Sharks - Is this Their Year?

Sharks - Is this Their Year?

- Joe Bartnick 10/29/13

Is this year going to be the Sharks year? It very well could be. After years of playoff disappointments and underachieving the Sharks seemed poised to make a deep run in the playoffs this year. I know it’s not even Halloween yet,but this year’s Sharks team is different. It started last year in the playoffs when they grew a pair and actually played above expectations. Before we take a closer look at the sharks let’s look at their competition in the West. The defending champion Chicago Blackhawks maybe even better this year but repeating is almost impossible to do in today’s NHL. The LA Kings seemed to be in a bit of a funk. Sure the Kings know October doesn’t really matter but Jonathan has been off and a funk can turn into a malaise if it’s not stopped

The Detroit Red Wings moved to the East. The Anaheim Ducks are also off to a hot start but Bruce Boudreau is always Scotty Bowman in October and Bob Berry in May. The St. Louis Blues are a trendy pick but they never score goals when they have to. Remember Ken Hitchcock’s only Cup was given to him when he was the Star’s coach and the refs wanted to go to bed and not another overtime.

Back to the Sharks, they have everything to need to win the Cup. They have scoring depth, solid defense, a great goaltender and they’ve gained some intangibles.

The Sharks signed Logan Couture to a long term contract and made him the cornerstone of the organization moving forward but holdover leaders Joe Thorton and Patrick Marleau aren’t going anywhere and are actually have a renaissance. Martin Havlat , Joe Pavelski and newly minted winger Brett Burns give the Sharks more than a couple guys who can put the biscuit in the basket. Not to mention rookie sensation Tomas Hertl. The Sharks traded for a real tough guy Mike Brown to hopefully replace fake tough guy, cheap shot artist, worthless human Raffi Torres.

The Sharks defense has the two things you want in a defense. It’s tough and it can move the puck. Dan Boyle and Brad Stuart make a great shutdown pair and Marc Edourd Vlasic and Justin Braun are the most underrated defensive pair in the NHL. When Scott Hannan is you’re seventh defensemen, you have a great defensive core.

Shark’s goaltender Antti Niemi won a Stanley Cup in Chicago. He knows what it takes to win four best of sevens.

The Sharks also brought in former Penguin Tyler Kennedy , a winger who has a knack for scoring clutch playoff goals.

I know it’s not November but the Sharks are looking good for next Spring.

For all the of bitter Flyer fans who wanted me to dissect the Rangers disastrous start, I want to let them sleep in their own bed before a game before I say their season is over.