Brent Burns, Joe Thornton Named Second Team All-Stars

While no Sharks took home any hardware last night, Brent Burns and Joe Thornton were both recognized for their outstanding seasons.

The entire NHL was focused on the city of Las Vegas yesterday with the excitement surrounding the news that the league was going to welcome a new franchise in 2017-18.

Also, the annual NHL awards show was held in Sin City last night, and the San Jose Sharks had a couple of players recognized for tremendous seasons.

Brent Burns and Joe Thornton were both named second team All-Stars by the NHL after phenomenal campaigns in teal.

Burns, who missed out on the Norris Trophy after finishing third behind eventual winner Drew Doughty, was a catalyst for this Sharks team. He set new franchise marks for goals (27) and points (75) from a blue liner during the regular season.

He continued that stellar play into the playoffs where he once again rewrote the Sharks record books with seven goals and 17 assists for team teal.

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Meanwhile, it was another banner year for Thornton, who finished fifth in the Hart Trophy voting for MVP behind winner Patrick Kane, as he continues to defy father time.

Thornton produced at a point per game clip during the regular season with 19 goals, 63 assists and he tied Joe Pavelski with a team-best plus-25 rating.

In the playoffs, Thornton continued his great play with three goals and 18 assists in 24 games as he formed one of the most dominant lines in the postseason along with Pavelski and Tomas Hertl.

Pavelski Falls Short

Speaking of the captain, EA Sports released the winner of the NHL 17 cover vote and unfortunately for Sharks fans, Vladimir Tarasenko of the St. Louis Blues edged Pavelski for the cover honors. 

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Obviously, this outraged many teal clad fans who thought they had done enough with the #NHL17Pavelski campaign to get captain clutch on the cover but it wasn’t to be.

Fortunately for Sharks fans, they can take solace in the fact that Pavelski clearly outplayed Tarasenko when it mattered most in the Western Conference Final. Pavelski dominated the Blues with four goals and five assists during San Jose’s six-game triumph, while Tarasenko was held in check with just two goals, both late in Game 6 with St. Louis trailing 4-0.