30 Sharks: Steve Bozek
- Updated: February 12, 2021
When Wayne Gretzky was traded to the Los Angeles Kings in 1988, the floodgates, in turn, opened for the surge of popularity of hockey in California.
It wouldn’t be too long when the NHL had not one, but two more franchises in the Golden State, with the former being located in the Bay Area.
Not since 1976 had the National Hockey League had a team in northern California, dating back to the hapless Oakland Seals. However, there was new hope for hockey in the Bay Area after San Jose was granted an NHL franchise to begin play in 1991.
Of course, while the new team, the Sharks, sparked plenty of excitement — especially with their flamboyant teal uniforms — the on-ice product wasn’t much to write about right away.
In this CaliSports News exclusive, I speak with 30 former members of the Sharks family to coincide with the club’s 30th anniversary season.
We begin with one of the players who was part of the inaugural Sharks team — and a former LA King himself — Steve Bozek.
Square One
Signed by the Sharks as a free agent in August 1991, Steve Bozek was bringing 10 years of NHL experience to the new club. However, being part of the NHL’s first expansion team since 1979, Bozek’s experience — along with the other Sharks’ players and coaches — was a fairly unique one.
I asked the former King how it felt walking into the Sharks’ locker room being on the same page as everyone else.
“It was very different as everything was new for management, players and coaches,” Bozek remembered.
Being 30 at the time, Bozek was one of the elder statesmen, if you will, of the expansion Sharks.
Along with veterans Doug Wilson (the team’s first captain) and Kelly Kisio, as well as longtime coach George Kingston, Bozek was brought to San Jose hoping his NHL experience would help the new team achieve at least moderate success.
“It was a learning experience and I think that the veteran players were looked upon for some direction,” the Kelowna, B.C., native added. “Unfortunately, it seemed pretty chaotic and I don’t think that as a team we gelled quite as quickly as everyone expected or wanted.”
The San Jose Sharks finished their maiden season of 1991-92 with a record of 17-58-5. While this may not have been a mark to write home about it, there was nonetheless something special about the Sharks’ inaugural season.
The Cow Palace
Before San Jose Arena (now the SAP Center) was open for business, the San Jose Sharks spent their first two years of existence playing in the old Cow Palace in Daly City, bordering the southern tip of San Francisco.
Unlike most NHL arenas, though, the Cow Palace was very small for professional hockey.
With a seating capacity of just over 11,000 for hockey, the Sharks averaged just under 10,900 fans in their first season.
“The fans were terrific,” Bozek reflected.
As for their home arena, the Cow Palace wasn’t exactly ideal by the NHL standards. Still, there was something special about playing in a smaller building.
“The Cow Palace — or as Dennis Hull (our TV commentator, used to call it, ‘The Palais du Boeuf’ — was certainly not up to NHL standards at the time,” admitted Bozek. “However, being a smaller, older building gave the fans a more intimate view and experience of the game.”
Making It Up Away from the Rink
While Bozek and the Sharks didn’t garner much success on the ice, the memories off the ice had definitely made up for it.
“I’m almost embarrassed to say but unfortunately, most of the memories were off ice,” Bozek noted. “We had so many characters on that initial team that we needed to corral and many times couldn’t. I specifically remember a ‘team bonding’ cruise of the Bay that turned into a karaoke extravaganza for the ages.
“On the ice, it was a struggle. However, when we did win, it was a pretty exciting event for the fans and unfortunately also for the players.”
(Photo by Graig Abel Collection/Getty Images)
In 58 games for the expansion Sharks, Bozek would score eight goals and eight assists in what would be his lone season with the team.
After spending the following season in Italy, Bozek retired from professional hockey. Yet, while his brief time in San Jose may not have resulted in much success on the ice, Steve Bozek’s contributions off the ice definitely helped some of the team’s younger players compete at the NHL level.
Bozek’s tenure with the Sharks is just one of many I’ll be covering for CaliSports News. So, do be sure to stay tuned for more.
Related Posts
About Ryan Cowley
