Hello Sharks Fans!

Wow, what a finish to the NHL season! The San Jose Sharks stormed back from the edge of not being in the playoffs to finish fifth in the Western Conference, setting up a match up with the Nashville Predators. Along the way, the young talent we developed in our system continued to step up and help the NHL Sharks finish on fire.

Back in Worcester this past week, FINZ ventured out to Lakewood School to reward Madelynn Davis for winning the Mascot Naming contest. FINZ is already a busy fish, with numerous appearances scheduled, but he is available to do so much more. If you have a group interested in booking FINZ, call our office at 508-929-0500.

The American Hockey League regular season concluded this past weekend. For the Sharks organization it means a time to regroup, rebuild and get ready for October 2006 in Worcester. There is a lot to do prior to your Sharks taking the DCU Center ice!

This is the time of the year that everyone asks me, “So what do you do now that the season is over?” I wish my answer was, lower my handicap on the golf course, improve my backhand or sit on the shore and watch the waves. But that is simply not the case. In a normal “offseason,” an organization goes about business as usual: selling tickets, creating corporate partnerships, planning for opening night and retooling the hockey team.

In our case, we will do all that and more. There are numerous renovations to come at the DCU Center that will improve our hockey facilities and the fan experience. We will keep you in the loop as we go on those. There are still staff positions to fill and offices to set up, but most importantly, we want to become even better acquainted with the community and for the community to become better acquainted with the Sharks.

I am very pleased by the first three-and-a-half months of operation here in Worcester. Our partnership with the City and the DCU Center is solid. We have a good fan base from the pledge drive and we have begun to cultivate corporate partnerships. Our expectations were to be fully up and running by June 1 and we are moving forward on a lot of initiatives. Twelve full-time staffers now man the front office and our coach has already found his house. The Sharks are settling in!

Enjoy the start of both the NHL and AHL Playoffs. Take in an AHL game at a nearby city and see the competition in action for next year. Or find a favorite local establishment and get them to put the Sharks-Predators series on the tube for you. We take great pride in the young players on our roster and you will begin to feel what Sharks Hockey is all about.

Have a great day!

Michael T. Lehr
President