#11 - Owen Nolan
No player better embodies the turn of the millennium Sharks teams than their captain, Owen Nolan. Nolan was the face of the franchise, and it was a clear changing of the guard when he was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2003. Many Sharks fans consider Nolan the greatest captain in Sharks history. Another notable #11 for the Sharks was the first #11, Kelly Kisio. Kisio played for the Sharks in their first two seasons, was a point-per-game player on an otherwise terrible team, and represented the Sharks in the 1993 All-Star game.
#12 - Patrick Marleau
While Owen Nolan was the face of the turn of the millennium teams, Patrick Marleau is the face of the current team. No player has played for the Sharks longer than Marleau. He has nearly double the goals scored of the second place player (Nolan) in franchise history, and has a hefty lead in the points race as well. Patrick Marleau owns #12, and I wouldn't be surprised if it is one day hanging in the rafters at the Shark tank.
#13 - Todd Harvey
In case you thought all the #11-20 players were going to be stars, here's Todd Harvey, a checking line center who played for the Sharks in the early 2000s. Harvey just edged out current Sharks radio color man Jamie Baker for the most games wearing #13. Baker, another grinder-type, scored one of the most famous goals in Sharks history - the goal that eliminated the Detroit Red Wings in the 1994 playoffs. The current Shark wearing #13 is noted asshole Raffi Torres. Assholes may be drawn to #13, as Bill Guerin also briefly wore the number for San Jose.
#14 - Jonathan Cheechoo
Longtime fan favorite, and possibly the most unlikely Rocket Richard trophy winner of all time, Jonathan Cheechoo played the most games at #14 for the Sharks. Cheechoo had a talent for putting the puck in the net, and before injuries derailed the Cheechoo train, he and Joe Thornton formed a fearsome top line (the other winger almost did not matter.) Other notable #14's are Patrick Marleau, who wore the number for over 300 games before switching to his familiar #12, and seemingly ageless Ray Whitney, who wore it back in the mid '90s.
#15 - Alexander Korolyuk
Alexander Korolyuk takes the title for #15. The Russian winger showed flashes of skill throughout his time in San Jose, but differences with head coach Daryl Sutter caused him to quit the team and head back to his homeland. The other notable #15 was Dany Heatley. Heatley forced his way out of Ottawa to come to the Sharks, where he played well for two years in teal but could not get the Sharks over the hump in the playoffs.
#16 - Mark Smith
Another borderline player, Mark Smith hung on long enough to prevent Devin Setoguchi from overtaking him for games played as #16 in teal. While Smith has the most games played, Setoguchi is clearly the best player to ever don the number. Also of note was the first #16 for the franchise, former 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team member Mark Pavelich, who notched an assist on the first ever Sharks goal. Pavelich played only two games for the Sharks before retiring.
#17 - Scott Thornton
Forever doomed to be known as "the other Thornton" thanks to his cousin Joe, Scott was a solid contributor to the mid-00s teams. Scott was more of a bruiser than a scorer, but still often played on the top two lines, even playing on a line with Joe for a time. The other notable #17 was the first player in franchise history, Pat Falloon. Falloon was a rare bright spot for the Sharks' awful first two years, and helped the team reach the playoffs in '94 and '95.
#18 - Mike Ricci
If you were to create a "Mt. Rushmore" for the Sharks, this guy's ugly mug would be right in the fucking middle of it, alongside Owen Nolan and Patrick Marleau (4th player up for debate). Ricci was the heart and soul of the team during the late '90s and early '00s, and remains a fan favorite. My girlfriend has suggested that when he dies, Ricci's head should be placed so that it looks upward through the face-off dot at center ice in the Shark tank. I heartily agree with her.
#19 - Joe Thornton
Perhaps the greatest player to ever play for the Sharks, Joe Thornton takes the #19 crown. Thornton has rocketed up the Sharks record books to become the franchise's all-time assist leader, and may even catch Marleau for the franchise points lead despite playing in over 500 fewer games. Thornton won the Art Ross and Hart trophies as the league MVP in the year that he was traded to the Sharks, and was a major factor in Cheechoo winning the Rocket Richard trophy that same year. The trade that brought Thornton to San Jose featured the other notable #19 for team teal, Marco Sturm. Sturm was a top-6 forward for the Sharks for many years, and is perhaps the greatest German hockey player in history.
#20 - Evgeni Nabokov
Long time Sharks goaltender Evgeni Nabokov takes the title for #20. Nabokov, who is the only Shark to have won the Calder trophy, anchored the Sharks in net for the majority of their runs at the Stanley Cup, but despite being spectacular at times, always came up short. Another notable #20 was Gary Suter, a star defenseman for the Sharks at the turn of the millennium.
That's it for today. Tune in next time for #21-30! Some of the names there may surprise you!
No comments:
Post a Comment