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Thu Oct 15 10:45am EDT

Temperature check on Dany Heatley's hot start

By Greg Wyshynski

Dany Heatley(notes) was given the No. 1 star by the NHL for the week ending Oct. 11, after his five goals and three assists in three games for the San Jose Sharks. Like the nasty, selfish, locker room cancer he was made out to be in the media during his summer of discontent, Heatley ... deflected the praise to linemates Joe Thornton(notes) and Devin Setoguchi(notes).

From Sharks writer David Pollak:

"It's a reflection that our line has played well," he said. "When we're skating, we're going to get our chances."

Coach Todd McLellan said Heatley positions himself well and has shown the ability to take shots that aren't necessarily in his wheelhouse.

"The pass can be off by a little bit and he seems to adjust his body very well," McLellan said. "The other thing he does is protect the puck while he's shooting so a lot of other guys don't get their sticks on it."

There shouldn't have been any question that Heatley would click with the Sharks, but even after going scoreless last game against the Phoenix Coyotes it's been a rather torrid start for him: five goals, five assists and a plus-3.

We were wondering where this six-game grand opening ranks in Heater's goal-scoring history. Here's a comparison:

So pretty much the best start ever, then, even for a player that comes out of the gate pretty fast historically. No wonder they're chanting his name at the Tank.

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