Sharks Camp Opens

Photo courtesy Sharkspage

After four long months of debating personnel movement, mulling over potential lineups and prognosticating endlessly, a palpable feeling of optimism, joy and delight is emanating throughout. As the leaves change color, the sky begins to gray and ominous clouds materialize, the uninitiated begin to dread the upcoming seasonal shift. Fall, they call it. Autumn, others say. But puckheads across the globe know what is really imminent: hockey season. With Sharks training camp opening earlier today at Sharks Ice in San Jose, we're a mere 19 days away from San Jose's season opener against the Ducks (who, coincidentally, signed Teemu Selanne this morning to a pro tryout. Mirtle wonders if he'll make the team). Which, of course, means 19 more days of debating personnel movement, mulling over potential lineups and prognosticating endlessly. At least now we have tangible, physical evidence to base such postulation upon. Exhibit A: The venerable David Pollak presents Todd McLellan's decidedly rudimentary assemblage of the team's top four lines. For those too lazy to click on the link, here they are:

Marleau--Thornton--Clowe
Michalek--Pavelski--Cheechoo
Goc--Mitchell--Grier
Plihal--Roenick--Setoguchi

Um, yeah. Not exactly what I expected, either. As Pollak notes, RW often resorted to the "eggs in a basket" plan -- placing Marleau and Thornton on the same line -- to no avail. But who knows? Perhaps it'll work seamlessly under McLellan's purportedly offense-geared system (optimism, remember?). Anyway, it's good to have hockey back and it'll probably feel even better when the preseason begins this Wednesday. I'm likely attending tomorrow's scrimmage at Sharks Ice so I'll try and report on what I observe there.