Familiar face with a new look

It’s a new look all around for Michal Handzus, the former Kings center who signed with San Jose as a free agent in July. Not only is Handzus wearing black and teal, but he also came off the ice this morning looking freshly shaved and without the long, flowing hair of the past. Handzus, playing his customary third-line center spot, has two goals and one assist in 12 games with the Sharks, and after today’s morning skate, he talked about facing the Kings and his move north…

HANDZUS: “Well, I’ve been there before [facing a former team], so you just take it as another game. It’s a big game, a division game. They’re a very good team and obviously it’s going to be a big game. It’s always fun to play against your old team. You just don’t think too much, and we want to win.”

Question: Have coaches and teammates relied on you for some advice about facing the Kings?

HANDZUS: “A little bit maybe, but I think there are no secrets between the two teams. They played in the playoffs last year, and they’re always in the division so there are not many secrets.”

Question: Now that you’re on the other side of things, what are your impressions of the Sharks?

HANDZUS: “They’ve got a lot of skill, a lot of offensive power, but it’s a hard-working team. They’re in the division so I played a lot against them, but when you get onto the team, then you see the top players working hard, off ice and on ice, and I think that’s the most impressive.”