If the last two seasons have been focused on a complete teardown for the San Jose Sharks, this season will be about starting to turn that teardown into results. Both the players and the team as a whole have motivation for different reasons. Throughout the organization, the Sharks have a lot to prove, and that desire will manifest itself in a variety of ways.
Many Sharks Veterans on Short-Term Deals
For the Sharks, the idea of a “prove-it” season starts with their more experienced players. A number of them have opportunities this season to demonstrate their worth in San Jose and provide positive dividends for the rest of their careers.
To examine the situation, let’s look at players older than 28 who are healthy enough to presumably receive NHL playing time this season. The Sharks have 10 such players, and seven of them are either on one-year deals or entering the final season of multi-year contracts. As such, a large amount of their veterans are playing as much to earn their next deal as anything else.
The Sharks themselves have a track record of helping players on expiring contracts, most notably Mikael Granlund, who transformed into a crucial midseason trade asset last season and signed a contract worth $2 million a year more than his previous deal despite being 33 years old. Other former Sharks who recently played on an expiring contract in San Jose and subsequently earned sizable paydays include Anthony Duclair and Mackenzie Blackwood.
Now, many of the Sharks’ veterans — especially the ones they acquired this offseason — look to do the same. Jeff Skinner is hoping for a return to form after a down season. John Klingberg and Nick Leddy have both been somewhat cast off by past teams and want to show they still have a place in the NHL. Among players already established in San Jose, Alexander Wennberg could be a candidate for either a new contract or a trade to a contender.
These are just a few examples, but the majority of the Sharks’ veterans fit into this same category. They want to be impact players, not only to win games but to convince the rest of the league that they deserve a longer career and bigger paychecks. If they can succeed in doing so, greater team success should follow.
Sharks’ Young Players Looking to Make Leap
The veterans may be in the most obvious proving situation, but many of the Sharks’ up-and-coming players…
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