07 September 2010
San Jose Sharks faceoff assessment 2009-2010 
se Sharks fare on the ice this season will have much to do with their ability in the faceoff department. Gaining possession of the puck off of the draw was a skill that only one other National Hockey League team was more skilled at in the 2008-2009 regular season; the Western Conference Champion Detroit Red Wings finished the season with the best overall ranking. The NHL’s stars are often aided by strong centremen who use strength, guile, and superior reflexes to obtain the puck.
The evidence suggests that this will once again be a strong team, commanding the puck to begin play. The Sharks have dominated regular season play, notching 158 wins and 332 points together. San Jose has finished no lower than 5th overall in the past three campaigns and ultimately won the President’s Trophy, signifying the NHL’s best team during the regular season.
The team has struggled during post-season play; grand expectations shackle the wealthy roster. As a result, Head Coach Todd McLellan and management have stripped the roster of its captaincy and alternate captaincy, until such time as warranted to name players. McLellan told the Mercury News, "I want to see who's stepping up to the front," McLellan told the newspaper. "We'll see as it evolves. I can walk around town and everybody's giving me a suggestion. We can talk about it internally - everybody has an opinion. I believe it'll sort itself out."
Youngsters and free-agents have limited opportunities to assist the everyday centres. That rejuvenation has traditionally come from within the strong scouting and developmental systems in the San Jose organization. In recent editions, Devin Setoguchi, Marc-Edouard Vlasic, and Torrey Mitchell have made solid impacts with San Jose.
Sharks’ 2006 2nd Round draft pick Jamie McGinn showed last season that his OHL sc
oring prowess translates nicely in the professional ranks; he tallied 19 goals with Worcester (AHL) and four with the big club, showing tenacity and value on the wing. Logan Couture has completed his junior career with the Ottawa 67’s and after enjoying a small stint with Worcester late in the season, will get plenty of playing time on the farm.
Benn Ferriero turned heads on the Sharks’ scouting staff while assessing Boston College defenseman Nick Petrecki, eventually earning a contract earlier in the summer. His coach at Boston College, Jerry York, had this to say about Ferriero in a Hockey East Teleconference late in the season, "if he gets hot, he can be as good a difference-maker as we've had over the last number of years". Prospects provide NHL clubs with affordable options, renewing a hockey club’s roster and pushing current fringe roster players to perform at a higher level. These youngsters will have limitations at centre ice this season as the club has also chosen to pursue hired guns up front.
Scott Nichol
came over from Nashville as a free-agent to fill in the fourth line. Sporting a very nice 54.6% winning percentage with the Predators last season, he will fill the need arising from Marcel Goc’s departure. Dwight Helminen was useful to the Hurricanes drawing 131 times yet only succeeded 46.6% of the time, albeit in a limited role. Dan Hinote is a recent invitee to camp with the Sharks and will take the odd draw, but San Jose will look to add his presence to the wing and the dressing room.
One of the game’s bona fide stars, Joe Thornton is a clever and productive offensive force. An excellent hand in the faceoff department is also essential to his team’s success. As the Sharks’ first line centre, Thornton has recorded three straight regular seasons in which he has recorded 700+ faceoff wins. T
he former NHL scoring champion has improved his percentage mark substantially each of the three years, as well as scoring a colossal 296 points while appearing in every game.
In 2006-2007, Thornton won 51.1% of his draws and a 47.3% mark in the playoffs, in 2007-2008 he posted a 52.9% winning percentage that he nearly matched in the playoffs with a 52.7% result. Last season, ‘Jumbo Joe’ tallied an impressive 55.4%, later showcasing remarkable consistency in the opening round against the Anaheim Ducks with a 55.3% showing. Despite the Sharks’ playoff shortfalls in the quest for the Stanley Cup, there is no question that the native of London, Ontario has brought them to a certain level.
Providing immense effort and a completely different package, Joe Pavelski uses lightning speed and keen awareness to achieve results. A noted faceoff man, the former University of Wisconsin star finished ranked as the NHL’s 15th best performer at the dot, winning 717 faceoffs (56.3%) last year. During the playoffs, the 'Little Joe' saw his percentage slip to 45.1%, so concerns will arise as the playoffs approach.
A broken leg hampered the development of Torrey Mitchell, as he missed the entire regular s
eason. However, he returned during the playoffs for four games, though did not register a point. The outlook remains high for the industrious University of Vermont alumnus in a checking role; he recently signed a three-year contract extension. Interestingly, team-mate Ryane Clowe led the team in faceoff percentage during the post-season.
The natural barometer of a successful team is undoubtedly its playoff triumphs. As the Sharks produce results during the regular season and drive towards a playoff berth, a wary eye will be kept on the fundamentals of the game, including faceoffs. Ultimately, the player’s reactions and concentration will guide the team fortunes.
8 September 2009 / Robin Keith Thompson
*Spreadsheet of pertinent team faceoff statistics here, authored by CI
*Link to NHL's Top Faceoff performers for 2008-2009
2009 Playoff Official NHL Faceoff Reports:
Game 6 – Anaheim 4-1 win
Game 5 – San Jose 3-2 OT win
Game 4 – Anaheim 4-0 win
Game 3 – San Jose 4-3 win
Game 2 – Anaheim 3-2 win
Game 1 – Anaheim 2-0 win
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