Brent Burns

The San Jose Sharks won their fourth consecutive Pacific Division title last year, and their sixth in the past nine seasons. However, with four of the division's five teams making the postseason (and Dallas, the fifth, finishing a mere two points out of the playoffs), the Sharks have their work cut out for them this year.

It's not whether you win or lose, it's how you play the game. Especially in the preseason.

The Sharks suited up last night against a Vancouver Canucks team that was without their best five players, including the Sedin twins.

The Sharks ended up taking the victory easily and, from the first look this reporter has had at the new team this year, have showed some improvements on the year before.

Year after year, the San Jose Sharks are one of the NHL's best teams; they are a perennial Stanley Cup contender. Year after year, the San Jose Sharks fail to live up to their goal: Win the Stanley Cup.

People may be asking "How is Brent Burns becoming a Sharks fan favorite? He hasn't even played a game in teal yet."

While that may be true, Burns is still on his way to becoming a beloved Sharks player, and it's thanks to Twitter.

With the signing of free agent defenseman Colin White, the San Jose Sharks’ blue line is now solidified, at least on paper. The question will be whether the teaming with new defensive acquisitions Brent Burns and Jim Vandermeer will crystallize on the ice.

In a Northwest Division that is seeing many changes and makeovers, one team has made a particularly large splash this offseason.  In a pair of blockbuster trades that saw the departure of Martin Havlat and Brent Burns, the team acquired Sharks Dany Heatley and Devin Setoguchi.

Numerous rumor mills are suggesting that the Ottawa Senators and Minnesota Wild are talking trade, leaving NHL experts to speculate on a number of possible scenarios.

The Senators are off to one of the worst starts in the history of the franchise, going a paltry 1-4-1 in their first six games, leaving them tied for last place with the fledgling New Jersey Devils.

A fresh week in the NHL showed what a mixed bag this season has the capability to be.  With the Toronto Maple Leafs and Dallas Stars tied for the top spot in the league and the New Jersey Devils and Vancouver Canucks in their conferences' respective cellars, anything is possible.  

Meanwhile, talented teams struggle to find their identity, and young, revamped contenders fight for recognition.

After last season Minnesota Wild fans were depressed. They were distraught, and they were heartbroken. All the expectations of finally be rid of Doug Risebrough were too much for them to handle. Changing coaches from the defense-first style of play of Jacques Lemaire to the up-tempo, hit them in the mouth while you skate circles around them style of Todd Richards didn't take as quickly as they had hoped.

Trades happen every year and can happen at any time.

The trade deadline, the draft, training camp, and nearly any other day that doesn't fall between the beginning of March and the end of the Stanley Cup Finals (or Christmas Day) all begin with the possibility of players being shipped off to a contender or a lost cause.

With a particularly weak free agent class whose biggest star only seems interested in collecting frequent flier points, the trade winds could start blowing strong again after a bit of a down period.

Here are 25 names to keep an eye on...

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