Sharks re-sign Nichol, Wallin

Hockey Betting Lines

06/26/2010 - San Jose, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The San Jose Sharks have re-signed center Scott Nichol and defenseman Niclas Wallin to one-year contracts.

They were due to become un-restricted free agents July 1, when the free agency period begins. Financial terms of the deals were not disclosed.

Nichol, 35, set career highs in assists (15), points (19) and games played (79) last season, his first with San Jose. He also led the league in faceoff percentage (60.6) and was 12th in hits (226).

"We knew when we brought Scott in last season that he was ultra-competitive," said Sharks general manager Doug Wilson. "Not only did he meet that expectation, but he also brought a very business-like mentality to the rink each night, stepping up as a leader and an important centerman for us."

In 496 career games over parts of 10 seasons with San Jose, Nashville, Chicago, Calgary and Buffalo, Nichol has recorded 48 goals and 63 assists.

Wallin, 35, was acquired by San Jose in a February trade with Carolina, where he had spent the first eight-plus seasons of his career and won a Stanley Cup in 2006.

In 70 games between the Hurricanes and Sharks this past season, Wallin posted seven assists and 49 penalty minutes. In 540 career contests, he has recorded 18 goals, 53 assists and 414 penalty minutes.

"Niclas is a physical veteran presence and will help solidify our blueline," Wilson said. "We were proud of the way he battled through a tough injury during the playoffs and are looking forward to having him at full health."

The Sharks have also re-signed center Andrew Desjardins to a one-year contract. Desjardins, 23, spent last season with San Jose's AHL affiliate in Worcester and had 19 goals and 27 assists.

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Big 12 Conference betting odds

Work left to do: Texas Tech, Oklahoma State, Kansas State

Texas joins Texas A&M and Kansas as locks after getting league win No. 11. Texas Tech greatly helped its own hopes and crippled OK State's with the two-point win Saturday. Is K-State the last reasonable hopeful? Could be an elimination match in Stillwater on Tuesday, at least for the Cowboys.

Work left to do:

Texas Tech [18-11 (7-7), RPI: 44, SOS: 12] A critical two-point win over OK State leaves the Red Raiders with Baylor and at Iowa State left. Get both and the Red Raiders likely are good to go. Get one and there could be some interesting comparisons with a K-State team that could finish two or three games "ahead" of them in the standings but doesn't have any of the quality wins Texas Tech has. Not a lot in nonconference play (against Arkansas in Little Rock being the best win, by far) to lean on.

Oklahoma State [18-9 (5-8), RPI: 50, SOS: 35] Still without a road win, the Cowboys now need to win two on the road just to get to .500 in conference play. It's hard to recall a team (OK, other than Clemson) falling so precipitously from lock status to almost certainly out of the NCAAs at this point. There are wins to be had in the last three, including a very big home game against K-State on Tuesday, but this team is reeling. Can you tell the pressure to win is getting to them with the way the final possession played out at Texas Tech? There are some good nonconference performances to lean on, specifically beating Missouri State and Syracuse on neutral floors and Pitt in OK City, but if the Pokes don't right this very, very soon, that won't be enough.

Kansas State [20-9 (9-5), RPI: 56, SOS: 96] It pays to be in the Big 12 North. The nine league wins are Colorado (twice), Missouri (twice), Iowa State (twice), Baylor, Nebraska and (a good one against) Texas. That helps explain the middling computer profile. The win over USC is nice, but the nonconference leaves a lot to be desired. The game at OK State in Stillwater on Tuesday is huge, as it could KO the Cowboys and leave K-State with a home date against Oklahoma with which to work.