It’s no question that health is a major factor for the San Jose Sharks if they want success this upcoming season. Especially when it comes to their most important player on the ice.
Erik Karlsson got hampered by injuries for most of the 2019 calendar year. Despite only playing in 53 games EK65 posted a career high 1.9 assists per 60 rate. Adding to this the Swedish blueliner racked up the most points among all defenders during the Stanley Cup Playoffs with 21.
Following the Sharks disheartening exit from the Western Conference Finals Erik Karlsson underwent successful surgery to repair the groin injury that hindered the 29-year-old for the last half of the season. Now with a full summer of recovery under his belt it appears that he could be at full strength entering the 2019 – 2020 campaign.
According to Chelena Goldman of NBCSN Bay Area notes that Coach Pete DeBoer was pleasantly surprised by the progress that EK65 has had made on his road to recovery.
Regarding the health of the Sharks blue line, Peter DeBoer says Erik Karlsson appears ahead of schedule. #SJSharks
— Chelena Goldman (@ChelenaGoldman) September 13, 2019
Another Sharks blueliner whose health is vital to the team if they want to stay competitive is Radim Simek’s. The impact of the Czech defender can not get ignored. He plays a steady defensive game and provides a physical presence that is necessary in the rugged pacific division.
The almost 27-year-old played in 41 games last season only to get knocked out by a gnarly MCL/ACL tear which required surgery. With all that behind him, Simek is aiming towards a return sometime in the near future. Don’t get too excited however according to Mercury News Curtis Pashelka who caught up with DeBoer and noted that the Sharks aren’t in a rush to bring him back.
#SJSharks Pete DeBoer says Radim Simek has been skating of late, but that team is "taking it slow. There is no rush right now. But he skating and he looks good."
— Curtis Pashelka (@CurtisPashelka) September 14, 2019
Other than the two blueliners it seems that the Sharks are at full-strength. With nearly a full deck to work with how exactly will this roster shake out with all the questions up facing the forward group?