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It’s San Jose Sharks day on PHT

Los Angeles Kings v San Jose Sharks - Game Four

SAN JOSE, CA - MAY 21: Joe Thornton #19, Dan Boyle #22 and Logan Couture #39 of the San Jose Sharks celebrate after Couture scored a goal against the Los Angeles Kings in the second period in Game Four of the Western Conference Semifinals during the 2013 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at HP Pavilion on May 21, 2013 in San Jose, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)

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Throughout the month of August, PHT will be dedicating a day to all 30 NHL clubs. Today’s team? The San Jose Sharks.

It’s funny what happens sometimes around the trade deadline. When the San Jose Sharks used the deadline to send Ryane Clowe and Douglas Murray out of town, many thought they were just cashing in to get picks on soon-to-be free agents and not doing it to win more games.

Instead, that turned into a rallying point of sorts and the team rolled through the latter part of the season and into the playoffs. While they ultimately gave way to the Kings in seven games of the Western Conference semifinals, their loss this time around didn’t feel like the soul-crushing disappointments of the past. A loss to build on rather than nitpick? All things are possible.

Offseason recap

Considering the Sharks did most of their summer business during the season, the offseason has been a relative bore. They traded T.J. Galiardi to Calgary and acquired Tyler Kennedy from Pittsburgh at the NHL Draft. In free agency, they only saw guys leaving town as Scott Gomez signed with Florida and retained three players: forwards Bracken Kearns and Raffi Torres and defenseman Scott Hannan.

The quiet summer doesn’t mean they didn’t spend money, though. Logan Couture was inked to a five-year, $30 million extension while Joe Pavelski signed an eerily similar deal to stay in San Jose. Those guys were due to get paid and boy did they ever.

There won’t be much in the way of new faces this season for the Sharks (2012 first-round pick Tomas Hertl and backup goalie Alex Stalock excepted) but after last season’s late resurgence it feels like a team breathing new life.

Related:

Introducing: PHT’s ‘Team of the Day’ summer series

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