The San Jose Sharks are in the midst of a franchise record 9-game winning streak, and it is not a coincidence that this stellar play is taking place just after the club acquired defenseman Brian Campbell from Buffalo. Campbell is one of the top two-way defensemen in the entire NHL, and his speed and skill have already made him a fan favorite in the Bay Area. The Sharks are 7-0 since adding Campbell, and the team has played with an energy level that fans have not seen all season long.
In his first 7 games with San Jose, Campbell has recorded a goal and 5 assists, along with a +3 rating, and his tremendous skating ability and vision on the ice have improved the play of everyone around him. While it is uncertain whether the Sharks will be able to re-sign Campbell, who will be a free agent after this season, the trade must already be viewed as a smart one. San Jose sent underachieving forward Steve Bernier along with a first-round draft pick to the Buffalo Sabres, a relatively small price to pay for a legitimate number 1, franchise defenseman.
With the addition of Campbell, as well as the much-improved play of forwards Jonathan Cheechoo and Patrick Marleau, the Sharks have to be considered one of the favorites to come out of the Western Conference. They are very solid in net with veteran goaltender Evgeni Nabakov and they are led offensively by perhaps the best center in the game, Joe Thornton. The Sharks have all the ingredients to make a Stanley Cup run and they are peaking at the right time.
In his first 7 games with San Jose, Campbell has recorded a goal and 5 assists, along with a +3 rating, and his tremendous skating ability and vision on the ice have improved the play of everyone around him. While it is uncertain whether the Sharks will be able to re-sign Campbell, who will be a free agent after this season, the trade must already be viewed as a smart one. San Jose sent underachieving forward Steve Bernier along with a first-round draft pick to the Buffalo Sabres, a relatively small price to pay for a legitimate number 1, franchise defenseman.
With the addition of Campbell, as well as the much-improved play of forwards Jonathan Cheechoo and Patrick Marleau, the Sharks have to be considered one of the favorites to come out of the Western Conference. They are very solid in net with veteran goaltender Evgeni Nabakov and they are led offensively by perhaps the best center in the game, Joe Thornton. The Sharks have all the ingredients to make a Stanley Cup run and they are peaking at the right time.
