Sharks Head To Stockholm To Open 2010-2011 Season

by Mr. Plank on Jan 30, 2010 12:40 PM PST in Sharks News Comment 18 comments

The Blue Jackets will play the San Jose Sharks in Stockholm, Sweden, at the start of the 2010-11 season, The Dispatch has learned.

The Jackets will play two games in Europe -- a home game and a road game -- but it's unclear if both games will be against the Sharks or if they'll both be in Stockholm. Best guess for the opener is Thursday, Oct. 7.

- The Columbus Dispatch

I covered this pretty extensively in December, and that should be the first place you look if you want to see how it may influence the Sharks performance next year on a statistical level. Teams tend to take a dip around the 20-40 game mark.

The obvious storyline will be Douglas Murray's opportunity to play in front of his family; if you remember from earlier this season, I did a piece on his grandfather, a legend in the Swedish hockey world. "Lasse" (Swedish for "menace") was a hulking blueliner who played the game exactly how Douglas does-- strong and physical.

Murray is the only Swedish player on the current roster, with Evgeni Nabokov (RUS) and Thomas Greiss (GER) rounding out the European representatives.

I'm not adverse to going overseas, but if the Sharks make a deep run this season, you have to wonder how much of a factor it will be in some of the veteran players legs down the stretch next year. Coupled with the vast amount of travel West Coast teams do already, it's definitely not going to do them any favors in 2010-2011.

How much of a detriment it will be, however, is up for debate.

Poll

How do you feel about the Sharks playing in Stockholm next season?

I like it.

177 votes

I don't like it.

145 votes

No opinion.

47 votes

369 votes | Poll has closed

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Comments

Well I said it before so I’ll say it again, cause as we all know, females and especially mothers like to repeat themselves, all teams will have to do the overseas thing so might as well accept it, like it and get it over with.

Road trip!! :)

Ever get the feeling we are on a collision course with reality?
"They who would give up an essential liberty for temporary security, deserve neither liberty or security" -- Benjamin Franklin

by ang6666 on Jan 30, 2010 12:47 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

agreed I’m so up for a roadtrip! Sometimes you just gotta get out of the bay

"Boys only voluntarily hug when someone scores."

"Hockey players wear numbers because you can’t always identify the body with dental records."—Anonymous

by mssjsclowie29 on Jan 30, 2010 4:41 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I could go either way. Like, I like it because we’ll be able to see how much Swedes love Douglas Murray (which should be pretty awesome) and the Sharks could grow their fanbase, but dislike in terms of adding even more mileage onto a schedule that’s already one of the top-5 worst schedules. Especially since next year the Sharks have to go to Boston and Montreal, which are the two furthest cities from San Jose.

"I think I realized after the second or third punch, I should have taken his helmet off sooner." - Ryane Clowe
Proud member of the "Re-Sign Marleau" Club
Fools and Sages

by mymclife on Jan 30, 2010 12:51 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

I think I like it.

"I think people were ready to watch some hockey. We took up enough of everyone’s time."
-Jody Shelley after an 87 second hockey fight against Cam Janssen

by idunno723 on Jan 30, 2010 12:58 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

I like it

Douglas Murray can act as the gracious host/tour guide. I like that mental image.

I just wish the opponent was sexier than say, the Columbus Blue Jackets…

Puck Daddy: You would definitely hate the Ducks more than you'd hate the Kings, right?
Joe Pavelski: Yeah, definitely.

by DownRUpLYB on Jan 30, 2010 12:59 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

It's not like we'll be in the Winter Classic.

Better than nothin’, I guess.

I like my goals like I like my booze..... Top shelf.

by GhostOfLinkGaetz on Jan 30, 2010 1:18 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

Love it!

And you think you live in a non-traditional hockey market...

by BritShark on Jan 30, 2010 1:35 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

So, you think you’re going to hop over to Sweden for the games? I know it’s not that close, but it’d probably be cheaper than flying over to the States.

"I think I realized after the second or third punch, I should have taken his helmet off sooner." - Ryane Clowe
Proud member of the "Re-Sign Marleau" Club
Fools and Sages

by mymclife on Jan 30, 2010 1:39 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Definitely looking to get over there, and hoping a few of you guys might try and head over this way too. Should be an interesting experience as I’ve never been to Scandinavia before, despite a Norwegian grandfather.

And you think you live in a non-traditional hockey market...

by BritShark on Jan 31, 2010 12:57 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Hey Brit Shark… Been away for the weekend and come back to all this news… Starting to get more excited by this now, but still waiting for that official announcement. I am going to try and do everything I can to head on over as well. Went to Stockholm last year – flights/hotels not too expensive, but the price of beer is ridiculous – a few pints and you may as well be looking at the price of a flight over the pond!!!
Will definately keep my ear to the ground for any other Sharks fans who will be heading over.

by Andy C11 on Feb 1, 2010 5:31 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I like it.

I mean, it could have a negative effect on the team, but Pittsburgh was able to win a Stanley Cup the previous year after opening in Europe, so there is some hope.

Proud member of the "Don't Trade Marleau" club.
Fear the Fin: Where Sharks Fans Aren't Like Other Sharks Fans.

by SharksFanEst.1994 on Jan 30, 2010 2:53 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

I like it.

We can get a bigger fanbase out of it

by thecity23 on Jan 30, 2010 4:08 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

As a STH I can say....

this sucks! Two games in another country I won’t watch and one less home game. I thought it was us SJ’ers that paid for the tickets to keep them going? Why reward Europe? Not a fan of this idea….

by RandomReader on Jan 30, 2010 4:55 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

MAN THIS IS CRAP ITS THE SAN JOSE SHARKS NOT THE STOLKHOLM SHARKS WHAT THE HELL MAN.

Just kidding, I don’t mind.

by slapchop on Jan 30, 2010 6:25 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

At least it's not as bad as the BS game the 49ers are playing in Europe

Have you heard about this? They fly to Europe MID-SEASON to lose a freaking home game. In hockey it’s not a huge deal, but in football it is. I’m pissed about that.

Still, I’m against this too, just not as much as I am against it for the Niners. Oh well.

by PNK on Jan 30, 2010 6:58 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

I like it

And not because I’m thinking of going (I actually have to pass), but because of the NHL mandate that all teams participate overseas within x-amount of years, we need to get it over with. May as well be next season.

Fear the Fin: "C'mon Drew, we're going streaking!" - Randy Hahn, 12/31/09
"Say whatever the fuck you want!" - Danny Miller, 1/9/10

by Conico do Mayo Miracle on Jan 30, 2010 7:17 PM PST reply actions 0 recs