As it turns out, the answer is kind of obvious.

The San Jose Sharks are no stranger to beards - the team even made a commercial about them. Which got us thinking - which Sharks beard is the most like Santa's?

As Andy Williams once sang, it's the most wonderful time of the year. Especially for beard enthusiasts, as Santa Claus brings into vogue the giant white beard for at least a month each year.

5. Joe Pavelski

While he's not thought of as one of "the Beards," we'd be remiss to exclude the captain from the rankings - he's been consistently rocking the red facial hair for a few seasons now.

But while we can definitively say that he has a beard, we can just as definitively say that it is not Santa-like at all. Too short, too neat, and too red.

4. Aaron Dell

Goalies aren't usually known for their beards, but Aaron Dell has been consistently bearded since his time with the San Jose Barracuda (outside of one shaving mishap that caused the beard to temporarily disappear).

While he's had a decently volumous beard in the past, it's definitely a lot shorter now - and short is not very Santa-like.

3. Paul Martin

Joining the group known as "The Beards" (previously only encompassing Thornton and Burns) this summer, Paul Martin's beard has the density and is slowly gaining the length necessary for a legitimate Santa beard. However, the rookie (in terms of beards) still has a ways to go to catch the top two entries on the list.

2. Brent Burns

The beard that people think of when they think of hockey beards, Burns's chin curtain is long and impressive. However, it's much too dark to fully invoke "Santa's beard," especially compared to the number one entry on the list.

1. Joe Thornton

Big? Check. Bushy? Check. White? Racing stripe check.

Joe Thornton's beard is easily the most Santa-like on the team, if not the NHL. And given his proclivity to give gifts to his teammates in the form of perfect passes, Jumbo isn't too far off from being hockey's Ol' Saint Nick.