2014-2015 Sharks Preview: Don't Call it a Rebuild!

There's been lots and lots of talk in San Jose...and that's been about it. Talk of rebuilding. Talk about trading star players. Talk of not trading star players. Talk of not rebuilding. Talk of stripping the Joe Thornton's captaincy. Talk about how they never really meant "rebuild" they meant, maybe, "reconstruct" or "reboot" or... look over there! A lemur!

In reality, where general manager Doug Wilson chose not to spend the summer, the team let veterans Dan Boyle and Martin Havlat walk away, traded Brad Stuart, and signed Tye McGinn and John Scott. Brent Burns will also be moving back to defense from the wing.

Otherwise, the lineup remains about the same as the start of last season. That includes Raffi Torres being out with an injured knee, the one that sidelined him for 77 games last season. There's no timetable for his return, but the optimistic outlook is that he's months away from game action.

Despite a lot of lip service, the truth is that the Sharks are still a good team. With all the talk they generated this offseason, fantasy owners may feel like they need to adjust their expectations, but there's not much to adjust for. They lost Havlat, but he barely played and wasn't good when he did. Dan Boyle is a loss that will be felt, but Burns heading back to defense should cover that.

In a perfect world, the "same lineup" is a better lineup in many ways, with Tomas Hertl and Matt Nieto coming off solid rookie campaigns, Tommy Wingels emerging as a serious threat, and Alex Stalock proving that he's not just a backup, but a challenger for Antti Niemi's starting job. Once again, this remains a playoff team with star players and lots of fantasy fodder.

The Big Guns

Joe Pavelski, C (RotoWire Position Rank*: #10): Can you say breakout? Pavelski's offensive explosion delivered him his first 40-goal season. His 41 goals ranked third in the NHL and his 79 points ranked eighth. Most impressively, his 16 power-play goals ranked second in the league. Little Joe became elite last season and he should stay that way. His advanced stats reveal a player who doesn't look like he's going to regress. He's on the ice for 60.7 percent of San Jose's power play time in games he's playing in, and his possession numbers are fantastic. It won't take long for fans to be saying, "Jumbo who?" He'll go early in every draft, and deservedly so.

*RotoWire Position Ranks reflected for points-based leagues*

Patrick Marleau, LW (RotoWire Position Rank: #8): This 16-year veteran may be the center of controversy in the Sharks' much-criticized rebuild, but he's far from being over the hill. Marleau finished last season with 33 goals and 37 assists while suiting up for all 82 games, the fifth consecutive campaign in which he's played every game. He has a lot left in the proverbial tank and remains an elite talent. So, no matter what trade rumors fly around, Marleau is going to be a productive member of any team. He is going to get top minutes and will produce even with the Sharks focusing on getting their younger players some more opportunities. You can't cage a player like Marleau. Don't buy tales of his decline or reduced role. Grab him early.

Logan Couture, C (RotoWire Position Rank: #12): Couture's hand remains a bit of a concern, but his recovery from offseason surgery has apparently gone well. The center's 2013-14 numbers were depressed due in large part to an 11-game goal drought at one point in the season, marking the longest scoring slump of his career. Nonetheless, he still managed to match his best points-per-game production, despite the missed time. An elite talent who brings an all-around game to the ice every night, Couture could be in line for career numbers this season, while he also assumes a larger leadership role. If there's room for improvement in his game, it's on the power play. Just four of his goals came there last season, but we expect that to change, and fast. The Sharks will be running this year's man-advantage through him, not around him. And that means an increase in production. Can you say superstar? We sure can.

Brent Burns, D (RotoWire Position Rank: #21): As far as fantasy goes, Burns had a breakout year last season. But assessing his potential value for the 2014-15 season is tricky. Burns will be moving back to defense, so that makes his stats from last year -- a career-high 26 goals and 48 points in 69 games -- a bit useless, since he was a top-line winger last season. Burns is certainly an offensive-minded defenseman; he tallied 17 goals in a defense-only season for the Wild in 2010-11. He's a strong pick and is expected to replace Dan Boyle's production, especially on the power play. And he may even find himself playing forward as things shift for the "rebuilding" Sharks. There's a lot of upside with Burns, but you could get burned if you go after him too early in the draft. Someone will reach for him based on those numbers we told you to dismiss. He'll be good for a defenseman, but not as good as he was as a top-line wing.

Antti Niemi, G (RotoWire Position Rank: #3): Niemi, despite his atypical style, remains a solid option for your fantasy team...that is, if he keeps his starting gig. Last season, he posted a very respectable .913 save percentage, 2.39 goals against average, and 39 wins, the latter of which was second-best in the NHL. It should be noted, however, that there was a bit of a late-season collapse that brought those ratios down a notch. Despite a goalie controversy waiting for him in camp with the ascendent Alex Stalock pushing for a starting gig, it's still Niemi's job to lose. He's a veteran presence and only one season removed from being a Vezina finalist and playing the most minutes of any netminder in the league. But you'd be wise to hitch your fantasy wagon to both men, just in case.

On the Rise

Tomas Hertl, C (RotoWire Position Rank: #64): The Dave and Busters-loving Czech phenom should play his first full season this year, and expectations are sky-high. A knee injury limited Hertl to 37 regular-season games in 2013-14, but he tallied 15 goals -- including a show-stopping four-goal night that included a between-the-legs-goal -- and 10 assists. Hertl shows all the signs of being a budding star, and there's little doubt that his numbers should improve this year. But by how much? Hertl should get solid playing time and increased responsibility on the power play, both of which should boost his offensive production this season. But that four-goal performance will drive him higher on cheat sheets than expected, and you don't want to get caught overpaying for what is really still somewhat of an unproven commodity. Hertl should improve and has enormous upside, but there's always a risk of a sophomore slump. He's a sexy pick with huge upside, especially when riding shotgun beside San Jose's stars. Just know what you're getting into.

Matthew Nieto, LW (RotoWire Position Rank: NR): Nieto had a solid rookie campaign, delivering 10 goals and 14 assists through 66 games last season. With the team refocusing on the youth on the roster, Nieto will be given a solid shot at an increased role and a top-six position. Nieto's upside isn't as big as Hertl's, but he has proven he has the ability to produce if he finds a consistent home in the team's top six. Watch him in camp and be prepared to scoop him up late.

Matt Irwin, D (RotoWire Position Rank: #157): Irwin has a lot of potential, but it's not always been clear where he stands with the Sharks. However, after suiting up for the bulk of the Sharks' regular-season games in the last two years, Irwin looks as though he's here to stay. He should see some extra ice time in 2014-15 with the departure of Dan Boyle, along with the stated team goal of refocusing on the youth movement. Irwin's path to ice time could become even clearer if the Sharks decide to transition Brent Burns back to wing at any point during the season. So, in theory, Irwin's 19 points from last season should increase, especially as the team looks to replace Boyle's power-play time. San Jose will want an active defensive tandem that they can put out to generate some offense, and Irwin could easily be a part of that plan, not least of all because he likes to shoot the puck (147 shots last season). He's an interesting dark horse and a player who is in line for a breakout year -- if one ever materializes -- in one of his next two seasons.

Two to Watch

Tommy Wingels, RW (RotoWire Position Rank: #33): Wingels exploded on the scene for the Sharks this past season. It was the first full, non-lockout-shortened season of his career, and it was certainly qualified for a breakout for him, as he tallied 16 goals and 22 assists over 77 contests. He proved himself a viable fantasy option with a combination of his physical play, a shiny plus-11 rating, and 163 shots on goal. Wingels should see a growing role in San Jose and continue to see solid minutes in 2014-15. You won't see Wingels ranked highly on most cheat sheets, but his numbers should grow this year, potentially making him a sneaky sleeper pick. Don't reach too far for him, but don't sleep on him either. The secret about Wingels isn't out yet, but it soon will be.

James Sheppard, C (RotoWire Position Rank: NR): Sheppard struggled most of the past season, but finished with a fire that represented everything the Sharks -- and the Wild before them -- saw in him as a prospect. His regular season wasn't special overall (four goals and 16 assists in 67 games), but he did deliver five goals and 15 assists over his last 31 contests, both regular season and playoffs combined. Sheppard could be a savvy pick if he can carry the momentum he finished with into the start of the 2014-15 season. Play your cards wisely, though. We recommend watching and waiting on him. His history isn't great, so he he needs to show us that 31-game spurt was real before we invest.

Don't Overrate

Marc-Edouard Vlasic, D (RotoWire Position Rank: #73): Vlasic is a decent fantasy play in deep formats, but he's mostly a stay-at-home guy. He posted five goals and 19 assists on 138 shots to go along with a plus-31 rating (ninth in the NHL), with the latter figure driving most of his value. However, he'll always kill more penalties than hop the boards on power plays. Vlasic's role is unchanged heading into 2014-15; his fantasy outlook remains that way, too. And if he notices a dip in plus/minus as expected, Vlasic could even be headed for a downturn in productivity.

Tyler Kennedy, RW (RotoWire Position Rank: NR): Kennedy was supposed to get a fresh start in San Jose last season, but what he delivered was the slowest scoring pace of his career. He showed great flashes of potential when he was in Pittsburgh, but that may be past him now. Kennedy's upside is lower than you might guess. He's waiver material.

Alex Stalock, G (RotoWire Position Rank: 51): Whoa -- you came a long way, baby. Stalock started last season backing up a Vezina finalist who logged the most minutes in the NHL. But by the end of the season, Stalock had played well enough to create a goalie controversy, which we fully expect to cross over into this season. Niemi will likely win the top job, but it is clear that Stalock is the future of the organization. And he could ascend to that throne fast if he replicates his impressive numbers from last year (.932 save percentage and a 1.87 GAA). Handcuff him to Niemi. Or better yet, snag him away from the guy who just drafted Niemi. At worst, you'll have trade bait. At best, you'll own the starter on one of the strongest teams in the Western Conference. The danger? Drafting him as though he's already won the job. He's exciting, but he's still second in line.

Top Prospects

Danny O'Regan, RW (RotoWire Prospects Ranking: 62): O'Regan turned in another excellent season for Boston University in 2013-14, though not nearly as impressive as his freshman campaign, when he scored nearly a point per game. Still, the 20-year-old might offer the best puck skills of any player in the organization, and has done well to avoid the reckless play that typically plagues young, undersized centers. It's unknown when he'll make the leap to the pros, but he'll more than likely have to hone his development at AHL Worcester when he does.

Mirco Mueller, D (RotoWire Prospects Ranking: NR): This 6-foot-3 defenseman has the Sharks' front office excited. He offers a big frame, great hockey sense and excellent vision, and he projects as a second-pairing NHL defender. But he's a long way from the show, so don't waste a dynasty spot on him…yet.

Freddie Hamilton, C (RotoWire Prospects Ranking: NR): Hamilton may be the next San Jose forward prospect to crack the lineup. He worked his way into 11 NHL games last year, but didn't manage to get a point and finished the season with a minus-5 rating. However, he made a significant impact with the club's AHL affiliate in Worcester, sniping 22 goals and adding 21 assists over 64 games. He has a good chance of breaking into the lineup and remaining there for a while. But he's more of a top-nine type, and that limits his fantasy upside.