Martin Jones was seen as a gamble when the season began, but he was their workhorse and nearly stole the Stanley Cup Final for team teal.
It was around this time last season when the San Jose Sharks were wondering what they were going to do in goal. Then, Doug Wilson made a bold move in acquiring Martin Jones from the Boston Bruins in exchange for a 2016 first-round pick and Sean Kuraly.
Just like that, the keys to the nets were handed over to the 26-year-old Jones who had only started 29 games with the Kings the previous two seasons.
Obviously, with such a limited sample size, there were many who were wondering how he would stand up to the workload expected of a true number one goaltender.
Boy, would Jones answer all those questions and more as he proved to be a vital piece in San Jose’s run to the Stanley Cup Final.
Jones began the season with a bang as he set a new Sharks franchise record just four games into his teal career. After allowing a goal on the first shot he faced as a member of San Jose, against none other than the Kings, Jones would set a new shutout record after going more than three games without allowing a goal.
Following his opening night defeat of Los Angeles, Jones would then blank the Ducks and Capitals before allowing a third-period goal against the Devils. His streak stretched over 234:33 of game action as he gave the fans a glimpse of his talents.
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After his strong start, Jones struggled a bit during November and December including a paltry 3.06 GAA and an .889 save percentage in December.
However, from the beginning of January on, Jones was stellar a primary cog as the Sharks made their playoff push. He finished the regular season with a 37-23-4 record with a 2.27 GAA and a .918 save percentage. All very solid totals, especially considering he was a first-year started who started 65 of 82 games for team teal.
When the playoffs rolled around, Jones seemed to get better as each round passed. He was good against the Kings but didn’t have to be as San Jose easily dispatched their rivals.
In the next round, he was better against the Predators but looked a bit out of sorts when the games were in Nashville. However, he pitched a shutout in Game 7 and carried that momentum into the St. Louis series were he became the first Sharks netminder to post consecutive shutouts in the postseason.
After helping lead San Jose to their first Cup Finals appearance, Jones kept his teammates in their matchup against the Penguins. He was simply phenomenal in thwarting the Pittsburgh attack on multiple occasions.
While it’s tough to pick out one single save because there were so many, his Game 5 performance was out of this world as he made 44 stops in denying the Penguins a chance to celebrate on home ice.
He concluded the Stanley Cup Final with a .932 save percentage and ended the postseason with a 14-10 record, 2.16 GAA and a .923 save percentage.
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Jones provided the Sharks with stability and confidence in nets, something they’ve been lacking of late. He was a calm customer who really seemed to fit into this San Jose team, and he flourished with the opportunity that was given to him.
He developed into a bonafide starter at the NHL level and his performance showed the Sharks have their goaltender of the future who could be a star if he continues at his current pace.