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Last season was unfamiliar territory for the San Jose Sharks, scrapping through the season and only clinching a playoff spot at the very end. This year, a slow start in a 48-game schedule could be the difference between a summer of hockey and one on the golf course. For San Jose to keep the playoff streak alive, they must get contributions from all members. Here are 5 players to watch on the 2013 San Jose Sharks: 5.) Ryane Clowe Ryane Clowe has been a staple in the Sharks top-six ever since the 2006-07 season. Last season, Clowe had a down year by his standards, registering 17 goals and 45 points in 76 games. This was after averaging around 60 points the two seasons previous. Clowe is in the last year of this contract and is due to become a UFA. At 6’2”, 225 pounds, Clowe has a valuable mix of skill and size, which would make him an attractive commodity on the open market. Clowe is at his best when he is playing a physical game and commanding space for him and his linemates. 4.) Martin Havlat Havlat arrived in a straight up trade for sniper Dany Heatley. Previously known for being injury prone, Havlat was coming off three straight seasons of playing at least 73 games. Much like the rest of the team, Havlat’s luck took a turn for the worse in San Jose last season, suiting up for just 39 games and managing 27 points. As you can see, when healthy, Havlat is a proven top-six forward. Though not overly physical, his high hockey IQ and speed put him in plenty of great offensive opportunities. Expect Havlat to rebound and play a key role on the powerplay. 3.) Antti Niemi Niemi surprised the hockey world in 2010 by backstopping the Chicago Blackhawks to the 2010 Stanley Cup championship. Since arriving in San Jose, Niemi has done his role putting up a combined record of 69-40-15 with a combined save percentage of .917% and a GAA of 2.40. He gives the Sharks a chance to win every night. Niemi attempted to stay in shape during the lockout playing one month in the SM-liiga (Finnish Elite League), but has since returned to workout with the team. With three years left on his contract and a $3.8 million cap hit, Niemi is the go-to guy for the Sharks. For San Jose to be successful this season, Antti Niemi must continue to uphold the level of play he displayed in his first two years with the Sharks. 2.) Joe Thornton When Joe Thornton was named captain of the Sharks, he responded with two seasons of playing under the point per game average. Thornton returned to his wife’s homeland during the lockout and kept in game shape playing for HC Davos. In addition to being game ready, look for Thornton to return to the NHL refreshed and ready to dominate once again. Expect Thornton to return to the point per game average and lead the charge as the Sharks compete for a playoff spot in this shortened season. 1.) Patrick Marleau Patrick Marleau has taken criticism from former teammates, analysts, and mostly the fans. Whether justified or not, it seems that Marleau’s future with the team will be determined by their success in 2013. After three straight seasons of 71-plus points, Marleau had a down season in 2012 while still managing 30 goals and 64 points. It was in the 2012 playoffs that Marleau took the brunt of the criticism, going pointless in a five-game series loss to St. Louis. Marleau is a proven sniper and still an attractive commodity around the NHL. Look for Marleau to be on the move if this season goes south.

Even the NHL lockout wasn’t able to keep some of the league’s best players off the ice. Members of fifteen NHL teams hit the ice Saturday night as part of Operation Hat Trick to help raise money for victims of Hurricane Sandy. Over 10,000 fans were in attendance, making this the largest sold-out event at Boardwalk Hall since reopening in 2001 and the first sold-out hockey event since 1933. Interestingly enough, that last event in 1933 was also a fundraiser; the New York Rangers came to town to play the Atlantic City Seagulls to help raise money and collect donations for the American Red Cross. The idea for the event arose at a Philadelphia Eagles game, where Flyer Scott Hartnell and Caesar’s Senior Vice President Joe Watson were trying to come up with a way to help raise money for those impacted by Hurricane Sandy. The two reached out to former Flyers Rick Tocchet and Todd Fedoruk – who in turn called Brad Richards of the Rangers. “Things like this take a life of their own and that’s basically what happened with this, it grew and grew and grew as more guys jumped aboard,” said Fedoruk. While the bulk of the rosters came from the Flyers and Rangers, players from teams all across the country came to participate in the event. David Clarkson of the Devils was quick to come aboard. ”When I got the phone call, it was a ‘Yes’ right away because we believe we’re all here to do something special and we’re excited about it,” said the Toronto native. Corey Perry of the Anaheim Ducks was also glad to take part, saying, “When people come to you and ask you to be involved in something like this, obviously your first reaction’s going to be yes. To come down here, to be a part of this, help raise some funds for a great cause, and help some people… I think that’s why everybody’s here.” The Teams A total of 32 players took part in the game. Team Richards (NY) – Brad Richards (NYR), Daniel Alfredsson (OTT), Arron Asham (NYR), Brian Boyle (NYR), Steve Eminger (NYR), Dan Girardi (NYR), Jeff Halpern (NYR), Mike Komisarek (TOR), Ville Leino (BUF), Henrik Lundqvist (NYR), Matt Martin (NYI), James Neal (PIT), Corey Perry (ANH), Taylor Pyatt (NYR), Bobby Ryan (ANH), Marc Staal (NYR) Team Hartnell (NJ/PA) – Scott Hartnell (PHI), Martin Brodeur (NJ), Daniel Carcillo (CHI), John Carlson (WSH), David Clarkson (NJ), Braydon Coburn (PHI), Steve Downie (COL), Simon Gagne (LA), Andy Greene (NJ), Jody Shelley (PHI), Wayne Simmonds (PHI), Steven Stamkos (TB), P.K. Subban (MTL), Kimmo Timmonen (PHI), James van Riemsdyk (TOR), Justin Williams (LA) The Game Henrik Lundqvist led the way as Team Richards sailed to a 10-6 victory over Team Hartnell. Pittsburgh Penguins winger James Neal dominated on the score sheet with a three-goal night. (Don’t be fooled by conflicting reports about his four-goal night — that fourth marker was actually scored by Rangers defenseman Marc Staal, also wearing #18 for the night.) While it didn’t have the intensity of a playoff game, it was apparent that the players were happy to be back on the ice. Certainly, this was more competitive than the usual All Star Game style of play, where some take it easy. On this night, everyone came to play. First Period Neal opened the scoring, netting the first two goals for Team Richards. Long Island-born Mike Komisarek and New Jersey native Bobby Ryan would also find the twine before the end of the period. While the goals came for Team Richards, the shots were flying for Team Hartnell — they peppered netminder Henrik Lundqvist with a brutal 23 shots in the first period. Lundqvist, the reigning Vezina winner, stopped them all. The action was good and the players were enjoying themselves. Tough guys Arron Asham and Daniel Carcillo were jabbing at each other, teasing fans with the prospect of a fight. Capitals defenseman John Carlson gave a good facewashing to former teammate Jeff Halpern in front of the net, with both men laughing as they collided with Brodeur. The guy having the most fun on the ice, though, appeared to be retired referee Kerry Fraser – his face an ear-to-ear grin the entire game, save for when he was yapping to the players. Second Period Team Hartnell came out strong to start the second, scoring three unanswered goals in the first seven minutes. Former Flyers Simon Gagne and James Van Riemsdyk’s goals bookended a marker by current Flyer Wayne Simmonds to get their squad within one. That would be as close as it got for the boys in orange and black. Less than five minutes later, Marc Staal scored to put Team Richards up 5-3. An apparent fight nearly broke out between Daniel Carcillo and Arron Asham; Fraser broke up the two and sent them to center ice for penalty shots. Neither player was able to convert. The teams traded goals from Justin Williams and Daniel Alfredsson – on a pretty tic-tac passing play – before Ranger Brian Boyle put his side even further ahead with a back-breaking stuff-in goal with less than half a minute to play in the second. Third Period Up 7-4 coming into the final frame, Team Richards kept pouring it on. Ex-Flyer Ville Leino hit the back of the net early in the period, drawing boos from fans of his former team. A shot from James Neal eluded Brodeur to give Team Richards a five-goal lead and officially completed the hat trick for the Pens winger. The players appeared to get a bit winded in the third, likely due to travel, lack of actual NHL-caliber game play, and the short bench for the game that resulted in a ton of ice time for each player. Jeff Halpern, who signed with New York but has yet to suit up with the Rangers, closed out the scoring for Team Richards with a short-side, top-shelf wrister from the left faceoff circle. The crowd again erupted in derisive cheers of “Maaarty! Maaarty!” from both Flyers fans and Rangers fans in attendance. Brodeur joked that he was “caught in the perfect storm” between fans of the division rival Rangers and Flyers. Team Hartnell would get two more goals, but it was too little, too late to make up the difference. As the seconds ticked off the clock, the crowd rose for a standing ovation at the end of the game. “I’d be lying if I didn’t say I got a little choked up when you had 11,000 people cheering they want hockey back,” Hartnell said after the game. Of course, ever the showman, Scott Hartnell wasn’t done when the final buzzer sounded. With his jersey already off — those are being auctioned off for charity — Hartnell returned to the ice. Channeling his inner Ned Braden, he slowly skated the perimeter of the rink, tossing his gear over the glass. His stick, gloves, elbow pads, and hat all went home as souvenirs for some lucky fans. The game’s MVP honors went to Team Richards netminder and reigning Vezina trophy winner Henrik Lundqvist. “It felt really good to be out there. Probably the best feeling I’ve had in a long time.” The last time Lundqvist was on the ice, it was for a playoff loss to Martin Brodeur and the Devils. While this game might not have counted in the standings, it had to be nice to come out on the winning side this time. After the game, Scott Hartnell said of Lundqvist’s play, “You’d think he’d have a little rust on him, not playing the game in five or six months. It seems like he’s in playoff shape. We were joking after the first period that now the Rangers will want to [end the lockout] really badly because he’s on fire.” More from Josh Smith Here Check out more at The Hockey Writers

Usually when trades are made, each team tries to give the other team something of value – something they want – if only to be able to make a deal with that team again. But in reality, your team is trying to rob the other team blind — kind of like what happened to the Atlanta Thrashers when they traded the best player of their short-lived franchise’s life to New Jersey for a less-than stellar package of players and draft picks. Sure, draft picks can be very valuable, but they are only valuable if your team’s scouting staff does their homework and knows how to work the draft to get what their franchise needs. This is something that the Thrashers franchise rarely ever did, at least not enough to build a winning franchise. The argument can be made that even the player New Jersey selected with the draft pick they received in the deal (Jon Merrill) is already or will be better than the combination of all of the assets that the Thrashers received. In other words, Atlanta got fleeced in this deal! The deal: On February 4, 2010 Ilya Kovalchuk is traded from the Atlanta Thrashers with Anssi Salmela and a 2nd round pick in the 2010 draft (Jon Merrill) to the New Jersey Devils for Johnny Oduya, Nicklas Bergfors, Patrice Cormier, a 1st round pick in the 2010 draft (Kevin Hayes) and a 2nd round pick in the 2010 draft (Justin Holl). Since joining the Devils, Kovalchuk hasn’t reached elite sniper status like he did in Atlanta, but he has been very productive despite the perception of so-called experts in the industry and was a key cog (even with a wrecked back) in their run to the Finals last spring before the succumbed to the Los Angeles Kings. In 185 regular season games with New Jersey, he has put up 170 points (78 goals) and contributed 25 points (10 goals) in 28 playoff games. With Zach Parise’s summer departure, Kovalchuk is now the face of the franchise along with Martin Brodeur and Patrik Elias as the foundations. Despite what some may believe or tell you, Kovalchuk does make other players around him better. Look at the amount of money Marc Savard made after his stint in Atlanta alongside Kovy. Imagine what Adam Henrique’s career will become if he is centering Kovalchuk for the next 6-8 years, especially after Henrique came from out of nowhere last season and finished as a Calder Trophy finalist. Currently still enrolled at the University of Michigan, Merrill is projected to join the Devils organization in the next year or two and will be a building block on the blueline with Adam Larsson for years to come. Here’s what New Jersey’s top-6 defenseman could look in the not too distant future: Merrill, Larsson, Mark Fayne, Anton Volchenkov, Brandon Burlon and Alexander Urbom or Andy Greene. Anssi Salmela left the Devils organization after the 2010-11 season and is currently in the KHL with Omsk Avangard. For the Thrashers – or Winnipeg Jets as we now call them – I’m assuming that Patrice Cormier was the centerpiece of the deal for them and that they wouldn’t have made the deal without him included. To say Cormier has struggled since the deal went down would be an understatement; the 54th overall selection in the 2008 has only skated on NHL ice for 30 games – with a grand total of two points: one goal and one assist. He is currently with St. John’s in the AHL and at best would be a checking line center if he ever makes it back to the NHL. Johnny Oduya was a very serviceable defenseman with the Devils, and he has done the same things since departing New Jersey. He played a solid season and a half with Atlanta/Winnipeg and was dealt to Chicago at last year’s trade deadline. He wasn’t too shabby in the Windy City either, posting three points in six playoff games against Phoenix in first round for the ‘Hawks. Niclas Bergfors showed flashes of brilliance with the Devils, but far too often he vanished for weeks upon weeks without making a dent in the score sheet. He lasted a total of 79 games with Atlanta before the Thrashers traded him with Pat Rissmiller to the Florida Panthers for Radek Dvorak and a 5th round pick in the 2011 draft (Sean Kuraly). For the last two seasons he has continued to do not too much with Cherepovets Severstal in the KHL. The two picks Atlanta got in the Kovalchuk deal (Justin Holl & Kevin Hayes) were actually turned into some nice assets, well at least one nice one. The rights to Holl and Hayes were traded from Atlanta along with Marty Reasoner, Joey Crabb, and Jeremy Morin to Chicago for Brent Sopel, Ben Eager, Akim Aliu and Dustin Byfuglien. So to summarize, the Devils added Kovalchuk (the NHL’s leading goal scorer since 2002-03 with 377) and Merrill to their roster and the Jets/Thrashers added Cormier and Byfuglien. Sounds like a fair deal to me! Oh, and there’s also Kuraly who just started his first collegiate season at Miami University (Ohio); who knows, maybe he transforms from a nobody to a somebody. Dan Rice can be reached via Twitter: @DRdiabloTHW or via email: drdiablo321@yahoo.com Read More from Dan Rice Here Visit The Hockey Writers