FanHouse Jeremy Roenick

SAN JOSE -- With numerous friends and family members in attendance, one of the greatest U.S.-born hockey players ever announced his retirement with tears and with laughter.

Jeremy Roenick, 39, a noted talker and one of the great characters of the game, got a little weepy during a lengthy recap of his career and also drew numerous laughs with his recollections.

"Mike Keenan was one of the craziest sons of bitches I've ever seen," Roenick said to chuckles. "He scared me into adapting the way I play. I was at Kalamazoo and he grabbed me by the throat and said if I didn't hit the next guy I saw, I wouldn't play a game in the National Hockey League. I saw the look in his eyes, and I really believed him."

His eyes starting to water, Roenick continued, "I really believe because of him. ... He's why I played the game the way I played it."

Reports began to surface on Tuesday that legendary forward Jeremy Roenick is set to announce his retirement on Thursday.

One of the best American-born players ever, the nine-time All-Star will finish his career with 513 goals, 703 assists, and 1,216 points as a member of the Chicago Blackhawks, Phoenix Coyotes, Philadelphia Flyers, Los Angeles Kings and San Jose Sharks. And for us video game junkies? He'll also be remembered as one of the most dominant cyber-athletes to ever be digitally captured with 16-bit graphics.

It's officially the offseason, meaning the time is right to look into the future. We continue our division-by-division preview of the potential wheeling and dealing with the Pacific Division.

San Jose saw its Presidents' Trophy campaign come to a surprising end in the first round of the NHL playoffs, Los Angeles is still the perfect spot for Dany Heatley, and is there any hope for success on the ice in Phoenix?

Jeremy Roenick can't wait until this time of the year is over. It drives him nuts.

"I'm just sitting around and waiting," the Sharks forward said. "I hate it when other people are playing and I'm not."

That's one indication Roenick gave FanHouse that he's leaning toward sticking around at least one more year. He's played 20 seasons already, however, and he'll be 40 in January. He's certainly given thought to retirement, much as he did two years ago.

One game into San Jose's playoff series with Anaheim, and already the Sharks are up against it.

That's what happens with a bull's-eye-producing President's Cup and a history of playoff flops, plus a prominent player or two who are gaining reputations for disappearing in April and May.

Patrick Marleau and Joe Thornton combined for one shot in San Jose's Game 1 loss to the Ducks at the Shark Tank, and afterward, Thornton responded to questions about the small shot total by emphasizing that he's a passer, "if you haven't noticed," he said.

I'm just going to come right out and say it: Sidney Crosby is underrated. There. I said it. I said it because it had to be said. Somebody had to say it, and I'm saying it. The man the NHL force feeds down our throats on every broadcast, commercial and marketing campaign has become so overrated that he's actually underrated. And I'm completely serious.

It must be an amazing time to be a beat reporter for the San Jose Sharks. You walk into a locker room that houses not only the best team in the Western Conference, but also the personalities of Claude Lemieux, Rob Blake and Jeremy Roenick. It's like your story is practically written for you.

Today is a great example as Mark Emmons of the Mercury News gives us this priceless quote from Roenick on the Penguins' Sidney Crosby. Roenick's always been a straight-shooter, and he doesn't hesitate in going after the league's golden boy.

As the NHL All-Star Break continues, keep up with FanHouse's coverage of hockey's unofficial midway point.

Some say there's no point to even salvaging this disaster, and Bruce Ciskie and Earl Sleek will debate that point later. For now, my colleague Eric McErlain and I will assume that the game isn't going away, and discuss what's wrong and how to fix it.