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The Sharks were pegged for greatness. Some considered '99-00 to be a breakout year for the young team, but San Jose struggled just to make the postseason. ESPN.com takes a Closer Look at San Jose in '99-00 and what it needs to get better next season.

Season Review: High expectations fall short

	Nolan

Perhaps, it was unfair to expect the Sharks to make the leap and join the NHL elite, but after a promising start (7-2-0), a winning record seemed anything but unlikely. However, when the season ended, the Sharks were two games under .500 and forced to play St. Louis in the first round.

And in keeping with San Jose's unpredictable nature, the Sharks shocked the Blues in seven games.

There's little doubt that Owen Nolan's scoring ability (44 goals) and toughness (108 penalty minutes) make him the team's core asset. But San Jose's fortunes often involved goaltending and defense. With the Mike Vernon trade, Steve Shields became the No. 1 goalie. His 2.56 GAA and .911 save percentage were solid, but he had inconsistent stretches, including January when he had a 3.03 GAA and went 3-7-1. Rookie defenseman Brad Stuart played well in his first season, but overall, the defense didn't help Shields as much as it could have.

Offensively, depth was a problem. After Nolan, Vincent Damphousse's 70 points was second on the team. But there just wasn't enough help after that. Mike Ricci might have been the only high-profile forward to overachieve. Ricci's 20 goals were his highest total since '93-94, and his plus-16 was six more than the next-highest forward, Niklas Sundstrom.

The Open Market: Don't envy Lombardi
General manager Dean Lombardi has a tough job. Being an NHL GM carries prestige but plenty of pressure. Lombardi might get the bends coming up for air with all the work he needs to do in the next month or so. Check the list of unsigned players, and it basically resembles a short list of the most valuable players on the Sharks' roster. Topping the list is Nolan and Shields, two essential pieces of the future playoff pie. Only Ron Sutter and Jeff Norton are unrestricted free agents on the unsigned list.

	FREE AGENCY
	Key unsigned free agents: Todd Harvey, Alexander Korolyuk, Patrick Marleau, John Nabokov, Owen Nolan, Marcus Ragnarsson, Steve Shields, Marco Sturm, Jeff Norton, Ron Sutter. Signings/offseason acquisitions: Greg Andrusak, Niklas Sundstrom, Scott Thornton, Jim Montgomery, Dave MacIsaac, Jarrett Deuling, Steve Bancroft.

Scott Thornton can be considered an upgrade at center from Sutter, but he's the only notable addition. It would be great if Jim Montrgomery made the big club; he's a point-a-game guy in the AHL who hasn't really received a fair shot in the NHL since playing 67 games for St. Louis in the early '90s. At 31, this could be his last shot.

So, in the end, to expect everyone in camp on time is a high expectation -- almost as high as some of last year's predictions that had the Sharks going to the Cup finals.

How to improve: Signings and a steady Shields
Bad starts can be dangerous in the NHL, and the Sharks cannot afford to have too many guys miss camp. Obviously, Shields and Nolan are the biggest keys, but important role players will be missed, as well. If Lombardi can get everyone in on time, San Jose benefits from that positive momentum.

Like last season, Shields will be the swing factor. He has experience energizing the team with a big save and deflating the Sharks with a soft goal. Shields must minimize the soft goals, especially early in games. In the playoffs, he seemed to alternate a good game with a bad one. That is emblematic of the Sharks' sub-.500 record.

Brian A. Shactman is the NHL Editor for ESPN.com.