Sharks All-Decade: Stars, stability define the last 10 years

San Jose Sharks' all-decade team led by Olympians, NHL All Stars

The Sharks have made the playoffs eight times since the start of the 2010-2011 season. In that time, they’ve won 406 games — sixth most in the NHL — had five different players go to the All-Star Game, two others win Olympic gold medals and one win a Norris Trophy.

The Sharks have some obvious candidates for an all-decade team. Still it wasn’t easy to pick one.

Which is why we picked two — a first team and a second team. Each has three forwards (regardless of natural position) and two defensemen (regardless of whether they shot left or right). And a goalie. And a coach.

FIRST TEAM

Forwards

LOGAN COUTURE: Since the start of the 2010-11 season, Couture ranks second on the Sharks in the regular season with 246 goals, including 166 at even strength, and is third with 530 points. He is also fourth in games played (673) and assists (284), as of Dec. 17. Couture has arguably been the Sharks’ best two-way forward in the last decade as he plays in all situations. In 201011, Couture finished second in voting for the Calder Trophy and was named to the NHL’s All-Rookie team. He has twice been voted the Sharks’ Player of the Year (2012, 2018). In the playoffs, Couture led all Sharks this decade in games played (101), goals (44), assists (53) and points (97).

JOE PAVELSKI: No Sharks player since the start of the 2010-2011 season has more goals (272) or points (5 8 3) . Pavelski was selected for the All-Star Game four times. He led or shared the team lead in goals six times, including in 2013-14 when he scored a career-high 41 — the most for any Sharks player this decade. He was named the 2014 U.S. Olympic team, and played in every game in every Sharks season from 201112 to 2015-16. He was captain for four seasons, ending with his departure to Dallas last summer. Was twice voted the Sharks’ Player of the Year by Bay Area media (2014, 2015). In 2013-14, Pavelski was voted an NHL Second Team All-Star, finished seventh in Hart Trophy voting and eighth in Selke Trophy voting.

JOE THORNTON: Accrued the second-most amount of points this decade with 559 (entering Dec. 17) and is the franchise’s runaway leader in assists with 431. He is second on the team in games played (686). Led the Sharks in points in three times and assists six times. He was team captain for five seasons. Ranks among the Top 15 all-time in games, assists and points. Beyond the numbers, Thornton has been the Sharks’ heartand- soul since his arrival in San Jose in 2005.

Defensemen

BRENT BURNS: Burns is the most dominant offensive defenseman in Sharks history. He has been an NHL All-Star six times. He has led the Sharks in points each of the last three seasons, including a career-high 83 points in 2018-19. He is the only Sharks player to win the Norris Trophy, in 2017 when he led NHL defensemen in goals (29) and points (76). He has been a Norris finalist two other times. Among players who have played at least 200 games with the Sharks in the last decade, Burns is second only to Dan Boyle (24:08) in average time on ice (23:21). He has twice been voted the Sharks’ Player of the Year.

MARC-EDOUARD VLASIC: Has earned a reputation as one of the NHL’s top shutdown defensemen. Nobody has played more regular season games (691) this decade for the Sharks than Vlasic, He has averaged 21:42 of ice time, and more (22:35) in the playoffs. per game in that time. His plus/minus rating of 96 in the regular season leads all Sharks defensemen and is second only to Pavelski (97). His plus-23 rating in the postseason leads all Sharks players, regardless of position. His 229 points this decade is second only to Burns.

Goalie

MARTIN JONES: His stuggles this season notwithstanding, Jones gets the nod for his postseason work, leading the team to its first and only trip to the Stanley Cup Final in 2016. In 279 regular season games with the Sharks from the start of the 2015-16 season to Dec. 17, Jones has a record of 150-100-22 with a .908 save percentage, a 2.60 goals against average and 15 shutouts. Jones finished seventh in Vezina Trophy voting in 2016 and sixth in 2017. In 60 playoff games with the Sharks in which he was given the decision, Jones is 32-27, with seven of those losses coming in overtime. His .916 save percentage in the playoffs with the Sharks is 10th best among all NHL goalies with at least 40 playoff games since the 2011 postseason. He is the only Sharks goalie this decade to lead the team to two conference finals.

SECOND TEAM

Forwards

TOMAS HERTL: Despite a history of knee problems, Hertl has 270 points in 436 regular season games, sixth-most this decade for the Sharks. Sharks rookie of the year in 2013-14 and co-player of the year in 2018-19 with Burns. Hertl has 42 points in 62 career playoffs games, including 24 goals, third most this decade.

PATRICK MARLEAU: Marleau, aka, ‘Mr. Shark,’ had played 571 regular season games this decade for the Sharks as of Dec. 16. In that time, he ranks third with 194 goals, including 124 at even strength, and fifth with 206 assists and 400 points. Marleau is fifth all-time in NHL history in games played (1,688), 27th in goals (557). He has 40 game-winning goals for the Sharks this decade, behind only Pavelski (45) and Couture (44). Marleau had 45 points in 71 playoff games with the Sharks this decade.

TIMO MEIER: In just his third full season with the Sharks, Meier ranks 11th this decade with 130 points, including 114 at even strength, in 228 games. He is seventh in goals (65) as he established new career high last season with 30 goals, 36 assists and 66 points.

Honorable mention: Ryane Clowe, Joonas Donskoi, Dany Heatley, Evander Kane, Kevin Labanc, Tommy Wingels.

Defensemen

DAN BOYLE: In his last four regular seasons from 2010-2014, Boyle had 154 points — which ranks eighth among all Sharks — in 278 games. Boyle, who was 37 by the time he left the Sharks, averaged 24:08 in time on ice, second only to Erik Karlsson (24:32) for the decade. Boyle had 30 points in 41 playoff games, an average that ranks sixth among Sharks this decade.

JUSTIN BRAUN: Braun and Vlasic were known as the Sharks’ top shutdown defense pair for close to a decade. Braun played 607 games in teal this decade, sixth-most among all players, before he was traded to the Philadelphia Flyers in June. Braun had 154 points since the start of the 2010-11 season, tied with Boyle for eighth most among all Sharks players.

Honorable mention: Erik Karlsson, Jason Demers, Paul Martin, Douglas Murray.

Goalie

ANTTI NIEMI: Niemi is the best regular-season goalie of the decade for the Sharks, going 163-9235 in 296 games. His .917 save percentage and 2.40 goals-against-average are tops among Sharks goalies this decade with at least 20 starts. He was third in Vezina voting in 2013. In 40 playoff games in which he had a decision, Niemi was 1920 with a .905 save percentage and a 2.79 goals against average. With Niemi, the Sharks made the Western Conference finals in 2011 and the second round in 2013.

Coach

PETE DeBOER: Had a 198- 129-34 record in fourplus seasons for a .596 points percentage. That’s slightly lower than Todd McLellan (.609). The difference is playoff success. DeBoer took the Sharks to the Stanley Cup Final in 2016 and to the conference final last season.

And the fans’ choices are …

First team: Forwards — Joe Thornton, Joe Pavelski, Patrick Marleau; Defensemen — Brent Burns, Marc-Edouard Vlasic; Goalie — Martin Jones.

Second team: Forwards — Logan Couture, Tomas Hertl, Timo Meier; Defensemen — Dan Boyle, Justin Braun; Goalie — Antti Niemi.

Others receiving votes: Forwards — Evander Kane, Tommy Wingels, Melker Karlsson, Joonas Donskoi, Dany Heatley, Devin Setoguchi, Barclay Goodrow. Defensemen — Erik Karlsson, Brenden Dillon; Goalies — Aaron Dell, Evgeni Nabokov.

All-Power Play team: Joe Thornton, Joe Pavelski, Logan Couture, Brent Burns, Patrick Marleau/Dan Boyle (tie).

Coach of the Decade: Pete DeBoer.