Most Valuable Player
Michael: Timo Meier
Timo Meier has been the biggest surprise through the first quarter of the regular season. Meier has 12 goals, which ranks second on the team and is on pace to break his season-high mark set last year with 21 goals during his first full season. His 21 points through 21 games leads all Sharks forwards and represents a pivotal piece in the top-six, skating alongside Logan Couture and Tomas Hertl on the second line.
I expected a lot of improvements from the San Jose Sharks 9th overall pick in 2015. Meier is definitely proving his worth and shaping into a star with a great mixture of speed and skill. The 22-year-old right winger also can get feisty and he’s not afraid to get underneath the skin of his opponents. Who knows? Meier likely could be one of many representing team teal at the 2019 All-Star game in San Jose.
Steve: Joe Pavelski
Yeah. I said it. There could have been other choices here. Timo Meier comes to mind, Brent Burns who leads the team in points, and is actually having a great offensive year, and on the Brent Burns scale of defense, not the worst year defensively. But my answer is Joe Pavelski. The 34 year old as been a revelation and after his two goal game against the St. Louis Blues, now leads the San Jose Sharks in goals with 13, and leads the team in shooting percentage with 21%. Can you believe that?
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He’s the Captain and the leader of this hockey club. How Joe Pavelski goes, the team goes. His year so far merits the quarter pole MVP.
Lucas: Joe Pavelski
The San Jose Sharks are still working out some kinks but the Captain’s presence on the ice has remained one of Team Teal’s only consistent offensive threats. Joe Pavelski leads the team in goals with 13 through the first 21 games. All season long coach Peter DeBoer has been able to plug Pavelski into any line combination or situation on the ice and he’s produced positive results.
One of the most impressive things about Pavs so far this season is his involvement on the scoring plays generated by the Sharks. He leads the team in primary points at 5v5 with 10, 11 overall. In the situations at 5v5 he has been on the ice for 13 of the Sharks GF, per naturalstattrick. So, essentially every goal scored when Pavs is on the ice he will most likely play a factor in it’s success.
There are plenty of other San Jose Sharks players I could have considered for MVP. Timo Meier, Logan Couture, and Burns were others that came to mind but for some reason perhaps recency bias but Pavelski felt like the obvious choice at this point in the season.