Sharks Looking to End Season on a Positive Note

On the blue line, late-season call-ups and youngsters are anchoring the Sharks’ defense. Luca Cagnoni, Shakir Mukhamadullin and Lucas Carlsson are all playing meaningful minutes. The San Jose roster can change a lot this offseason and none of them are guaranteed NHL spots at the start of next season, but they’re all getting a chance to prove themselves and derive meaning from games that have very little impact on the standings.

Even in one of their worst recent performances during last night’s 6-1 loss to the New York Rangers, the Sharks still managed a brief glimpse of positivity. NCAA signing Cam Lund made several good plays and scored his first NHL goal, and Smith and Graf recorded the assists. Both the game and the goal highlighted a lot about the current state of the Sharks: their high number of young players, the potential they offer, and the long way they have to go before they can be a playoff team.

Sharks Looking to Move Past Difficult Trade Deadline

As sellers at this year’s trade deadline, the Sharks had to say goodbye to some key players who played a major role both on and off the ice. These changes have major impacts on the remaining Sharks in terms of both hockey and human relationships. They may have to adjust to new in-game responsibilities while also handling the impacts of losing teammates with whom they bonded. However, if the Sharks can play well for the rest of the season, they can ease this transition and lessen the pain.

As the season concludes, players will get more comfortable with their new duties, which can help contribute to strong play and give players more confidence for the roles they might have in San Jose next season. This includes Celebrini and Alex Wennberg, both of whom have taken on a greater workload after the Sharks traded multiple centers at or near the deadline. Meanwhile, a competitive or winning Sharks team can give a player like Eklund a better sense of the team’s direction after he expressed uncertainty in the aftermath of the Fabian Zetterlund trade.

The trade deadline significantly altered the future for the Sharks and introduced a lot more uncertainty, forcing players to adjust in the middle of the season. If the team can focus on the positives of their recent games while working to eliminate the negatives, those adjustments will be much easier.

Sharks Can Gain Positive Momentum

Right now, the Sharks’ main goal should be to put themselves on the right track for next season. A lot of the moves they’ve made are positive in that regard. They’ve opened up space for youth on both offense and defense, although the latter carries the risk of harming their farm system. They’re giving players a chance to fill new roles and prove they can be counted on for more production. Plus, they’re attempting to take yet another step towards establishing what their next era will look like.

The front office, coaching staff and players are all involved in making the season’s conclusion as successful as possible. They’ve done a good job setting up to make their situation as good as possible. Now, the results on the ice have to reflect that work.