For some time now there has been growing concern over the state of the San Jose Sharks blue line as the twentieth year of Sharks hockey draws ever closer. The blue line was the clear weak link for the team in the Western Conference Finals last season, and the loss of veteran and Hall of Famer Rob Blake to retirement further degraded a unit which was already vulnerable.
The Sharks replaced ten-year veteran and former Vezina Trophy candidate Evgeni Nabokov in net with the highly more suspect Antero Niittymaki early in the offseason. While this move cleared salary cap room to allow the Sharks to secure centers Patrick Marleau and Joe Pavelski for the next four seasons, the sudden drop off of proven prowess between the pipes called the Sharks ability to prevent opposing teams from lighting the lamp in further question.
In the eyes of some, the Sharks solved this issue a couple weeks ago, when they signed second-year NHL goaltender and reigning Stanley Cup Champion Antti Niemi after his release from the Chicago Blackhawks. It appears that Niemi will establish a tandem in net with Niittymaki, which should help fend off the fatigue which seemingly plagued Nabokov a ...
Read Full Article at Bleacher Report - NHL
Article written by Patrick Goulding II
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