Though the San Jose Sharks are not expected to push for a playoff spot, there are some signs of life from the true rebuilders. In all, the Sharks should be a much more entertaining team to watch this season. Another top 10 draft pick is on the horizon, but the winds have shifted from the time that GM Mike Grier took over. In that time the Sharks overhauled a decaying and expensive roster, now two years away from clearing a large portion of cap space. Coinciding with a promising forward group, there is finally a light at the end of the dark tunnel of a large-scale rebuild. Let’s take a closer look at what the Sharks will look like this season.
Forwards
Zetterlund — Celebrini — Toffoli
Eklund — Granlund — Smith
Goodrow — Wennberg — Kunin
Bordeleau — Sturm — Dellandrea
Extras: Couture, Grundstrom, Kostin, Graf, Gushchin, Coe, Kaut, Afanaseyev
Quite simply the Sharks have one of the most bountiful forward prospects groups league-wide. Celebrini is, naturally, a top tier prospect, but Will Smith is not too far behind. The potential to become NHL centres is yet to be seen, but the Sharks will have two dynamic top-six scoring forwards. The Sharks do have a number of other young NHLers who are promising, William Eklund, Daniil Gushchin, and Thomas Bordeleau. The wealth continues deeper into some toolsy prospects we should not expect to see in the NHL this season, including Filip Bystedt, Quinten Musty, and Kasper Halttunen.
The Sharks do have some good returning forwards who might still be Sharks when Celebrini’s contract expired three seasons from now in Fabian Zetterlund, Nico Sturm, and Klim Kostin. Newly acquired Ty Dellandrea and Carl Grundstrom will look to join this group in stature.
The Sharks added a number of veterans up front. Tyler Toffoli is a legitimate scoring forward that should help the younger talent. Alexander Wennberg should provide some stability as a middle-six centre. Barclay Goodrow returns as a leader and as a physical and defensive presence.
The x-factor here will be the state of Logan Couture’s game coming off a season lost to injury. It is hard to say what the best case scenario might be, as Couture does clash with the Sharks timeline. Still, Couture will have a lot of talent to work with, which might facilitate a bounce back. If so, Couture might even prove to be a valuable trade asset for the Sharks. Regardless of whether or not the team or player want their futures to be tied, it benefits all parties that Couture starts the season strong.
There are certainly some holes and some less desirable fits on the books, but the Sharks offence should at least be an interesting watch this season. The Sharks have a lot of depth here, and moves should be expected as the team sorts through their options leading up to the trade deadline. Turning a great prospect pool into a great NHL group is easier said than done, but the Sharks seem to have quite a bit of firepower matriculating up the organisational depth chart.
Defence
Walman — Rutta
Ferraro — Ceci
Thrun — Vlasic
Extras: Mukhamaduhllin, Benning, Keane
By far the weak point of the organisation, the Sharks blueline leaves a lot to be desired, especially in the present. Nabbing a fantastic prospect in Sam Dickinson is a boon for the future, yet should not be thought of as an expected option for the next two seasons. There are other interesting prospects who might fit into the equation on that same timeline, but even the most optimistic projections might put the Sharks blueline short of elite status beyond that window.
For the time being it will be Shakir Mukhamaduhllin, and perhaps Henry Thrun, charged with injecting some talent into a lacklustre group. Cody Ceci joins Jan Rutta and Mario Ferraro, who are at least legitimate NHLers, while veteran Marc-Eduard Vlasic does not have much left. The biggest addition is Jake Walman, a left shot who has become an effective possession player. Walman is expected to be the Sharks best defenceman this season.
While the Sharks blueline is improved, it will be a tall task to make up the difference between where the unit is and where it will need to be in order to make a playoff push. At the very least the blueline will be more capable of supporting the Sharks forwards this season, which will be crucial for giving their younger players a chance to compete.
Goalies
Askarov
Blackwood
One of the biggest splashes of the offseason, the Sharks acquired prospect Yaroslav Askarov. Among one of the most highly thought of goalie prospects in the world at this point, Askarov represents the highest upside the Sharks crease has had since the three headed monster of the early 2000s when the Sharks had Miikka Kiprusoff, Evgeni Nabokov, and Vesa Toskala.
As Askarov was blocked by Juuse Saros in Nashville, the Sharks do seem to provide a quicker path to regular NHL action. He will be in tough behind an overmatched Sharks team, though his arrival underscores the importance of the Sharks modest blueline improvements.
Askarov will not be alone, as Mackenzie Blackwood returns. Once a well thought of prospect in his own right, Blackwood has had his fair share of rough patches in the NHL. Through injury and poor defensive performances in front of him, Blackwood has rarely, if ever, been well supported in the NHL. While the Sharks are not expected to be a powerhouse, their improvements might be substantial enough to help Blackwood have one of the better seasons of his career. Getting Askarov meaningful experience will be a priority, but a fairly even split of starts is expected between the tandem.
Prediction
Seventh in the Pacific division
At the present moment the Sharks are the division’s worst team, but the time to start turning the corner might well be upon them. Though the team is not expecting to push for a playoff spot, efforts to further dismantle themselves are likely to have quelled. With so much of their future core expected to be in the everyday lineup, GM Mike Grier should be looking to provide the group with some stability.
There are some pending UFAs that the Sharks could look to move near the trade deadline. Given the state of the blueline, trading right shots Ceci and Rutta might be less likely. Up front Granlund, Kunin, and Sturm are definitely trade candidates, though the Sharks have already maxed out their salary retention slots. With lots of hope and intrigue up front and in net, we should expect the Sharks to target defencemen with their trade returns.
