Evgeni Nabokov was voted as the greatest goaltender in Sharks history.

"Snore. zzzZZZzzzzz"

Really though, there was no other viable option. Nabokov is the definition of "Sharks Goalie". Look it up in a dictionary, or at least on Wikipedia. It was a no brainer. Who came in second, you ask? Oh, do I have a story for you.

Although Artus Irbe was far and away the winner of the back up netminder's spot (40 votes for Irbe to 4 for both Toskala and Vernon) the pot-stirring and subsequent uproar in the first goaltender vote necessitated a second round. You forced my hand.

This exercise in futility has gone on to long. Let's end this!

I'll throw down some more analysis when the backup has been chosen. If you need a refresher on the candidates, make the jump for FTF's player profiles.

Hrumph.

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When it's down to the wire, even Sharkie logs on to vote!

Well, FTF'ers, it's been a journey. A long, not too difficult, not too meaningful journey. But hey, we're almost done... so cut us some slack. After rounds upon rounds of voting in a process that carried us through the regular season, we're finally seeing a light at the end of the tunnel. The forwards have been selected, and so have the defensemen. The final vote (of the regular season, the Coaches vote will be held after the season) is upon us. It's again time for you to choose. Are you a lover of Latvia, or kuh-razy for Kazakhstan?  Are you a fan of Finland, or coo-coo for Canada? Your vote holds the answer.

Well, not really. What the vote will tell us, however, is who you believe is the greatest goaltender in the history of the San Jose Sharks. We, your humble authors, submit five goalies for your consideration: Arturs Irbe, Evgeni Nabokov, Steve Shields, Vesa Toskala, and Mike Vernon.

We're thinking this vote will be pretty tight. And unlike in rounds past, there will only be one go round of voting. Whoever takes first will be the starting netminder for your "Greatest Sharks" team. The player who takes second will be named the backup.

So, with that, vote. VOTE LIKE THE WIND!

As always, make the jump for some FTF player analysis.

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Greatest Sharks, in yo face!

Well, it's about that time again, eh? After much ado (thankfully less than with the forwards), the defensemen for the "Greatest Sharks" team have been chosen. Sandis Ozolinsh and Kyle McLaren were the first two deserving selections announced last week. After the second round of voting, four more players have been added: Scott Hannan, Mike Rathje, Brad Stuart and Bryan Marchment.

Skate backwards with FTF as we decide on the lines, and give our input on the selections.

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Yellow visors? Oh, so sexy

With the conclusion of the latest round of voting, two more players have been added to Fear the Fin's "Greatest Sharks" team. Sandis Ozolinsh (26%, 32 votes) and Kyle McLaren (17%, 21 votes) both garnered enough support to merit their inclusion.

As with rounds past, we're going to hold off on the breakdown until all players at the position have been selected. I will say this, though: Out of all the possible combinations of defensemen, I think this pairing is the most elite. The players' individual skill sets are very complimentary. The paring of Ozolinsh and McLaren is very similar to that of the Boyle - Murray paring we saw for much of the season. Sandis, like Boyle, would have the freedom to join the offense knowing that a smart, physical player (McLaren) was there to make up for his defensive lapses.

The voting continues below; make the jump for player analysis if you need a quick refresher.

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Yea, we've got our own seal and everything... we don't mess around here.

Noble FTF readers, I salute you. After countless rounds of voting and some really bad puns, you picked a fantastic group of forwards to get FTF's "Greatest Sharks" team off to a good start. You also took any and all responsibility off our shoulders. Kudos.

Although there ended up being a few snubs (Jamie Baker, Jeff Odgers) and a few "huh?!" selections (I'm looking at you Korky), the FTF staff was very happy with the results. (The full list of forwards can be found here.) However, as the "Greatest Sharks" team photo fills in, we start to see a problem with the back end of the roster. 

When you look at the Sharks' list of defensemen, you begin to realize that we've had our share of mediocre players. Granted, moving on to the defensive side gave me the opportunity to throw down this slick photochop, but that's beside the point. What we have here is a thin list of players to choose from, mostly due to the relative youth of the franchise. You won't find any big stars on this list (none of the really big names were in the prime of their career while they played in San Jose), but I still think it's possible to put together a respectable group.

Once again, FTF asks you to pick who stays and who goes. It's kind of like Survivor... only without the $1,000,000 dollars, alliances, and harsh climates. And six people win. Well, I guess it's nothing like Survivor at all. Just vote, O.K.?

Make the jump for player analysis. Unlike in previous rounds, a player only needs 15% of the vote to be awarded inclusion. Full rules can also be found after the jump.

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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.

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Although I would have loved to induct Skittles to the "Greatest Sharks" roster, the FTF readers went with an old staple, M&M's.

That's right, Marco and Milan are the next two players to be inducted to Fear the Fin's "Greatest Sharks" team. Voting was extremely tight throughout the week, but both players met the qualification threshold. Marco Sturm received 35% of the overall vote, while Milan Michalek received 33%.

I think you could flip flop either way here (i.e. Milan could have been second or third), but both players are deserving of a spot on the team. Sturm was a no brainer for inclusion. What's interesting, however, is that Milan would probably have been in the four slot (or denied entry all together) if we had held the vote last year. I think it's safe to say that he's gained some significant support for his play in 2008-2009 season.

Plank and I have been talking at length recently (closed door, War Room type conversations) about the maturation of Milan Michalek. It's surprising that a 24 year old player could even crack this list, let alone come in front of players like Granato and Whitney. The solid two way play, improved scoring touch, and increased physicality Milan has shown all year have really impressed us. If he continues his improvement through the next few seasons, it would be safe to say that his current contract is a steal for the Sharks. If I were Friesen (currently in the top spot), I'd be shaking in my skates.

FTF will dive deeper into the analysis once you make your final pick. This last LW vote represents the final forward slot on the team (Results: C, RW). As always, player analysis comes after the jump. Choose wisely...

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No, not that guy... this guy...

As was the theme of the two other rounds of voting, the first pick in the LW category was chosen in a landslide. You selected Jeff Friesen, awarding him with 55% of the overall vote.

I'm going to save the analysis for the Left Wing voting wrap-up. However, I will say this: I believe Friesen was most deserving of the first pick. I loved him in San Jose and was crushed when they sent him away to Anaheim. Looking back, that trade really didn't work out for either side.

All things considered, Friesen will always have a place in the collective heart of the fans and the organization... let's hope his recent return to San Jose is a sign of things to come. (Hello, Mr. Front Office Assistant?)

There are five other left wings vying for a place on this "Greatest Sharks" team:  Johan Garpenlöv, Tony Granato, Milan Michalek, Marco Sturm, and Ray Whitney. A good case can be made for any of those players.

Vote for your choice and tell us your reasoning in the comments. Make the jump for player analysis, if you need a quick history lesson...

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