I’ve already accepted the fact that the San Jose Sharks are not going to be a very good hockey team this season. And that’s okay. Because there are still things to watch for this season and into the future. So let’s get to it. What are the bright spots of this season’s San Jose Sharks team?
Let’s start from top to bottom, shall we?
The…Core?
Even though this team isn’t very good, they still have a core set of players, right? Of course, they do! At 34, Logan Couture just had his 3rd best season of his career, point-wise, with 67. This was the 5th straight season Tomás Hertl was on a 60-point or more pace. Not bad at all for your top two centers. Remember when we robbed the Toronto Maple Leafs for Alexander Barabonov? Well, Barbie was on pace for 69 points last season. I’m sure the Leafs would love to have him right now… Then you have Anthony Duclair who played in just 20 games last season and only scored 9 points. But, it’s what Duclair did two years ago that matters. He scored 31 goals and posted 58 points with the Panthers. Finally, Mario Ferraro, who was 29th in the entire NHL in blocked shots with 145. What more can you ask for out of one of your top defensemen? Now that’s five really good players on this Sharks team that you can look forward to watching, even during a tough year like this one is expected to be.
Young Players:
Talk about bright spots.
William Eklund - Willy was drafted 7th overall in 2021 and is highly regarded as one of the league’s best prospects. Last year he dominated in the AHL and it’s time for him to do so in the big leagues. In his 17 games in the NHL spread out over the past two years, he’s recorded 7 points in 17 games. I’m hoping that he replaces Timo Meier’s spot and fully expect to see Eks hit the 50-point mark in his first full NHL season.
Thomas Bordeleau - Sharks fans have been waiting for Bordeleau’s arrival for quite some time since he dominated the NCAA with the University of Michigan. Bords played in 8 games with the Sharks in 2022 once his season with Michigan came to an end and recorded 5 points in tremendous fashion. Like seriously, who does that? He followed that up with 8 points in 5 international games with Team USA in the WJC U20 division. What? You thought he was done after that? No. Bordeleau then spent last season in the AHL where he was the San Jose Barracuda’s league all-star. It’s time for Bordeleau to set his sights on the NHL. I, as well as all of the other Sharks fans, are ready for Bordeleau to join the show.
Henry Thrun - I think a lot of people are writing Thrun off to make the Sharks roster this season and I personally think they’re all crazy. Thrun looked like a 15-year veteran during his brief stint with the team at the end of the season. He had to have some of the best poise out of the entire roster. It’s not normal for a 22-year-old to jump from college to the NHL in the same season and look as comfortable as he did. Yes, Thrun is another product of the NCAA. Last season he was the captain of Harvard where he recorded 31 points in 33 games. Look at that, he’s good at hockey and he’s smart. Thrun also joined the Sharks late last season and notched an assist in his first NHL game. He finished with 2 points in 10 games. Not bad at all for a rookie defenseman. I don’t think the Sharks should waste time playing him in the minors like they did to Eklund and Bordeleau. He’s ready for the NHL. Thrun is absolutely a bright spot for this roster to grow into the future.
Filip Zadina - A former 6th overall pick in the NHL draft. Usually, a future superstar if all goes accordingly, but Zadina’s career had something different in mind apparently. The 4 seasons he played for the Red Wings did not go as he would have wished. I don’t think it went how anybody wished to be completely fair. He’s shown glimpses of talent, he’s just never been able to put it together on a consistent, game-to-game basis. Zadina felt it was time for a change in scenery while he’s still young with his entire career still ahead of him. He signed a one-year contract with San Jose to prove it. And I think he will. I don’t see why Zadina can’t hit the 40-point mark. My guess would be along the 20 goals, 20 assist route if given the proper opportunities to show off what he can do. I’m excited to watch him play and I still believe he can develop into a star.
Between The Pipes:
The most important position in hockey is the one that lies between the pipes. Luckily for San Jose, they have some potential in the net. That starts (and hopefully finishes) with Mackenzie Blackwood. Blackwood was the talk of the NHL when he initially came onto the scene with the New Jersey Devils. In 2018-2019 he played in 20 games and recorded a .918 save percentage (which is awesome). He followed that up with his first 20-win season and a .915 save percentage (still awesome). However, the past couple of seasons have not been as glamorous. His stats have dipped and it was time for a change. Still only 26 years old, all of us Sharks fans are hoping he can get back to the level he’s shown he can play at. If he can, the future of the San Jose Sharks is looking good and it will be a lot of fun to watch Blackwood hopefully improve this season. Not only that, we still have Kaapo Kahkonen who I haven’t given up on yet. Prior to last season, he recorded about three seasons worth of starts with a .902 save percentage or better. He’s only 27 and has had two winning seasons. Kahkonen is still a goalie with a chip on his shoulder after we acquired Blackwood. It’s going to be a battle for the crease in the Bay Area and I am personally excited to see some friendly competition.
There are clearly holes in this roster, but still a lot of potential and things to look forward to. So what are your thoughts? Do you think Blackwood or Kahkonen will rebound? Can William Eklund take home the Calder?
We shall see.
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