Sharks seeking a reversal into playoffs
Sparkless San Jose on eight-game losing skid
SAN JOSE >> The last time the Sharks were on an eight-game losing streak, in November 2005, they traded for Joe Thornton and changed the direction of the franchise for most of the next 15 years.
There is no magic bullet on the way this time.
As the Sharks seek to avoid their ninth straight loss tonight — it would bring them within one of the skid that preceded Thornton’s arrival — they can only look inward to resuscitate their playoff hopes.
“I thought there would be a little more emotion tonight,” coach Bob Boughner said Saturday night after the Sharks, on a
night to honor Patrick Marleau, lost 6-3 to the Minnesota Wild. “You’d like to see someone go out there and make a difference, whether it’s a hit or something to ignite the energy. I know there’s no crowd and there’s not a lot of atmosphere in the building, but you’ve to create your own atmosphere.”
With the Sharks (18-24-5) six points back of the Coyotes for the fourth and final playoff spot, how can they possibly reach the postseason?
It’s going to be exceedingly difficult. The Sharks are 2-11-2 against their three opponents — Arizona, Colorado and Las Vegas — in the nine games that remain.
In addition, two teams also in the playoff mix, St. Louis and Los Angeles, have games in hand on the Sharks. The Blues and Kings have 11 games left.
Biggest of all, there has been no hint in the last two weeks that the Sharks can string together several wins in a row, or get even one.
Other questions on the horizon:
WILL HASSO PLATTNER ISSUE A STATEMENT OF SUPPORT FOR GM DOUG WILSON? >> The Sharks majority owner rarely makes public statements regarding his hockey team. But might he say something if/ when the Sharks are officially eliminated from playoff contention?
In January 2020 when it was clear San Jose was not going to make the postseason, Plattner gave Wilson a vote of confidence, saying in a statement that he was “supportive of Doug’s plan to get our team back on track.”
As of early March, though, Wilson said he and Plattner had not discussed his future with the team.
More likely, any such announcement on Wilson’s future will come a week or so after the end of the season. That’s what happened after 2011-12, when the Sharks went 43-29-10 and lost in the first round of the playoffs after two straight appearances in the Western Conference final. Plattner also issued a statement
Plattner
after the 2014-15 season, when the Sharks missed the playoffs altogether.
HOW FAR CAN THE SHARKS FALL IN THE STANDINGS — AND RISE IN THE DRAFT ORDER? >> The Sharks entered Sunday with 41 points and a .436 points percentage, both 25th best in the 31-team NHL. The Sharks could realistically fall behind Los Angeles (40 points) and Ottawa (38 points), as the Senators have been playing better of late. Columbus went into Sunday with 39 points and seven games remaining.
Assuming they do not make the playoffs, the Sharks could still finish as high as 23rd in the overall standings and as low as 28th. Either way, a top-10 pick in the NHL draft this summer seems all but assured.
HOW MANY MORE GAMES WILL JOSEF KORENAR START? >> Boughner did not hide his displeasure with goalie Martin Jones’s performance Saturday. Jones allowed a bad goal 19 seconds into the game and was pulled after one period with the Sharks down 3-0. With two back-to-backs among the nine games left, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Korenar get at least three starts, possibly four if he plays well.
CAN LOGAN COUTURE FINISH STRONG? >> Couture snapped a 16game goalless drought Saturday, scoring his 15th of the season in the third period. Couture hardly is the only Shark playing with subpar production, but the Sharks are 12-6-2 when he scores a point and 6-5-2 when he scores a goal.
CAN ERIK KARLSSON FINISH BETTER? >> Karlsson, the NHL’s highest-paid defenseman, has one goal and one assist in the eightgame losing streak. He has four points in 12 games this month, a step backward from March when he had 10 points in 17 games. Just like Couture, the Sharks need Karlsson to be productive to be successful. San Jose is 9-15-3 this season when Karlsson is held off the scoresheet.
He can’t score off his own passes, obviously, but finding help will be a steep challenge for Wilson with some of the contracts he has on the books. One of them is Karlsson’s, which is eating up 14.1% of the $81.5 million salary cap for this season.