Filling The Void

It hit me last Friday at 4:00 p.m. PST. As I was flipping through channels before dinner I realized something was missing. Where was my hockey double header? Where was the early East Coast game that got me pumped for the West Coast game directly following? I hate the off-season. I try to fill the void by actually doing something in the summer. Pet projects, reading a few books, maybe learn a language, or even go outside. Yet I still find myself yearning for the hockey season to start again. I don't know what it is about watching sports that's so fun and addicting for me. Maybe it's the fast-paced action, the stats, or just being able to be a part of something bigger. Whatever the reason is, without hockey, I am seriously itching for something to fill the void.

Something that definitely has helped fill the void left by hockey, is the reemergence of soccer. While soccer has always been a big sport in the U.S., it definitely doesn't get the airtime that baseball and football get, at least not until now. FSC (Fox Soccer Channel), my saving grace of summer, showing games from MLS, WPS, and other foreign leagues. Since the San Jose Earthquakes are in last place in the league (which equates to less airtime) I've been watching the Houston Dynamo and have become a sort of mini-fan. Same goes with the WPS and FC Gold Pride, also in last place. So I've been watching L.A. Sol as they work towards a championship. Interesting note, one of my favorite players from the Japanese Women's National Team, Aya Miyama, plays for L.A. Sol. So it's been fun seeing her play stateside. I've also discovered a sport that I didn't know existed, beach soccer. Definitely interesting to watch and I seriously want to try and play it since there are so many beaches in my area (and they are all too cold to swim in) I think it would be a perfect summer sport here.

Even though the hockey season is over, doesn't mean that I've been left with zero hockey news. The NHL Draft, Free Agency, the start of the trade season, and development camps have kept me sated. The Sharks didn't have any high picks in this year's draft and most of the news was on Tavares going to the New York Islanders. At the age of 16, Tavares was considered one of the best players in the entire minor circuit. Now at the age of 18, the Islanders have pinned a lot of hopes on him to help revitalize the franchise. The Sharks did manage to get five picks of their own with a little haggling and dealing by G.M. Doug Wilson. I don't think we'll see any of the SJ picks for few years but it's encouraging to see the Sharks staff working hard to develop great players instead of relying on trades and UFAs.

Which brings me to the next chunk of hockey news. July 1st starts the Free Agency period (also happens to be Canada Day and my birthday). At the Sharks' State of the Union address a few weeks after the horrible round one lost, G.M. Wilson promised that no player would be overlooked when he and the coaching staff began to put the roster together. He and coach Todd McLellan didn't pull any punches as they started cutting the players they felt didn't fit into their system. Mike Grier, Alexei Semenov, Travis Moen, Tomas Plihal, and Marcel Goc (who happens to be one of my favorites) did not receive new contracts and are now UFAs. Rumors of Grier going to Toronto and other moves have yet to be confirmed for any of these players. I'm definitely bummed about some of these players leaving, Grier and Goc in particular, but I can see why they were cut. These are third and forth line guys and the third and forth lines have been one of the Sharks major weaknesses. For the past couple of seasons the Sharks have been relying on the first and second line for all of the scoring. While the third and forth lines have different roles (like providing energy and a physical presence) they still need to score. And with so many great prospects coming out of Worcester Sharks (the AHL affiliate), it's no wonder that some of the old regime has been cut.

Some of the UFAs and RFAs kept were Ryane Clowe (yay!) and Rob Blake (double yay!). I didn't doubt that Wilson would keep the best powerplay scorer and overall tough guy Ryane Clowe. He along with the rest of the second line (Pavelski and Michalek) were one of the best improvements last season. Blake I was worried about, he has been my favorite defensemen since I started watching hockey in 2000. It was rumored that Blake would retire (he is 39) but with the way he played last season (in the league's top five defensemen for shots taken) I feel strongly that he has a lot left to contribute.

The only UFA addition the Sharks have made so far is Scott Nichol from the Nashville Predators . . . uso!!! Nichol from the Preds?!?!? And I thought getting a couple of Ducks was bad. The Predators are another big rival of the Sharks, meeting twice in the first round of playoffs (the Sharks won both times). Once again, I'll have to get used to a long time rival in Teal.

The last big news for the Sharks was the Development Camp they hold every July for their AHL affiliate. The minor players get the chance to train for a week with the Sharks staff and learn what they can improve on to help them make the jump from AHL to NHL. Because of the many injuries last season, there were a lot of call-ups from Worcester including Jamie McGinn, Derek Joslin, and Brad Staubitz who might find themselves as permanent members of the San Jose Sharks when the pre-season begins this September.

Last but not least of the hockey news was the retirement of two big names in hockey. The first was Claude Lemieux, four time Stanley Cup Champion. He retired in 2003 but in 2008 expressed an interest in returning to the game. Doug Wilson offered him a spot with the China Sharks (Yes, they do play hockey in China, who would have thought) and later he was called up to the San Jose Sharks. I have to admit I was skeptical when he started playing with the Sharks. Five years is a long time and he was considered "very old" for the sport. But I was also excited to see this legend play in a live game. Lemieux is famous for igniting the bitter rivalry between the Detroit Red Wings and his then team the Colorado Avalanche (my original team). While I never got to see him play live with the Avs, I've seen that infamous game and the many more encounters with the Red Wings. To be able to see a legend like him play again was a great experience. He is definitely one of the hockey players that I will always remember.

In an odd twist, another Sharks/Avs connected retirement was also announced. Long time Captain Joe Sakic of the Colorado Avalanche is retiring after over 21 years in the league. He is the last of my beloved 2001 Stanley Cup Champion Avs team. Roy retired, Blake is with the Sharks, and many of the other greats have either left the game or moved on to other teams. He is one of seven players to reach 600 goals and 1,000 assists in NHL history. With two Stanley Cups, an Olympic gold medal, the Lady Byng, and MVP - he will have his number 19 retired by the Avs on October 1st when the Sharks roll into town for the season opener.

In more ways than one it feels like this season is the passing of the torch. Where the great veterans, familiar faces, and long time staples are moving out of the way for the lightning fast skaters, the young enthusiasm, and the talent that these new players possess.