Martin Jones Assuming Number One Role With San Jose Sharks
All of the offseason noise and chatter surrounding the San Jose Sharks centered around newly acquired goaltender Martin Jones. Many wondered whether the 25-year-old netminder would be able to handle the rigors of being the number one guy over the course of an 82-game season.
As Jones returns to Boston, the team where San Jose sent their 2016 first-round pick and prospect Sean Kuraly in exchange for Jones, he has fully assumed the starting position between the pipes for the Sharks. In 14 games played, Jones has posted an 8-5-0 record with a .923 save percentage and 2.11 goals-against-average (GAA) to go along with two shutouts.
The 6-foot-4 Jones has settled in with the Sharks and clearly looks the part in net. He’s calm and unflappable and exudes a confidence that can only rub off on his teammates. As everyone knows by now, Jones raced out of the gates with a blazing-hot start to the season. After allowing a goal on the very first shot he faced in a teal uniform, Jones set a new franchise shutout streak at 234:33. He was 4-0-0 with a .982 save percentage and a 0.49 GAA.
Simply staggering numbers.
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Now, Jones has definitely regressed since that blistering start, going 4-5-0 since and he’s seen a dip in November as his save percentage is just .897 this month. He has shown times when he’s struggled with allowing the soft goal including recent home games against the Columbus Blue Jackets and New York Islanders. However, Jones has clearly earned the respect and trust of the coaching staff and his teammates as he will receive the lion share of the work moving forward.
San Jose’s backup in Alex Stalock has struggled in the early going, posting a 1-3-0 record in his five appearances with an .894 save percentage and a 2.86 GAA. With Stalock unable to provide much, Jones will continue to see his fair share of starts. Case-in-point, Jones was in net for both games of the back-to-back to begin this road trip, and he was one of the key reasons why the Sharks emerged with four points. He stopped 56 out of a possible 59 shots faced as he stepped up at critical junctures to keep San Jose in those two games.
I’m sure Jones will continue to look more and more comfortable as the season goes along as he becomes more familiar with his defensive partners. The Sharks are certainly glad Jones has shown the flashes of brilliance that many thought he possessed, and he’s finally getting the opportunity to display those talents on a nightly basis.
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San Jose hopes the flashes turn into a nightly occurrence as Sharks fans want to see a more consistent performance because that’s what separates the good goaltenders from the great ones. Jones has proven that he deserves to be a starting netminder in the NHL and he’s out to deliver on his immense talents. The Sharks are sure glad they made the investment and commitment to Jones as he’s been one of San Jose’s best players through the first 17 games of the 2015-16 season.
Sharks fans everywhere are hoping Jones is just scratching the surface because the early returns provide a glimpse of a netminder who could be in the league for many years to come.