San Jose Sharks Should Keep Watching Pittsburgh Penguins
By MJ Kasprzak
Continuing to watch the Pittsburgh Penguins can help the San Jose Sharks get two wins better in 2017…
The Associated Press did an article about Sidney Crosby showing off the Stanley Cup that was picked up by the San Jose Mercury News Saturday, July 16. That can only help the local teams primed to contend following the 2016-17 NHL season.
The San Jose Sharks can watch and learn as well as watch and burn. They will not try and harder because of seeing the Pittsburgh Penguins celebrate, but it can remind them of how close they came. That may carry someone through some off-season workouts to get that little bit faster.
They are also unlikely to find extra motivation in being somewhat overlooked by oddsmakers. That said, it is easier to play the underdog than favorite with all else equal.
More than anything, seeing the Penguins celebrate can allow the Sharks to place themselves there. Two more wins do not amount to a tough leap.
Being in the Stanley Cup Finals means learning what it takes to be a champion. Coming so close but falling short can increase the hunger.
None of that matters if San Jose’s roster is not good enough. With minimal losses coming only from the bottom of the depth chart and probable upgrades through free agency for two of those units, that is not an issue.
Next: San Jose Sharks Set Roster by Re-signing Matt Nieto
They were just not quite fast enough. Both free agents signed have made the team faster, there is more speed among the prospects pushing for playing time and measures can still be taken by most individual players to improve skating. They can also focus on practicing faster.
No one can be certain what element of the game will be the toughest to handle in the 2017 Stanley Cup playoffs, but the Sharks do not appear to be lacking in other areas. They have great size, skill, depth, defensive commitment and showed tremendous grit last spring.
If all goes well, San Jose can learn one more thing from watching Pittsburgh this summer—how to act as Stanley Cup champions.