Greatest Sharks: Forward Thinking
So excited about induction, they just cant hide it.
Well folks, we did it. After weeks of voting, we have finally completed the forward lines for Fear the Fin's "Greatest Sharks" team.
Upon the induction of Ray Whitney (51% of the vote) Mr. Plank, Mr. K & I sat down (over the internet) to discuss our ideal line combinations. Since we all like to pretend that we are coaches/GM's, we enjoyed the opportunity to flex our collective ego. Remember, the order of selection does not necessarily determine the line combinations, so we had some wiggle room.
Make the jump for FTF's "Greatest Sharks" forward lines.
Line One
Marco Sturm
Joe Thornton
Jonathan Cheechoo
There's no doubt that Joe Thornton deserves to be on line one; he was the first player to be selected to this team. In addition, Joe might just be the most talented player to ever wear teal. The 29 year old pivot has led the league in scoring since joining the Sharks in 2005.
On Joe's right, we've added Jonathan Cheechoo. We might be reminiscing a bit, but those 56 goals in 2005-2006 were just too much to ignore. Putting the Rocket Richard winner back on a line with Jumbo Joe just gives us a nice, tingly feeling inside.
As for the left wing, what's better than a little first line irony? Adding Sturm (the main piece in the Thornton trade) to this line was attractive for many reasons. None of these, however, are more important than Sturm's cannon shot. With Cheechoo and Sturm on this line, Joe has some very talented shooters to put away his pretty (dare I say sexy?) passes.
| Line Two | ||
| Jeff Friesen | Patrick Marleau | Owen Nolan |
If you're a Sharks fan, you had to see this one coming. Although we have these players on line two, It's hard to argue that this line isn't the best in Sharks' history. As of the beginning of this year (Thornton has now passed Friesen for 3rd all-time), these three players have scored the most points in Sharks' history.
This line, in addition to being a point scoring behemoth, combines a great deal of speed, skill, and heart. Nolan and Marleau are the two most tenured captains in Sharks history. Marleau is, and Friesen was, a gifted and fluid skater. Nolan played harder than any other Sharks superstar.
And oh yeah, they each know how to put the biscuit in the basket.
| Line Three | ||
| Milan Michalek | Vincent Damphousse | Pat Falloon |
It has been said that Vincent Damphousse was Joe Thornton before there was a Joe Thornton. Granted, Damphousse was probably never the complete player that Thornton has become.
But boy, that man could pass the puck. With 197 assists in 385 games with the Sharks, Vinny knew how to make a play. Although his time in San Jose came late in his career, Damphousse was a skilled skater and brilliant hockey player.
We've paired Damphousse with Michalek and Fallon; two players who were selected by the Sharks in the first round of the NHL Entry Draft (Milan 6th overall, Falloon 2nd overall). Falloon never quite lived up to the hype, but he still played a big part in the early success of the Sharks franchise. Michalek, who recently passed Falloon for 9th on the Sharks' all-time scoring list, is an emerging star and valuable asset to this team.
| Line Four | ||
| Ray Whitney | Mike Ricci | Alexander Korolyuk |
You really couldn't build this team without including Ricci. Although he wasn't as talented as many of the other players on this team, he made up for what he lacked in skill with his fierce style of play. He also loved being a Shark, which is good for mega-points in my book.
Whitney also made the fourth line, as his physical style makes him a perfect fit to play with Ricci. I still love watching him beat Trevor Kidd in the playoff series against Calgary; that goal is one of the most significant in Sharks history.
And then there's Korolyuk. His stats probably don't merit inclusion, but he has somewhat of a cult following around these parts. All things considered, that boy could skate. We'll leave it at that.

So, ladies and gents, there are your "Greatest Sharks" forwards. If you have any suggestions for some line changes, let your voice be heard in the comments.
I'm glad this process worked out as well as it did. We're proud of you. However, brace yourselves for when the Defensive voting comes... that group is much thinner than the forwards.
Go Sharks.
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11 comments
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Comments
Jeff Falloon
should be Pat, I believe.
I like the combos. Some might think Korky, with his speed, should be somewhere other than the 4th. But I remember the boy had some grit and think he’d do well there with Ricci and Whitney.
Good job guys.
Fear the Fin....where being an old guy isn't all bad
by Dave Valentine on Feb 18, 2009 7:19 AM PST reply actions 0 recs
Thanks Dave.
Copy and pasting cells didn’t work to my advantage here. :).
Good catch.
Fear the Fin: Approved by ESPN and Logan Couture
by That'll Cheech You on Feb 18, 2009 7:29 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs
As for the Korky argument...
I could see how a Friesen/Sturm – Marleau – Korky like could be attractive. We did talk about it. However, we couldn’t justify moving him ahead of Nolan, Cheechoo, or Pat (A.K.A. Jeff) Falloon. I guess we could have gone this way…
Sturm – Thornton – Nolan
Friesen – Marleau – Korky
Michalek – Damphousse – Falloon
Whitney – Ricci – Cheechoo
We know what happens to Cheechoo, though, if you put him in a checking line role. It works, though.
Fear the Fin: Approved by ESPN and Logan Couture
by That'll Cheech You on Feb 18, 2009 7:37 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs
I have absolutely
no argument against his placement. When I think of him, I think of his speed, which doesn’t normally translate to a 4th line spot. But I can’t see him being above, or in place of, anyone above him. And as I said, he had some grit. It we could somehow make this real, I could see him dishing out some hits on that line.
Fear the Fin....where being an old guy isn't all bad
by Dave Valentine on Feb 18, 2009 8:20 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs
That line would be a forchecking machine. They’d definitely create opportunities for eachother.
Fear the Fin: Approved by ESPN and Logan Couture
by That'll Cheech You on Feb 18, 2009 8:44 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs
And it is real...
On NHL 09. 28-2-2 as of last night.
Fear the Fin: Approved by ESPN and Logan Couture
by That'll Cheech You on Feb 18, 2009 8:45 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs
If you have suggestions, let us know.
This is how we thought the lines worked best, but we’re open to debate.
Fear the Fin: Approved by ESPN and Logan Couture
by That'll Cheech You on Feb 18, 2009 10:15 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs
excellent lines
line one would be a beast and line 2 is an unstoppable scoring machine. Very good job guys.
And Mason said to god, "May my clutch shots go in" And God said, "Yes. Yes they may my son"
by KA1Z3R on Feb 18, 2009 1:59 PM PST reply actions 0 recs
That first line is great, but the second line is epic.
by mymclife on Feb 18, 2009 9:51 PM PST reply actions 0 recs
Where is Jan Caloun on the list?
3 goals on his first 3 NHL shots. :P
I agree with most of the selections, but it seems a bit biased towards the modern-day Sharks. Where is Larionov? Sergei Makarov? I know feeling of mutual dislike among Sharks fans and Craig Janney, but the man had hands like butter.
I wouldn’t hesitate to replace ‘Korky’ with Jeff Odgers though.
Great to see Mike Ricci on the list. One of my favourite Sharks growing up. Man was a beast among boys. In a couple of years, I expect Joe Pavelski is going to displace Vinnie Damphousse from that list.
by Will Bulldozer on Feb 19, 2009 11:05 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

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