Matt Benning

Three Big Questions Surrounding the Sharks’ Defense

The San Jose Sharks enter a new era on the blue line. Gone are Brent Burns and Erik Karlsson, and for the first time in over 15 years, the Sharks do not have a clear puck-moving defenseman. This group is full of defense-first defensemen, and while this might have been a recipe for success in […]

Marc-Edouard Vlasic Season Preview

And then there was one. Marc-Edouard Vlasic is the last piece of the San Jose Sharks high-priced defense. With Brent Burns and Erik Karlsson being traded since General Manager Mike Grier took over in July of 2022, Vlasic is now the Sharks’ highest-paid defenseman on the blue line. While his recent on-ice performance has not […]

Radim Simek Season Preview

Radim Simek quickly rose to a fan favorite when he arrived in the 2018-19 season. Simek’s hard-nosed style of play captured a fan base longing for a recall to a different style of hockey. Unfortunately for Simek, injuries have plagued his entire career with the San Jose Sharks, including the 2022-23 season. Simek only played […]

Jan Rutta Season Preview

Acquired in the Erik Karlsson trade from the Pittsburgh Penguins, Jan Rutta brings a championship pedigree to the San Jose Sharks dressing room. Rutta is a two-time Stanley Cup from his time with the Tampa Bay Lightning. Last offseason, he signed a three-year contract with the Penguins worth $8.25 million ($2.75 million AAV). With the […]

Mario Ferraro Season Preview

When the San Jose Sharks downturn started in the 2019-2020 season, one player encapsulated hope for the franchise: Mario Ferraro. He was a plucky rookie defenseman who gave it all his every shift. Fans gravitated to Ferraro’s style of play, and looked like a player who could help get the franchise on track the next […]

Kyle Burroughs Season Preview

Mike Grier found a solid defenseman last offseason when he signed Matt Benning; this offseason, he looked to go two-for-two with the addition of Kyle Burroughs. The former seventh-round pick by the New York Islanders spent the last two seasons playing with the Vancouver Canucks. Last season, Burroughs played 48 games for the Canucks where […]

Matt Benning Season Preview

Matt Benning was one of Mike Grier’s first signings last season, and he looks to be a very underrated signing by Grier. Benning signed a four-year deal worth $5 million ($1.25m AAV) on the first day of free agency in 2021. In his first season with the San Jose Sharks, Benning had a career-high in […]

What We Have Learned About Mike Grier’s Vision

When Mike Grier took over the San Jose Sharks days before the 2022 NHL Draft, he inherited a mess. A team with an aging roster, massive cap issues, and no clear direction for the franchise. Fast forward a season, and Grier’s vision is starting to come into view. This is a rebuild Mike Grier embraced […]

Tomas Hertl and Alexander Barabanov celebrating

Who Will Run the Sharks’ Power Play?

With Erik Karlsson trade rumors swirling around the San Jose Sharks, one of the big questions will be who will quarterback the power play once the reigning Norris trophy winner is traded. According to Natural Stat Trick, the Sharks were on the power play for 376:32 last season, the fourth fewest. Erik Karlsson played 277:25 […]

Sharks Offseason Road Map

When Timo Meier was traded at the deadline, it officially sent out the signal that General Manager Mike Grier was going to rebuild. After several unsuccessful attempts by former GM Doug Wilson to retool on the fly, Grier told Sharks fans that this wouldn’t be a short turnaround. The Sharks will be busy this upcoming […]