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Oh, and you better believe teams from northern climates -- where winter continues to drag on -- are happy to be playing in a place where you don't need a parka.

"It's not snowing and I'm kind of like, 'Wait a minute, it's not hockey weather!' " added Phoebe Manchester, coach of the Pittsburgh Penguins Elite. "It's weird not needing a jacket and only wearing a T-shirt. People are lucky here where they can play hockey and then wear shorts."

That was the idea behind the NHL's if-you-freeze-it, they-will-come strategy of Sun Belt expansion that gave rise to the Sharks in 1991. Even though the Bay Area has transplants from traditional hockey country and previously had an NHL team (the Seals) from 1966 through 1976, the Sharks made a conscious effort the last two decades to build a base of new fans from the ground up, teaching them the game.

The recreational venues overseen by the Sharks serve as what Gustafson calls a "fan factory." The main center in San Jose, an 188,000-square-foot, city-owned facility featuring four rinks, is the largest west of the Mississippi River under one roof. The adult leagues -- which have almost 5,000 participants -- play games past midnight each night, which is why more rinks are on the drawing board.

Meanwhile, the San Jose Jr. Sharks youth system has grown to become one of the country's 10 largest. The program celebrated a milestone this week when 22-year-old defenseman Matt Tennyson, of Pleasanton, became the first local to skate for the Sharks.

"It wasn't until I retired and started spending time at the other side of the rink with my kids that I realized just how big the operation has become," said former Shark Curtis Brown, a Saskatchewan native who now is the Jr. Sharks director. "It's not only the Shark Tank where people are cheering. Holy moly, there are these huge grass-roots programs that are building interest."

There's enough interest that last fall a professional minor league team even was launched as the San Francisco Bulls began playing at the Cow Palace.

Hockey also is big business. This week's tournaments are resulting in more than 6,000 hotel room nights with the South Bay alone receiving an estimated $1.13 million in visitor spending, according to Team San Jose, which serves as the city's convention and visitors bureau.

Sharks Ice events, which will pump about $5.3 million into the local economy this fiscal year, often bring visitors to town on weekends and holidays -- dates when hotel rooms can go vacant in business-travel-oriented Silicon Valley.

"It's a huge bonus for us to tailor a sales pitch that says: '300 days of sunshine a year and you can come play hockey,' " said Meghan Horrigan, Team San Jose's director of communications. "That's a hard selling point to beat."

Earlier this week, teenagers from the powerhouse Shattuck St. Mary's prep school in Minnesota were lounging outside Sharks Ice, catching some rays before practice. So was coach Gordie Stafford.

"It's so important for hockey that we grow in these nontraditional markets," he said. "That's why it's great that California hockey is coming on. The Sharks have raised the profile of this area throughout the country."

It might even be time for someone to come up with a catchy nickname for San Jose.

"Everybody around the NHL knows this is a hockey town now," Marleau said. "Maybe we're almost-Hockeytown."

Contact Mark Emmons at 408-920-5745. Follow him at Twitter.com/markedwinemmons.

Sharks have sold out every game at HP Pavilion since Dec. 3, 2009.

The Sharks Ice at San Jose facility is the largest west of Mississippi River.

Sharks Ice has the nation's largest adult-league program with nearly 5,000 players.

San Jose Jr. Sharks youth program is one of the country's 10 largest.

Matt Tennyson just became first former Jr. Shark player to skate for the Sharks.

Minor league San Francisco Bulls began play this season at Cow Palace.

Sharks Ice is second only to San Jose Convention Center for booking hotel nights.

San Jose was voted by Bleacher Report as 10th best hockey city.

San Jose Mercury News: LOADED: 04.04.2013

667916 San Jose Sharks

New Shark Raffi Torres hopes to make amends with San Jose fans

By David Pollak

Posted: 04/03/2013 02:50:13 PM PDT

Updated: 04/03/2013 03:50:40 PM PDT

SAN JOSE -- The Sharks decided Wednesday that the way to improve their chances for playoff success was to put Raffi Torres, a longtime villain known for his often reckless style of play, into a teal jersey.

"San Jose fans have been pretty tough on me the past couple years, but I get it," Torres said. "It's the way I play. Hopefully once I get starting on the body and scoring a couple goals they'll turn into fans."

General manager Doug Wilson acquired the left wing from the Phoenix Coyotes for a third-round pick in the 2013 draft minutes before the Wednesday NHL trade deadline. Earlier in the day, he added former San Jose defenseman Scott Hannan to the roster by sending a conditional seventh-round pick to the

Nashville Predators.

Neither of the new Sharks will be in the lineup against the Minnesota Wild on Wednesday night when San Jose tries to extend its winning streak to seven games.

Wilson said that Torres -- though somewhat reformed since a 21-game suspension for hitting Chicago Blackhawk Marian Hossa in the head during the 2012 playoffs -- brings a toughness the team lost with the trade that sent Ryane Clowe to the New York Rangers on Tuesday.

What about Torres's reputation?

"That's exactly what you want," Wilson said. "You hate playing against him. You want him on your side."

But he stressed that Torres, 31, is not a one-dimensional player.

"People certainly know when he's on the ice, but he can play,

too," Wilson said. "He can play the game and he can get in there. The speed to his game is a big part of it. You want your physical presence to have speed. . . . He can play with good players. I think he has five goals this year, so he can shoot the puck, too."

Torres has done some serious damage to San Jose's playoff chances in the past. In a 2006 second-round series against Edmonton, his open-ice hit to Milan Michalek's head became the turning point as the Sharks were eliminated 4-2 in a series they once led 2-0. Playing for the Vancouver Canucks in Game 4 of the 2011 Western Conference finals, Torres delivered a hard but clean hit on Joe Thornton that separated his shoulder and limited his mobility in Game 5.

Torres said the 21-game suspension for the hit on Hossa led the left wing to clean up the dirtier aspects of his game.

"You know what?" Torres said. "I knew my game, prior to the suspension, was at a place where I didn't want to end up hurting someone. My game was a little bit reckless. My problem was that I got a little too caught up in the moment... I was running around and it was almost kind of deteriorating my overall game.

"I'm at a point now where I'm not really looking for the big hit. . . . I will not back down from trying to run someone over to change momentum, but I think I just do it a little more cautiously now."

The acquisition of Torres overshadowed Hannan's return to San Jose earlier in the day.

Hannan, 34, had 25 goals and 102 assists in 508 games with the Sharks from 1998 to 2007 before leaving as a free agent. Since then, he has played for the Colorado Avalanche, Washington Capitals, Calgary Flames and Predators.

The Sharks see him adding veteran depth at a position where two rookies are now in the starting lineup while Jason Demers recovers from a head injury.

"Scotty's been here before — we understand his character and how he carries himself around the rink and around the locker room and

The San Jose Sharks have re-acquired defenseman Scott Hannan.

we thought he'd be a very good fit to come in and be a mentoring defenseman," coach Todd McLellan said.

Wilson said that Hannan is hobbled by a neck injury, but suggested he could be given a clean bill of health within the next week.

Both new Sharks will become unrestricted free agents on July 1.

San Jose Mercury News: LOADED: 04.04.2013

667917 San Jose Sharks

Busy San Jose Sharks get Raffi Torres from Phoenix

By David Pollak

Posted: 04/03/2013 12:22:40 PM PDT

Updated: 04/03/2013 12:41:36 PM PDT

SAN JOSE -- The Sharks have acquired forward Raffi Torres -- one of the NHL's most feared and physical players — from the Phoenix Coyotes for a third-round draft pick.

The move right at the NHL noon Wednesday trade deadline comes less than a day after the Sharks sent one of their more physical players, Ryane Clowe, to the New York Rangers.

"Our guys have played well enough that they deserve an addition," Sharks general manager Doug Wilson said, acknowledging Torres will bring some of the toughness lost with Clowe.

In picking up Torres, the Sharks get a player with a history of suspensions, including one for 21 games last spring for a hit on Chicago Blackhawks forward Marian Hossa. Torres also has

ST PAUL, MN - MARCH 27: Tom Gilbert #77 of the Minnesota Wild and Raffi Torres #37 of the Phoenix Coyotes go after a loose puck during the second period of the game on March 27, 2013 at Xcel Energy Center in St Paul, Minnesota. (JpgHannah Foslien/Jpg

hurt San Jose in the past as his hit on forward Milan Michalek during a 2006 playoff series against the Edmonton Oilers is considered the turning point that sent the Sharks down to defeat.

Torres, 31, is in the final year of a contract paying him a pro-rated $1.75 million this season.

San Jose Mercury News: LOADED: 04.04.2013

667918 San Jose Sharks

Sharks re-acquire Scott Hannan for a draft pick

By David Pollak

Posted: 04/03/2013 10:38:45 AM PDT

Updated: 04/03/2013 11:06:53 AM PDT

SAN JOSE -- The Sharks are bringing Scott Hannan back to where the defenseman's career began 15 years ago.

General manager Doug Wilson sent a conditional seventh-round draft pick to the Nashville Predators for Hannan just hours before the NHL trade deadline of noon Wednesday. If Hannan plays in a postseason game for San Jose, that pick becomes a sixth-round selection.

Hannan, 34, is in the final year of a contract that pays him a pro-rated $1 million this season.

Wilson had said on March 25 that he didn't expect to be adding rental players this season, but that was before defenseman Jason Demers was injured in a game against the Detroit Red Wings. The Sharks currently have two rookies on the blue line,

The San Jose Sharks have re-acquired defenseman Scott Hannan, who played 508 games with the Sharks from 1998 to 2007 before leaving as a free agent.

and this provides added depth at that position.

Hannan played 508 games with the Sharks from 1998 to 2007 before leaving as a free agent. He had 25 goals and 102 assists before going on to play for the Colorado Avalanche, Washington Capitals, Calgary Flames and Predators.

San Jose Mercury News: LOADED: 04.04.2013

667919 San Jose Sharks

San Jose Sharks win sixth in a row, 4-2 over Minnesota Wild

By David Pollak

Posted: 04/03/2013 10:25:09 PM PDT

Updated: 04/03/2013 11:43:41 PM PDT

SAN JOSE -- Sharks coach Todd McLellan talked about the need for his team to make hay on this season-long, seven-game homestand. Maybe it's time to build a bigger barn.

Wednesday night, the Sharks got goals that ranged from a beautiful end-to-end rush by Dan Boyle to a fluky bounce that went Joe Thornton's way to dispose of the Minnesota Wild 4-2 in a friction-filled game that ended with Marc-Edouard Vlasic and former teammate Dany Heatley scuffling on the ice.

"The last shift both teams were cross checking, slashing, slew foot," said Vlasic, who earned a minor and game misconduct penalties at the finish. "He took a swing at me and missed. I took a swing at him and got him. That's what it is."

The Sharks are now a perfect 5-0 during this stretch at HP Pavilion as they extended the NHL's longest current win streak to six games. With 44 points, the Sharks leapfrogged the Los Angeles Kings into fifth place in the Western Conference standings.

In addition to Boyle and Thornton, the Sharks got goals from Marty Havlat and TJ Galiardi, with Antti Niemi making 31 saves for the win. Two players with San Jose connections -- Charlie Coyle and Heatley -- accounted for the Minnesota scoring.

Havlat's goal at 1:34 of the first period gave the Sharks a 1-0 lead, but it was Boyle's less than four minutes later that really impressed the sellout crowd.

With two Wild players in the penalty box, Boyle hauled the puck the full length of the

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ice, faked out All-Star defenseman Ryan Suter and tucked a backhand shot behind Minnesota goalie Niklas Backstrom.

Boyle said the decision to make it a one-man show was spontaneous.

"I was going to drop it, probably at the red line," he said, "but I just changed my mind and I'm glad I did."

But in the second period, Minnesota got two goals 25 seconds apart to tie the game.

Onetime San Jose prospect Coyle tapped in a rebound of a shot by Zach Parise at 10:33, and on the next shift Heatley launched a 56-foot slap shot that eluded Niemi.

Thornton got what turned out to be the winning goal at 14:42 of the period when what appeared to be a centering pass banked off Wild defenseman Clayton Stoner and into the Minnesota net.

"You just want to funnel pucks close to the net," Thornton said. "You never know what can happen."

The insurance goal came at 6:55 of the third period when Galiardi, getting rare power-play time, camped out in front of the Wild net and got to a loose puck before anyone else.

The Sharks rewarded rookie defenseman Matt Irwin with a two-year contract extension Wednesday that will pay him $900,000 the first year and $1.1 million the second.

San Jose Mercury News: LOADED: 04.04.2013

667920 San Jose Sharks

Sharks make trades, beat Wild 4-2

Associated Press

Updated 11:58 pm, Wednesday, April 3, 2013

Dan Boyle scored on a spectacular end-to-end rush with a two-man advantage to help the San Jose Sharks win their sixth straight game, 4-2 over the Minnesota Wild on Wednesday night at HP Pavilion.

"I've had a lot of highlight rushes, but I never seem to finish it with a goal," Boyle said. "It was nice to put it away and get a little momentum for our team."

Marty Havlat got the scoring started for San Jose, and Joe Thornton broke a tie with a goal off the skate of a Minnesota defender late in the second period. TJ Galiardi also scored, and Antti Niemi made 31 saves to help the Sharks move into a tie for fourth place in the Western Conference.

Charlie Coyle and Dany Heatley scored for the Wild, who lost for the third time in four games following a seven-game win streak.

Both teams made moves earlier in the day before the trade deadline with the Sharks getting forward Raffi Torres from Phoenix and defenseman Scott Hannan from Nashville, and Minnesota acquiring forward Jason Pominville from Buffalo. The Coyotes received a third-round pick in this year's draft for Torres; the Predators will get either a sixth- or seventh-rounder for Hannan.

After starting the lead-up to the trade deadline by dealing bruising defenseman Douglas Murray, physical forward Ryane Clowe and center Michal Handzus, general manager Doug Wilson made some additions to help a team move up from ninth place.

"This group earned that equity by their performance," Wilson said. "They earned the ability and the need to add these type of guys who are playoff-type guys and give you the depth that you need."

Minnesota overcame a slow start to tie the game with a pair of goals in a 25-second span midway through the second period.

The Sharks went back ahead after the Wild kept turning the puck over as they tried to clear the zone. The last turnover came when Brent Burns took the puck from Jared Spurgeon and fed it to Thornton, whose pass back to Burns hit off Clayton Stoner's skate and into the net to give San Jose a 3-2 lead heading to the third.

Galiardi scored his first power-play goal since 2009 early in the third when he poked in a rebound with Cal Clutterbuck out for hooking Andrew Desjardins.

The Sharks scored twice in the opening period. Burns beat Jonas Brodin to the puck deep in the Minnesota zone and got it to Thornton behind the net. Thornton fed Havlat, who beat Niklas Backstrom with a one-timer from the circle to make it 1-0 just 1:34 into the game.

Boyle then delivered his breathtaking goal with the Sharks on a two-man advantage when Stoner shot the puck over the glass for a delay of game with Kyle Brodziak already in the box for hooking. Minnesota won the face-off and cleared the puck.

Boyle retrieved it deep in San Jose's zone and started his rush from behind the goal. He went straight up the middle and juked Ryan Suter inside the blue line before stickhandling past Backstrom to knock in the backhand to make it 2-0.

San Francisco Chronicle LOADED: 04.04.2013

667921 San Jose Sharks

Exclusive: Sharks sign Matt Irwin to extension

April 3, 2013, 6:30 pm

Staff

SAN JOSE - The Sharks have signed defenseman Matt Irwin to a two-year contract extension, a source confirmed to CSNCalifornia.com. The Sharks made it official later on Wednesday.

“We’re very excited to have Matt Irwin for the next two years. We think he has a bright future,” Doug Wilson told CSNCalifornia.com.

Irwin, 25, was due to become an unrestricted free agent this summer.

In 26 games, Irwin has five goals and four assists for nine points and four penalty minutes. The six-foot-two-inch British Columbia native was originally signed by the Sharks as a free agent on March 23, 2010.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 04.04.2013

667922 San Jose Sharks

Wilson adds depth on deadline day

April 3, 2013, 2:00 pm

Staff

SAN JOSE – One is a veteran defenseman that spent the entirety of his early career in a Sharks uniform, and a player that will provide depth and some size on the blue line.

Raffi Torres, of course, is the latter. The Sharks sent the third round pick they acquired from the New York Rangers on Tuesday for Ryane Clowe to Phoenix, in exchange for Torres, who is set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer. He’s expected to arrive in San Jose on Thursday.

Defenseman Scott Hannan, who spent his first eight years in the NHL with the Sharks from 1999-2007, was acquired from Nashville for a conditional seventh round pick. It would become a sixth round pick if he plays in a single playoff game, and he, too, has an expiring contract.

Regarding Torres, Sharks general manager Doug Wilson said the 31-year-old could help fill the void left by Clowe’s departure.

“That’s exactly what you want. You hate playing against him; you want him on your side,” Wilson said. “He can skate, people know when he’s on the ice, and he can play, too. With Ryane moving on to New York, having that physical presence I think is very important. He’s a guy that we’re all very familiar with, but he can play the game and get in there. The speed to his game is a big part of it. You want your physical presence to have speed.”

Torres was surprised by the move to a division rival.

“That definitely surprised me going to San Jose,” he said. “At the end of the day, I love playing in San Jose. It’s an electric building, it’s loud, and it’s something I think can help my game. I get energy off the crowd and that gets me excited, so I’m looking forward to it.”

[RATTO: Wilson 'refreshes' roster, keeps core together]

There are two hits in particular that Torres is known for in the Bay Area. While playing for Edmonton in the playoffs in 2006, he hit then-Shark Milan Michalek with an elbow to the head. A few years later with Vancouver in 2011, he leveled Joe Thornton with a clean check that separated Thornton’s shoulder. The Sharks went on to lose both series.

“San Jose fans have been pretty tough on me the past couple years, but I get it,” Torres said. “It’s the way I play. Hopefully, once I start getting on the body and score a couple goals, they’ll turn into fans.”

More recently, Torres is known for his dirty check to the head of Chicago’s Marian Hossa in the playoffs last season while with Phoenix. That hit resulted in a 25-game suspension that ended his playoff run with the Coyotes, who went on the Western Conference finals. The suspension was eventually reduced to 21 games, and forced him to sit for the first eight games this season.

This year, Torres has just 13 penalty minutes in 28 games. What changed?

“Well, my bank account changed,” Torres joked. “I knew my game, prior to the suspension, was at a place...I didn’t want to end up hurting someone. My game was a little bit reckless. My problem is I get a little too caught up in the moment, and I feel like I need to go out there and throw that big hit. I’d run around, and it was deteriorating my overall game.

“I think I’m at a point now where I’m not really looking for the big hit. I’m trying to work on stick-on-puck, and taking away the puck and taking the body. I will not back down from trying to run someone over to change the momentum, I think I just do it a little more cautiously now.”

Wilson compared him to another player that has seemingly altered the way he plays after a number of suspensions.

“I think you’ve seen Matt Cooke do it in Pittsburgh, too,” Wilson said. “These guys can play the game and they can skate. They are not the three or four minute, one-dimensional players. That’s what you’re looking for. All your physical guys have to have the element of making the other people nervous.”

Hannan’s arrival will give the Sharks some insurance on the blue line, and allows San Jose to keep Brent Burns at forward, where he’s been a more effective player. Hannan has a minor neck injury, according to Wilson, but he’s expected to be ready “within the week.”

“He’s a guy coming in here to help the depth of our defense,” Wilson said. “Our guys know him very well and he’s a veteran guy that come playoff time, that’s what you’re looking for.”

Brad Stuart played with Hannan during his first stint with the Sharks.

“Good veteran guy that can step in and play an important role, I think,” Stuart said. “If you’re going to make a [playoff] run, you’ve got to have an abundance of defensemen that can play and has experience in those types of situations. He does, and it’s a good addition.”

Torres will wear uniform number 13, while Hannan will wear 27. Neither will play on Wednesday night when the Sharks continue their homestand against Minnesota.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 04.04.2013

667923 San Jose Sharks

Wilson 'refreshes' roster, keeps core together

April 3, 2013, 1:15 pm

Staff

Programming note: Coverage of Sharks-Wild begins at 7:00 PT with Sharks Pregame Live on CSN California.

So in the end, Doug Wilson sanded a bit at the ends, traded two low picks for two higher picks, Douglas Murray for Scott Hannan, and Ryane Clowe for Raffi Torres. If that’s “refreshing” the Sharks’ roster, then so be it.

It does reinforce the long held belief that Wilson as general manager still believes in the true core of his team as a Stanley Cup contender. He has always been an active but conservative trader in that way, and confronted with the opportunity to make a loud statement, he preferred to whisper.