Sharks’ Scott Hannan Not Sitting Around Wasting Away

Among the many players who has competed in an outdoor game before, San Jose Sharks defenseman Scott Hannan sees that as potentially an advantage for this year’s Stadium Series contest – even if the conditions will be quite different than his first experience. Hannan also made one thing clear, he still thinks there is plenty of hockey left in his body after more than 1,000 NHL regular season games. Here are some thoughts he shared after Friday’s practice at Levi’s Stadium…

On whether it helps having played in an outdoor game before:

“I think it rained on us last time in Pittsburgh and Washington. It was at night, but it was colder and it rained, so the conditions are always a little bit different. You just have to be expecting a bad bounce, the puck to bounce a little bit more, maybe the stick, you have to expect the unexpected. Sometimes it’s a tough bounce that can make or break it in the game.”

On what he thinks of the Sharks using the 49ers locker room, which is massive:

“It’s pretty nice. I could get used to this. We need to talk to somebody.”

On if he will use the eye-black during the game, like he did in practice:

“I doubt it. It was just a little bit of showboating for today. I just wanted to feel what it was like to be a football player.”

On the overall expectation for the game:

“It will be a little different with the shadows on the ice and stuff, but it’s going to be awesome. These events are great for fans and for players. It’s not something you get to experience in a normal day to day routine for us. As far as hockey, for one game, just the setting when you walk out and everything, it’s great… It’s great for the families. It’s great for everyone.”

On if getting a win in the Sharks last game helped take any of the edge off, following the team’s recent struggles:

“No. We know it’s a big game. We know we’ve got to win. We’ve got three games in hand. Everybody knows the stakes, the circumstances. We know how big every game is against a team like that. They’re not the only team coming up from behind, if that’s what you want to call it because the games in hand, we’re pretty much all even. We know we have to win all those games. Every game’s important. The next one is after this one…We just have to pick up points.”

On the Sharks moving in a younger direction likely signaling he is near the end of this career:

“That doesn’t cement anything. I knew that was coming a long time ago, it’s cool though. I like working with the young guys… [Veteran players] helped me along the way. I think it’s kind of a full circle type of deal. I want to keep playing. I’m not sitting here wasting away. I want to play. At the same time, I’m happy with my accomplishments. I’m comfortable in my own skin. If that’s the way it goes out, that’s the way it goes down…. [In my mind], I’m not done, that’s for sure.”

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