I've been putting in the game threads for the upcoming season, setting them to start a half-hour before faceoff.  The first eight are done, leaving... seventy-four to go (sigh).  I have it so much easier on the NASCAR blog with these things!

Anyway, the first eight games have some interesting matchups.  The home and away against the Kings isn't anything to plan your life around, but a season opener at home against Anaheim?  Oh yeah.  The Sharks also visit Anaheim.  Then there's the home and away against Philadelphia, which if memory serves right had a nice playoff run last season after having spent the regular season mostly running players on other teams and as a result collecting suspensions left and right.  Good toughness test.

The Sharks have presumably finished their summer's worth of wheelin' and dealin' by re-signing Ryan Clowe.  It's a bit surprising to see the contract's for one year given Doug Wilson's preference for sewing up the team's talent via long-term deals.  But at least he's back in teal for '08-'09.  Tomas Plihal is still unsigned, but given that he's still listed on the roster can one assume the intent is to recify the situation?

Clowe has the three elements you want in a forward: speed, skill and snarl.  He can play either first or second line, although given how Milan Michalek's speed game is best tailored to go with the highly probable first unit of Joe Thornton and Jonathan Cheechoo it's likely Clowe will skate alongside... oh, whoever Todd McLellan decides to put out there.  New coach, new thoughts on such matters.  Tune in come training camp time to see what will transpire.

Back to our regular scheduled summertime nap.  September will be here soon enough.

Sorry about the lengthy lack of posts.  No excuses, although I've had extremely limited 'Net connection the past few days.  Things should be back to normal next week.

I have some thoughts on the schedule and additions to the coaching staff I'll get into when normalcy returns.  Since all y'all know your stuff (far more than I sometimes, I freely admit) I'm interested in hearing your thoughts.

And I forgive all of you for missing my birthday this past Wednesday.  As far as how many years I've now been here, let's just say a few (but only a few) more than Chris Chelios!

Forgive the atrocious headline pun.  Anyway, the Sharks have re-signed Marcel Goc to a one-year deal, which to me sounds like a case of put up some numbers or pack up your locker come next spring (preferably summer).  Goc can either be a cipher or a positive contributor; here's hoping he's grow into a consistent contributor in 2008-2009.

The Sharks have re-signed Christian Ehrhoff to a three-year deal.

Ehrhoff is one of the most mercurial players to ever don the teal.  Not personality-wise, but in the way he plays.  He can pull some horrendous boner with a giveaway one shift and start a sparking odd-man rush the next.  There are times he passes like it's a game of hot potato and other moments when he threads the needle.  He can be completely faked out on the defensive end and then break up a scoring chance with a "how did he ever get back there in time" play.  Never a dull moment when he's on the ice, because you're never quite sure what you're going to get.  Rumor has it next season there's be a Ehrhoff blindfold giveaway at the tank to make it easier when 17,496 groan as one "I can't look!" and cover their eyes when he's getting ready to make a play.  Ah well.  As time has gone on he's become less exciting for all the wrong reasons, so hopefully that'll continue and he'll grow into a dependable playmaker.

Owen Nolan has signed a two year deal with the Wild.  In a way I'm surprised he signed with anyone; the way he was trying to keep his emotions in check at the end of the Sharks-Flames series this past season led me to believe he had just played his final game.  Obviously I was wrong.  Nothing new there.

The advantage of being a fan is having the luxury of going with your heart when it comes time to contemplate who you'd like to see on your team.  Nolan was and is my favorite player who currently dons or has ever donned a teal sweater.  Whether he would have fit in with Los Tiburones circa 2008 I don't know.  There's also the salary cap, RFAs that need to be signed, and all those other things I'm more than willing to let Doug Wilson worry about.  That all duly noted, I would have been one happy boy to have him back in San Jose.  Like I said, don't know about the reality side of things.  But I wish he would have signed here.

Meanwhile, on the other end of the affection equation Todd Bertuzzi has signed a one year deal with Calgary.  If he continues to play like he's afraid of himself no big, but should this coming season see him regain his edge he would have been a valuable addition up front.  Ah well.  Back to wondering what's next personnel-wise.

From NHL.com:

The Buffalo Sabres acquired veteran defenseman Craig Rivet from the San Jose Sharks on Friday.

The Sharks sent the 33-year-old veteran and a seventh-round selection in the 2010 Entry Draft to the Sabres in exchange for second-round selections in the 2009 and 2010 Drafts.

I'm not understanding this one, but I'll hold off until Doug Wilson explains the deal.

(UPDATE: The Sharks included sending Ty Wishnart to Tampa Bay in the deal.)

The Sharks have won the Dan Boyle sweepstakes!  According to TSN, he and fellow defenseman Brad Luckowich are coming to San Jose in exchange for Matt Carle plus a first and fourth round draft pick.

While I hate seeing Carle go, exchanging him for Boyle... you have to make that move.  Boyle is a shade below the not-so dearly departed to Chicago Brian Campbell in the playmaking department, but is an excellent playmaker nonetheless and is definitely better on the defensive side of things.

Assuming Rob Blake has anything at all left in the tank for the Tank, with Boyle on board the Sharks have definitely improved themselves behind the blueline.  Boyle and Blake alone aren't the answer for everything, but they're certainly a very large part of the equation.

And isn't it nice to as a Sharks fan be able to be the one able to spend today sticking their chest out and saying "look who WE got!"

Now that most if not all of the free agent frenzy has passed, a moment to look around at a couple of possibilities being mentioned as potential improvements for Los Tiburones.

Tampa Bay is apparently still shopping defenseman Dan Boyle to one and all.  Not quite the playmaker but with an overall better game than the not-so dearly departed Brian Campbell, the question isn't whether he'd be an asset to the Sharks but whether he's worth whatever price the Lightning are asking and will the Sharks be first to meet that price.  Which is why Doug Wilson makes the big bucks, deciding such things.

The other name is one I hadn't given much thought until seeing it mentioned in a blog post by Drew Remenda:

Todd Bertuzzi.

Before the Steve Moore incident (if you can call nearly killing a man an "incident") Bertuzzi was one of the absolute best power forwards in the NHL, a perfect combination of applied brute force and hockey skill.  Since then he's been indecisive most every shift for whichever team he's been on, playing like someone afraid of themselves and what they might do should they be aggressive.  Is he worth the risk and the guaranteed negative press plus reaction in every arena the Sharks visit?  Can he recapture his edge?  Questions that can't be answered unless he's given a try.  Since 99 44/100% of the local sports media doesn't know there is an NHL team in the Bay Area, certainly he wouldn't be hounded by them.  But does he still have what it takes as a player to warrant considering him as someone who ought to be wearing teal?  Again, that's why Doug Wilson makes the big bucks..