Sharks took right approach at deadline
If a team makes a splash at the trade deadline, it’s often a sign something big is missing and the problem cannot be cured from within.
The Sharks did not make a splash at Wednesday’s deadline, and fans should view that as a good thing. San Jose, which is starting to run away with the Pacific Division, can focus on getting key players rest and not rush those back with bumps and bruises before the Stanley Cup playoffs begin next month.
When the Sharks acquired Jannik Hansen from Vancouver in exchange for first-round disappointment Nikolay Goldobin, it was a move to add a prime-age, playoff-savvy forward who fits the team’s style of play and continues the Sharks’ theme as a group that is a sum of its parts.
If you thought Thursday’s lineup looked strong from lines 1 through 4, just wait until Hansen arrives and Joonas Donskoi returns to full health, which should be soon. Assuming the rest of the group remains healthy — and knowing Timo Meier, Ryan Carpenter, Danny O’Regan and Barclay Goodrow are just a call away from the next-door neighbor Barracuda of the American Hockey League — the Sharks boast playoff depth like never before.
“There are times we need different ingredients, and I think with the group of 23 to 25 guys that we have, we’re looking pretty good,” Sharks center Logan Couture said.
There are no guarantees once the puck drops in mid-April, regardless what seed or how much home ice a team has earned in the regular season. The Sharks know to repeat as Western Conference champs, and to get another shot at a Stanley Cup where they fell short last spring, they need many skaters to play coach Peter DeBoer’s system for a two-month grind.
“We’re deep,” Couture said. “That’s all you ask for going into the end of the year and (into) a playoff run. You need a lot of guys to step up.” Dell answers bell: Aaron Dell knows for sure now he’s the backup to Martin Jones, and the 27-year-old has it in his mind to do all he can to prepare the starter for the playoffs. “I kind of prepared for that throughout the year,” Dell said. “(James) Reimer came in last year and gave Jonesy the rest he needed, so hopefully I can do that.” Doan stays put: The case of Shane Doan in Arizona remains a bit of a downer. He’s patiently playing out the string with a rebuilding organization, knowing he doesn’t have the time left to win a Cup if and when the Coyotes are contenders again. Doan is in his 21st season in the league, all with the same franchise, and has been out of the first round of the playoffs just once. Miller’s time: All the best to Kings’ famed play-by-play announcer Bob Miller, who announced his retirement Thursday. Miller, 78, plans to cap a 57-year career in broadcasting — 44 spent with the Kings — calling Los Angeles’ final two regular-season games on April 8 versus Chicago and April 9 at Anaheim. Home sweet home: Capitals goalie Braden Holtby is 18-0-2 in his past 20 decisions with a 1.71 goals-against average and .935 save percentage. He’s two shy of a careerhigh 22 straight decisions with a point (200-2 in 2015-16). Washington has won 14 straight games at home, and six are by shutout. Briefly: Washington is now a 5-1 favorite to win the Cup (Caps were 6-1 last month) after the trade deadline, according to Bovada. The Blackhawks, Wild (both 11-2), Penguins and Sharks (both 10-1) follow. … Dealt from Vancouver at the deadline, forward Alexandre Burrows scored two goals during his debut with Ottawa on Thursday. … Great race to the end shaping up in the Metro Division where the Blue Jackets, Penguins and Rangers were separated by only two points before Friday. Ross McKeon is a freelance writer. Twitter: @rossmckeon