San Jose Sharks Will Finish Third In Pacific Division
It’s finally here ladies and gentlemen. The 2015-16 NHL season officially begins tonight and the San Jose Sharks are back on the ice looking to make amends for their terrible 2014-15 season.
This version of the Sharks is a total enigma in many pundits eyes. While the universal sentiment is that this Sharks team is much better and deeper than last year, the question is how does that translate?
The predictions on where the San Jose Sharks fit within the Pacific Division are all over the map. According to our friends over at GameSided, the Sharks are predicted to finish fourth in the Pacific Division with a 42-30-10 record based off a simulation from EA Sports’ NHL 16. San Jose was then predicted to bow out in a first round defeat at the hands of the Nashville Predators.
Also, ESPN’s Pierre LeBrun has San Jose pegged for a fourth place finish in the division, while snagging one of the final wild card spots out West. While LeBrun has faith in the offseason additions for the Sharks, he feels this team will be in a battle all season to make the playoffs.
This seems to be the most popular landing spot for many Sharks predictions, and it’s easy to see why. San Jose did improve over the offseason, but so did others in the division including the Anaheim Ducks, Los Angeles Kings, Calgary Flames and Edmonton Oilers.
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However, there are some who believe the Sharks could be much better than they’re given credit for. Matthew Coller of Hockey Prospectus and ESPN forecasted the San Jose Sharks will win the Pacific Division with 98 points, scoring 230 goals and allowing 212. The reasoning is the Sharks will have many players bounce back from sub-par campaigns last year. Coller sees the addition of Martin Jones in goal as an upgrade over Antti Niemi with players such as Tomas Hertl returning to a high level of play.
While this prediction seems a bit generous considering all the questions San Jose faces, it’s not out of the realm of possibility for this team to challenge for the top of the division.
My prediction for the upcoming season falls in line with Craig Custance of ESPN, who thinks the Sharks will finish third in the Pacific. Here’s what an NHL scout that Custance spoke with had to say about San Jose’s outlook:
"“I’m not sold on them. Ever since they got beat by L.A., they’ve been out of whack. It’s hard to put a finger on any one thing and I’m a big [Joe Thornton] fan. And I just don’t know how Pete DeBoer is going to go over there. Too many question marks for that crew for me.”"
The scout’s sentiments are why I think San Jose’s safest bet is in that second or third range in the division. The Sharks must prove they are past their failures of the past 18 months, and it may take some time for this team to come together under DeBoer.
I’m confident Jones will provide an upgrade in net, and their defense should be much better. However, the Sharks are counting on some younger players to chip in offensively and that’s where this team may struggle. San Jose must improve their 5-on-5 play, and I want to see this team get stronger as the year progresses.
The first two games offer the Sharks a big opportunity to make an opening statement to their Southern California rivals, and this San Jose team is one that is determined to prove doubters wrong. Until I see it manifest itself on the ice, I’m picking the Sharks to return to postseason action where they’ll get their chance to showcase themselves once again.
Prediction: San Jose finishes third in the Pacific Division and faces Anaheim in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
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