And so we bid adieu...

Go Sharks.

 And thanks for an Awesome year to the whole staff at FTF.

Thank you Plank and the rest of the FTF writing staff for putting out awesome articles this season. This was my first season commenting regularly and it was a pleasure to be apart of this hockey family. Everyone here is great!

 This was a great season that ended in bitter defeat. Best of luck to everyone in the offseason; don’t hang your heads in sorrow, but hang them high for the promise of a new beginning. Lets get ’em next season! Go Sharks!

Thanks to all of you at FTF for the great analysis, commentary and for allowing me to convince myself I’m productively procrastinating throughout the season. It was a great ride, and the fact is 29 other teams would do almost anything to be in our shoes right now. Keep the faith, and go sharks.

for all that you do.

Go Sharks.

Either case, can’t wait to move back to California this July and go back to Sharks games next season! Thanks to all the FTF mods, writers, members.

for being the best

Why does this team make you write these recaps?

It had its ups (Game 3 of the LA series woooooo) and its downs (January and, well, tonight), but through it all FTF was there. I’m glad that I could be part of this community filled with such great and wacky people.

30 days until the draft. Sharks have 28th overall pick again. LET’S DO IT.

First time was before game 7 vs Detroit. No such luck this time.

Fantastic piece, Plank. Thanks to you, Matt, Ann and Ivan for helping guide us through this season. And thanks to all you commenters who, for better or for worse, make following this team a bit more fun for me.

2011-12 puck drops in 135 days…

And this year, they gave us 100 wild games to watch and talk about over the course of the season. So we have that to be thankful for. Only 10 games short of the maximum they could have played this season.

And if they had played all 110 possible games? We’d have died by the end of that last Game 7, anyway.

This round may be over, but it’s only a 4 month break til we pick up where we left off. And in the meanwhile, there’s the draft.

Thanks to everyone at FtF. I’m so glad that I discovered this blog! It’s been my go-to place throughout the playoffs. My first comment here was telling everyone to step back from the cliff after the Sharks’ game 2 loss to LA. Boy does that seem like a long time ago.

Of course tonight’s result is disappointing, but I’m not going to carry that disappointment with me. I’m proud of how the team played. I don’t think I could have asked for any more than those guys gave. I wish they weren’t in the position where one flukey bounce decided the season, but that’s life. Gotta win the games when you can (::cough:: game 4 ::cough::).

I’m looking forward to riding out the summer with you all, and I’ll be back in the fall when the Sharks start their next run for the cup. Go Sharks!

I’m moved by this. This site has at times served me as both a catalyst for excitement and anticipation and a comfort when things turned south. I’m proud to be a Sharks fan and I’m proud of the team the Sharks are becoming. I’ll see you all in October.

But can’t wait to see the next season. I’m still happy they made it as far as they did. Can’t wait to see what this site is like during the regular season :) I’ll have photoshop ready and will try to churn out some newbie mojo next year. Seeya next playoffs!

And I loved it. Can’t say this was the way I wanted to depart for now, but I truly look forward to next season and to go through the torture with you all again. Thank you.

I’ve been a lurker for awhile and just decided to join the fun/torture last year… I just love this blog. from the witty gifs to the awesome photoshopped pics.. to the witty comments and great but yet unbiased (except for winning predictions :)) articles written here.. sigh..will miss u guys in the summer!!

that helped soften the blow after I saw the tying goal on my phone. I am now…at peace. This core has another 2 years before we nuke the shit out of this team and start from square one once more, with Logan as our franchise guy. The end to this season hurts, as it has for the past two decades, but we have been blessed to see the quality of hockey we have. After watching the debacles in Phoenix and Atlanta, I have learned to appreciate what I have as a Sharks fan.

That said, fuck Canada, and go Bolts/Bruins.

I’ve been coming to this place now for a few years, and I’m glad I found it. I don’t post much here or anything but I appreciate what you guys do from the epic Gameday threads to the awesome podcasts that I listen to during work to help me get by.

Sucks the season had to end this way. Love the way the guys went out and left everything out there on the ice, the only reason I’m sad now is that I have to wait again for nearly 5 months for San Jose Sharks hockey.

Thanks again everybody. Go Sharks.

as I’d grown rather attached to this scraggly hair growing in like patchwork on my face.

But I guess now I can look like I’m not a dirty hippie.

my head still hurts a bit, though this is probably because of a myriad of factors…

Been watching the blog for awhile now, just recently started to comment. I must say that FTF keeps me sane during the crazy time we call the playoffs. Love the commentating and intelligent writing. I look forward to more FTF during the long summer. Thanks guys. Go Sharks (2012 stanley cup champions).

Some will hoist a bag of sour grapes over their shoulder and march towards the inevitable talking points— blown icing calls, missed high sticking penalties, 5 on 3’s that came like the Grim Reaper, conspiracies and complaints

So you’re saying I shouldn’t complain about that icing call here?

It was an up-and-down year for the Sharks and last night’s game winner almost felt poetic of the Sharks season. Thanks to everyone and to the FTF crew.

but this just made me more sad.

And everyone else here at FTF and on the threads. You guys made my Sharks season all the more better and kept my love of the Sharks alive! I started to get into the team in 2009 while dating someone, we broke up earlier this year, but I couldnt stop my love of the Sharks. Being here online w/ you all and watching the games kept my love of the game alive, so thank you all! And thanks so much for always answering my hockey questions too! Lord knows I am still trying to figure out this game!!! So when does the next season start? I will be ready for it!!!!! I have said this before and I will say it again… GO SHARKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So it goes.

I simply wished we would not end a series on a goal like that. Stanchions seem to have a deep dislike for Sharks and Pacioretty’s head.

Thanks for the great articles, FTF crew. Thanks for the good season, FTFers. Made watching Sharks game in KC manageable.

And once again, in our eternal state of damnation/frustration, we push that boulder up the mountain, only to have it roll all the way back down in those sisyphean machinations until – one day – we get it to the top.

The loss is a big bummer but overall it was one of the more exciting and rewarding seasons. Instead of the Sharks dominating the whole regular season followed by underachieving in the playoffs, they kept it interesting all year long. Of course we all wanted more but not everyone gets to the big game and I’m glad my Sharks are contenders more often than not.

Thanks to the FTF staff for all the time and energy you put into this site, I’ll still check in when there’s nothing going on because habit is habit.

GO SHARKS! (and Boston)

Truly a great season here at FTF. Sleep did not help the sadness.

When Bieska got that GW…. I was just in disbelief and silence. God damn, this loss was the most painful I’ve watched. Good season from the Sharks. I just hope they’re even better next year.

Top 5 all time posts Plank! Nice job, and congrats on your season. I felt sorry for you guys as they fell short again. I think Thornton has shook off the choke collar, but there was always one piece missing, someone disappeared when needed at some point, I was actually rooting for you, but am relieved that your run is once again over, as only the Red Wings are less popular in our house. All that aside, great season, see you next year, and good luck. At least you fought all the way, and were giving them a run each game. Van will be a bit beat up to win their first cup, at least that is my hope.

In my two seasons posting here, the Sharks have made it to the Conference Finals. Maybe the third time’s a charm?

It’s been a good first year here for me. I’ll just take the summer to rest my heart.

I still don’t know what to make of last night, and probably won’t for a couple of days/weeks.

slow start to the series doomed them, and it just kills to think they were starting to take over statistically in the last few games. just goes to show you cant give an inch.

all credit to the other guys, they have all world skill and made the sharks pay on their mistakes. very opportunistic.

Sharks are going nowhere but up, add another top-flight d-man, bring on braun or petrecki, hell, the leadership on this team is second to none (LADIES AND GENTLEMEN JOE THORNTON HAS ARRIVED- and i believe has yet to play his most important hockey…), and dont go to FREAKING SWEDEN to start the year, i like 2012 already.

Great year, Proud as hell to be a sharks fan.

I for one really appreciate the thought and input that goes into this blog. Mr. Plank, you should be writing for the Chronicle or SJ Mercury News instead of Mark Purdy (I think we all know why). Selfishly however, I love reading your articles here on FTF because I learn a lot about the Sharks specifically and hockey in general.

Having been a life long Sharks fan since their inception, I can honestly say that they are a part of my fabric and make up. My daughter learned a new expletive last night when we lost in 2/OT. My wife tolerates my childish playoff behavior because she knows that this is important to me, as it is to so many of you that come to post here. It is cathartic to vent, share ideas, and look for others who believe as you do.

This team is special for so many different reasons and one day soon we will all be rewarded with a parade in down town San Jose. Congrats to the Sharks for giving it their all in game 5. There is nothing to be ashamed of. Congrats to Vancouver, my favorite Canadian city and to their fans who love their team just as much as we love ours.
Congrats to Bobby Lu (chuckle) for his outstanding play. And congrats to all of you for sticking with this team through it all. It has been painful, challenging, and most of all fun!

Lastly, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that along with defensive improvements to our blue line, we have to find a way to trade Dany Heatley and his $7.5 million dollar cap hit. If that cannot be accomplished, then he needs to be more of a focal point in the offense. In 32 playoff games for the Sharks he has mustered only 5 goals. That will not get it done and is partly why we’ve struggled offensively the past two post seasons and in this WCF.

See you all next season!

GO SHARKS!!!

Blown leads and missed opportunities.

Sharks had the lead early in both Games 1 and 2. They blew those. Sharks had a 2-1 lead last night with 14 seconds to go. They blew that. Sharks had a retarded number of powerplays in Game 4 and didn’t capitalize on any of them.

If this is a team that takes every golden opportunity for granted, this is not going to be a team that wins the Stanley Cup. Obviously, some roster changes would be welcome, but most importantly, I’d like to see the Sharks start playing with the same enthusiasm and excitement of a Tampa or Chicago. It’s almost feeling like they make the playoffs almost by default every year (and you can’t argue that they’re not one of the most successful regular season teams in recent league history), and they come in this this attitude like, “Oh hey, this again.”

Sharks need to have some adversity thrown in front of them so they can be humbled. Maybe missing the playoffs one year wouldn’t be a bad thing.

I’m still to sore to bring any thoughtful discussion to what happened last night, my grapes are too sour and I care far too much.

But I love this site, it makes me feel home even though I’m hundreds of miles separated from the team I love.

last night still sucked.

Plank you really summed it up well with that post. Thanks for another year of excellent analysis and humor. Today is a sad day, I’m bitter and disappointed but as they say, there is always next year. Looking forward to all the off-season articles, fan posts and fan shots.

Hats off to the Canucks, although that series deserved a less fluky end they were the better team.

For the Sharks I hope they can find a way to tweak the roster so they play full 60 minute games next year instead of 40 minute games.

The AHL’s Manitoba Moose are relocating to St. John’s and are, apparently, set to be Winnipeg’s farm team for next team (whether it also stays Vancouver’s farm team or dissociates from Vancouver remains to be seen).

So, bit of a poll for you guys….

What do you prefer this new, theoretical Winnipeg team to be called?
- Winnipeg Jets
- Manitoba Moose
- Winnipeg Thrashers
- Something else.

Thanks for yet another great season of peerless content, and some damn good times. Obviously us fans didn’t get the ending we’ve wanted for so long, but nevertheless, it was a season for the ages. Looking forward to a long (but not too long) offseason of speculation, hand wringing, frayed nerves, and rumor mongering.

Huzzah!

Also, our captain > everyone else’s captain.

the toughest fan to be in the league is an Atlanta Thrashers fan…

haha, now I just need to find an offseason hobby… maybe I’ll make enough extra cash this summer to join a summer roller hockey league… we should all be so lucky, IMO.

And everyone else too.

But thanks for everything FTF. It was a fun ride…..

Probably not as much as the loss in the ALCS in 2004 for the Yankees

Or Super Bowl XLII for the Patriots

Or the ’98 Finals loss for Utah Jazz fans

But dammit, you always kind of wonder, what if….

First off, this season was a disappointment. That’s what happens when you expect a team to build on prior years success. But it is an accomplishment and the sharks have definitely cemented themselves as a perennial contender—silver lining.

Second, I just have to say thanks to everyone who contributes around here. I live in the Philadelphia area (originally from CT) and have been a sharks fan since the Whalers ripped my heart out. Prior to stumbling onto FTF about 3 years ago, I had some difficulty getting the sharks coverage I wanted. This place is fantastic from top to bottom and I thoroughly enjoy everything this site brings to the table. There are very few that can combine excellent analysis, commentary, humor and just plain information the way FTF does. Thanks again to everybody.

Go Sharks.

Cheers guys and thanks for all the breakdowns, stories, updates and all that you posted daily throughout the season, I appreciate the talents here. Look forward to reading what happens in the offseason…
SHARKS!!!

I had high hopes heading into this year’s playoffs, given how well the Sharks played in the season’s second half. But in the end, I’d have to say (like Dennis Green) that the Sharks were who we thought they were: not quite as bad as they looked in January, but not quite as good as they looked in March either. While this series wasn’t as one-sided as many 4-1 series are, the fact remains that they couldn’t quite get it done when they had the chance. And they had plenty of chances: leads in games 1, 2, and 5 that they couldn’t hold, 5 straight PPs in game 4, etc.. And, of course, you’re not winning the Stanley Cup if you can’t kill penalties.

Still, high hopes for next year. Like many, I would love to see Heatley shipped out of town. Hmm, the Rangers seem to love bad contracts; I wonder if they’d take him straight-up for Marc Staal? (Yes, that was a joke.) The key for the Sharks is still the blue line; they need to get tougher and more mobile back there. And though one has to assume that TMac’s job is safe, a part of me wonders: I think he’s a great coach in an X’s-and-O’s sort of way, but it bugs me that the players don’t seem to consistently buy into his system.

In any case, this blog is great.

I haven’t felt this level of disappointment since that time I woke up hungover and naked, laying next to what turned out to be a Thai transvestite. But that’s a story for another year and besides, I was young and needed the money…

Can’t help but wonder how much of a difference fast and aggressive Jason Demers would have made instead of a slower, stay-at-home Kent Huskins. Not that Huskins made any huge errors or caused the Sharks to lose the series, but having someone inserted into the lineup who hasn’t played in ages surely had to make a guy like Vlasic change up his game a bit.

The Sharks played out their hearts in this game, but couldn’t pull off a victory in the end. Our postseason hopes may be over, but I hope that next year, our team will be even better and do a better job in the playoffs next year.

Go Sharks!

Upset? Yes, but as we know this club has the drive to ram this team right through the playoffs. Not going to talk about what could have been or what we should have done differently or what not, This club has made it to CF two years in a row now and imagine the other teams would love to lay claim to that. Still, the ultimate prize, when we get there will be all the sweeter. Thanks for another exciting season! Randy and Drew? Can’t wait to see you two when October rolls around again.

Will get tickets for home opener and mark the calendar…get ready for 2012!

GO SHARKS!

Let’s take a bet. How many rosterbation threads will there be before the new season starts.

I say 7. Winner gets a cake.

When it ends on a fluke bounce off a stanchion during an overtime that shouldn’t have happened because Clowe missed an open net and Patty never saw it and the clock should’ve run out when Sedin shouldered the puck as it left the zone… And we’re all left open-mouthed saying “WTF just happened?”

Yeah, this will take some time.

Great season for FTF, the writing and the repartee reached a new level this season. Thanks for the forum to practice our imaginary GM/coach powers to lift the Sharks to the next level. Hopefully, they can improve by SEVEN games next year.

So I have 3 students following me all day chanting Go Canucks Go all day, all class…….being a teacher in Vancouver…..one of the worst days ever. I hope that the sharks are reading this..

Great season overall. Wish it didn’t end like this, but good season non the less. Love my Sharks (Always)

for whatever reason, I really, really felt like this series was gonna play out with the Canucks playing like the Sharks usually do (scared, lacking composure, brain farts at the worst possible moments), and the Sharks using their advantage in playoff experience to play like SJ opponents usually do (poised, opportunistic, lucky breaks). I thought we were gonna teach Vancouver a lesson! Instead this sucks… I can only hope all these heartbreaks and playoff experiences will lead to a rewarding “dynasty” somewhere down the road. I guess we’ll have to see!

And of course, a hearty pat on the back to the moderators who make it all happen, the unsung heroes behind the veil. We couldn’t have done it without you.

But yeah. You guys are all great. I really can’t put it any other way, I love this team and this site.

And damn do I love banning people. WHO’S NEXT?

Just wanna add that reading what everyone is saying here is very touching! I think we need a group hug or a major kegger party!!!! Everyone is amazing! Its helping me deal with the saddness today. Thanks all!

Was way to depressed to watch any coverage last night – couldn’t even watch the handshake. Avoided the news, the Internet, the texts pouring in on my phone. Decided that FTF was the first place I’d visit this morning to hear from my fellow passionate Sharks fans and I have to say it was a bit consoling – like a virtual hug. Overall, disappointing way to end the season, but I am so proud of our team and Jumbo’s leadership – no one can ever question his heart again.

Can’t wait for next season – have a great summer!

What a roller coaster. We saw this team go from 12th in the conference to second, players come out of shells, players reinventing their identities. Incredibly disappointing way to end the season, yes, but they had their opportunity and let it pass. The only thing I want to say about the team and the game before I move on is what an unbelievable game, series, and playoffs from Joe Thornton. He was a complete warrior out there, and I have never been happier to see someone wear the C in teal.

Lastly, thank you so much Plank, Matt, Ivano, and Ann for all your hard work this season. You guys are the class of all hockey writers and we at FTF couldn’t be any luckier to have you. Same goes to all the moderators- you guys did a fantastic job and it is much appreciated. And to my fellow FTFinners- thanks to all of you for being awesome, intelligent, and classy hockey fans who always bring great discussion, epic photoshops and gifs, and often hysterically funny conversation.

I still bleed teal and I am still proud of my team. Cheers to an even more successful 2011-2012 season. See you all in the Fall!

I’m glad I get to talk sharks with all you fine people. THe pain still hurts, but there’s always next year. Go Sharks.

Tried posting something here four times already and couldn’t do it. I’m still leveled right now. So much effort from Joe and the way he played has made this loss even worse. He left it all out there…

Thanks to everyone here, I truly believe we have the best group of die-hard fans out there. FTF staff, you guys and gals were fantastic.

is the confirmation to make Thorton our team’s captain. This is HIS team and he showed it was throughout the entire playoffs. This year’s Thorton, IMO, is 300% more in every way than last years.

I’m excited to what’s going to happen down the line.

Maybe a post will soon come out rating all of the player’s season and we can all talk about who to trade and who to throw the bank at.

Thanks so much FIF! <3 ya!

That we were evenly matched with Vancouver. They went out in the offseason and added Manny for faceoff improvement, Torres for grit and toughness + pk and 2 defensemen, namely Hamhuis to solidify their already good team. They took that next step and went from a good team losing in the playoffs to an elite and complete team.

For San Jose to accomplish the same we too will need to improve our D blue line.
Boyle, Vlasic, Demers, Murray and???

How about Keith Yandle to an offer sheet at $4.5 million per year for 5 years? Add to that Petricki and Braun and you may just have what you’re looking for: More toughness and a really good second unit on the PP.

In addition I like Desjardans, Mashinter, and McGinn on our 4th line, combining speed and grit and toughness. We also have McLaren if needed.

Since most on here either like Heater or believe we will not be able to move his monster contract, he needs to play with Jumbo again. He’s better when Jumbo is feeding him the puck. In fact I like the HTML line since Couture has emerged as a great second line player.

Heatley, Thornton, Marleau
Couture, Clowe, Pavelski
Wellwood, Mitchell, Ferriero(?)
McGinn, Desjardins, Mashinter

We’re close, but need to get quicker on D and add a few more pieces to the offense.
Seto may be too expensive to keep if he’s offered around $3 million per year, unless we can move Nitty to compensate. I’ll let DW do the math.

As we’ve seen, winning in the playoffs takes consistent effort, especially if your defense allows less than 3 goals per game. If we can do that, I believe we’ll have the winning formula for next season.

This was my first season here on FTF, and I honestly had nearly lost all hope of reading any hockey material that offered insight. But I found more than what I was looking for here on FTF. Everyone here is amazing, and there’s a variety of different arguments that are all intelligent.

Last nights loss is still stinging, and albeit the effort and the courage the Sharks showed this series, its still leaving me with an empty feeling of what could have been. I still cannot accept that the Nucks were a better team than us this year, like the Hawks were last year. Oh well. It was still an amazing, and memorable season nonetheless.

I’d just like to point out that despite all the bashing that we all (including me) have done on Wallin and Huskins this year, they both played admirably and really did not have a negative impact, if not a positive one. They brought exactly what they were expected to bring (except for Huskins, whom is famously recognized as “The Assist Machine”).

On a more critical note, if the Sharks can somehow dump Heatley and his salary, that would open up a spot for another set up man like Jumbo, or another puck moving offensive defenseman. Boyle can NOT tail the kind of minutes that he logged in this year. Thats why he was out of gas in the PO’s. Someone like Goligoski would have been ideal, and suberb, to go along with Ian White too.

But, all that is up for speculation, and honestly I think we need a bit more time for reflection and deep thought before we move on to offseason talk.

Thanks FTF, and Until We Meet Again

Where the third round is overrated?

That’s the second time I’ve cried since last night. Wonderfully written as always Plank, thank you!

Way back before I was a Sharks fan, I couldn’t understand how my boss could get so upset and physically ill when his Dodgers lost. “It’s just a game fachrissakes!” “WTH?” (says I to myself)

More fool me. I now understand completely, boss, I most assuredly do.

And thanks FTF for this great community. I don’t come around here much I know, but I’ve been around enough to know what a great place this is to talk Sharks hockey and wherever off topics happen to take you :o)

Can’t find anything to take from this; no lessons and no pluses. I seriously would rather watch a continuous loop of the sharks getting beat by the ducks in round one then ever watch this series again. I loathe the canucks and their fans. I will never be happy with the shark until they get revenge on those pompous douche bags. they have no respect, actually sang the canadian anthem during ours for game four (great job rabid sharks fans). Low class team, low class fans, and that makes this loss so much harder to take.