The upcoming San Jose Sharks season is just around the corner, and for many Sharks fans, this is usually an exciting time of the year. However, in more recent years, it’s become more and more dreadful. The Sharks finished last season 2nd to last in the Pacific division and an embarrassing 29th place in the NHL. Let that sink in for a moment.
We also lost our leading point scorer and Norris trophy winner Erik Karlsson. And don’t forget about Timo Meier who scored 31 goals for us prior to being traded to the Devils at the deadline.
What now? How are we possibly supposed to watch the Sharks be this bad again?
I'll help.
How To NOT Watch The Sharks’ 2023-2024 Season:
- Avoid Unrealistic Expectations: The Sharks are not going to make the playoffs. Let’s all prepare for that now. We simply are not built for playoff contention. Enough with the different “R” words. This is not a retool. The Sharks are officially rebuilding under Mike Grier and teams going through rebuilds are very, very bad.
- Don’t Rely on Star Players: The only returning star players on this Sharks roster are Logan Couture and Tomas Hertl. We can’t place all the weight on their shoulders. Couture, 34, and Hertl, 29, are clearly paramount figures on this Sharks team but the rest of this roster is quite bland. It’s not only unrealistic but it’s also unfair to expect two aging stars to carry this team into contention.
- Don’t Expect To Settle Scores: I’ll be the first to admit that the Golden Knights winning the Stanley Cup before the Sharks enraged me to my max. Unfortunately, they are going to stomp on us moving forward and there is nothing we can do. Don’t be the guy who looks forward to “rivalry” games against them or the Kings either. We simply can’t compete. As of right now, there is no rivalry to engage in because they both are simply better. And the Sharks are going to be worse.
Then what's the point?
Here.
How To Watch The Sharks' 2023-2024 Season:
- Appreciate The Veterans: Sharks fans must appreciate veteran players like Marc-Edouard Vlasic and Logan Couture while they’re still here. Vlasic has played a whopping 1,239 games in the NHL all with San Jose. His #44 will likely enter the rafters and instead of tuning out of games, we should soak in ‘Pickles’ remaining time in a teal. Logan Couture is entering his fifth season as the Sharks captain and is also going to hit the 1,000th game plateau as he currently sits on 927 games played. All with the Sharks. Another player whose number will see the rafters and it’s important we cherish the remainder of Logan’s time in a Sharks uniform.
- Welcome The Kids: The new wave of Sharks hockey is upon us. William Eklund and Thomas Bordeleau are ready. They are looking to not only crack this Sharks roster but also make an impact. However, we can’t expect them to put up superstar numbers immediately. We must be patient. We have to embrace the rebuild and let the kids play. That also goes for Henry Thrun and Tristen Robins, too. It’s time to turn to the young guys and let them do their thing in the NHL.
- Tank For Bedard: That was the popular saying for many teams at the bottom of the rankings throughout last season. The now Chicago Blackhawk is destined for stardom as he was the #1 overall pick in the previous draft, and the San Jose Sharks were right there, only one spot ahead of the Hawks in the rankings. Let’s just hope we lose every game next year and get another top pick to join Eklund, Smith, and Bordeleau in the future. Do what I did and root for high-score games so our favorite players can get points but the team will lose at the end of the night!
*All stats found at https://www.nhl.com/*
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