NHL teams
Katie Strang, ESPN.com 10y

Sharks to start camp without captains

NHL, San Jose Sharks

Joe Thornton is no longer the captain of the San Jose Sharks and fellow veteran Patrick Marleau is not currently wearing the "A" either.

Despite the fact that the Sharks were just one game shy of knocking off the Los Angeles Kings -- who went on to win the Stanley Cup championship this June -- management clearly is not satisfied with the leadership group of the team.

According to a report from Comcast Sportsnet, Sharks general manager Doug Wilson and coach Todd McLellan said on Wednesday that they will begin training camp without any captain or alternate captains.

"We're starting this year with a clean slate," Wilson said. "Coming into training camp, everyone is starting with no equity -- from rookies through all of the veterans."

There has been increasing speculation this summer that Thornton might be stripped of his captaincy, especially when the Sharks' reported interest in moving him was shut down by Thornton, who has a no-trade clause.

Also Wednesday, McLellan announced that forward Raffi Torres recently underwent a surgical procedure in Toronto to alleviate an infection in his previously surgically repaired right knee. A graft that was previously implanted in the knee was removed.

"Raffi has started a rehabilitation phase, but will need to repeat the surgical procedure to repair the ACL damage suffered on Sept. 20, 2013," McLellan said. "We expect Raffi to return to the team during the 2014-15 season, but no official timeline for his return is being set at this time."

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