Sports News and Trade Rumors: Pro Sports Daily

Staubitz out after being struck in face by puck

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November 19

San Jose Mercury News

"Sharks forward Brad Staubitz will miss an indefinite number of games after he was struck in the right side of his face by a puck during a practice drill. "Right away, I didn't think he was hurt because it looked like he turned in time," Jamie McGinn, one of five players on the ice at the time, said Tuesday. "When he was on the ground, I said, 'Stauby, are you OK?' and he said, 'No, I'm not.' You knew something was wrong then because he's a pretty tough guy. It was just a freak accident." Coach Todd McLellan had given the team Monday off, but several of the younger players opted to practice. The puck hit the 6-foot-1, 215-pound Staubitz below the eye as he was trying to block goalie Thomas ..."

Predators defeat Sharks

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November 18

Tennessean

"The last time Nashville and San Jose played, the Predators believed they should have won. This time, San Jose couldn't believe what it was seeing. The Predators defeated the Western Conference-leading Sharks with a rousing 4-3 victory in front of 13,324 at Sommet Center, just one week after losing a heartbreaker at San Jose on a last-minute goal in regulation. Nashville (10-8-1) extended its win streak to three games while San Jose (14-5-4) has dropped two in a row. Clinging to a one-goal lead, the Predators went up 3-1 on a power play with 11:44 remaining in the second when Joel Ward redirected a shot by defenseman Ryan Suter into the net. Moments later, Nashville center David Legwand ..."

San Jose Sharks fall 4-3 to Nashville Predators

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November 18

San Jose Mercury News

"This time the hole was too deep. Just as they did a week ago to earn a victory over the same Nashville Predators, the Sharks scored in the final minute Tuesday night. Only this time it merely narrowed the losing margin to 4-3 as San Jose's 12-game streak without a regulation loss came to an end. "Too little, too late," Sharks defenseman Dan Boyle said. "In this stretch we've gotten away with some periods that maybe we shouldn't have, and tonight we didn't." His coach had a similar view of the end of the streak that pushed hs team to the top of the NHL. "It caught up to us a little bit," Todd McLellan said before recounting some troubling moments in recent games. "We gave up the two-goal ..."

Sharks' Ortmeyer Keeps Playing Despite Risk of Blood Clots

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November 17

New York Times

"When Jed Ortmeyer steps onto the ice, he shifts his focus to hockey - and those closest to him cannot help worrying. Ortmeyer, a 31-year-old San Jose Sharks forward, has a disorder that makes his blood prone to clotting. He must administer daily injections of an anticoagulant, which helps the problem but increases his chances of serious internal and external bleeding. "His risk of having something happen is real," said Dr. Nicholas J. Morrissey, a vascular surgeon at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center, who has not treated Ortmeyer. "Because things that to you and I that are not a bother can be bothersome to someone who is on blood thinners." Concussions, cuts, ..."

Chicago Blackhawks say 'thank you' to ex-Shark Jeremy Roenick

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November 16

San Jose Mercury News

"Pregame event honors Roenick's time in Chicago CHICAGO — It was Jeremy Roenick Heritage Night at the United Center, and it's no accident that the team that gave Roenick his first chance in the NHL was playing the team that gave him his final chance. "They asked me what game," Roenick said before the pregame event, "and this is kind of a good way for me to give thanks to both teams." The Blackhawks began their Heritage Night series last season to better connect the present with the past, and those honored so far include Tony Amonte, Glenn Hall, Steve Larmer and Bob Probert. Roenick was Chicago's first-round draft pick in 1988 and immediately made the team. He scored 267 goals and 329 ..."

San Jose Sharks lose in overtime to Chicago Blackhawks

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November 16

San Jose Mercury News

"The pattern was starting to look familiar. For the second consecutive night, the Sharks gave up the first goal and came back to score the next three — including two less than a minute part. But the Chicago Blackhawks are playing much better hockey these days than the St. Louis Blues. And the Sharks left the United Center on the wrong end of a 4-3 overtime loss rather than another 3-1 victory. "We could have been better. We could have had the two points," Sharks forward Ryane Clowe said. "We had the opportunities." Not that there weren't positive things for players to focus on. Playing the second of back-to-back games on the road, San Jose extended its stretch of contests without a ..."

Salute the United greats

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November 16

Chicago Sun-Times

"The Blackhawks have had some big wins in the first six weeks, but the 4-3 overtime victory Sunday over the San Jose Sharks was a real eye-opener. The Hawks overcame a two-goal deficit against the best team in the Western Conference in the last game of a four-game homestand. Brent Seabrook's second overtime game-winner of the season got the job done as the Hawks won their seventh consecutive game at the United Center. The last time they had a streak that long on home ice was in 2002. As for the Sharks, their point streak is now at 12 games (9-0-3), but the overtime loss should get them thinking as the Hawks pay them a visit in the fourth game of their upcoming six-game road trip on Nov. 25. ..."

Ex-Chicago Blackhawk Jeremy Roenick not happy about disarray NHLPA is in

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November 16

Chicago Tribune

"Even though he has retired after playing 20 years in the NHL, former Blackhawk Jeremy Roenick is still taking shots. Roenick, who dropped the ceremonial first puck as part of the Hawks' Heritage Night series before Sunday night's game, didn't hold back when discussing the disarray in which the NHL Players' Association finds itself. The NHLPA fired executive director Paul Kelly on Aug. 31 and he was succeeded on an interim basis by Ian Penny, who resigned on Oct. 30. "It's been a mess for years and years and years," said Roenick, who played the first 524 games of his career with the Hawks. "I don't think people we've had in there before Paul Kelly were helping it at all. There are a lot of ..."

Chicago Blackhawks rally to beat San Jose Sharks 4-3 in overtime

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November 16

Chicago Tribune

"Brent Seabrook screamed at the top of his lungs. Jonathan Toews heard him. The rest is history as the Blackhawks rallied to defeat the San Jose Sharks 4-3 in overtime Sunday night at the United Center. Toews found Seabrook with a pass and the defenseman fired it in from the edge of the right circle to give the Hawks a sweep of their four-game homestand, their fourth consecutive win overall and seventh in a row at home. The win, in front of a season-high crowd of 21,130, gives the Hawks momentum heading into a six-game, 11-day trip through western Canada and California that begins Thursday night in Calgary. "I didn't see (Seabrook) but I just heard him screaming like a girl almost, so I ..."

Sharks turn on the power play on road but less at home

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November 15

San Jose Mercury News

"The Sharks have a schizophrenic power play. Overall, their 24 percent success rate was fourth best in the NHL before Saturday's games. But break that number down, and there's a split personality. San Jose had a league-best 32 percent on the road but a meager conversion rate of 10.3 percent at home — better than only the Nashville Predators. Getting a consensus on why the Sharks are so much better away from HP Pavilion proved difficult Saturday. "I don't know — maybe passing a little bit too much, maybe being too cute," Dany Heatley said of the poor results on home ice. "Maybe being on the road, it's more of a simple game — shooting the puck right away and letting things happen off that. ..."

San Jose Sharks weather storm from fired-up Blues in St. Louis

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November 15

San Jose Mercury News

"Given the choice, maybe the Sharks would have picked a different night to show up at Scottrade Center. After all, the owner of the St. Louis Blues had just ripped his team publicly for its losing record and was particularly upset about its failure to outwork opponents on home ice. "Absolutely, we were aware of that, and we knew they were going to come out like that," said Sharks goalie Evgeni Nabokov, who faced a barrage of St. Louis shots early. "They were shooting from everywhere." But the Sharks, it turned out, were up for the challenge. Despite being outshot 39-17, San Jose came away with a 3-1 victory on two goals 16 seconds apart by Dany Heatley and Jed Ortmeyer in the second period ..."

MATCHUP: St. Louis Blues vs. San Jose Sharks

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November 14

St. Louis Post-Dispatch

"BLUES PREVIEW - The Blues finished 25 points behind San Jose last season, but the Blues had a fair amount of success against the President's Trophy winner, going 2-1-1 against the Sharks. SHARKS PREVIEW - San Jose is back on top of the NHL standings with 29 points this season, but the Sharks are coming to St. Louis after losing a 3-2 shootout to Dallas. WHAT TO WATCH - How will the Blues respond to owner Dave Checketts calling them out? Checketts is disturbed by the Blues' 2-6-1 record at Scottrade Center, so the energy level tonight will be interesting."

Sharks enjoying amenities that come with new jet

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November 14

San Jose Mercury News

"For the fifth time in an NHL season that is only 6 weeks old, the Sharks climbed aboard their chartered jet for yet another trip Friday, flying to St. Louis for tonight's game before continuing on to Chicago and Nashville, Tenn. But one thing is making all the early-season travel more bearable: a new, upgraded plane. The amenities — the cushier seats, the extra leg and head room — are only part of it. The Boeing 727 also has a larger fuel tank that makes it possible to fly home to San Jose from East Coast cities without making what had become a routine stop in Salina, Kan., to refuel. And, because the plane previously was leased to Fry's Electronics to transport the San Jose SaberCats ..."

Stars solve shootout, Sharks

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November 13

Fort Worth Star-Telegram

"All the Stars needed to fix their shootout woes was an All-Star defenseman. Lacking the sure-thing shot that Sergei Zubov used to provide in the shootout before he headed off to Russia, the Stars had stumbled out to an 0-4 start in the shootout and were 1-for-13 in attempts before Thursday. And when James Neal hit the post for the third time this year, it appeared the Stars were destined for another shootout loss. But out of nowhere, coach Marc Crawford plucked defenseman Stephane Robidas off the bench, and Robidas delivered by roofing a snap shot past Evgeni Nabokov and leading the Stars to a 3-2 shootout win against the San Jose Sharks at HP Pavilion. "Yeah, I was surprised," said ..."

Sharks numbers game doesn't add up

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November 12

San Francisco Chronicle

columnist Ray Ratto

"The Sharks' come-from-you're-screwed 4-3 win over Nashville on Tuesday night was the first time they've had to defy gravity to win, but there's no reason to quibble about that - not when there's a more serious problem. The uniform numbers. Yeah, yeah, laugh if you want, but the Sharks have more than half their roster with jersey numbers above 40, and since none of those are 66 (Mario Lemieux), 77 (Paul Coffey), 99 (Wayne Gretzky) or anything else even resembling cool, it is clear that the team was withholding the good numbers until it knew which of the young'uns would find regular work on Farmer McLellan's plot. Well, now we know, and it's time for upgrades, starting with defenseman Jason ..."

Stars start tough trip with stop in San Jose

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November 12

Dallas Morning News

"Like contestants on a game show, the Dallas Stars are finding that the questions get harder as the season goes on. And no question will be harder than tonight's matchup against the Sharks at HP Pavilion in San Jose, Calif. The Sharks are the hottest team in hockey (on an 8-0-1 run) with the best home record (6-0-1). Dating to last season, San Jose is 38-5-5 at home. What's more, the Sharks lead the NHL with the best record (13-4-2), best goal differential (plus-1.06 per game) and best face-off winning percentage (56.9 percent). They rank second in goals-against average (2.22), second in save percentage (.923), second in power-play success (25.0 percent) and fourth in scoring (3.32 goals ..."

Goc's first goal not enough for Predators at San Jose

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November 11

Nashville City Paper

"Marcel Goc scored his first goal as a Nashville Predator in his first game against his former team, but San Jose scored in the final minute of regulation and rallied to defeat the Predators 4-3 at HP Pavilion on Tuesday. Defenseman Dan Boyle scored the game-winner with 59.4 seconds to play. It was the sixth one-goal game in the last seven meetings between the teams. Goc tied it 2-2 and snapped a stretch of 8:03 without a whistle when he fired a wrist shot inside the far post from the faceoff circle to the right of Sharks' goalie Thomas Greiss. It came at 14:49 of the second period as the Predators came from behind for the second time. Mike Santorelli made it 1-1 when he scored with 1:40 to ..."

Marcel Goc knows how to score at San Jose

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November 11

Tennessean

"Marcel Goc's first goal as a Predator came in a building very familiar to him. Goc, who spent six years in the San Jose organization, beat former Sharks teammate Thomas Greiss in the second period of Tuesday's 4-3 loss to San Jose. Jordin Tootoo's pass sent Goc into the San Jose zone, where he carried the puck into the left faceoff circle and - firing the puck back across his body - beat Greiss to the far side. "It was good to get the first goal out of the way,'' Goc said. "I think we played a pretty good game for the most part.'' Only one night earlier, Goc had been scheduled to eat dinner with a number of his former teammates. He played 265 games for the Sharks, posting 20 goals and 34 ..."

San Jose Sharks rally to beat Nashville Predators

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November 11

San Jose Mercury News

"The rust had been gathering on Devin Setoguchi since he was sidelined by a leg injury 18 days earlier. It had been collecting on goalie Thomas Greiss almost as long, as the red-hot play of starter Evgeni Nabokov had kept the backup on the bench just one fewer day. But both players shook off that rust Tuesday night — Setoguchi with a key third-period goal, Greiss with 23 saves — as the Sharks staged a late rally for a 4-3 come-from-behind victory over the Nashville Predators at HP Pavilion. "It's tough to come back and hop into things," Setoguchi said. "I didn't have the usual step that I wanted, but I tried to stay with it, battle through it, and you do the best you can. I got away with a ..."

San Jose Sharks' Jed Ortmeyer battles blood-clotting disorder

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November 11

San Jose Mercury News

"Hockey players establish daily routines, but Jed Ortmeyer's is significantly different from anyone else's in the Sharks' locker room. Because at some point each day, Ortmeyer must use a needle to inject a blood thinner directly into his stomach to combat a hereditary blood-clotting disorder that has threatened not only his hockey career but also his life. The process is tricky and the timing must be precise. The blood thinner, Lovenox, needs to be in his system during the down time when he's not on the ice. And it needs to be out of his system when he plays or practices so that a hard check or a high stick does not cause fatal bleeding. "It's been a long battle," said Ortmeyer, who nearly ..."

Former Predators thrive elsewhere

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November 10

Tennessean

"What one organization deems as the end of the line for a player is another organization's chance to grant a fresh start. The Predators have seen that scenario play out for better and for worse a handful of times over the past couple of seasons. They've witnessed players who struggled to produce offensively in Nashville - such as one of tonight's opponents, Jed Ortmeyer - go on to ring up more points at a better pace in other NHL cities this season. But they've also found themselves thankful that opposing organizations gave up on players like forward Joel Ward and goalie Dan Ellis, both of whom have become integral Predators. "Sometimes it's a simple system change that helps players, but ..."

Sharks' forwards Devin Setoguchi, Ryan Vesce returning to lineup

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November 10

San Jose Mercury News

"Setoguchi, Vesce making their return to lineup The Sharks expect to have forwards Devin Setoguchi and Ryan Vesce back in the lineup tonight against the Nashville Predators. Both have missed the past seven games after suffering leg injuries in a 4-3 victory over Atlanta on Oct. 24. Although Vesce had moved into Setoguchi's spot on a line with Joe Thornton and Dany Heatley, coach Todd McLellan indicated Monday that Setoguchi likely would be back in that slot — at least at the start of the game."

Sharks' Jed Ortmeyer battles blood-clotting disorder

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November 10

San Jose Mercury News

"Hockey players establish daily routines, but Jed Ortmeyer's is significantly different from anyone else's in the Sharks' locker room. Because at some point each day, Ortmeyer must use a needle to inject a blood thinner directly into his stomach to combat a hereditary blood-clotting disorder that has threatened not only his hockey career but also his life. The process is tricky and the timing must be precise. The blood thinner, Lovenox, needs to be in his system during the down time when he's not on the ice. And it needs to be out of his system when he plays or practices so that a hard check or a high stick does not cause fatal bleeding. "It's been a long battle," said Ortmeyer, who nearly ..."

Sharks coach: Rob Blake will be out 'couple of weeks'

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November 9

San Jose Mercury News

"Coach: Blake will be out 'for a couple of weeks' Sharks Coach Todd McLellan said Saturday that defenseman Rob Blake "will be out for a couple of weeks" with the upper-body injury that has sidelined him for two games. But he remained tight-lipped about the specifics of the injury even after the team received the results of an MRI exam and a CT scan that Blake underwent Friday. Blake suffered the injury in the third period Wednesday in Columbus. Officially, he and the team are referring to the problem only as an "upper-body" injury, but Blake was wearing his left arm in a sling the day after it occurred. He has had shoulder surgery in the past and has indicated the current situation is ..."

A laugher over champs

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November 8

San Francisco Chronicle

"Just over a year ago at HP Pavilion, the Sharks schooled the eventual Stanley Cup champions, out-shooting the Penguins by a ton in an early-season win. "Last year at this time, they taught Pittsburgh a lesson," said Penguins coach Dan Bylsma, who didn't take over the team until nearly four months later. "Eleven shots - it was a clinic in how to play." On Saturday night, it was all San Jose again in a 5-0 stroll over a team that came in as the top team in the Eastern Conference. Evgeni Nabokov stopped 27 shots in recording his 49th career shutout and Joe Pavelski scored his first goal of the season after missing more than a month with a broken foot. "It's been awhile," Pavelski said. "I was ..."

Pens lose more than just game at San Jose

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November 8

Pittsburgh Tribune Review

"The Penguins looked nothing like a Stanley Cup championship club Saturday night in a 5-0 loss to the San Jose Sharks at HP Pavilion. Of course, they were actually nothing like the club that won the Cup last June. Less than two minutes into the second period, the Penguins were missing five players that had combined for 43 percent of their 2009 playoff goals. To borrow a song from legendary Bay Area band Creedence Clearwater Revival, the Penguins could see a "Bad Moon Rising." "We were depleted at the end," coach Dan Bylsma said, "but I don't think where we were at had to do ... with the depleted lineup." Winger Matt Cooke refused to use a lengthy list of injured Penguins as an excuse for ..."

San Jose the model for warmer NHL

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November 8

Pittsburgh Tribune Review

columist Rob Rossi

"Most hockey fans would agree that the sport belongs more in Canada than California, but count me out of any discussion that warm-weathered U.S. cities aren't good for the NHL. However, the league would be wise to get out of dodge insunny sites where puck support is weaker than conservative backing for health-care reform bills. Don't say goodbye to Hollywood (or Tampa Bay and Dallas), but bid adieu to Phoenix, Atlanta and South Florida. Fox Sports Pittsburgh Penguins analyst Bob Errey agreed with me this week when I suggested San Jose, where he served as the Sharks' first captain, was the model for how the NHL should have viewed placing teams into nontraditional markets. Too bad the NHL ..."

Letang exits game against Sharks

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November 8

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

"Penguins defenseman Kris Letang left their game with the San Jose Sharks tonight about midway through the first period and is questionable to return. As he was shooting a rebound toward the Sharks' net during a Penguins power play, Letang was knocked down by San Jose defenseman Kent Huskins. He fell hard, stayed on the ice for a few seconds, then went to the bench favoring his right arm. Team officials said Letang is questionable to return to the game. The Penguins already are playing without defenseman Sergie Gonchar (wrist), center Evgeni Malkin (shoulder), winger Tyler Kennedy (groin) and forward Max Talbot (shoulder). Penguins defenseman Alex Goligoski was in the lineup tonight. He ..."

Sharks shut out Penguins

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November 8

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

"Things came crashing down for the Penguins last night. Already missing key players to injury, they lost defenseman Kris Letang in the first period. Goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury gave up three goals in less than 22 minutes before getting pulled. Center and captain Sidney Crosby was held without a point for the fourth game in a row. The power play was 0-for-4, extending its drought to 0-for 21 over five games. When it was over, the Penguins ended their West Coast swing with a 5-0 loss to goaltender Evgeni Nabokov and the San Jose Sharks at HP Pavilion. Coach Dan Bylsma had no report on Letang, who was favoring his right arm or shoulder and could join defensemen Sergei Gonchar (wrist) and ..."

Pittsburgh Penguins march on into San Jose Sharks' Tank in defense of crown

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November 7

Oakland Tribune

"The confetti from the victory parade was swept up long ago. The Pittsburgh Penguins got their quality time with the Stanley Cup. And there was the obligatory White House visit, where President Barack Obama needled Sidney Crosby for not being the biggest hockey player he had ever seen. But the Penguins are back to work now. That means back to winning. Despite injuries to several key players, including star center Evgeni Malkin, the Penguins (12-4) have picked up right where they left off last season - looking very much like the class of the NHL as they visit HP Pavilion tonight to play the Sharks. "Nobody is resting on what happened last year," said veteran winger Bill Guerin, who played ..."

What can be learned from games against Cup finalists?

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November 7

San Francisco Chronicle

"Fun scheduling. Along with having to contend with two of the toughest teams in the league, San Jose's continued lack of a Finals appearance is directly in the spotlight, contrasting as it does with back-to-back Finals showings by the Red Wings and Penguins. No one doubts that the Sharks have the talent. Pittsburgh has the benefit of two of the top four players in the league in Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, but San Jose has three of the game's elite offensive players in Joe Thornton, Dany Heatley, Patrick Marleau and a leading defenseman in Dan Boyle. There's no real talent gap there, especially considering that San Jose recorded the best regular-season record last season while the ..."

Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins visit San Jose Sharks

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November 7

San Jose Mercury News

"The confetti from the victory parade was swept up long ago. The Pittsburgh Penguins got their quality time with the Stanley Cup. And there was the obligatory White House visit, where President Barack Obama needled Sidney Crosby for not being the biggest hockey player he had ever seen. But the Penguins are back to work now. That means back to winning. Despite injuries to several key players, including star center Evgeni Malkin, the Penguins (12-4) have picked up right where they left off last season — looking very much like the class of the NHL as they visit HP Pavilion tonight to play the Sharks. "Nobody is resting on what happened last year," said veteran wing Bill Guerin, who played ..."

San Jose Sharks' streak ends at six as Detroit wins in shootout

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November 6

San Jose Mercury News

"Sharks goalie Evgeni Nabokov said he thought the puck was safely tucked away under his pad but could tell immediately that Detroit Red Wings forward Henrik Zetterberg didn't share that opinion. "I could see in his eyes that he was just coming and shoving at it," Nabokov said of the only one of 36 shots to get past him Thursday night, a third-period goal that erased a 1-0 San Jose lead and led to a 2-1 shootout victory for the Red Wings. The game ended San Jose's winning streak at six games, but the outcome was an improvement over recent Sharks efforts at Joe Louis Arena. Last season, Detroit embarrassed San Jose twice by a combined score of 10-1. Overall, the Sharks have won only four ..."

San Jose Sharks lose in shootout to Detroit Red Wings

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November 6

Oakland Tribune

"Sharks goalie Evgeni Nabokov said he thought the puck was safely tucked away under his pad but could tell immediately that Detroit Red Wings forward Henrik Zetterberg didn't share that opinion. "I could see in his eyes that he was just coming and shoving at it," Nabokov said of the only one of 36 shots to get past him Thursday night, a third-period goal that erased a 1-0 San Jose lead and led to a 2-1 shootout victory for the Red Wings. The game ended San Jose's winning streak at six games, but the outcome was an improvement over recent Sharks efforts at Joe Louis Arena. Last season, Detroit embarrassed San Jose twice by a combined score of 10-1. Overall, the Sharks have won only four ..."

Hard work pays off for Wings

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November 6

Detroit News

"After playing to a 1-1 standoff for 65 minutes, the Red Wings finally finished off the road-weary San Jose Sharks in a shootout, 2-1 Thursday, running their unbeaten streak to five games. Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg scored the shootout goals for the Wings. Chris Osgood stopped Dan Boyle and Ryane Clowe. The Wings, down 1-0 after two periods, tied it at 5:38 of the third thanks to some hard work by Darren Helm and Patrick Eaves. Helm won the puck behind the Sharks goal, drove it to the front of the net but was knocked off the puck before he could shoot. Eaves picked it up and fed Nick Lidstrom at the left point. His shot was saved by Evegni Nabokov, but Helm helped jar it loose ..."

Wings send red-hot Sharks packing

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November 6

Detroit Free Press

"Henrik Zetterberg scored the tying goal at 5:38 of the third period, then netted the decisive goal to give the Wings a 2-1 victory over the San Jose Sharks in a shootout on Thursday night at Joe Louis Arena. Zetterberg scored on a backhand-to-forehand deke, the same move Pavel Datsyuk made to score on Evgeni Nabokov to begin the shootout. Chris Osgood, who had 30 saves in regulation and two more in overtime, stopped both Dan Boyle and Ryan Clowe. Zetterberg had missed in the shootout loss to the Edmonton Oilers four games ago and said he was looking for a new move. "You have to be confident, otherwise you might as well not shoot," Zetterberg said. "That's a new move. I haven't really ..."

All Wings defensemen ready to go for game vs. Sharks

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November 5

Detroit News

"Red Wings coach Mike Babcock said after Thursday's morning skate that his defense corps was back intact. Both Jonathan Ericsson and Brian Rafalski have shaken the flu bug. To start Thursday night's game against San Jose, Babcock said he would pair Rafalski with Nick Lidstrom, moving Niklas Kronwall back with Brad Stuart. Ericsson was back, as usual, with Brett Lebda. Babcock, though, said the pairing could change depending on matchups during the game. The Wings are going to pay extra defensive attention whenever center Patrick Marleau (22 points) is on the ice."

Sharks' dominance on faceoff comes from hard work

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November 5

San Jose Mercury News

"The Sharks have been the NHL's most dominant team in the faceoff circle with a 57.7 percent success rate over the first month of the season. San Jose also finished last season as the NHL's best faceoff team at 53.8 percent, and players say those numbers are tied to the emphasis the coaching staff puts on a less heralded aspect of the game. "We really harp on faceoffs and starting with the puck," said center Scott Nichol, whose 64 percent faceoff success rate is the second best in the NHL. "We have some guys that are pretty dynamic players on this team, and when we start with the puck, we're a lot more dangerous than if we're chasing it." Nichol, who is in his first season with the Sharks ..."

San Jose Sharks defeat Columbus

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November 5

San Jose Mercury News

"The sequence of events about 16 minutes into the second period Wednesday night was a costly one. Skating short-handed because Brad Staubitz earned an instigator penalty for picking a fight, the Sharks saw captain Rob Blake go down with an injury and their 2-1 lead over the Columbus Blue Jackets disappear in rapid succession. And the fact the night had a happy ending — San Jose moved to the top spot in the Western Conference with a 3-2 shootout victory — didn't make it more palatable for Coach Todd McLellan. "It's an interesting chain of events," said McLellan, whose team extended its winning streak to six games. "You take a really poor penalty, you lose a faceoff, somebody gets hurt, and ..."

Melnyk wants his money back

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November 4

Ottawa Citizen

"The current battle between Ottawa Senators owner Eugene Melnyk and superstar Dany Heatley could set the emotional level for the National Hockey League's next round of contract talks. The NHL has served the NHL Players' Association a grievance over a $4-million US signing bonus Melnyk had to pay Heatley on July 1 after the disgruntled forward refused a trade to the Edmonton Oilers. Melnyk wants his money back. He thinks Heatley should have accepted the trade. Heatley, who demanded a trade, had a no-movement clause in his contract, which did give him the right to veto a trade. Melnyk might be stuck by the very contract he approved for Heatley. However, at the time the possibility of a ..."

'Waste of time for Melnyk?'

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November 4

Ottawa Sun

"Senators owner Eugene Melnyk shouldn't count on a Christmas card from Dany Heatley with a $4-million cheque inside. An NHL source told Sun Media yesterday the Senators' owner faces "long odds" if he thinks he can recoup a July 1 $4-million bonus he paid to the disgruntled winger, who refused to waive his no-movement clause to accept a trade to the Edmonton Oilers. While officials with the NHL and NHLPA both confirmed a Sun Media report yesterday that the grievance had been filed, Heatley was tight-lipped with a reporter from the San Jose Mercury News when asked about the grievance following a practice in Columbus. "I'm just focused on hockey," Heatley told the newspaper. Dealt to the ..."

Senators file grievance against Heatley

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November 3

Ottawa Citizen

"The National Hockey League, through vice-president of media relations Frank Brown, confirmed Tuesday morning that Senators owner Eugene Melnyk has filed a grievance against Dany Heatley. Melnyk is seeking the return of the $4 million signing bonus he was forced to give Heatley on July 1 after Heatley refused to accept a trade to the Edmonton Oilers. The league had no other comment than to acknowledge that the grievance was filed."

Melnyk files grievance over Heatley debacle

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November 3

Ottawa Sun

"It's payback time for Eugene Melnyk. Sun Media has learned the Senators owner was so furious with being forced to shell out a $4-million bonus to Dany Heatley, who refused to accept a trade to the Edmonton Oilers on July 1, he has filed a grievance asking for his money back. An NHL executive confirmed last night Melnyk filed the paperwork early in the summer, not long after Heatley wouldn't lift his no-movement clause before the bonus was paid. Sources say the grievance — which will be defended on Heatley's behalf by the NHL Players Association — is pending and no hearing date has been set. Indications are it could take a while to be heard, especially with the frazzled state of the union ..."

Sharks get goals from unlikely scorers in win

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November 2

San Jose Mercury News

"Forward Brad Staubitz needed only three words to explain the fact that the Sharks' first four goals in a 5-1 breeze of a victory over the Carolina Hurricanes came from some unlikely sources Sunday. "Full moon, man," said Staubitz, a fourth-line right wing whose second goal of the season held up as the winner. Douglas Murray had a more technical explanation for the fact that he had just scored his first goal in 109 games and that fellow defenseman Kent Huskins had chipped in his first goal as a Shark as San Jose stretched its winning streak to five games. "I think contributions will come from the blue line when the team is playing well," Murray said. "It's all about coming out clean in our ..."

Malhotra becomes new player rep for Sharks

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October 31

San Jose Mercury News

"Malhotra Sharks' new player rep with union Manny Malhotra has taken on an additional role as the Sharks' latest representative to the troubled NHL Players Association. Brad Lukowich was the player rep last season, and when he was traded to Vancouver, Douglas Murray stepped up into that leadership position. Malhotra, however, has filled that role since 1999 with three other teams, and Murray agreed to let him have the official title while the two will share responsibilities. "We're kind of ham-and-egging it," Malhotra said. "I don't think we're one and two because he's taking a lot of initiatives in organizing meetings." The NHLPA has been in turmoil since its executive board voted to ..."

At last, Clowe leads way to a Sharks win

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October 31

San Jose Mercury News

"Ryane Clowe had talked for days about how it was time for him to "get off the schneid.'' He was still looking for his first goal of the season, and he knew the Sharks expected more after signing him to a new four-year, $14.5 million contract over the summer. Friday night, Clowe and the schneid parted company. His goal broke up a scoreless game to lead help give the Sharks a 3-1 victory over the Western Conference-leading Colorado Avalanche at HP Pavilion. Dany Heatley and Jamie McGinn added goals as the Sharks beat the NHL's hottest goalie, Craig Anderson, to win their sixth game in the past seven. "I thought the period was over," Clowe said of his goal that came with just 5.9 seconds ..."

Avalanche grounded at San Jose

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October 31

Denver Post

"Craig Anderson stole a victory Wednesday night. It would have been something on the order of grand larceny if he'd been able to will the Avalanche to another victory Friday night. Anderson again was brilliant against the San Jose Sharks at HP Pavilion, but the rest of his teammates were dominated in the Sharks' 3-1 victory that snapped Colorado's four-game winning streak. In what was probably the Avs' worst performance of the season, the fact that there was any suspense at all in the outcome by the third period was because of Anderson. The final shot total was San Jose 46, Colorado 25."

Sharks face rejuvenated Avalanche team

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October 30

San Jose Mercury News

"When the Sharks lost to the Colorado Avalanche on opening night, the 5-2 defeat was magnified by the fact San Jose was outplayed by the team that had finished the previous season as the Western Conference's worst. But Colorado, which comes to HP Pavilion tonight as the Sharks close out a two-game homestand, holds the NHL's best record at 10-1-2. Does that take some of the sting out of that initial loss? "I don't think that's the way we look at it." Sharks coach Todd McLellan said Thursday. "That night in Colorado, we were sloppy enough to lose the game, didn't play well defensively, special teams weren't real sharp. That's what we'll take out of it." That first game did give the NHL the ..."

Sharks' crew takes extra steps to improve ice

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October 30

San Jose Mercury News

"The morning after his dramatic home debut as a Shark earlier this month, Dany Heatley offered a favorable review of HP Pavilion. But it wasn't just because the raucous crowd showered the rink with caps after his hat trick. He also liked the ice. "Every building has spots that need to be worked on, but I think the ice has been good," Heatley said. "The style of play we use allows us to be really quick, so good ice helps." Ever since the NHL began its expansion into the Sun Belt, ice conditions have been a hot-button topic for fans and players alike. So hot, in fact, that questions about ice conditions often elicit, well, icy responses. "The issue has been so beaten to death," said Sharks ..."

Writing the book on Sharks' characters

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October 30

San Francisco Chronicle

columnist Ray Rotto

"The Sharks have already navigated nearly a sixth of their season, another example of how time flies when you're never at home. Point is, they've whizzed through 13 games and are still at the relatively annoying character development stage that most people cite as the main reason they don't read books anymore. They tend to pick up a book so that they can get to the finish - they want to know who killed who, where and with what, and claim not to have time to find out who anybody actually was. It's the reason why Andre Agassi's new book has already leaked every meaningful detail of his life (hated tennis, hated dad, liked crystal meth) even before the release date. Nobody would care that much ..."

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