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Wednesday, November 8, 2000
San Jose Sharks
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First Round Picks: None (first selection No. 46)
1999-2000 Record: 35-37-10 (7), 87 points (15th overall)
What they need
San Jose could stand to shore up a few areas. More offense from the blueline, depth in goal, and
additional size and speed may all be on the Sharks shopping list.
In their system
Right wing Jonathan Cheechoo (29th overall in '98) had a fine year at Belleville (OHL), lighting the
lamp 45 times and recording 91 points in 66 games. Another forward with potential is right wing Matt Bradley (102nd
overall in '96). He had 22 goals and 41 points in 80 games as part of the Kentucky Thoroughblades (AHL) Mid-Atlantic
Division title squad. It is believed, though, that both Cheechoo and Bradley need a little more seasoning.
Another Ken-
tucky forward of note is center Mark Smith (219th overall in '97), who was tied for second on the T-Blades in scoring with
66 points (21 G, 45 A) in 79 games. On the blueline, a pair of former first rounders draw notice. Jeff Jillson (14th overall
in '99) had a capable sophomore season at the University of Michigan (36 GP, 8-26-34, 111 PIM), while Scott Hannan
(23rd overall in '97) had 17 points in 41 games at Kentucky, as well as a 30-game stint with the Sharks (1-2-3, +7).
In
goal, Miikka Kiprusoff (116th overall in '95) stepped into the number-one goaltending job at Kentucky after Yevgeny
"John" Nabokov was called up to San Jose and fared well, going 23-19-4 in 47 appearances with a 2.48 GAA, .924
save percentage, and three shutouts.
Recent draft history
Unless they can trade up into the first round, this draft will mark the first time San Jose
is without an opening round selection. In terms of trends, the last four first round picks the Sharks have made were used
on North Americans after they went the European route in '95 (Teemu Riihijarvi) and '96 (Andrei Zyuzin and Marco
Sturm).
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FIRST-ROUND SELECTIONS (LAST FIVE YEARS)
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| YEAR |
PICK |
PLAYER |
POS. |
'99 TEAM |
'99 G-A-Pts |
| 1999 |
14 |
Jeff Jillson |
D |
Michigan (CCHA) |
8-26-34 |
| 1998 |
3 |
Brad Stuart |
D |
San Jose (NHL) |
10-26-36 |
| 1997 |
2
23 |
Patrick Marleau
Scott Hamilton |
C
D |
San Jose (NHL)
San Jose (NHL) |
17-23-40
1-2-3 |
| 1996 |
2
21 |
Andrei Zyuzin
Marco Sturm |
D
C |
Tampa Bay (NHL)
San Jose |
2-9-11
12-15-27 |
| 1995 |
12 |
Teemu Riihijarvi |
LW |
NA |
NA |
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ALSO SEE
Sharks' first-round history
Team Needs: Mighty Ducks of Anaheim
Team Needs: Dallas Stars
Team Needs: Los Angeles Kings
Team Needs: Phoenix Coyotes
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