It’s been a quiet week for the San Jose Sharks on the ice as they’ve only played once since the beginning of the new year, dropping a 4-1 contest to the Winnipeg Jets. Unfortunately, it’s been a rough start to the year for San Jose as they’ve continued to slide down the Pacific Division standings.
The Sharks are going to need step up their play as San Jose finds themselves tied for fifth in the division with 38 points, two points out of second place but also just one point from the basement of the Pacific.
Get caught up on all the latest San Jose news and notes in this week’s roundup:
– The Sharks have been a model of inconsistency during the 2015-16 season, highlighted by some long winning streaks, but also extended periods of losing. In order to salvage the second half of this season, San Jose will need to start turning things around immediately, otherwise, their hole may be too great to dig themselves out of.
More from Sharks News
- Norris Trophy odds show Erik Karlsson a step above the rest
- Red hot Couture provides a much needed boost
- Sharks return to SAP in sight
- Ryan Donato shines in his revenge game
- Tomas Hertl is off to a hot start
– The Sharks played terribly during December, winning just four of their 13 contests during the final month of 2015, but there was one player who consistently showed up on a nightly basis for San Jose: Joe Pavelski. Pavelski led the Sharks with eight goals and 15 points en route to being named as the Sharks Foundation Player of the Month for December. It was a well-deserved honor as the captain for San Jose has been their best player all season long.
– With the Sharks having a period of time off before their next contest, San Jose utilized the opportunity to get some work for a couple of struggling young players. The Sharks sent goaltender Alex Stalock and forward to Chris Tierney to the AHL, while calling up Troy Grosenick. In Stalock’s case, this is about getting some playing time with the San Jose Barracuda over the course of the next week, while Tierney will likely see extended action in the AHL to work on his confidence.
– There have been some rumors recently that indicate how the Sharks could be interested in free agent center Mike Richards. Richards last played with the Los Angeles Kings after having his contract terminated. His play has been on the decline in recent seasons, but he does have a connection to Peter DeBoer which is likely the only reason there is any semblance of interest in Richards.
Next: Time Is Now For Sharks To Turn Things Around
The Sharks will still enjoy a couple of days away from the ice before returning to action against the Detroit Red Wings on Thursday night at SAP Center.
Let’s see if San Jose can turn around their fortunes on home ice and try to find any sort of consistency to start the new year.