharks entered the NHL in 1991. The Sharks-Kings rivalry has intensified during the late 2000s and much of 2010s as the two teams have battled each other for playoff spots and during playoff series. What also solidified the Kings as my least favorite team was their reverse sweep of my Sharks in the first round during the Kings' run to their most recent Stanley Cup championship in 2014. As of now, the Sharks' rivalry with the Kings has simmered down some since the Kings are in a rebuild. Other reasons why I have the Kings in last place in my rankings include their inconsistencies, current lack of scoring depth, mostly washed-up veterans, questionable reputations of select current and former Kings players, and boring current logos and primary jerseys in comparison to what other NHL teams have to offer. Whenever the Sharks beat the Kings, those are some of the best-feeling Sharks victories. I hope the LA Kings don't win another Stanley Cup anytime soon, especially since they already won two fairly recent Cups in 2012 and 2014, and the Sharks haven't won the Stanley Cup yet.

On the bright side, there are always at least a few reasons I like about every NHL team. In the case of the Kings, that would include the city of Los Angeles in general, the fact that Wayne Gretzky used to play for them, Staples Center and the surrounding LA Live, celebrity fans and appearances at games, Anze Kopitar, some of their previous logos and jerseys, and their mascot Bailey (that is, until I become a victim of his antics). I attended a LA Kings game with my friend back in January against the Dallas Stars because I stumbled across a free ticket offer I couldn't refuse, and my friend and I had a ton of fun there. I will get into more details about my experience at that game in a separate post coming soon.

31) Anaheim Ducks 

 

 Considering my favorite team, this also comes as little surprise that the Anaheim Ducks are my second least favorite team. The Ducks are saved from last place because their rivalry with the Sharks isn't as strong as the Sharks' rivalry with the Kings. Still, I strongly dislike the Ducks because of their generally dirty style of play and a few of their current and former players. In addition, the Ducks' Reverse Retro jerseys that were unveiled for this season are some of the most hideous and cartoon-y jerseys I've ever seen. Most importantly, the Ducks used to dominate the Pacific Division in recent years and make life difficult for my Sharks. Luckily, Anaheim won only one Stanley Cup back in 2007 compared to the Kings' two Cups in '12 and '14, and I don't remember the Ducks' Stanley Cup victory all that well since I was just a kid when that occurred. Like the Kings, the Ducks are also entering a rebuild, which should make things at least somewhat easier for the Sharks moving forward, and I hope the Ducks don't win another Cup anytime soon. Similar to Sharks' victories over the Kings, the Sharks beating the Ducks feels just as incredible. 

On the flip side, a few reasons I like about the Anaheim Ducks are beautiful Orange County, their Mighty Ducks-inspired alternate and specialty jerseys with the Mighty Ducks logo on the center of them, their mascot Wild Wing (until I become a victim of his antics), Teemu Selanne, and Rickard Rakell. I have seen the Honda Center in person but never been inside of it.

30) Seattle Kraken 

 The Kraken are ranked this low on my favorite teams list mainly because they haven't played a game in the NHL yet. I don't know what to expect of and from this team heading into their inaugural season in 2021-22, plus they haven't drafted or signed any players yet. The last aspect that doesn't help Seattle's case is that they will be in the Pacific Division with my Sharks and I don't usually cheer for my favorite team's division rivals. As the Kraken get more games under their belt, their respective ranking in my favorite teams list will change. I will have to see how they perform in their first season before determining how I truly feel about them. So far, Seattle has cool logos, jerseys, and colors, so that's a start. As of now, the Kraken remain in 30th place among my favorite NHL teams.

29) Arizona Coyotes

 You may start noticing a trend here. I don't normally cheer for my favorite team's division rivals, so they will be placed toward the bottom of my list more often than not. This is no different for the Arizona Coyotes. I have never really bought into the Coyotes because they haven't held a good track record for many years. Teams like the Coyotes don't inspire me to believe in them. Sure, they do have some talent in their system, but having an NHL team in the middle of a desert has basically been a failed experiment so far, losing millions in revenue for the NHL every year. In addition, there has been some recent drama surrounding the Desert Dogs, such as their loss of draft picks due to illegal scouting practices and the rescinding of their 20th overall selection Mitchell Miller in this year's draft due to Miller bullying a mentally-disabled black teenager. 

On the other hand, I like the Coyotes' Kachina-themed alternate jerseys, and Arizona will move to the Central Division once the Seattle Kraken are eligible to start playing games in the NHL. At the same time, I think it would be best for the Coyotes to relocate to Houston as the city of Houston could really use an NHL team and they can find some real success in a new city under a new name.

28) Vegas Golden Knights 

 I'll admit, the Golden Knights were previously higher on my favorite teams list, but as the Sharks' rivalry with the Golden Knights intensifies, I began to like the Knights less and less. Vegas is in a position to dominate the Pacific Division and Western Conference for years to come, which will make life more difficult for my Sharks. Whenever the Sharks defeat the Golden Knights, these are some of the best-feeling wins during the regular season and playoffs. I also really hope that the Golden Knights don't win a Stanley Cup before the Sharks do, especially since the Knights are still a fairly new franchise in the NHL. 

However, the fact that the Vegas Golden Knights are still a fairly new franchise has saved them from falling any further down my list. In addition, they had an impressive inaugural season, shattering records for expansion teams in the NHL. A few other things I like about the Golden Knights are the city of Las Vegas, T-Mobile Arena, and Marc-Andre Fleury. Whenever I now think of Las Vegas, the Golden Knights are one of the first things that come to mind.

27) Edmonton Oilers 

 

The Edmonton Oilers come in at #27 on my list for many reasons. Most importantly, like the teams ranked below them on this list, they are a Sharks' Pacific Division rival. I began to dislike them more after they eliminated my Sharks in the first round of the 2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs, which I feel wasn't supposed to happen. For many years before the 2016-17 season, the Oilers heavily embraced mediocrity. It seemed as if they were often awarded the first overall pick in the draft more than they should've been, and nearly every high draft pick they receive would be used to select a player who would end up becoming a bust at the NHL level. In more recent years, they would make other mistakes and questionable moves, such as trading star players like Taylor Hall for Adam Larsson or signing washed-up or unproven players to large contracts, such as Milan Lucic and Mikko Koskinen at the time he was signed to his current deal. In other words, they were (and still kind of are) easy to make fun of. Lastly, the current Oilers are nothing without Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl; one of these two must have big nights and put up multiple points, or else they don't stand a chance against their opponents.

However, some reasons why the Oilers aren't any lower on my favorite teams list include Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, Wayne Gretzky, Mark Messier, their 80s dynasty, and Rogers Place. In addition, the Oilers-Sharks rivalry isn't as huge and significant as both teams' rivalries with other teams in the Pacific Division.

26) Calgary Flames 

 Although they are another Sharks' Pacific Division rival, I placed the Calgary Flames above the Edmonton Oilers in this list because I didn't find as many reasons to dislike the Flames as I did with the Oilers. The Flames are at least somewhat respectable in my opinion as some legends and future hall-of-famers have suited up for them, such as Lanny McDonald, Jarome Iginla, and Miikka Kiprusoff. In addition, the Saddledome looks pretty cool. However, I'm not a big fan of a few players on the Flames right now, specifically Milan Lucic and Matthew Tkachuk. Otherwise, I still cheer against the Flames in most instances, but not as much as I would cheer against most other Sharks' Pacific Division rivals.

25) Vancouver Canucks 

 I'm not a huge Canucks fan nor will I ever be, but they have earned more of my respect compared to the rest of the Pacific Division teams not named the Sharks. Vancouver has made their fair share of questionable moves over the years and had their down periods as well, but they have begun to place a more competitive team on the ice more recently. Besides being a Sharks' Pacific Division rival, another significant reason why I don't like the Canucks is that their fans rioted and attempted to burn their city to the ground after they lost to the Bruins in Game 7 of the 2011 Stanley Cup Final. I was happy the Bruins won that series, but not pleased with how Canucks fans reacted after the 2011 Cup Final was finished. 

On the bright side, I like many of the current Canucks players, such as Brock Boeser, Elias Pettersson, Quinn Hughes, Bo Horvat, JT Miller, Thatcher Demko, and Braden Holtby. I also like some of their previous players, such as Daniel and Henrik Sedin, Jannik Hansen, and Pavel Bure. In addition, I have traveled to Vancouver before, and it is a beautiful city with a great car scene. The only thing I didn't get to see when I was in Vancouver that I wanted to see was a Canucks game at Rogers Arena; the main reason I didn't get to attend a Canucks game then was that I traveled there four summers ago during the middle of the NHL offseason.

24) Ottawa Senators 

 As you may be able to tell in my rankings, the Ottawa Senators are my least favorite team in the Eastern Conference. In recent seasons, they haven't been competitive and have had a lot of off-ice drama hanging over them. After the Senators were one goal away from reaching the Stanley Cup Final in 2017, it has been all downhill from there for Ottawa. The biggest reason I dislike the Senators has to do with their owner, Eugene Melnyk. He is known for being cheap, corrupt, and running his team poorly. Melnyk is the worst owner in the NHL, and as long as he is the owner of the Senators, Ottawa will not win a Stanley Cup. 

On the flip side, the Senators gave the Sharks Erik Karlsson, and the Sharks didn't have to give up much in return (as of now). They seem to be leaving the drama behind and heading in the right direction as an organization. I don't have the Senators ranked any lower than 24 on my favorite teams list is because they are in the Eastern Conference and don't have any sort of rivalry with the Sharks.

23) Buffalo Sabres 

 Besides the Senators, the only other team I dislike in the Eastern Conference is the Buffalo Sabres. I have never really been on board with this team, especially after nearly every season they will get on a hot streak early in the season just to fall back to Earth, disappoint, and miss the playoffs. They have the right pieces in place to be competitive for an entire season and make the playoffs, but time and time again they can't get the job done. I don't think there's anything that will make me believe that the Sabres can turn things around, but they could surprise us sooner than later for all we know. There may even be a point where Jack Eichel is so fed up with the Sabres that he requests a trade out of Buffalo, but we're not there yet. On the other hand, I appreciate that the Sabres have had such a loyal and dedicated fanbase that has put up with their years of mediocrity and lengthy playoff drought.

22) Dallas Stars 

 

Now entering the in-between tier of teams - those that I don't particularly like or dislike. The Dallas Stars used to be lower on this list, but they have earned more of my respect after signing Joe Pavelski and seeing them play in person against the Kings in LA almost a year ago. In addition, the Stars aren't in the same division as the Sharks and have quite a few talented players on their roster. However, what keeps the Stars in this tier is that they kinda have a rivalry with the Sharks, and there are at least 20 teams I like more.

21) Winnipeg Jets

 The Jets are another team I don't particularly like or dislike. You could say there is sort of a rivalry between the Sharks and Jets with ties to West Side Story. Whatever the case may be, I like some of Winnipeg's talent up front such as Blake Wheeler, Mark Scheifele, and Kyle Connor. In addition, the Jets' current and previous logos and color schemes look pretty cool. However, the Jets are a smaller market team based in Canada, and I am less likely to cheer for those types of teams in general. I also want to point out that Winnipeg often experiences frigid temperatures during the NHL season and doesn't have as much to offer compared to other major cities in Canada.

20) Columbus Blue Jackets

 I've never been a huge Blue Jackets supporter, but they have gained more of my support in more recent seasons as they have become more relevant. Columbus entered the NHL during the 2000-01 season and haven't had much to be excited about for several seasons, which has kept them lower than most Eastern Conference teams on this list. What helps the Blue Jackets' case, however, is that their logos and color scheme look great, they don't have a rivalry with the Sharks, and they have a cannon inside Nationwide Arena that goes off every time the Blue Jackets score, which is really cool and unique.

19) Montreal Canadiens

 Like the Blue Jackets, I have never been a huge Montreal Canadiens fan. However, the Habs are one of the more interesting Canadian-based teams in the NHL. I like that the Canadiens have had a ton of history, with several hockey legends having come and gone through Montreal and having won more Stanley Cups than any other franchise in the NHL. Carey Price is one of the best goalies in the league, and PK Subban played most of his career with the Canadiens. Their logo and jerseys are some of the most iconic in the NHL, and Montreal seems like a city worth visiting with its French flair and European elements. I very much enjoy that the Sharks' current win streak against the Canadiens is one of their longest win streaks against any opponent in franchise history. 

What keeps the Habs in the in-between tier is their heavy media presence that can be and is often harsh towards the players and team in general. In addition, Marc Bergevin has made some questionable moves as the Canadiens' general manager, and I don't like some of their fans. Lastly, nothing against Carey Price, but I don't see Montreal winning a Stanley Cup anytime soon with him in net, and I'm completely fine with that.

18) Toronto Maple Leafs

 This is now the part of the list where we enter the tier of teams I actually like, which consists of more than half of all NHL teams. You may be able to figure out by process of elimination that the Toronto Maple Leafs are my favorite Canadian-based team in the NHL. Toronto is one of my top bucket list destinations and one of the coolest cities in Canada and the entire world. A few of the things I immediately think of when it comes to Toronto are the Hockey Hall of Fame, hockey itself, and the Maple Leafs. Auston Matthews is one of my favorite players in the NHL. Jumbo Joe Thornton joined the Leafs this offseason and Patrick Marleau spent a few seasons on the Leafs, increasing my respect for this team. In addition, I like two of their current big-name players, Mitch Marner and John Tavares, but not as much as Matthews, Jumbo, or Patty. Although I may not be too fond of some of their fans, the Maple Leafs have one of the most hardcore, loyal, and passionate fanbases in the NHL that have stuck with the team through over 50 years of either mediocrity or playoff heartbreak.

On the flip side, why are the Maple Leafs ranked lower than the other teams I like? For starters, I didn't enjoy the Leafs' period of mediocrity that lasted until they drafted Auston Matthews number one overall in 2016. Since they haven't won a playoff series in what seems like ages ago, the Maple Leafs can be easy to make fun of sometimes. Most importantly, the Leafs seem to receive way more media coverage than any other team in the NHL, which is unfair for other NHL fanbases and those who want to hear about other NHL teams, not just Toronto. Luckily, I don't have to deal with that issue myself where I live, but I am generally speaking for many NHL fans, especially the ones based in Canada, from what I have heard from a few hockey channels on YouTube.

17) Colorado Avalanche

 Next in the tier of teams I like we have the Colorado Avalanche. The Avs have some great-looking logos and colors and are currently stacked from top to bottom. For example, Colorado has a lethal top line in Nathan MacKinnon, Mikko Rantanen, and Gabriel Landeskog. Cale Makar came off his first full season in which he won the Calder Trophy. Their prospect pool is loaded, highlighted by Bowen Byram. In addition, former San Jose Shark Joonas Donskoi currently plays for the Avalanche. Colorado is quickly becoming a powerhouse in the Western Conference and a threat to go on a deep playoff run in the coming years. I never witnessed it live, but when the Avalanche won the Stanley Cup in 2001, Ray Bourque got to lift the Cup to finish his hall-of-fame career, which was a special moment in hockey history. Although there is a lot to like about the Avalanche, there are 16 other teams that I happen to like more.

16) Carolina Hurricanes

 Ranked above the Avalanche in this list is the Carolina Hurricanes. The Canes have become a more fun team to watch in recent years. They also ended their lengthy playoff drought a few seasons ago and are usually a threat to go deep in the playoffs once they get in. Carolina has a lot of talent up front highlighted by Sebastian Aho and Andrei Svechnikov. One thing that really impressed me about Svechnikov is that he successfully scored two lacrosse-style goals last season. The Canes' defense corps is one of the deepest in the NHL, highlighted by Dougie Hamilton and Jaccob Slavin. Lastly, the Hurricanes implemented the Storm Surge during the regular season, in which the entire team would engage the fans and participate in unique celebrations every time they would win at PNC Arena during the regular season. In addition, the Hurricanes have great-looking logos and alternate jerseys, including the ones featuring the defunct Hartford Whalers logo. However, Carolina doesn't have as proven of a track record as some of the teams ranked above them in this list, keeping them at number 16.

15) Nashville Predators

 Like many teams in the tier of teams I like, there are many things I like about the Nashville Predators. They have one of the best logos and coolest mascots in the NHL. Like the Sharks, the Predators have been a consistent playoff contender for many years. Bridgestone Arena in Nashville looks amazing and has one of the best in-arena atmospheres in the NHL based on what I've seen in pictures and on TV. The main drawback I have with the Predators is that their jerseys and other merchandise are primarily yellow, which I'm not too fond of. Still, they somehow managed to pull off that appearance even though I don't like it as much as other teams' jerseys and merchandise.

14) Minnesota Wild

 One of the biggest reasons why the Minnesota Wild are ranked this high on my list is their primary logo. It is extremely detailed and contains many aspects of the wilderness that are used as the depicted animal's body parts. Outside of the Sharks' primary logo, the Wild primary logo is the best logo in the NHL and one of the best logos in all of sports. In addition, Minnesota gave the Sharks Brent Burns, which the latter can be very thankful for. We'll have to find out this season how Ryan Donato and Devan Dubnyk turn out for the Sharks. Otherwise, the Minnesota Wild haven't lasted that long or been successful enough for me to hold any grudge against them. Hopefully the Wild can gain a better sense of what direction the franchise should head in and become more successful after this season has concluded.

13) New Jersey Devils

 The main reason why I like the Devils is because their franchise icon is one of the greatest goalies of all time, Martin Brodeur. I enjoyed the years when Taylor Hall was New Jersey's best player, and the season Hall had when he won the Hart Trophy was really impressive. PK Subban hasn't performed that well on the ice ever since he was traded to the Devils, but I admire his personality and generosity off the ice. I hope PK can gain at least some of his previous form when he was on the Canadiens and Predators back as soon as next season. Although the Devils haven't been all that competitive the past few seasons, they have two rising and promising young stars in Nico Hischier and Jack Hughes, who could break out at any point in the next few seasons. However, as you may notice, I have a greater appreciation for 12 other teams, including five teams in the Devils' Metropolitan Division and the Devils' two biggest rivals.

12) Philadelphia Flyers

 The Flyers have had many great players, coaches, and teams in their history thus far. They now have the pieces in place to become a perennial playoff contender for years to come, highlighted by Claude Giroux, Sean Couturier, and Travis Konecny up front. They have a solid defense corps, highlighted by Ivan Provorov and former San Jose Shark Justin Braun. My favorite player on the Flyers would have to be Carter Hart, their young, Vezina-caliber star goaltender. Hart has also become one of my favorite goalies in the NHL. In addition, the Flyers' mascot, Gritty, has taken the hockey world, sports world, and pop culture by storm ever since he became the NHL's newest mascot two seasons ago. However, some of the Flyers fanbase gets a bad rep, and there are 11 other teams ranked above the Flyers that I have a greater appreciation for.

11) St. Louis Blues

 The Sharks and Blues have sort of developed a rivalry in recent years with the Blues, and the two teams are now in the same division for this season only. However, I still happen to like the Blues to an extent. I think their logos and jerseys look great. I like some of their current players, such as Vladimir Tarasenko and Ryan O'Reilly. I also have a great appreciation for some hockey legends that have previously played for St. Louis, such as Wayne Gretzky and Brett Hull. In addition, although they eliminated my Sharks in the process, the Blues went from last place in the entire NHL in January 2019 to winning their first Stanley Cup in the 2018-19 season, ending a 52-year drought. That was a very impressive feat, and I give the Blues mad props for defying all odds and winning the Cup that season.

10) Florida Panthers

 I tend to view pro sports teams from South Florida more highly than in other geographical areas. A lot of this has to do with the fact that South Florida is one of my top bucket list destinations. This is mainly due to its amenities, beautiful scenery, and abundance of exotic cars. In regards to the Florida Panthers, they may not have had a ton of overall success, but they are an up and coming team with notable talent such as Aleksander Barkov and Jonathan Huberdeau. Some hockey legends to have played for the Panthers during their careers include Roberto Luongo and Jaromir Jagr. Florida's logos and jerseys look great, especially the retro ones with the leaping cat on them. During the Panthers' only Stanley Cup Final appearance in 1996, there was at least one instance where fans in the building threw plastic and stuffed rats onto the ice. Despite the Panthers having one of the lowest attendance numbers and smallest fanbases in the NHL, I hope they can become more successful in the future and ultimately remain in South Florida for the long haul.

9) Pittsburgh Penguins

 Although the Penguins beat my Sharks in the 2016 Stanley Cup Final, they are a storied franchise and I have a lot of respect for them. For me, a lot of this has to do with two of the best and most skilled players in the world, Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. Crosby makes all of his teammates on the ice better and has a higher hockey IQ than most players. Simply put, he's a generational talent that grew to fame when I was growing up and isn't slowing down anytime soon. As long as the Penguins have Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin on their roster, they will always be a threat to make the playoffs and go on a deep run every year. In addition, the Penguins had a significant competitive window back in the 90s, led by one of the greatest players of all time, Mario Lemieux. Lemieux holds some insane all-time records that are on the level of and only bested by the Great One, Wayne Gretzky. Despite the possibility that their current competitive window may be closing soon, I will always see the Pens in a positive light with their all-time great teams and multiple Stanley Cup victories.

8) Boston Bruins

 Although many NHL fans may dislike the Bruins, I happen to be in the minority who likes them to an extent and doesn't see himself as a Bruins fan. Like many teams I have ranked high on this list, the Bruins are an iconic and storied franchise in the NHL. Boston has had two of the greatest defensemen of all time play for them, specifically Bobby Orr and Ray Borque. Zdeno Chara played much of his career with the Bruins, and I have a lot of respect for him. Out of the current Bruins, their top line is one of the best in the NHL with Patrice Bergeron, David Pastrnak, and Brad Marchand. Bergeron is a great two-way forward and all-around player. Pastrnak is incredibly skilled and always a threat to score whenever he's on the ice. I don't like Brad Marchand's antics, but if he doesn't resort to playing dirty, he can be very talented. Overall, the Bruins are a well-managed team with great contracts based on performance value that is capable of winning on any given day or night.

7) New York Islanders

 I find the Islanders very appealing because they often fly under the radar considering their market and other teams in their division. What makes the current Islanders successful is Barry Trotz's coaching system. There's no denying that Barry Trotz is one of the best coaches in the NHL, and all the players on the Islanders have bought into his system. Under Trotz's system, the scoring tends to be spread out more evenly among most of the roster. What's pretty crazy about the Isles is that they became a better, more competitive team after John Tavares, their best player for much of the 2010s, left in free agency; the even crazier thing is that the Maple Leafs have yet to win a playoff series after signing John Tavares in free agency. This is no knock on Tavares as I like him as a player. Out of the current Islanders team, I like Mat Barzal the most because he is young, talented, and star-caliber. I also enjoyed when Robin Lehner revitalized his career during the one season he played for them. I shouldn't forget to mention that the Islanders had a dynasty during the 80s in which they won four straight Stanley Cups. Lastly, I like the Islanders' logos and colors. I'm glad to see the Islanders having success after years of mediocrity, and I hope they can stay competitive for as long as possible.

6) Chicago Blackhawks

 The Blackhawks are ranked pretty high on my favorite teams list considering who my number one team is, and it has nothing to do with having a good friend who is a Blackhawks fan. Their logos and jerseys are some of the best in the NHL. They have been a successful franchise overall and had a recent dynasty throughout most of the 2010s, in which they won three Stanley Cups in 2010, 2013, and 2015. Their top player during that recent dynasty was Patrick Kane, and he is still the centerpiece of the 'Hawks and showing no signs of slowing down. Once Patrick Kane retires, he will more than likely become the greatest American-born NHL player of all time. The Blackhawks' other centerpiece during that dynasty and currently is Jonathan Toews. Toews has been just as important to the Blackhawks as Patrick Kane has been during the 2010s and now. Captain Serious, as Jonathan Toews was known as, is a great leader on the ice and in the locker room and can come up clutch when necessary. 

The Blackhawks have had other legends with them much earlier than their previous dynasty, such as Stan Mikita, Bobby Hull, and Tony Esposito. Although the Blackhawks are currently in a rebuild, they have some rising stars in Alex DeBrincat, Dylan Strome, and Kirby Dach. Lastly, Chicago is an iconic sports city with an iconic, well-known, and valuable franchise in the Blackhawks.

5) Washington Capitals

 

Now entering my top five favorite teams. The picture above basically spoils who is ranked five through two. One of the biggest reasons why the Capitals made my top five is due to Alex Ovechkin. Ovi is quite possibly the greatest goal-scorer of all time and has a chance to top Wayne Gretzky's all-time goals record before he retires at the current rate he scores goals. His shot is absolutely lethal, and most goalies would have difficulty stopping it. In addition, Ovechkin has a great personality and celebrates every goal like it's his first. The Capitals have other great players such as TJ Oshie, Nicklas Backstrom, John Carlson, Evgeny Kuznetsov, and Jakub Vrana. Former Sharks defenseman Brenden Dillon is also a member of the Capitals. Washington's primary logo may not be the best, but their shoulder patch logo is one of the best and most creative in all of sports. I was so thrilled to see the Capitals win the Stanley Cup when they did three seasons ago because it solidified Alex Ovechkin as an all-time great by adding the Cup to his resume. This was especially after they struggled to advance past the second round before the 2017-18 season. The great news is that most of the Capitals' roster that won the Stanley Cup in 2018 still remains intact. The Capitals also have some of the best warm-up routines in the NHL, and their mascot, Slapshot, is one of the coolest mascots in the NHL. Overall, the Caps are a fun team to watch that consistently makes the playoffs.

4) Detroit Red Wings

 Although the Red Wings are currently in a complete rebuild, I have always had a lot of respect for this franchise. The Red Wings have the most Stanley Cups of any U.S.-based NHL team with 11 and had one of the greatest playoff streaks of any team in NHL history with 25 years from 1991 to 2016. There have been many hall-of-fame and future hall-of-fame players to come and go through the Red Wings, most notably Gordie Howe, Red Kelly, Ted Lindsay, Nicklas Lidstrom, Steve Yzerman, Henrik Zetterberg, and Niklas Kronwall, just to name a handful. I think the Red Wings' logo is amazing, especially since I'm a car enthusiast and the Red Wings' logo has an automotive element in it; hopefully it never changes. Despite said rebuild, the current Red Wings have a solid core foundation in Dylan Larkin, Anthony Mantha, and Tyler Bertuzzi. They have a great general manager in Steve Yzerman that will certainly lead the team in the right direction. Another result of the Red Wings' current rebuild is that they have a loaded prospect pool that will blossom in the near future. I hope the Red Wings can become more competitive sooner than later and upset some teams along the way.

3) New York Rangers

 The Rangers are in my top three because they are an iconic, storied, well-known, and valuable franchise in one of the coolest cities in the world. They currently have the foundation in place with Artemi Panarin, Mika Zibanejad, and Chris Kreider to name a few. They also have a few rising stars in Kaapo Kakko, Alexis Lafreniere, Adam Fox, Filip Chytil, K'Andre Miller, and Igor Shesterkin. The Rangers may not be the best team right now, but they have one of the brightest futures of any team in the NHL. The Rangers' jerseys look incredible, especially their home jerseys and reverse retros. Madison Square Garden is the world's most famous arena and is one of the top arenas I want to see a game at (more specifically the Rangers). Another significant reason I think of the Rangers so highly is Henrik Lundqvist, who was the Broadway Blueshirts' primary goalie from the early 2000s until this past season. King Hank is one of my favorite goalies ever and one of the best goalies to ever play in the NHL. He is also a major class act and has one of the best fashion senses in the NHL. However, it will suck to see him possibly retire without ever winning the Stanley Cup. Lastly, a few former New York Rangers I have mad respect for include Mark Messier and Brian Leetch. I hope the New York Rangers can live up to the hype surrounding them and go on deep playoff runs very soon. I will cheer on the superior New York NHL team unless they face the two teams ranked above them on this list. 

2) Tampa Bay Lightning

 The Tampa Bay Lightning are my favorite team in the Eastern Conference and a perfect example of a well-run, successful hockey team in a non-traditional hockey market. They are absolutely loaded with talent and skill, just came off of winning the Stanley Cup last year, and have a very good chance of defending their Stanley Cup title this year. The Bolts can roll four lines and three defense pairs and has strong goaltending. Their top players consist of Steven Stamkos, Nikita Kucherov, Brayden Point, Victor Hedman, Anthony Cirelli, and Andrei Vasilevskiy. Stamkos has been the Lightning's franchise leader and heartbeat, and if he stays healthy, he is generally one of the top scorers in the NHL. Nikita Kucherov is also one of the NHL's top scorers in a typical season with a lethal shot and and one of the filthiest signature breakaway/shootout/penalty shot moves. Brayden Point is underrated and offensively gifted, and has a ton of upside. Hedman is one of the best defensemen in the NHL with the puck and defending the puck. Vasilevskiy is one of the best goalies in the NHL and is my go-to goalie if a clutch save had to be made in the dying seconds of a game in order to hold on and win. In addition, Jon Cooper is one of the best coaches in the NHL, and Steve Yzerman was the main guy who assembled Tampa Bay's current Cup-contending team, not to discredit Julien Brisebois by any means. The Bolts had also won the Cup back in 2004 with legends such as Martin St. Louis and Vincent Lecavalier. Another significant reason why the Lightning are my second favorite team is that Florida is my favorite U.S. state outside of California. I don't enjoy when my number one team loses, but it is the least painful if and when my number one team loses to the Lightning.

1) San Jose Sharks 

 This should come as little to no surprise to anyone, especially if you know me or have seen much of the other content I've posted on CPF Hockey. I like basically everything about this team, plus I have a personal connection to the city of San Jose. This personal connection is the biggest reason why I am a Sharks fan and will continue to fuel my enthusiasm for Team Teal. In addition, the Sharks have been a consistent playoff team for many years and have amazing logos, jerseys, and colors. It should come as no surprise that my top sports wish is to see the Sharks win a Stanley Cup while I'm still alive, and I believe it can be accomplished sooner than most people realize. 

For the complete and detailed explanation on why the Sharks are my favorite team, click the link below:

 Why Did I Become a Sharks Fan?

 

Sharks Game 3 Recap: Blues 5, Sharks 4 (1/18/21)

 The Sharks dropped their series opener against the Blues last night 5-4, making this their second consecutive loss. 

San Jose's last game wasn't all doom and gloom. The Sharks had a great first period and opened the scoring with a goal from Kevin Labanc. Logan Couture tallied his first goal of the game on the power play to make it 2-0 before the end of the first period. Compared to this season, Logan Couture didn't score any goals on the man advantage last season, which is shocking to say the least. Couture also scored his second goal of the game in the third period and assisted on the Sharks' first goal by Labanc to record three points on the night. Brent Burns had a three-point night of his own, recording two assists on the Sharks' first two goals in the first period and scoring the Sharks' third goal of the game in the second period on the power play. Speaking of the Sharks' power play, it looked pretty solid in their most recent game, going two-for-three. Overall, the offense is coming along nicely and looks better than it did last season for Team Teal so far.

The game got away from the Sharks in the second period as the Blues scored four unanswered, two of them from Justin Faulk. The Blues netted the game-winner in the middle of the third from Jordan Kyrou, and the Sharks played catch-up from there. 

Team Teal was outshot 26-33 during this game, but improved in the faceoff circle from last game and went 32-29. The Sharks weren't very good on defense and spent more time in their own zone than they should've for much of this contest, and Erik Karlsson was especially a weak point defensively with a minus 3 rating. The Sharks are only three games into the 2021 season, so they still have time to improve in the defensive end. However, it would be great if the defense got it together sooner than later.

Devan Dubnyk started in net on Monday, stopping 28 of 33 shots from the Blues. He performed okay for a good chunk of the game and made some great saves, but the goals he gave up were ones that he didn't have much of a chance to save.

Logan Couture is now tied with Owen Nolan for third place among Sharks players all-time in multi-goal games with 35. The other two above them are Joe Pavelski and Patrick Marleau respectively.

Radim Simek returned to the lineup last night after missing the first two against the Coyotes due to injury, playing on the third D-pair with Nikolai Knyzhov. Fredrik Handemark made his NHL debut for the Sharks in their first game against the Blues, playing on the fourth line with Marcus Sorensen and Patrick Marleau. In addition, Marcus Sorensen skated in his 200th NHL game against the Blues on Monday. 

San Jose now falls to 1-2-0 in their first three games this season, tied with the Avalanche and Kings for fourth or last in the West Division, depending on how you look at it. The Sharks are looking to split their first two-game series against the Blues in St. Louis on Wednesday at 6 pm PT. 

In other news, former Sharks goalie Aaron Dell was claimed by the New Jersey Devils off waivers from the Maple Leafs yesterday. The Sharks recently placed Joel Kellman on waivers but has yet to be claimed by another team or clear waivers. 

Sources: NBC Sports Bay Area/California, ESPN

Sharks Game 2 Recap: Coyotes 5, Sharks 3 (1/16/21)

 The Sharks lost to the Arizona Coyotes 5-3 yesterday afternoon, splitting their first two-game series with Arizona. 

San Jose struck first in the first period on a redirection by Ryan Donato for his first goal of the season and first as a Shark. Timo Meier recorded three points in this game, scoring the Sharks' second goal of the game and assisting on the other two Sharks' goals. Tomas Hertl scored the Sharks' third goal of the game on a redirection with less than one minute remaining in the third period, but it wasn't enough to catch the Coyotes after Arizona scored five of their own, two of them from Phil Kessel. Mario Ferraro recorded one apple on the Donato goal, while Erik Karlsson recorded one apple on the last goal by Hertl. 

Yesterday's game marked Stefan Noesen's 200th NHL game, recording two hits and two penalty minutes for cross-checking. 

Martin Jones 19 of 24 shots on goal by the Coyotes before getting pulled in the third period in favor of Devan Dubnyk. Dubnyk recorded two saves in 12 minutes in his first game as a Shark. 

The Sharks struggled in the faceoff circle and on defense in their second game of the 2021 season, especially with Jake Middleton and Nikolai Knyzhov on ice. Their defense is expected to improve once Radim Simek returns from injury.

Games like these are bound to happen during any given season not just for the Sharks, but for any team. They will need to regroup, move on from the loss, and improve their play and strategies in their next game and going forward. 

Team Teal is now 1-1-0 after two games, good for two points and fourth place in the West Division in a four-way tie with the Avalanche, Blues, and Kings. 

San Jose's next two-game series begins on Monday, which is also Martin Luther King Jr. Day, against the Blues in St. Louis, who are coming off an 8-0 blowout loss to the Colorado Avalanche on Friday. Puck drop is at 5 pm PT. 

In other news, Joe Thornton scored his first goal away from the Sharks since 2005 and added one helper in the Toronto Maple Leafs' 3-2 win over the Senators in Ottawa yesterday. Like many Sharks fans, I still haven't gotten used to Jumbo Joe playing for a team other than the Sharks yet. 

Sources: NBC Sports Bay Area/California, ESPN

Sharks 2021 Game 1 Recap: Sharks 4, Coyotes 3 (Shootout) (1/14/21)

 The Sharks defeated the Arizona Coyotes 4-3 in a shootout in their 2021 season opener tonight. This was their first game in about ten months since the previous NHL season suspension due to COVID-19.

Tomas Hertl tallied three points in the season opener with two goals in the first period and an assist on the Sharks' third goal by Evander Kane in the third period. Kane also assisted on the first two Sharks goals by Tomas Hertl and recorded a total of three points. Logan Couture recorded one apple on Hertl's first goal of the game.

John Leonard, Nicolas Meloche, and Nikolai Knyzhov each made their NHL debuts for the Sharks tonight. Out of those three, Leonard had a big night, assisting on Hertl's second goal of the game and Kane's goal. Leonard is the only the second player in Sharks history besides Scott Hannan to record a multi-assist game in his NHL debut and the fourth Sharks player to have a multi-point game in his debut. So far, he has been a great addition to the Sharks and will only improve from here.

The Coyotes answered back on goals by Conor Garland and Clayton Keller in the second and third periods respectively. Phil Kessel tied the game for the Coyotes with 3.2 seconds left in regulation to send it to overtime and eventually a shootout. 

Martin Jones performed well in the season opener, making some big saves when necessary, such as on a 2-on-0 chance by the Coyotes in overtime. He recorded 34 saves on 37 shots and has improved on his overall performance from last season so far with a .919 save percentage. 

Ryan Donato and Logan Couture scored in the shootout to seal the deal for the Sharks, while Nick Schmaltz scored, Conor Garland hit the crossbar, and Clayton Keller failed his shootout attempt for the Coyotes. 

In addition, the Sharks' penalty kill was one of their strengths last season, and that was no different in this game as they went 3-for-4 on the penalty kill. 

San Jose is off to a great start to the 2021 season, and I'm pretty confident they can build on this, continue to play great, and stay competitive all season on their way back to the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

The Sharks and Coyotes are back at it again on Saturday to wrap up this first two-game series at 1 pm PT in Arizona. 

Sources: NBC Sports Bay Area/California, ESPN 

My Two Cents on the Evander Kane Situation

 At first, I didn't know if this topic was worth discussing on CPF Hockey, but I thought I would give my two cents anyway. 

As you may have heard by now, Sharks F Evander Kane recently filed for bankruptcy, with nearly $27 million in debt, including $1.5 million in gambling losses. Evander's off-ice troubles have been going on long before the Sharks acquired him from the Sabres at the 2018 trade deadline and signed him to a 7-year, $49 million deal. His off-ice troubles date back to the early days of his NHL career.

I don't want to get into more specifics about his situation because they are all personal matters and would just make him look bad. My initial concerns were that Evander might opt out of this season due to this complete mess of a situation, which would hinder the Sharks' on-ice play, or this situation would become a distraction for him and the rest of the Sharks, ultimately causing the team to perform poorly this season. 

Fortunately, Sharks head coach Bob Boughner stated in a recent interview that Kane is "on board" with this season and the team "isn't worried about a distraction." (NBC Sports Bay Area/California) 

I believe Evander Kane brought this scenario onto himself and allowed the money he earned as an NHL player to get to his head. I really hope Kane's financial issues don't turn him into a liability and place a dark cloud over the Sharks organization at any point between now and the end of his current contract. 

In the meantime, I also hope Evander Kane can recover from this debacle he put himself through and learn to manage his money better than he has been throughout the course of his NHL career.

Sharks News & Notes (1/12/21)

 The 2021 NHL season is less than 24 hours from getting underway, while the Sharks' season opener is two nights away. Here are more headlines around the Sharks organization to prepare for the new season. 

By the way, the recent Evander Kane situation will be covered in a separate post, so be on the lookout for that soon. 

• The Sharks claimed Rudolfs Balcers off waivers from the Ottawa Senators. Balcers was originally drafted by the Sharks in the fifth round of the 2015 draft and led the AHL Barracuda in points, goals, shots on goal, and was second in assists during the 2017-18 season, with 48 points, 23 goals, 165 shots on goal, and 25 assists respectively. He was also named to the 2018 AHL All-Star Game and scored two goals and two assists for four points in four Calder Cup Playoff games that season. He was one of the players traded to the Senators, along with Chris Tierney, Dylan DeMelo, and Josh Norris, in the blockbuster deal for Erik Karlsson before the start of the 2018-19 season. Balcers has recorded six goals and 11 assists for 17 points in 51 career NHL games with the Senators. He has also tallied 115 total points in 143 AHL games for both the Barracuda and the Senators' affiliate in Belleville. His current salary is a one-year, two-way deal worth $735k, and it has yet to be determined where he will start the season.
  

•  The NHL previously announced they would allow helmet advertising for the 2021 season. As for the Sharks, their helmet advertising sponsors will be SAP and Zoom. The SAP decals will be featured on the black helmets the Sharks will wear during home games, while the Zoom decals will be on the white helmets that will be worn during road games. These sponsors make a ton of sense as the Sharks have a strong partnership with SAP and Zoom has become one of the biggest emerging tech companies out of Silicon Valley. 

 On a side note, I joined a fantasy hockey league for the first time for this coming season, and my fantasy draft was held today. I was able to draft two Sharks players on my fantasy team, specifically Timo Meier and Tomas Hertl. I may consider giving weekly updates on my fantasy team on here, but I'm not 100 percent sure yet.

Stay tuned to CPF Hockey for more Sharks updates throughout the 2021 season. 

Source: sjsharks.com

Sharks News & Notes (1/11/21)

 With the season just a few days away, here are some recent news and notes from around the Sharks organization heading into the new season: 

• The Sharks signed defenseman Fredrik Claesson to a one-year two-way deal worth $700k at the NHL level and $200k in the minors. He previously played three seasons for the Senators and then bounced around the league for the past few years, having stints with the Rangers, Hurricanes, and Devils. Claesson has recorded seven goals, 21 assists, and 50 penalty minutes in 155 NHL games in his career thus far. This move comes as the Sharks expect Radim Simek to miss some time due to injury. 

•  San Jose released its waiver list today, which consists of Claesson, Trevor Carrick, Antti Suomela, Kurtis Gabriel, Nick DeSimone, and Nicholas Meloche. Most of these players are AHL-caliber and expected to clear waivers before the start of the season. 

•  In the Sharks' most recent Teal vs. White Scrimmage on Sunday night, Teal defeated White 7-2. 

• Martin Jones has performed well during training camp and is expected to be the Sharks' starting netminder this season. 

•  The NHL will have commemorative decals on players' helmets starting Martin Luther King Jr. Day weekend on January 16 to honor Willie O'Ree, the first black player to skate in the NHL. This will continue until the end of February, which is also Black History Month. 

• Team Teal has shaved its roster by seven players, sending Josef Korenar, Ryan Merkley, Jaycob Megna, Lean Bergmann, Alexander True, Joachim Blichfeld, and Jayden Halbgewachs down to the Barracuda in the AHL. In addition, Alexei Melnichuk is now the Sharks' third-string goalie. 

Expect more Sharks news and notes roundups on CPF Hockey as the season progresses. 

Multiple sources were used to compile this post. 

My 2021 NHL Season Predictions

 The 2021 NHL season is just around the corner, and despite the unusual circumstances, I can't wait to see what's in store for the new season. In this post, I will give my predictions on how I think the teams will finish in their new divisions at the end of the regular season, with the top four in each division advancing to the Stanley Cup Playoffs. 

I don't expect my predictions to be perfect or taken too seriously, and I tried to be as unbiased as possible when making these. The NHL is the most unpredictable of all the major pro sports leagues, and there are always at least a few surprises around the league every season. Anyway, here are my 2021 NHL season predictions by each division: 

West Division  

1.  Colorado Avalanche
   
2.  Vegas Golden Knights
   
3.  St. Louis Blues
   
4.  San Jose Sharks
   
5.  Arizona Coyotes
   
6.  Minnesota Wild
   
7.  Anaheim Ducks
   
8.  Los Angeles Kings
   

East Division  

1. Washington Capitals
   
2. Boston Bruins
   
3. New York Rangers
   
4. Pittsburgh Penguins
   
5. New York Islanders
   
6. Philadelphia Flyers
   
7. Buffalo Sabres
   
8. New Jersey Devils
   

Central Division  

1. Tampa Bay Lightning
   
2. Carolina Hurricanes
   
3. Columbus Blue Jackets
   
4. Dallas Stars
   
5. Florida Panthers
   
6. Nashville Predators
   
7. Chicago Blackhawks
   
8. Detroit Red Wings
   

North Division  

1. Toronto Maple Leafs
   
2. Edmonton Oilers
   
3. Calgary Flames
   
4. Montreal Canadiens
   
5. Vancouver Canucks
   
6. Winnipeg Jets
   
7. Ottawa Senators
   

Sharks Launching Their All-New Audio Network Before Start of This Season

 The Sharks announced yesterday that they will launch the Sharks Audio Network on January 12, one day before the start of the 2021 regular season. 

The new Sharks Audio Network will feature 24/7 streaming, live game broadcasts, exclusive programming, and replays of previous games in Sharks history. There will also be opportunities for fans to interact with Sharks players, coaches, alumni, and hosts. Once it has been launched, it will be available through the Sharks+SAP Center app and sjsharks.com and will become the new home for all Sharks and AHL Barracuda radio broadcasts moving forward. For live Sharks game broadcasts, Dan Rusanowsky will return as play-by-play announcer for his 30th season, alongside color commentators and former Sharks Scott Hannan and Mark Smith. AHL Barracuda broadcasts and analysis will be handled by Nick Nollenberger. 

The first programming to air on the Sharks Audio Network on January 12 at 8 am PT will be the 2021 Season Preview Show hosted by Dan Rusanowsky, Randy Hahn, and Bret Hedican. The hosts will break down the Sharks' training camp and look at the unusual 2021 season ahead. Multiple Sharks players and coaches will also make appearances on the Season Preview Show. 

More specific programming and exact program schedules will be released in the coming days. As for my thoughts, I think this is a good move by the Sharks as more people are streaming online for their audio content than listening to traditional AM/FM radio. Fans can get more of the Sharks content they want at any time, all in one place. However, some fans from older generations may prefer the previous way of listening to Sharks games on AM/FM radio since it may be more convenient for them if they are driving somewhere when a game is taking place. I will definitely be tuning into the Sharks Audio Network whenever I have a chance to and if I can't access a TV to watch a live broadcast. Unlike some teams' attempts to launch their own audio networks, I feel like the Sharks will be successful with theirs in the short term and long term.

Source: Official statement via the San Jose Sharks

NHL Headlines (1/6/21)

 There are a few significant headlines that happened recently in the hockey world that I want to discuss on CPF Hockey. However, I figured it would be easier to include all of those headlines in one post, rather than write separate posts on each headline. Let's get into them: 

Realigned Divisions Receive Naming Rights for 2021 Season 

 The NHL has announced that four of its sponsors will receive naming rights to each division for this season only as another way to recoup lost revenue due to the pandemic. The four realigned divisions will now be known as the Scotia North Division, Honda West Division, Discover Central Division, and MassMutual East Division. I expect only the NHL, its personnel, and the media to include presenting sponsors when referring to the new divisions this season. However, this move by the league has received a lot of negativity from fans because they don't like the way it sounds or aren't used to something like this happening. Personally, I don't have an issue with these naming rights because they're insignificant and temporary, and the main intention of these are for the NHL make up lost revenue from the pandemic.

World Junior Championship Results  

 This year's IIHF World Junior Championship wrapped up last night in Edmonton with the bronze medal and gold medal games. 

Finland defeated Russia 4-1 to capture the bronze medal. 

Spencer Knight recorded a 34-save shutout as the US blanked Canada 2-0 to win the gold medal. Alex Turcotte and Trevor Zegras scored the only two goals in the final. Zegras was also awarded World Juniors MVP as he put up 18 points thoughout the entire tournament and played better than almost everyone else on the ice. I can only imagine that Trevor Zegras will continue to light it up once he makes his NHL debut with the Ducks as soon as next season, which is bad news for the Sharks as Team Teal will have to face off against Zegras more frequently in the near future. The US is now 4-0 in their last four gold medal games against Canada in the World Juniors. 

As for Team Canada, despite their injuries and shortcomings, they were absolutely stacked and had a great tournament, dominating all of their opponents until the gold medal game against the US. 

I am very proud that the US captured gold at this year's World Juniors against heavily-favored Canada, and the US National Development Team should remain a dominant force in international tournaments for years to come.

Joe Thornton to Spend Time on the Maple Leafs' Top Line with Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner This Season 

It will be quite unusual to not have Joe Thornton skating for the Sharks this season. Jumbo will now assume the role that Patrick Marleau had with the Maple Leafs from 2017-19 as a mentor and big brother to the Leafs' top stars Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner. 

Lastly, Jumbo Joe is entering his age 41 season, holds all types of records, and will be a surefire hall-of-famer when he hangs up the skates. However, the only thing missing from his prestigious playing career is a Stanley Cup, and who knows how much time he has left to win one. At the same time, Joe Thornton is one of those ageless wonder-type players and could play in the NHL until he's 50. It would be absolutely incredible and the cherry on top if he can win a Cup before he retires and very disappointing if he doesn't. All the same can also be said about Jumbo's longtime teammate in San Jose, Patrick Marleau.

Martin Jones and Devan Dubnyk Likely to Platoon in Net to Start the 2021 Season

 The Sharks will likely not have one specific goaltender start most games this season and instead split the workload evenly between Martin Jones and Devan Dubnyk. This hasn't officially been confirmed yet by the Sharks, but it should come as no surprise if the platoon scenario discussed here is implemented for the 2021 season. 

The Jones-Dubnyk platoon makes the most sense for the Sharks as both Jones and Dubnyk haven't suited up in net for a game in about ten months and came off one of their worst seasons of their careers. If one of either Martin Jones or Devan Dubnyk performs well down the stretch this season, whichever goalie performs better can transition into the full-time starter. If both Jones and Dubnyk perform well this season, San Jose should keep its platoon in net. Keep in mind that the Sharks will be playing more back-to-back games this season than in a normal season due to every team playing two-game series against their division opponents to limit travel. This makes for a greater case to have a platoon in net. 

I understand that the Sharks' current goaltending tandem has many analysts and fans feeling pretty skeptical on how well they may perform this season. We'll have to find out if Jones and Dubnyk can bounce back when San Jose kicks off its season in roughly one week.

Brent Burns Makes Appearance on "Vikings" TV Series

  Sharks' Norris-caliber defenseman Brent Burns recently made an appearance on two episodes of the "Vikings" series on Amazon Prime Video. He plays Skane in the series' sixth season on the 13th and 14th episodes. In the first of the two episodes, Burnzie is presented to the crowd by King Harald, played by Peter Franzen, in an election scene. In the second episode, Burnzie is pictured as an intimidating figure sneaking behind a post. He traveled to Ireland two years ago to be a part of these episodes and spoke in a regional accent when delivering both scenes he was featured in.

Brent Burns stated in an interview that "Vikings" was one of his favorite TV shows, and he had to lobby his way to be a part of that series. He had nothing but positive things to say about his "Vikings" filming experience. 

I have never seen those episodes featuring Brent Burns, nor am I all that familiar with the "Vikings" series in general, but I did catch a snippet of one of the scenes he was in. It's pretty cool that he got to appear in one of his favorite TV series and crazy that he received this opportunity, considering he didn't have any acting experience prior to filming on the set of "Vikings." 

It's not everyday that one of your favorite athletes randomly appears in a non-sports-related TV series. Overall, Brent Burns guest-starring in "Vikings" is amazing, and he seemed like a great fit for his role in that series. 

Source: NHL.com

NHL Announces Two Outdoor Games Will Be Played In Lake Tahoe This Season; Sharks Not One of the Teams Who Will Play There

 The NHL announced yesterday that two outdoor games will be held in Lake Tahoe this season. Those match-ups will be the Golden Knights vs. Avalanche on February 20 and Bruins vs. Flyers on February 21. These two games will specifically be played at Edgewood Tahoe Resort and both be nationally televised on NBC. Fans will reportedly not be allowed to attend either of these outdoor games, which should be of little to no surprise to anyone considering the current state of the world with the pandemic. 

The main reason why I bring this up on CPF Hockey is that the Sharks aren't one of the teams that will be playing in Tahoe this season. I find this somewhat shocking as Team Teal is the nearest NHL team to Lake Tahoe, and their rivalry with the Golden Knights continues to grow more intense. The Sharks are scheduled to face the Blues in St. Louis on February 20, and that won't change (unless one of the teams has a COVID outbreak around that time). At the same time, I understand why the NHL preferred not to have San Jose play outdoors in Lake Tahoe. The Sharks came off one of their worst seasons ever, and the league and NBC fear that having San Jose play there instead of any of the teams that will ultimately play there wouldn't get as many viewers and hurt their revenue potential from these outdoor games. The NHL already took a significant hit in their revenue due to the pandemic and feels as if they can't afford to lose any more revenue this season. 

As a Sharks fan, it's disappointing that I won't get to watch them play outdoors in Lake Tahoe this season, but at the end of the day, it's not a big deal or the end of the world. The last time the Sharks played an outdoor game was in the Stadium Series against the Kings in Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara during the 2014-15 season. If the Sharks get another opportunity to play in an outdoor game, that would be great, but if they don't, that's okay too. Right now, it's more important for everyone on the Sharks to step up, have the team bounce back from last season, and get back to the playoffs, which can absolutely be accomplished this season if everything goes right for them. 

Lastly, in other news, Erik Karlsson and Tomas Hertl are 100 percent healthy and in great shape heading into training camp that already began this week in Scottsdale. They both had their 2019-20 seasons end earlier than anticipated due to injuries. I'm really hoping Erik Karlsson can reach his true potential with the Sharks, perform like he did when he was with the Senators for many seasons, and live up to his $11.5 million cap hit very soon, and I know he is very much capable of doing so. As for Tomas Hertl, he recently celebrated the birth of his son Tobias with his wife. He also always has a smile on his face and brings more positive energy to the Sharks, who perform better as a result.

Source: NBC Sports Bay Area/California