The Bear-Shark Project...

Joe Thornton
2010-11 SP Authentic #34

After Joe Thornton departed from San Jose, I decided to take a look at other Sharks players who wore jersey number 19.

Joe Thornton facts from Wikipedia:

San Jose Sharks' all-time leader in points per game with 1.01.

Only player in NHL history to win the Art Ross Trophy and Hart Memorial Trophy while switching teams in his winning campaign – 2005–06.

Marco Sturm
2003-04 Upper Deck #158

Being a relatively new franchise, San Jose only a few players don the number 19 jersey before Thornton arrived.

Coincidentally, Marco Sturm was one of the players traded to Boston for Joe Thornton).



San Jose Sharks players to wear number 19 before Joe Thornton:
Marco Sturm (1998-2006)
Jeff Friesen (1996)
Doug Zmolek (1993-1994)
Brian Mullen (1992)

Brian Mullen
1992-93 O-Pee-Chee #260

Brian Mullen was one of the first San Jose Sharks to wear number 19.

From the back of the card:

"In November he [Brian Mullen] scored a wrap-around in overtime to clinch the Sharks' first-ever win over LA"

Joe Thornton
2005-06 Upper Deck MVP #28

Joe Thornton with the Boston Bruins, during the pre-beard era.
(I swear that he and Brent Burns must have had a contest going)

Mariusz Czerkawski
1995-96 Collector's Choice #50
(Player's Club Parallel)

Some of the Boston Bruins players to wear number 19 before Joe Thornton:
Rob DiMaio (1997-2000)
Kevin Sawyer (1996)
Mariusz Czerkawski (1994-1996)
Dave Poulin (1990-1993)
Ray Neufeld (1989-1990)
Tom McCarthy (1987-1988)
Normand Leveille (1982-83)
Bobby Lalonde (1980-81)
Ab DeMarco (1979)

Joe Thornton
1999-00 Stadium Club #75

Curiously enough, Joe Thornton actually wore number 6 at the very beginning of his career.

Being an older franchise, numbers 2 thru 9 had already been retired by the Boston Bruins - with the exception of jersey number 6.

A relatively low number for a centreman, Thornton wore 6 from 1998 - 2000.

Number 19 became available in Boston when Rob Dimaio was traded to the NY Rangers.
Joe Thornton wore number 19 with Boston from 2000-2006.

Dick Redmond
1981-82 O-Pee-Chee #9

Some of the Boston Bruins Players to Wear Number 6 Before Joe Thornton:
Alexei Kasatonov (1995-1996)
Glen Featherstone (1992-1994)
Gord Kluzak (1983-1991)
Dick Redmond (1978-82)
Mike Forbes (1978)
Dennis O'Brien (1978)
Clayton Pachal (1977)
Darryl Edestrand (1974-1978)
Nick Beverley (1973-74)
Ted Green (1961-1972)

SHARK WEEK: (Day 9) Shark Finn!

Antti Niemi
2014-15 Upper Deck #405

Couldn't believe this guys spent 5 seasons with the San Jose Sharks, earning 25 shutouts in 296 games.

He even led the league with 24 wins in the shortened 2012-13 season. (Also logged more minutes than any other netminder that year)

Just a great composition with the goaltender reacting to something.
He's in position, but appears to be attempting to field an unexpected high shot.

No puck visible, but the fans seem to be having a good time.
Is someone about to spill their popcorn?

SHARK WEEK (Day 8): Fish Heads, Fish Heads...

Evgeni Nabokov
2003-04 Upper Deck #163

It's the Shark Week Edition of Freaky Mask Friday!

Evgeni Nabokov 's Shark mask features what appears to be a skeleton feeding (or baiting) a Shark with fish heads.

Evgeni Nabokov
2003-04 Topps #168

Another card from the same year.
The teal-colored border really goes well with the Shark's uniforms.

Evgeni Nabokov
2004-05 Upper Deck Artifacts #83

2005-06 Upper Deck Artifacts
Total Cards: 242
(100 base cards, the rest are serial numbered, with rookies distributed through redemption exchange)

Only have six cards from this set - And FOUR of them are goaltenders!

Back of the card makes mention of his shutouts in previous seasons...
Nabokov managed an incredible 9 shutouts in 2003-04.

SHARK WEEK: Numbers Game...

Tom Pederson
1993-94 Upper Deck #92

Ever fascinated with the "high numbers" throughout the Sharks' roster - Especially during the early years.

Sorting my duplicates pile and netted number 41.

SHARK WEEK (Day 7): Hungy For Action...

Paul Martin
2017-18 Upper Deck #157

My favorite part of this card is the women in the San Jose crowd reacting to the hit...

One girl cringes at the bone-crushing bodycheck, while the other girl laughs and cheers.

The Edmonton Oilers fan in the next row appears to be a big fan of french fries...

SHARK WEEK (Day 6): High Society...

Steve Bernier
2005-06 In the Game
Heroes & Prospects #265

Lurking Outside the Net...

The first post here during Shark Week that doesn't feature a goaltender...

It caught my eye because it appears to be a shark with a monacle.

From Wikipedia:

" The Cleveland Barons were a professional American ice hockey team in the AHL. They played in Cleveland, Ohio between 2001 and 2006.

Named in honor of the popular Barons team that played in the AHL and its forerunners from 1929 to 1973 and the NHL team of the same name.

The Barons name was revived in 2001 when the San Jose Sharks purchased their AHL affiliate, the Kentucky Thoroughblades, and relocated them to Cleveland, where they would play at the arena which was owned and operated by Sharks owners George and Gordon Gund. The Gunds had also owned the NHL Barons, who played in the NHL in the late 1970s before being merged with the Minnesota North Stars in 1978.

The franchise relocated to Worcester, Massachusetts, for the 2006–07 season and became the Worcester Sharks."

SHARK WEEK (Day 5): Jaws of Life...

Jimmy Waite
1994-95 Parkhurst #214

Catch of the day is a Great White Shark on the mask of Jimmy Waite.

SHARK WEEK (Day 4): Goal Mouth Frenzy...

Martin Jones
2016-17 Upper Deck #153

Martin Jones playing for the San Jose Sharks, sporting the 25th anniversary patch on his jersey.

Remarkably, the girls in the crowd don't even have their faces buried in their phones!

Those jaws are open wide enough to swallow a hot dog...

SHARK WEEK (Day 3): Baracudda...?

Steve Shields
1999-00 Topps Stadium Club #137

Gotta love the big shark on Steve Shields' mask.

Also an exciting snapshot of the goaltender leaving the net to play the puck.

Steve Shields
1999-00 Topps Stadium Club #137
(card back)

Back of the card offers a much better view of the Shark...

Just noticing that it's not actually the Sharks' jersey he's wearing here - Possibly a minor league affiliate like the Barracudas...

SHARK WEEK (Day 2): Hack It...

Jeff Hackett
1992-93 Pinnacle #105

Reeled in this Shark from a re-pack.

Jeff Hackett was one of the poor unfortunate souls who was taken in the Expansion Draft (from the NY Islanders), ground into chum and  fed to the brand-new Expansion Team San Jose Sharks.

The 1991-92 San Jose Sharks finished dead last, with the worst NHL regular season record of all time. (Today's Expansion Teams are fixed in such a way that they can go all the way to the Stanley Cup Finals in their first year...)

FIVE different netminders saw action for the Sharks during that first dreadful year (Hackett, Myllys, Irbe, Hayward, Flaherty)

Hackett also has the distinction of having played for three of the Original Six teams (Chicago, Montreal and Boston)

Did not already have this card in my collection, so for me it's a decent catch.

Jeff Hackett
1991-92 O-Pee-Chee Premier #108

Two cards from my existing collection.
First up, is Jeff Hackett's card from 1991-92 OPC Premier.

Jeff Hackett
1992-93 Upper Deck #308

Obtained a few copies of this card a few years ago when I finished my 1992-93 Upper Deck set.

Didn't have this one back in the day. Digging the overhead angle - Plus the surreal blue paint of the goal crease.

SHARK WEEK: Shark Hunting...

Brian Hayward
1992-93 Pinnacle #266

Kicking off SHARK WEEK with Freaky Mask Friday and one of the coolest hockey cards ever - Brian Hayward's card from the very first edition of Pinnacle Masks.

This card is part of the base card set. Future releases saw the Pinnacle Masks become a separate subset.

Brian Hayward wore a rather unique goalie mask during his brief tenure with the San Jose Sharks...



I remember seeing a full sized poster of his mask and thought it was awesome... But had never actually owned a card featuring the infamous shark mask.

Had caught a few glimpses of his mask on other cards...

 

Mark Tinordi
1991-92 Pro Set Platinum #58

1991-92 was the debut year for the Sharks franchise.
It also happened to be the 75th anniversary of the NHL - So all team uniforms featured a commemorative "NHL 75" patch.

Mike Sullivan
1992-93 O-Pee-Chee #144

Barely noticeable, but the Shark mask is there - Albeit out of focus and in the background.

Pretty sure there's at least one other card in my collection with a Brian Hayward cameo with the mask. If I find it, my intention is to add it to this post...