Puck Daddy - NHL

Through 30 games this season, the San Jose Sharks have sent a rather clear message:

Excuse us, rest of the NHL, but you're going to need a bigger boat.

The Sharks are a juggernaut, setting new standards for regular season dominance under first-year head coach Todd McLellan. Veterans are seeing career resurgences, young players are blossoming into stars and the Sharks' quality depth has allowed them to continue to roll through a smattering of injuries.

The Sharks enter tonight's game at the Columbus Blue Jackets -- with tomorrow's showdown with the Detroit Red Wings looming -- having built an eight-point cushion for the Western Conference lead and a 15-point advantage in their own division.

How have they done it? Here's a look at 25 interesting, revelatory and insightful numbers from the Sharks' season prior to tonight's contest -- one for each of the team's wins on the season. In some cases, the numbers aren't all that stunning; in other cases, stunning doesn't do them justice.

25-3-2

The San Jose Sharks' record entering action tonight, leading the NHL for most wins and fewest losses. They're 9-0-1 over their last 10 games, which is also the best current streak in the NHL. (Get used to "best in the NHL" for the rest of the article.)

52

The points earned by the Sharks in the best 30-game start in NHL history, passing the mark set by the 1929-30 Boston Bruins ... with the major differences in number of teams and points in the standings kept in mind. Fear the Fin was critical of our pointing out that the Sharks have a few overtime wins and a couple of charity points. It wasn't meant to diminish their accomplishment; rather, just a note of context when talking about breaking a record set when the "The Shadow" debuted ... on radio.

102

The combined number of points scored by the line of Joe Thornton, Patrick Marleau and Devin Setoguchi. By comparison, the heralded Pizza Line of the Ottawa Senators -- Dany Heatley, Daniel Alfredsson and Jason Spezza -- has 76 points combined. Even a super-mega line of Marian Hossa, Henrik Zetterberg and Pavel Datsyuk would have combined for 88 points.

66.7

Percentage of those 102 points scored by Joe Thornton (25), Patrick Marleau (22) and Devin Setoguchi (21) on home ice. All three players rank in the top 10 in the NHL in home-ice scoring.

15

The number of goals scored by Devin Setoguchi through 30 games. The potential was there for a breakout season like this, as his goals-per-60-minutes average at even strength last season (0.94) was impressive for 44 games. He hasn't gone more than four consecutive games without a goal.

63

The number of penalty minutes for that noted goon, defenseman Rob Blake. He's actually leading the team in PIMs entering Wednesday's game; but that's due to the 22 minutes in penalties Blake received against the Phoenix Coyotes on Nov. 30: two minutes for unsportsmanlike conduct, a 10-minute misconduct and a game misconduct. Blake jawed with officials after a non-call.

14

The number of assists for defenseman Christian Ehrhoff, who is on pace to shatter his previous career best of 23 and could surpass his career-high points total of 33 as well.

8

Number of power-play goals scored by Ryane Clowe, which had him tied for third in the League entering Tuesday night's action with players like Jarome Iginla and Keith Tkachuk. Clowe has already doubled his previous high for power-play tallies and his 14 points on the man advantage also double his previous best.

.941

The Sharks' winning percentage when leading after two periods; trailing Atlanta, Anaheim and Colorado, all of whom have yet to lose after leading for the first 40 minutes. If coffee is for closers, throw an extra pot on for the boys in teal -- this shows a real killer instinct.

52.8

The Sharks' face-off percentage this season, up from 51.2 last year. San Jose is third in the NHL right now in face-off success behind the Detroit Red Wings (55.7) and the Nashville Predators (53.6).

5

The number of shorthanded goals scored on home ice by the Sharks this season. The Sharks led the NHL on the kill last regular season, but had five shorties overall. Patrick Marleau (3) and Joe Pavelski (2) lead the way shorthanded this season.

4

The number of goals scored by Jonathan Cheechoo this season. Stunning in the sense that the Sharks have been this good without any contribution from the formerly ferocious offensive player. Injuries have slowed him and limited him to 19 games, but this the second straight season in which Cheechoo's offense ended up on the back of a milk carton for the first three months.

.833

The preposterous winning percentage for the Sharks when they don't score the first goal. San Jose is 10-1-1 when trailing first. The Boston Bruins are second in the NHL when trailing, going 6-2-2 (.600). So the Sharks are 15-2-1 when scoring first and 10-1-1 when trailing first. Play for the tie, people.

26

The number of points scored by defenseman Dan Boyle, who will have to hustle to break his career high (63) but who has already eclipsed his total from last year's injury-plagued campaign for the Tampa Bay Lightning. Matt Carle, the player the Bolts acquired for him before shipping him off to the Philadelphia Flyers, has seven points this season; Brian Campbell, the player Boyle replaced on the Sharks, has 21 for the Chicago Blackhawks. Neither of them has stated the emphatic case Boyle has for the Norris Trophy this season.

24:31

Who leads Sharks defensemen in total ice time per game? Boyle? Blake? Try Marc-Edouard Vlasic, who is becoming one of the League's top two-way D-men. He's second on the team in shorthanded ice time (2:24) while blossoming into a potent offensive player.

2.48

Evgeni Nabokov's GAA through Dec. 13. It's slightly higher than last year, but still stellar for a campaign interrupted by injury. Has his bouts with inconstancy, but otherwise very solid.

248

The new consecutive-games streak record set by Joe Thornton this season for the Sharks, passing Vincent Damphousse's mark in early December.

1.88

The GAA for goalie Brian Boucher over the course of 10 starts. We've seen plenty of outstanding performances from backup goalies around the NHL this season; Boucher's is one of the best, as he's gone 8-1-1 with two shutouts -- mostly during a stretch when Evgeni Nabokov was injured.

4-1-3

The fighting record of Jody Shelley this season, according to the good folks over on HockeyFights.com. His lone defeat came at the hands of Donald Brashear from the Washington Capitals. But most of the brawls have looked like this one against Eric Godard of the Pittsburgh Penguins:

26

The number of players who have played at least one game with the Sharks this season, including names like Riley Armstrong, Tom Cavanagh and Jamie McGinn.

15

Number of penalties drawn by Joe Thornton this season. He averaged 0.7 penalties taken per 60 minutes last season; he's down a click to 0.6 this year. Obviously, Jeremy Roenick's correct and he doesn't get any calls.

Zero

The number of games last year's standout rookie forward Torrey Mitchell has played this season after fracturing his leg in the preseason. His absence hasn't been felt thanks to some impressive reinforcements from the AHL.

2.5 million

The number of dollars the Sharks are paying Kyle McLaren to play in the AHL this season. But the move put San Jose under the cap, and hasn't hurt the defense much at all. 

17,478

The home-ice attendance average reported by ESPN through 18 home games, placing the Sharks 15th in the NHL.  

68

Finally, the number of goals scored at home this season by San Jose, best in the NHL. And that's how you go 16-0-2 on home ice.

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94 Comments

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  1. Journeyman
    1. Posted by Journeyman Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:49 pm EDT

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    Zero - Stanley Cup appearances in franchise history
  2. Chanthia's best
    2. Posted by Chanthia's best Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:56 pm EDT

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    FIRST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! not there is alot of people reading these ....anyways...FIRST!!!..
  3. N. Y. NIGHTMARE
    3. Posted by N. Y. NIGHTMARE Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:06 pm EDT

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    why is it nicknamed the pizza line? please fill me in
  4. N. Y. NIGHTMARE
    4. Posted by N. Y. NIGHTMARE Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:06 pm EDT

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    @chanthia best
    hahahahhahahahahahaaahahahaaa D1CK !
  5. Hamilton Tigers
    5. Posted by Hamilton Tigers Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:10 pm EDT

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    2 - Playoff wins in April this year before being eliminated.
  6. banginpanger.com
    6. Posted by banginpanger.com Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:04 pm EDT

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    Math was never my thing.
  7. Hamilton Tigers
    7. Posted by Hamilton Tigers Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:10 pm EDT

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    @NY NIGHTMARE
    It's called the pizza line because:
    Spezza - worked at a Pizza Pizza restaurant while in the OHL
    Alfredson - "Pissa" is Swedish for "Big Pu-C"
    Heatley - made his friend and teammate look like pizza when he smashed that car in Atlanta (sorry!)
  8. Chanthia's best
    8. Posted by Chanthia's best Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:56 pm EDT

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    nightmare...I wish I had one. I would use it on you !
  9. Adam L
    9. Posted by Adam L Thu Sep 03, 2009 2:45 pm EDT

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    Savard/Kessel/Lucic - 85 points
  10. paul
    10. Posted by paul Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:09 pm EDT

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    Say what you will about playoff failures in the past this team RIGHT now is the best team in the NHL and thats saying alot considering what Boston,Detroit,@ several other teams are doing in this young season.
    The true test for the Sharks will be the same as it has been for several seasons what Sharks team will show up in the playoffs??
    Only time will tell.......
  11. Sobu
    11. Posted by Sobu Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:31 pm EDT

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    After October I was waiting for a relative cool down. After November I was thinking that they have to start losing sometime. I'm still waiting.
    There have been some grand improvements, but I'm still waiting for playoff time before I say anything, though some extra silverware wouldn't be bad at all.
  12. Death by Leafs
    12. Posted by Death by Leafs Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:16 pm EDT

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    At Ottawa home games, if the Sens get 6 goals then Pizza-Pizza treats that day's ticket as a voucher for a free slice next time you go to a game. So because of the scoring power they used to have after they got Heatley, they became known as the line that would bestow pizza on the awful, awful fans of this awful, awful team.
  13. carl_vs_mastershake
    13. Posted by carl_vs_mastershake Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:18 pm EDT

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    @ 1 & 4 AWESOME
    Seriously Wysh I didn't think you did the obligatory number list article. I'm disappointed in you. Now what will McKeon and Roming write?
  14. Parrelli
    14. Posted by Parrelli Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:11 pm EDT

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    Thornton disapears in the playoffs
  15. Pat
    15. Posted by Pat Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:08 pm EDT

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    the 17 and change attendance is the capacity at the tank, there has been only one or two games that they did not sell out this year
  16. TheRequiem320
    16. Posted by TheRequiem320 Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:04 pm EDT

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    @Adam L.
    What's your point? We already know they're racking the points up anyways.
    @Paul h...I agree with you. This may be a stellar season...and we hockey fans are all beating a dead horse, but yes...what will come in the playoffs is what matters. and yep, only time will tell!
  17. Mr. Plank
    17. Posted by Mr. Plank Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:04 pm EDT

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    nothing like an olive branch ;)
    everyone can bash the sharks playoff success right now, but i think most sharks fans are focused solely on the season at hand. make your predictions all you want folks. it's december.
    go sharks.
  18. Deker
    18. Posted by Deker Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:31 pm EDT

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    Quint's picture makes you wonder when all the copy cats and wanna-bes out there with flat brim baseball hats will start sporting the "wedge".
  19. Almost Lewboski
    19. Posted by Almost Lewboski Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:46 pm EDT

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    Who gets fired this year after there early departure from the post season?
  20. knucklehead
    20. Posted by knucklehead Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:37 pm EDT

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    C'mon, the 30 game record is great. The Wings on the other hand, and I know we have all acknowledged this have set the standard for excellence. That said, Detroit fans are disappointed, worried, and just not happy with the product on the ice. 20 wins in 30 games is really nothing to worry about at this point, so let's not all be so quick to write them off just yet.
    The Sharks have had a fantastic start, the Red Wings have not? Trailing by 8 points? My $ is still on the champs.
    Lets see what we have in March Wysh, "Juggernaut" or JuggerNOT.
  21. N. Y. NIGHTMARE
    21. Posted by N. Y. NIGHTMARE Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:06 pm EDT

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    @ ryan H
    still hard to follow but Ok
  22. N. Y. NIGHTMARE
    22. Posted by N. Y. NIGHTMARE Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:06 pm EDT

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    @ chanthia best
    if that pic is You then we maybe could work something out
  23. Captain T
    23. Posted by Captain T Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:23 pm EDT

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    I thought that the link for Nabokov's "inconstancy" was going to be for some diarrhea pills.
  24. Stu
    24. Posted by Stu Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:45 pm EDT

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    Go Flyers
  25. Garth the Hoser
    25. Posted by Garth the Hoser Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:06 pm EDT

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    This time two years ago (and the year before that) media and fans were falling all over themselves to compare the Senators to the 76-77 Canadiens. As Ottawa found out, the season is 82 games long, not 32.
    As for the Sharks themselves, they've been a dominant Western Conference team for a lot of years now. And every year they've gacked in the playoffs.
    Regarding its "hottest start ever." There was no Wack-A-Mole Contest when the 1929-30 Bruins. "Winning" streaks are meaningless in the No-Tie Era.

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