San Jose Sharks

San Jose Sharks Rookie Faceoff Preview

The unofficial end of summer is here. On Friday, the San Jose Sharks play a game. It’s a rookie faceoff game, but a game nonetheless. The baby Sharks are scheduled to play three games over four days. Friday 9/15/23:Sharks vs. Kings 1 pm PT Saturday 9/16/23:Golden Knights vs. Sharks 7 pm PT Monday 9/18/23:Coyotes vs. […]

Fabian Zetterlund Season Preview

Every player reacts differently to getting traded midseason. For Fabian Zetterlund, it had to be a shock to go from one of the most dynamic young teams in the NHL, the New Jersey Devils, to well, the San Jose Sharks. Acquired in the deal that sent Timo Meier to New Jersey. Zetterlund was one of […]

NHL Prospect Tournaments Begin This Week: Full Schedule

If you’re like me and itching for the return of hockey, I have good news. Most NHL teams send their prospects to play in one of the many rookie/prospect tournaments that take place around the league before full training camps begin. Those tournaments all begin this week. These games are a great opportunity for young […]

Nico Sturm Season Preview

When Mike Grier was hired last season, one of his first moves in free agency was signing center Nico Sturm. Sturm was coming off winning a Stanley Cup with the Colorado Avalanche after being traded from the Minnesota Wild. Sturm had played a fourth-line role for the Avalanche. In the thirteen playoff games Sturm suited […]

Givani Smith Season Preview

San Jose Sharks General Manager Mike Grier wants to build a competitive, tough, skilled team. Newly signed, forward Givani Smith brings the toughness in spades. When Luke Kunin was lost for the season last December, the Sharks lost some of that toughness. Jonah Gadjovich filled in admirably in that aspect but also dealt with injuries […]

Tristen Robins Season Preview

Another member of the San Jose Sharks’ promising 2020 draft class, Tristen Robins, proved to be a standout talent last season with his exceptional skating ability and hockey IQ. The 2020 second-round pick finished as the fourth-highest scorer on the San Jose Barracuda with 17 goals and 21 assists in 64 games. Robins additionally made […]

Jacob Peterson Season Preview

Every once in a while, a player-for-player trade works out for both teams, and that seems to be the case in the Jacob Peterson for Scott Reedy trade that happened at last year’s trade deadline. When Mike Grier sent Reedy to the Dallas Stars in exchange for Peterson, many fans scratched their heads about the […]

Oskar Lindblom Season Preview

Out of all of Mike Grier’s first crop of free agents, no one disappointed more than Oskar Lindblom last season. After being bought out by the Philadelphia Flyers, Mike Grier quickly signed Lindblom to a two-year $5 million contract. Lindblom was expected to come in and compete for the vacant winger position on the second […]

Kevin Labanc Season Preview

Kevin Labanc is the San Jose Sharks version of The Rorschach test. The analytics say he is good, but there is a reason that David Quinn is the third straight coach to have Labanc in his proverbial doghouse. As Kevin Labanc starts his eighth season in the NHL, what has he established himself as? Early […]

Rob Blake Saga Part V: Feigned Retreat and a Pandemic

The two worst seasons for Rob Blake and the LA Kings came in 2018-19 and 2019-2020. Respectively finishing dead last in the Western Conference and second to last the following year. With the emergence of COVID-19 near the end of the 2019-2020 season, their six-game winning streak catapulted them away from finishing dead last in […]