Last nights ugly win didn’t make me feel any better. The Sharks played well in stretches but how many breakaways and clean looks are you going to give another team? Nabby had to earn his Number One star last night and he was the only reason why the Sharks didn’t lose 5-3. Once again, San Jose proved they are good enough to beat the mid-level teams but their act grows old against the top competition.

Let’s play a little game, shall we? Take away the jerseys. Take away the loyalty. Looking strictly at talent and future potential – which roster of young players under 30 years of age would you rather have for your home team?

Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews, Martin Havlat, Tuomo Ruutu, Patrick Sharp, Jack Skille, Adam Burrish, David Koci AND Cam Barker, Duncan Keith, Brent Seabrook, James Wisniewski

OR

Joe Thornton, Patrick Marleau, Jonathan Cheechoo, Steve Bernier, Torrey Mitchell, Milan Michalek, Joe Pavelski and Ryan Clowe AND Matt Carle, Vlasic, Ehrhoff, Murray

It’s an interesting question that Mike and I discussed after the game last night. Let’s assume Doug Wilson does not do any major tinkering and keeps this core intact. Now, I’m not talking about this season, where the Sharks are the superior team and have more veteran help. Let’s assume that veteran help is available for both clubs on the free agent market. I’m asking which roster is better set up for success for winning future Stanley Cups?

THE FRANCHISE: THORNTON vs. TOEWS
While Toews and Thunder Joe may possess similar skills that make them franchise centers, there is one thing Toews will never have that Joe does – Super Size. Joe is at times immovable in the corners and behind the net and it allows him to dominate games. ADVANTAGE: SHARKS

THE SECOND FIDDLE: MARLEAU vs. KANE
It is tough to call Kane a “second fiddle”, but his size is always going to be question mark. Marleau’s regression into one of the most disappointing players in the NHL gives Kane the clear leg up here. ADVANTAGE: HAWKS

THE SPEEDSTERS: MICHALEK vs. HAVLAT
This is a tough call, but injuries and Havlat’s inability to be on the ice for enough games to score more than 68 points in a season (his career best) make Michalek the better long term option with his combo of speed and skill. ADVANTAGE: SHARKS

THE SNIPERS: CHEECHOO vs. SHARP
Based on this season and potential future seasons to come, one has to wonder if Cheech is ever going to rediscover his scoring touch from 2005-06. Sharp is no rookie, but he has settled in a clutch goal scorer for the Hawks. ADVANTAGE: HAWKS

THE HUSTLER: PAVELSKI vs. SKILLE
Last night, I must admit I looked at Mike and said “Jack Skille who?” Well, he is certainly isn’t a nobody. He was picked #7 in the 1st round of the 2005 NHL draft and has won at Wisconsin and played for the National U18 Team. This guy was everywhere last night, and while I like Pavelski, Skille really caught my eye. ADVANTAGE: HAWKS

THE THRID LINERS: BERNIER/CLOWE/MITCHELL vs. BURISH/KOCI/RUUTU
Burish is another guy I had never heard of until last night when he scored his first NHL goal on the Sharks. He also won at Wisconsin with Skille and Pavelski and this guy is no wimp. He has 8 fighting majors this season against some big time opponents and isn’t afraid of anyone, even though he lacks size at 6-1, 190. He also wears an “A”. We didn’t see Koci last night, but he is a monster at 6-6. Sharks fans dislike Ruutu for his dirty play, but this 9th pick in 2001 was once compared to Forsberg. If he can ever get the total package together, he could be more than a pest. The Sharks have different types in these roles. Bernier and Clowe can enforce, but they are needed to provide scoring instead of bang around as 3rd liners. Torrey Mitchell is already a good player as a rook, and his potential to be a Kris Draper type presence on the Sharks for years is exciting. Two different styles of roles players – but I have to say while the Sharks guys might have more skill, the Hawks guys know their roles better and it could spell for more success for them as a team. It almost begs the question: do the Sharks have too many players who think they are 1st and 2nd line guys, making them unwilling to do the dirty 3rd line work?
ADVANTAGE: EVEN

THE DEFENSEMEN
I’ve got some issues with Pickles that should be saved for a later post. While everyone has jumped all over Carle for his poor play (has anyone noticed how much he has improved in the last few weeks, by the way…), shouldn’t we be giving Vlasic the same treatment? His numbers aren’t screaming Top D-Pairing at five points and -9. The first goal was all on him last night, Pickles just stood there and watched Skille bury the puck. Vlasic seems to be the team whipping boy in the dressing room and never sticks up for himself from what we see on Shark Byte (a local cable show here in the Bay Area that follows the Sharks around and gives locker room/reality TV coverage). I think he was not ready to anchor this blue line and he misses being paired with Hannan badly. Carle is improving and has huge offensive upside. Ehrhoff is Ehrhoff, last night he looked good, most nights he makes multiple questionable decisions. Doug Murray is never going to be more than a #6 defensemen and he should not be getting 19 minutes a night. He is less physical this season and I’m not sure that is a good thing.

Seabrook is the Hawks version of Vlasic. He is bigger, stronger and owns an effective combo of skill and size. Duncan Keith drives the powerplay and the break and wears an “A” at age 24. Wisniewski is their Murray, but he has much more skill. Cam Barker is really green still, but as the #3 pick in 2004 – he has much more upside than Ehrhoff. Some have compared his game to Pronger.

ADVANTAGE: HAWKS

By my count, I’ve got the Hawks with the advantage 4-2. Now, this doesn’t take goaltending into it, where we have a huge advantage. It also excluded a few young players in Dowell, Setoguchi, Couture, Wishart, Byfugilien. Looking at the rosters side by side, the Sharks have been touted as the best young team in the NHL, but is that really true anymore…?