TSN.ca's 2014-15 NHL Season Preview: San Jose Sharks

With the NHL regular season right around the corner, TSN.ca profiles each team leading up to puck drop. Next up are the San Jose Sharks, a team reeling after they blew a three-games-to-none first-round lead over the eventual Cup winners from Los Angeles. Catch up on their summer moves and the issues they face this season, as well as Craig Button's analysis of their top prospect and an analytical breakdown by TSN's Scott Cullen.

Division: Pacific GM: Doug Wilson Head Coach: Todd McLellan

2013-14: 51-22-9 (2nd in Pacific) Playoffs: Lost in conference quarter-finals

Goals For: 239 (6th) Goals Against: 193 (5th) Powerplay: 17.2% (20th) Penalty Kill: 84.9% (6th)

That Was Then: 

The Sharks’ 2013-14 regular season was a roaring success.

Rookie Tomas Hertl got the party started on Oct. 8, scoring four goals in his third NHL game, capping the night off with one of the goals of the year.

That win came as part of a six-game winning streak to start the year. The Sharks rolled through October, finishing the month 10-1-2.

The regular season rolled on in similar fashion. The Sharks’ only real spot of trouble came in December when they lost six of eight between the 5^th and the 19^th.

Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau provided their usual strong play, both reaching 70 points or more. Joe Pavelski was a revelation, scoring a career-high 41 goals. That mark was good for third in the league.

The Sharks made the playoff s for their 10^th consecutive season, topping 100 points for the seventh time over that span. Though unable to chase down the Anaheim Ducks for first in the Pacific Division, the Sharks enjoyed a strong finish, buoyed by the aforementioned trio as well as Logan Couture.

Then came the playoffs and a creepy, familiar feeling.

The Sharks roared out to a 3-0 series lead over their state rivals from Los Angeles but were unable to finish them off. Out-gunned 6-3 in Game 4, the Sharks let the Kings get off the mat. Jonathan Quick shut the door from there, allowing just two total goals over the final three games. The Sharks became just the fourth team in NHL history to blow a 3-0 lead.

One storyline that emerged from the collapse was a lack of faith in goaltender Antti Niemi. The former Cup-winner was pulled in Games 4 and 5, leading the Sharks to start back-up Alex Stalock in Game 6. The team went back to Niemi in Game 7 but by that point momentum was clearly with the Kings.

Scott Cullen's Analytics

Predators 2013-14 Stats by Quarter

Key: GPG= goals per game, GAA= goals-against per game, SH%= even-strength shooting percentage, SV%= even-strength save percentage, SAF%= score-adjusted Fenwick percentage (differential of shot attempts faced vs. shot attempts, excluding blocked shots, adjusted for game score), PTS%= percentage of available points.

Analysis:

Games 1-20:  Sensational start to the year; dominant in all aspects.

Games 21-41: A 5-1 shootout record, and strong possession, inflated the record of otherwise mediocre play.

Games 42-62: Solid possession kept Sharks winning during low-scoring stretch.

Games 63-82: Percentages bounced back and Sharks finished the regular season strong.

Key Additions:  LW Tye McGinn, LW John Scott

Key Subtractions:  D Dan Boyle, RW Martin Havlat, LW John McCarthy, D Brad Stuart 

This Is Now: 

The Sharks need more than regular season success.

Since acquiring Thornton from Boston, the Sharks have won four division titles, made the playoffs every year and have won at least one series in six of their nine trips.

Thornton himself has posted 740 points in 675 career games with the Sharks and – believe it or not – ranks 20^th amongst active NHLers in playoff points-per-game over that span, ahead of the likes of Patrice Bergeron, David Krejci, Corey Perry and Justin Williams.

Yet, he finds himself stripped of his captaincy entering this season.

Another long-time Sharks vet is gone entirely, as Dan Boyle joined the New York Rangers as an unrestricted free agent.

The team’s focus may be shifting towards Pavelski and Couture and away from Marleau and Thornton, who have endured all of the playoff disappointments suffered since the 2005-06. However, the two remain not only parts of the team, but integral cogs in its offence.

The team has enjoyed a lot of regular season success under the current regime, but how much time is left on the clock in San Jose for the likes of Thornton, Marleau, GM Doug Wilson and coach Todd McLellan.

DEPTH CHART

Forwards

Craig's List

TSN Director of Scouting Craig Button's Top Prospect: Mirco Mueller

Like a fine Swiss watch, there is a precision to Mirco’s game. Positioning is sound but it is predicated on the understanding of how to best position yourself to take advantage in the game.

Defensively, he becomes very difficult to break down. He recognizes opportunities to transition and with a strong skating base, very good awareness and vision along with pin point passing, he is able to alleviate pressure quickly and allow his team to move forward and attack.

He has a subtlety to his competitiveness in that he moves opponents off their marks in a manner that looks like he is ‘body glide.’ His game shows signs of being able to expand which would move him from category of very solid player to top two defenseman.

Fantasy - Cullen's Player to Watch - Brent Burns

Given how effective Burns has been as a forward with the Sharks, it's fair to be skeptical of his move back to defence, but he's been productive in the past while playing on the blue line.

Last season brought a career-high 48 points for Burns, playing on Joe Thornton's wing, but he's had 46 and 43-point seasons playing defence for the Minnesota Wild.

The Sharks lost their primary puck-mover from defence, Dan Boyle, to free agency, so there ought to be ample opportunity for Burns to play big minutes and find the score sheet enough along the way.