If contracts weren't involved and the salary cap wasn't an issue, the San Jose Sharks would just as soon stay together for another go-around.
Despite another disappointing playoff result following a terrific regular season, the Sharks say the talent to win a Stanley Cup already is on the roster. The players said that advancing to the Western Conference Finals one year after winning the Presidents' Trophy and bowing out to Anaheim in the quarterfinals proves it.
"I believe in this group," said Sharks star winger Dany Heatley, who didn't score in a four-game sweep by Chicago in the conference finals and dealt with a lingering groin injury. "We've gone through a lot, especially this season. We battled through a lot of things and we'd like to see the group come back."
The problem is that contracts are involved and the salary cap is an issue.
San Jose will have seven unrestricted free agents this off-season, including goalie Evgeni Nabokov, defensemen Rob Blake and Niclas Wallin, plus forwards Jed Ortmeyer, Scott Nichol, Manny Malhotra and Patrick Marleau, who scored 5 of the Sharks' 7 goals in the Chicago series.
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