Last week, it was announced that the San Jose Sharks would be making 11 national appearances on the NBC Sports Network. After taking some time to sift through the schedule, let’s take a look and rank those 11 games.
11. San Jose Sharks vs. Colorado Avalanche (Tuesday, Jan. 26 at 7 p.m.)
This matchup comes sandwiched in between games against the Los Angeles Kings and Anaheim Ducks. San Jose figures to be up for both games versus their main rivals so it should be interesting to see how they approach their matchup with the Avalanche.
10. San Jose Sharks vs. Philadelphia Flyers (Wednesday, Dec. 30 at 7:30 p.m.)
While the Flyers have some high-end offensive talents in Claude Giroux and Jakub Voracek, both teams struggled last year. Throw in the fact this will be the final game before New Year’s and there’s a chance the intensity could be lacking in this one.
The Sharks were able to take both games from Philadelphia last season by 2-1 and 3-2 margins.
9. San Jose Sharks vs. Nashville Predators (Wednesday, Oct. 28 at 7:30 p.m.)
San Jose wraps up a three-game homestand by hosting Nashville at the end of October. The Predators were a much-improved team in 2014, but the Sharks were able to take two out of the three games last season, both by 2-0 score lines.
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8. San Jose Sharks at Colorado Avalanche (Wednesday, Feb. 24 at 7:00 p.m.)
Two nights after the Sharks square off against the Blues (number five game on this list), San Jose will wrap up their last extended road trip of the season by taking on Colorado in the Mile High city. The altitude could pose a problem for the Sharks who may be tired as they will be on their final game of an eight-day road trip.
7. San Jose Sharks vs. Boston Bruins (Tuesday, March 15 at 7:00 p.m.)
San Jose and Boston played two highly entertaining games during the 2014-15 season with the Bruins taking a 5-3 decision in Boston, while the Sharks took home a 7-4 victory back in San Jose. Look for a big game from Joe Thornton in this one as he squares off against his original team yet again.
6. San Jose Sharks at Los Angeles Kings (Tuesday, Dec. 22. at 7:30 p.m.)
The third of five Sharks-Kings matchups will see the two teams square off at Staples Center right before the Christmas break.
San Jose will want to head into the holiday break, and the five days off, with some momentum as they wrap up a five-game road trip against Los Angeles. Each and every time these teams meet is must-see hockey and this one should be no different.
5. San Jose Sharks at St. Louis Blues (Monday, Feb. 22 at 5:00 p.m.)
San Jose travels to St. Louis looking to put up a much better fight against the Blues who handed the Sharks two embarrassing losses in the span of one week last season. In early January, San Jose dropped a pair of 7-2 decisions against St. Louis and will want to ensure the same doesn’t happen against for all the country to see.
4. San Jose Sharks vs. Los Angeles Kings (Monday, March 28 at 7:00 p.m.)
The Sharks and Kings square off for the final time during the 2015-16 season and this game could have huge playoff implications. San Jose and Los Angeles both missed the playoffs in 2014 and this one could help determine who wins the Pacific Division.
The Sharks dropped three of the five games against the Kings last year.
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3. San Jose Sharks vs. Pittsburgh Penguins (Tuesday, Dec. 1 at 7:30 p.m.)
The Sharks kick off December with an intriguing matchup as Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin make their only appearance at SAP Center. San Jose and Pittsburgh typically play up-tempo, fast-paced games so you won’t want to miss this one which will feature some of the best offensive playmakers in the world.
2. San Jose Sharks vs. Chicago Blackhawks (Wednesday, Nov. 25 at 7:00 p.m.)
San Jose returns home from a six-game road trip to host the defending Stanley Cup champions in a matchup just before Thanksgiving. The Sharks will be looking to test themselves against another dynamic duo in Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane to see if they stack up with the elite in the Western Conference
1. San Jose Sharks at Los Angeles Kings (Wednesday, Oct. 7 at 7:30 p.m.)
The can’t miss game of the Sharks national appearances is their opener against the Kings at Staples Center. San Jose defeated Los Angeles 4-0 to kick off the 2014-15 season and will be looking to duplicate that result to kick off the Peter DeBoer era.
The Sharks and Kings have been bitter rivals for the past couple of seasons and it’s only fitting that hockey returns with these two squaring off. In all likelihood, Martin Jones will be facing his former team for the first time and looking to make a good first impression with San Jose.
Next: Sharks Set To Make 11 Appearances On NBCSN