Ultimate Standings 2009: No. 32
San Jose Sharks
Last Year's Rank: 27
Title Track: 79
Ownership: 25
Coaching: 41
Players: 89
Fan Relations: 23
Affordability: 74
Stadium Experience: 21
Bang for the Buck: 12
Local schools commonly request the use of HP Pavilion for graduation ceremonies, dependent, of course, on springtime availability. Unfortunately, the Shark Tank's schedule has been clear far more often than it should be. San Jose has combined estimable regular-season success -- 107 points on average over the past five seasons, including an NHL-best 117 in 2008-09 -- with dismal playoff exits, like this season's first-round fall to the eighth-seed Ducks. "We've still got a damned good team," blogs Lurker Shark at FearTheFin.com. "I believe in [GM] Doug Wilson. He will bring Lord Stanley's Cup home." Keep the faith, Lurker, but drops of 27 (Title Track) and 30 (Players) indicate others are wavering on homegrown standouts like Patrick Marleau and Jonathan Cheechoo. And a 12.3% increase in per-game costs doesn't ease the tension. On the other hand, ownership has continued to field a winner (a Presidents' Trophy means something, right?), one reason fans likely will keep one of the league's loudest barns just about packed -- over 99% -- as they've done the past three years. Because one of these days, spring will bring "Pomp and Circumstance" of a different flavor. It has to, right?
