SAN JOSE SHARKSLAST SEASON: 51-22-9, 111 points. Lost to Los Angeles in first round of playoffs.COACH: Todd McLellan, 7th season with Sharks, 271-130-57; seventh overall in NHL.ADDED: F John Scott, F Tye McGinn, D Taylor Fedun.LOST: D Dan Boyle, D Brad Stuart, F Marty Havlat.PLAYER TO WATCH: Joe Thornton. Despite finishing second in the league in assists last season, Thornton was stripped of his captaincy this summer in response to the Sharks playoff collapse against Los Angeles. San Jose became the fourth NHL team to lose a best-of-seven series after winning the first three games. That prompted a search for new leaders. Thornton expressed no desire to leave San Jose but how he reacts to the new role and how he plays this season will be key questions going forward.OUTLOOK: The Sharks began the off-season with general manager Doug Wilson talking of rebuilding and becoming a tomorrow team after being a Stanley Cup contender for most of the past decade. Wilson has altered his stance a bit and the players still believe this team can compete with the other powers out West. Much of the success will hinge on continued improvement from younger core players like Marc-Edouard Vlasic, Logan Couture and Tomas Hertl; Brent Burns move back to defence from forward; and more depth on the bottom two lines to take pressure off Thornton and Patrick Marleau. Vans Old Skool Clearance . NORRIS COLE (Heat): Its funny, you watch a guy play and now really produce and it just jumps off the page at you - why? You put a young player with potential in a winning environment where there is veteran leadership, outstanding coaching and management and a way that things are done and its a wonderful environment for growth, improvement in a climate of constant accountability and expectation of achievement/production. Vans Old Skool Sale Cheap . Roma has a game in hand but now second place is even at risk for the capital side as Napoli moved to within three points with the win. "The result is not always fair," Roma coach Rudi Garcia said. "If we play like this until the end we will win many matches. http://www.cheapoldskool.us/ . Moments after scoring and setting off another wild celebration at Minsk arena, Platt leapt into the arms of Belarusian captain Alexei Kalyuzhny. Vans Old Skool Discount . It was the start of one nice night for the goalie and the Minnesota Wild. Backstrom made 33 saves in his first win of the season and the Wild defeated the Chicago Blackhawks 5-3 on Saturday in a rematch of their first-round playoff series. Cheap Vans Old Skool For Sale . Therrien would not confirm his lineup for the game, but he did have the same line combinations practicing together for the third straight day which is usually a pretty good indication of what the lineup will be.STRASBOURG, France -- Monica Puig became the first Puerto Rican player to win a WTA title on Saturday by beating Silvia Soler-Espinosa of Spain 6-4, 6-3 in the Strasbourg International final. "Its amazing to do this coming from such a small island, where tennis isnt necessarily recognized as one of the main sports," Puig said. "Im just happy Im able to be here playing tennis not only for myself, but for my country too." In a match between two players appearing in their first final, the 20-year-old Puig was on top from the start as she broke the Spaniard in her first sservice game.dddddddddddd. She also broke twice in the second set, including in the final game. Puig dropped just nine points on serve all match, two of which were double-faults. "I woke up this morning and I felt it. I felt I was going to do something amazing," Puig said. "It was one of those feelings where you just know its going to happen, and I played some of the greatest tennis Ive ever played." Puig next heads to the French Open where she has been drawn against 2010 finalist Sam Stosur. Soler-Espinosa faces Chanelle Scheepers at Roland Garros. ' ' '
