Toughest NHL area for visiting teams to play in

[GONGSHOW HOCKEY 35]

kinda surprised that Detroit made the list since there is always so many empty seats in the building.

[Snaggle toof 0]

San Jose came to prominence due to its relative position to the state capital and SF/Bay Area. It was never a "major" city in terms of history, and saw its growth only in the modern era. Detroit, on the other hand, was once the country's 4th largest city, behind only Chicago, LA and NYC. The lays of the land are completely different as a result.

While you are right that San Jose experianced its major growth in more recent years, your history is a bit off, San Jose did not grow due to being close to the capital, San Jose was Californias first capital city. It has been an important city in the history of California, even if it didn't get the nation wide recognition.

Anyways, as far as the poll, I'm a little suprized to see SJ at the top of the list, as mentioned by others I think a lot of that must have to due with how good the Sharks have been at home the last few years. The fans are pretty good too though.

[sharkfan20 32]

I thought Edmonton, Calgary, Vancouver, Montreal would be ahead of the Sharks.

[Gutierrez 7]

I think we are on that list for a couple of reasons, one being that JLA is an older building and not as fancy/modern as some of the other newer arenas so having to play here it must be annoying (if that's the correct word) for opposing players. It's a little dingy, it's dark, the opposing locker rooms probably are not as nice, etc. Not to mention the active boards cause fits for away teams to have to deal with and figure out. Another reason is we've had a very good home record the last few years and the away teams know it's tough to win in here.

[GONGSHOW HOCKEY 35]

I thought Edmonton, Calgary, Vancouver, Montreal would be ahead of the Sharks.

Vancouver has too many straight off the boat zipperheads that sit on their hands to be an intimidating arena for the visiting team.

[Grypho 195]

The Sharks usually have a better road than home record, in contrast to a lot of other teams, like the Wings, where it's the other way around by a fairly large margin. That was true even for this year with the Sharks, even if the contrast wasn't as large as in the past.

I talked to Dody Woods and Shean Donovan about this years ago, when Shean was my neighbor in San Jose, and both were playing for the Sharks. He said he thought of two things as being the most intimidating about the Sharks arena for opposing team players. The first isn't what I would have expected, but I think it makes sense, as visiting teams are deliberately treated very well. The locker rooms are extremely nice, very spacious, with provisions that are first rate by comparison to most of the other arenas.

Donovan said, "They get treated like ******* royalty here! You go to another arena, especially the older ones, and it's like they are trying to let you know up front that you're second rate, right from the start. Kind of dumb, really, because all it does is make you want to beat them even more. The Sharks arena does the exact opposite, and I think that might throw other teams off psychologically. It's almost like we're pampering them to sleep before a game."

Secondly, they said that the Sharks fans help (and the acoustics at the arena doesn't hurt), as they have a history of cheering the Sharks on even when they're doing s***ty (after so many years of screaming "SHOOT THE PUCK!!!", we would get excited if any of our pucks went anywhere near the other team's net). Sometimes the Sharks will boo their own team, like fans of other teams, but the Sharks have to be executing some stinking rotten plays, or not trying at all for that to happen.

I personally think that for as cheesy as some fans of other teams think it is, all the staged and scripted background drama (Sharks players entering through a giant shark's jaw, artificial smoke and lights, playing the Jaws theme before a PP, etc.,) has the effect of putting all of the players on the ice under a spotlight -- like they're not just playing a game, but are also on stage, as part of a big dramatic production (a "Sharks Production" no less), which reminds everyone at all times that they are on a 'stage', performing in front of a live audience, as opposed to playing on a rink, with fans looking on.

EDIT: There is one other thing: that "jaws chomp" we do with our arms before a PP, that looks so strange, even silly to many other fans -- it creates movement in the entire crowd that's hard to ignore; strange movement that players don't see in any other arena, unlike twirling towels or thousands of thunder sticks (bangers) that are more typical, and easily ignored as a blur.

Edited May 8, 2010 by Grypho

[Doomster 18]

While you are right that San Jose experianced its major growth in more recent years, your history is a bit off, San Jose did not grow due to being close to the capital, San Jose was Californias first capital city. It has been an important city in the history of California, even if it didn't get the nation wide recognition.

Not sure I agree with the last part. I'm been a longtime South Bay resident and my father told me that 30-40 yrs ago, San Jose was just orchards and farmland. It was since the computer industry took off that San Jose and the surrounding environs started growing. I can't think of anything important that SJ did for CA after the Bear Republic period. But maybe I don't remember much from my California History class.

No matter the history though, it is a vitally important part of the California economy now. Just wish the housing prices were lower.