The Puck has dropped for the new NHL season!

Get excited hockey fans for the 2017-2018 season began this week, complete with the 31rst member of the League: the Las Vegas Golden Knights. Welcome guys!

All teams had a moment of silence for  the victims of the Las Vegas shooting (see attached link for a video):

https://www.nhl.com/sharks/video/nhl-honors-vegas-victims/c-53151103
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With an aging group of key players, most of the hockey writers place San Jose at high odds of winning the Stanley Cup (29 to 1). The Hockey News predicts the Sharks will finish fourth on the Pacific, thus not making the play-offs.


What do I think?

Screw those guys! Go for it and win the whole damn thing. Our boys of winter have the talent. Burns won the Norris. Joe Pavleski and Joe Thornton are still there. Thornton said he was healthy. Two of the better D-Men, besides Burns, in Joel Ward & Marc-Edouard Vlasic are raring to go and let's not forget Tomas Hertal and Logan Couture. Both are  goal scorers.

The biggest change is to the Sharks this season is Patrick Marleau's move to the Toronto Maple Leafs. Patty spent his entire career up to this current season with San Jose. He holds many of the team records in scoring. #12 in teal will be missed. As a side note, Patty scored two goals in his new teamer's season opener (7-2 against the Winnipeg Jets. Way to go Patty!

As usual, my biggest gripe is the lack of telecasted games on my local network. NHL Network and Center Ice continue to black out San Jose as the team is my 'local team' but I don't qualify for any of the Shark's contests since I reside OUT of state.

Doesn't make sense to me. Well, maybe I can win something from the LVGK.

Here's to the boys of winter - all teams - each STANDING TALL for the National anthem (s).

Complete roster for the San Jose Sharks as shown on their official website is below.

                                        Forwards

Player M. Mikkel Boedker R. Ryan Carpenter L. Logan Couture (A) J. Joonas Donskoi B. Barclay Goodrow J. Jannik Hansen T. Tomas Hertl M. Melker Karlsson K. Kevin Labanc T. Timo Meier J. Joe Pavelski (C) J. Joe Thornton (A) C. Chris Tierney J. Joel Ward

# Pos Sh Ht Wt Born Birthplace 89 LW L 6'0"6' 0" 210 12/16/89Dec 16, 1989 Brondby, DNK 40 C R 6'0"6' 0" 200 01/18/91Jan 18, 1991 Oviedo, FL, USA 39 C L 6'1"6' 1" 205 03/28/89Mar 28, 1989 Guelph, ON, CAN 27 RW R 6'0"6' 0" 190 04/13/92Apr 13, 1992 Raahe, FIN 23 RW L 6'2"6' 2" 210 02/26/93Feb 26, 1993 Toronto, ON, CAN 36 RW R 6'1"6' 1" 198 03/15/86Mar 15, 1986 Rødovre, DNK 48 C L 6'2"6' 2" 220 11/12/93Nov 12, 1993 Praha, CZE 68 C R 6'0"6' 0" 180 07/18/90Jul 18, 1990 Lycksele, SWE 62 RW R 5'11"5' 11" 185 12/12/95Dec 12, 1995 Brooklyn, NY, USA 28 RW L 6'0"6' 0" 215 10/08/96Oct 8, 1996 Herisau, CHE 8 C R 5'11"5' 11" 195 07/11/84Jul 11, 1984 Plover, WI, USA 19 C L 6'4"6' 4" 220 07/02/79Jul 2, 1979 London, ON, CAN 50 C L 6'1"6' 1" 195 07/01/94Jul 1, 1994 Keswick, ON, CAN 42 RW R 6'1"6' 1" 225 12/02/80Dec 2, 1980 North York, ON, CAN

                                        Defense

Player J. Justin Braun B. Brent Burns D. Dylan DeMelo B. Brenden Dillon T. Tim Heed P. Paul Martin M. Marc-Edouard Vlasic

# Pos Sh Ht Wt Born Birthplace 61 D R 6'2"6' 2" 205 02/10/87Feb 10, 1987 Minneapolis, MN, USA 88 D R 6'5"6' 5" 230 03/09/85Mar 9, 1985 Barrie, ON, CAN 74 D R 6'1"6' 1" 195 05/01/93May 1, 1993 London, ON, CAN 4 D L 6'4"6' 4" 225 11/13/90Nov 13, 1990 New Westminster, BC, CAN 72 D R 6'0"6' 0" 185 01/27/91Jan 27, 1991 Gothenburg, SWE 7 D L 6'1"6' 1" 200 03/05/81Mar 5, 1981 Minneapolis, MN, USA 44 D L 6'1"6' 1" 205 03/30/87Mar 30, 1987 Montreal, QC, CAN

                                        Goalies

Player A. Aaron Dell M. Martin Jones

# Pos Sh Ht Wt Born Birthplace 30 G -- 6'0"6' 0" 200 05/04/89May 4, 1989 Airdrie, AB, CAN 31 G -- 6'4"6' 4" 195 01/10/90Jan 10, 1990 North Vancouver, BC, CAN

* = Injured reserve


By the way, if you want to have some fun. Create a profile and every couple of nights, go through and answer the questions. You can win a trip to the Stanley Cup final.          

     http://hattrick.nhl.com

Stay safe out there!