With the Sharks and the Blue Jackets set to face each other on Tuesday night at HP Pavilion at San Jose, here are the links you need to read before the game:

CLOWE OUT, BURNS RETURNS FOR 500TH CAREER GAME
Sharks head coach Todd McLellan told the media this morning that alternate captain Ryane Clowe is out of the lineup while he continues to recover from a facial injury.
[ SharksTV ]

CLOWE COULD RETURN THURSDAY AGAINST DALLAS
Mercury News beat writer David Pollak reports that Clowe could return as early as Thursday night against the Stars, and that defenseman Jason Demers is listed as day-to-day with a lower body injury.
[ Working the Corners ]

STARTING THE SECOND HALF
CSN California beat writer Kevin Kurz reporting on what the Sharks must do to get back to game action after a week-long break for the 2012 NHL All-Star Game. Read his game day blog 'What to Watch For' on Sharks Talk.
[ Sharks Talk ]

Read the rest of this blog entry >>

John Tortora, the Executive Vice President and General Counsel of the San Jose Sharks, attended the All-Star Game in Ottawa this past weekend. Here are his thoughts on the weekend.

THE EVENTS OF ALL-STAR WEEKEND

The National Hockey League hosted another very successful annual All-Star Weekend this past weekend in Ottawa. The obvious on-ice highlights of the weekend included the Fantasy Draft, the Skills Competition, and the All-Star Game. Beyond the on-ice events, however, All-Star Weekend also represented an opportunity for the League to conduct off-ice business with the Clubs and to thank its many business partners and sponsors for their on-going and loyal support.

One of the more high profile off-ice events was the NHL Board of Governors meeting. The BOG meets four times per year, usually during All-Star Weekend, then in June, September, and December. The BOG consists of about 100 executives from across the 30 NHL Clubs. Each Club is represented by a Governor (usually the owner) and two or more Alternate Governors. Kevin Compton (Governor) and Doug Wilson and I (Alternate Governors) represented the San Jose Sharks. Each Club is entitled to one board vote (usually belonging to the Governor) on League matters. As with any board, the primary purpose of the BOG is to provide direction to the League's executive management and to vote on certain agenda items.

Read the rest of this blog entry >>

Here is The Daily Chomp's Monday Mailbag answering your questions sent in by Twitter (tweet @SanJoseSharks using #AskSJS), Facebook, or email.

Q: On Ferriero’s goal vs Calgary, did he close his glove on it? What's the rule on that...
- Stephane D.

TDC: On Tuesday, January 24 at Calgary, Benn Ferriero scored the only goal of the game in a 1-0 shutout win for the Sharks. It was midway through the third period that Ferriero found himself in the crease behind the goalie as a rebounding puck bounced above his head. In the scoring effort, Ferriero quickly grabbed the puck out the air and dropped it to the ice where he had the opportunity to shoot the puck in the defenseless net. It was a talented display of quick hand-eye coordination. Watch it again here:



Rule 67.2 of the NHL Rule Book answers the posed question



Q: If the Sharks had scored 2 (or more) goals on that 5-minute major, would the stat sheet show them being "2 for 1" on the power play? How is that calculated for Major penalties?
- Brian D.

TDC: On Monday, January 23 at Edmonton, Oilers forward Ales Hemsky was assessed a five minute major penalty for kneeing at 5:37 of the third period. Hemsky was also given a game misconduct, ejecting him from the game. Hemsky's teammate, Teemu Hartikainen, was sent to the box to serve the five minute penalty. According to NHL Rule 20.2, the Sharks were to skate with a man-advantage for the full duration of the five minute major. 

Read the rest of Monday Mailbag >>

LOGAN COUTURE PICKED LAST IN ALL-STAR DRAFT

National Hockey League teams go to great lengths to ensure that they make the correct decisions at the draft table every year. Understandably getting it right in the first round is a priority. It was once suggested to me that the typical NHL club might end up spending up to a million dollars making their first round selection. Amateur scouts may have spent several years watching a prospect make his way through junior hockey in North American or abroad. I don’t know exactly how much the Sharks scouting department spent during the lead up to picking Logan Couture with the 9th selection in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft but it looks like whatever the tab was, it was money well spent. In just his second full season in the league Couture has the look of a franchise type player. The kind of player who leads his team on the ice, makes those around him better and handles himself with class off the ice. This year he’s on pace to surpass last season’s 32 goals and 56points. Even without injured line mate Ryane Clowe he’s finding a way to put the puck in the net. He scores shorthanded and he scores on the power play. And how about the classy way he handled being picked last at the NHL All Star Draft? As a team official from a rival club told me recently, there’s no limit to what Couture can accomplish.

FIGHTING DISAPPEARING?

On a recent edition of Ask The Crew on our Comcast Sportsnet California telecast, a viewer asked Drew Remenda and I if we thought fighting would disappear from the NHL in the future? I said that I thought it would and there’s mounting evidence to suggest that it might indeed be the case. At its recent winter meetings, USA Hockey recommended that fighting be eliminated at the Tier I, II and III levels. If the vote this summer passes, any fights in USA Hockey sanctioned events will result in the combatants each receiving a game misconduct and an additional one game suspension. And now USA Hockey is asking that Canada work to ban fighting too. And Hockey Canada officials say they are willing to discuss the fighting issue as it pertains to the increase in concussions and head injuries and do what’s best for the players. Like it or not fighting in hockey will die a slow death. My guess is that 10 years from now you’ll hardly see it in the NHL.

Read the rest of Randy's Ramblings >>

OTTAWA, Ontario -- The lone event scheduled for Friday of the 2012 NHL All-Star weekend was the player and coaches media availability. Sharks head coach Todd McLellan and All-Star Logan Couture met with members of the print and television media to discuss -- among many, many other things -- how the teams are shaping up following Thursday night's All-Star Fantasy Draft.

Couture was a good sport, answering numerous questions about the previous night's draft and being selected with the last pick.

"I woke up today, still had a good laugh about it," he said. "It was a fun experience for me to go through. I definitely enjoyed it. I gained 7,000 more Twitter followers because of it. My phone has been non-stop flashing."

As the coaches arrived, the NHL released the 2012 Molson Canadian NHL All-Star Skills Competition lineups for Team Alfredsson and Team Chara. Couture was selected by Senators captain Daniel Alfredsson and Rangers goaltender Henrik Lundqvist to participate in the Allstate Insurance NHL Breakaway Challenge (part trick shot, part slam dunk contest) and the G Series NHL Skills Challenge Relay (stick handling portion).

Last year as one of the rookies, Couture participated in the accuracy shooting competition and the elimination shootout.

The breakaway challenge has become one of the skills competition's signature events and all eyes will once again be on Couture. With skills like hardest shot, fastest skater, accuracy shooting, players can rely on muscle memory and the thousands of hours they put into their training.

But for the breakaway challenge, players must find that balance between showcasing their puckhandling skills and entertaining the crowd by showcasing their personalities. Couture was candid when asked about his role in Saturday night's exhibition.

"I think a little nervous, I’m sure," he said. "Once it starts to get going and I realize I have to do that skilled breakaway thing, I think I’ll be really nervous."

Read the rest of this blog entry >>

Time for my weekly Baker’s Dozen.

1. The All-Star Game is in my hometown of Ottawa and one of the great joys of an Ottawa winter is skating on the Ottawa Canal; The longest skating rink in the world. Click on the photo above to get a glimpse.
   #BringsOutTheKidInAllOfUs


2. March 20, April 5 and April 7. Mark those dates! They are the last 3 games between the Sharks and Kings.
   #TwoTeamRaceForPacific?


3. Todd McLellan who is in Ottawa representing the Western Conference as a coach in the All-Star Game just gets it. Just getting it meaning understanding hockey from a technical and tactical standpoint. His best asset aside from his incredible preparation is his ability to communicate and deal with people.
   #TheStatsSpeakForThemselves
   
   • 179-77-37 Regular Season with San Jose
   • Sharks have been to the Conference Finals 3 times in their history, twice with McLellan
   • Won the Stanley Cup as an Assistant Coach in Detroit
   • Won the 2003 Calder Cup with Houston as the Head Coach


4. Last year at the All-Star break, how many people picked Boston to win the Stanley Cup?
   #SoYou’reSayingWeHaveAChance_Eh!


5. Pavelski on the difference of losing to Vancouver in regulation or Edmonton in the Shootout, “A loss is a loss and it hurts either way.”
   #HonestAnalysisComesWithTheTerritory

Read the rest of Friday's Baker's Dozen >>

OTTAWA, Ontario -- Good afternoon from the cold and snowy Capital of Canada. Sharks head coach Todd McLellan and center Logan Couture are scheduled to meet with the media today at 1 PM Pacific / 4 PM Eastern and we wanted to give you the chance to ask them some questions at today's media availability.

Send us your questions on Facebook, tweet @SanJoseSharks using #AskSJS or email us at web@sjsharks.com and we'll have the Coach and Coutch answer the best ones. Check out SJSHARKS.com later today to see if your questions made the cut.

RIDEAU CANAL SKATEWAY CLOSED

The winter weather has claimed its first All-Star Weekend event. A combination of snow flurries, freezing rain and cool temperatures hit Ottawa overnight, continued all morning and has now moved into the afternoon hours. Currently it's 31°F and snowing, but feels considerably cooler with the wind chill.

Due to inclement weather, the Sens Foundation, Energizer® and the NHL® will move the inaurgural Energizer Night Skate to the Rink of Dreams at Marion Dewer Plaza in Ottawa. The Rideau Canal Skateway, the original location for the event, has been closed by the National Capital Commission due to poor ice conditions.

I had planned on skating in the night skate on the canal, but now may opt to instead skate on the canal tomorrow during the day. More info on that as it gets closer.

GATINEAU, Quebec -- Day One of the 2012 NHL All-Star Weekend featured a full itinerary of travel and plenty of Sharks making headlines, culminating in the 2012 NHL Molson Canadian NHL All-Star Player Fantasy Draft.

Sharks center Logan Couture, who played his junior hockey locally for the Ottawa 67's of the OHL, was the center of attention on Thursday night selected by Team Alfredsson with the final pick of the fantasy draft. Despite the dubious honor, Couture remained in good spirits earning a 2012 Honda Crosstour and $20,000 for the grassroots hockey charity of his choice.

Couture racked up 287 points in 232 career games over four seasons with the Ottawa 67's

Thursday night posed a unique situation for media covering the event. Due to the intimate size of the theatre where the draft show took place, there was no on-site media access but instead a media workroom setup to watch the draft show via television.

Fortunately, Sharks Director of Media Relations Scott Emmert was able to catch up with Couture and ask him about the experience so far.

"Guys have been blowing up my phone the past hour, asking if they can have the car," Couture said. "I had fun with it. You can’t take it personally. Being the young guy here, first time and playing on the West Coast, I knew it was a possibility.

"I just wanted to have a good time with it and I and I did. Jumbo (Sharks captain Joe Thornton) has been all over me, he loves it. They are pretty happy for me."

For Couture, it was a hectic 48 hours beginning with San Jose's 1-0 shutout win in Calgary on Tuesday night and ending with Thursday night's festivities.

"We left Calgary after the game and got back late because we got caught up with customs," he said. "But had a nice day on Wednesday to relax in San Jose. Flew out early this morning to the East Coast just before the draft."

At just 22 years old, Couture is at his second All-Star Weekend, participating as one of the rookies last year in Carolina. He resumes his busy schedule on Friday evening, first heading to the All-Star Media Availability, then he will have a special opportunity to see some familiar faces.

"It’s awesome, something I have definitely looked forward to since I was named to the team," he said, on returning to Ottawa. "I'm planning on going to the 67’s game tomorrow night. Hopefully see Killer (the legendary 67's coach Brian Kilrea) and my billets who I lived with here for four years. I love this city and the fans were great to me so it’s exciting to come back here."

Read the rest of this blog entry >>

With the Sharks and the Flames set to face each other on Tuesday night in Calgary, here are the links you need to read before the game:

BURNS OUT, INJURY NOT AS SEVERE AS FEARED
Mercury News beat writer David Pollak reports that Sharks defenseman Brent Burns will be out of the lineup on Tuesday night, but adds that head coach Todd McLellan classified it as 'more of a charley-horse situation' rather than a knee injury.
[ Working the Corners ]

REACTION FROM BURNS
CSN California beat writer Kevin Kurz reports on Burns' injury including quotes from the blueliner on his immediate reaction to the hit and his thoughts on Oilers forward Ales Hemsky. Read his game day blog 'What to Watch for' on Sharks Talk.
[ Sharks Talk ]

TANGUAY SET TO RETURN
Flames Insider Scott Cruickshank reports that left wing Alex Tanguay is set to return to the Calgary lineup after missing 15 games due to a neck injury.
[ Calgary Herald ]

BEHIND ENEMY LINES
CalgaryFlames.com talked with Sharks right wing Joe Pavelski about Monday night's shootout loss in Edmonton and facing Calgary for the second time in a week's time.
[ Flames on Demand ]

SHARKS AND FLAMES PREVIEW
NHL.com writer Brian Compton previews Tuesday's matinee meeting, including trends to watch on both sides of the puck.
[ NHL.com ]

You may not have asked for it, but you're getting it anyway. Here is The Daily Chomp's debut of the Monday Mailbag. If you have questions, tweet @SanJoseSharks using #AskSJS, sends us a question on Facebook, or email us on the Tip Line. This week we look at some of the basics of hockey and answer some of your lingering questions.

Q: At the end of OT, can players be called for penalties, and if so, are they sent to the box for the shootout? I was watching tonight's broadcast and thought I heard the arena announcer citing penalties but the broadcasters didn't mention anything. There was a big scuffle involving (Marc-Edouard) Vlasic and a Flame and I believe (Justin) Braun.
- Peter M.

TDC: As overtime came to an end during last Tuesday night's game between the Sharks and the Flames, San Jose defenseman Marc-Edouard Vlasic and Calgary forward Mike Cammalleri came to blows and each earned roughing minors as time expired. Imagine the confusion of some fans when Cammalleri was one of Flames shooters to face Sharks goaltender Antti Niemi in the shootout just moments later.

Was Cammalleri eligible for the shootout since he took a penalty at the end of overtime? According to NHL Rule 84.4:


Sharks fans may remember back to the 2005-06 season when, in just the fourth shootout in Sharks franchise history, Oilers forward Ryan Smyth scored the shootout-determining goal after taking a holding penalty as overtime expired.

Understandably, some fans feel that a player that is penalized at the end of overtime should be disqualified from participating in the shootout. However, if the League were to make that a rule, you have to consider the unintended consequences of enforcing that rule. Some teams could adopt a strategy of sending enforcer-type players after star players on the opposing team in an attempt to preemptively disqualify them from an impending shootout. In this case, even hade Vlasic and Cammalleri engaged in a fight as time expired, both would have still been eligible to participate in the shootout.

Read the rest of the Monday Mailbag >>