FINALLY!! San Jose Signs Some Free Agents

Update: Oct. 1 - San Jose signs Alexander Koryluk, Marcus Ragnarsson and Todd Harvey two years contracts (no financial terms were released). This means that all of their restricted free agents except Owen Nolan are now under contract.  Look for Koryluk on the 4th line to start the season. Harvey should occupy a 3rd line checkers role alongside Mike Ricci and Ragnarsson will be slotted in on the top defense line with Brad Stuart and see a fair amount of powerplay time. Will missing all of training camp affect these guys? Well, everyone says that these guys are professionals and work out year-round, but if that were really the case why would they even bother with training camp. Sure they'll be affected. Watch for a slow start and nagging minor injuries (especially groin injuries) during the first couple of weeks of the season. 

Sept 24, 2000

After an offseason of little movement, San Jose Sharks GM Dean Lombardi is finally getting his restricted free agents signed and in camp. After only coming to terms with Mike Ricci over the summer, Lombardi has been busy over the last week inking Evgeni Nabakov, Patrick Marleau (1 year, $775,000), Marco Sturm (3 year, $2.1 million) and Steve Shields (1 year, $1.65 million). It's really a domino effect when it comes to free agents that don't have a lot of NHL experience. 

Analysis: Goaltenders Nabakov and signed one year contracts just to get into camp. It seems that teams and players, especially netminders, have learned from the Byron Dafoe fiasco.  Players NEED training camp to get into game condition. Missing camp and exhibition games is a mistake. For Marleau and Sturm this season is critical. They are both coming off sub-par years and don't have the leverage to make a multi-year deal. Look for all of these players to come out strong this year. Marleau and Sturm should both see 2nd line duty and some decent powerplay time. 

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