Now that we're approximately a quarter of the way through the season, it’s a good time to look at the individual players on the Sharks and give grades for how their seasons have gone. Since there are many players to cover, I will split this article into three parts: forwards, defensemen, and goaltenders, along with my overall grade for the Sharks.
Additionally, I won't be grading players not currently on the Sharks roster or on IR. Let's get into it.
Dimitry Orlov - Grade B+
Orlov has been the Sharks' best defenseman this season, which I'm sure the Sharks expected when they signed him. That's not to say Orlov is who you would want to be your number 1. He is a top 4 defender on a team that lacks quality blue liners. He is also having one of his best offensive seasons with 13 assists in 25 games, a product of his increased playing time, leading the Sharks with just under 22 minutes a night through 25 games.
Mario Ferraro - Grade B-
Ferraro has done precisely what you would expect Ferraro to do; he is a warrior on the ice, blocking shots, taking hits and battling night in and night out. And is the Sharks' 2nd most consistent defender behind Orlov. He is still overplayed in his role; he hasn’t improved as a puck mover, and he still struggles offensively. Entering the last year of his deal, and looking at the number of young left-handed defenders the Sharks have coming up, his days as a Shark are likely nearing an end. It will be interesting to see how Ferraro looks in a role better suited to his skill level, as he would be valuable to a playoff team as a 3rd-pairing defensive defenseman.
John Klingberg - Grade - D
Klingberg has been a disappointment, to say the least. Expected to add some offence to the Sharks' back end with 1st pair Powerplay time, the early returns on Klingberg have not been great. Klingberg has 7 points in 16 games, with three power-play goals; however, he has been a disaster defensively and has not produced enough offence to make up for it. His play has led to him being completely out of the lineup recently, as he finds himself in what has become a 9-man defensive rotation for the Sharks.
Timothy Liljegren - Grade C
Liljegren has been inconsistent this season. Some games, he looks like one of the better defenders on the team; other games, he seems entirely out of place. He has four assists in 19 games, and like Klingberg, has been scratched more of late. He can move the puck well enough and is a decent skater, but defensively, he is inconsistent and not very physical on the backend. His offensive production doesn't jump off the page either. Overall, Liljegren has been a player leaving you wanting more with the flashes he does show from time to time, but he can’t put it together consistently.
Vincent Desharnais - Grade C+
Desharnais has had an okay season and carved himself a role on the Sharks' 3rd pair and on the penalty kill. He is by no means a perfect player, but his size and ability to clear the net is an element the Sharks have lacked on the backend in recent seasons, and he has moved the puck better than expected, but it is not a strength. Overall, my expectations were low, but he has been fine in his role for the most part.
Nick Leddy - Grade F
At one point in his career, Nick Leddy was one of the most underrated defencemen in the entire NHL. But those days are long gone, and it’s clear he doesn’t have much left in the tank. Leddy has been one of the Sharks' most scratched players, getting into nine games, but it hasn’t been good, and it’s hard to justify playing more than they have this season.
Shakir Mukhamadullin - Grade B
Mukhamadullin has had some ups and downs in his first full-time NHL season. He has evident NHL talent and potential as both a defensive stopper and a solid puck mover. His 5 points in 12 games are good production for a Sharks defender with no power-play time and playing just 16 minutes a night. There have been some bad nights and defensive gaffes that need to be cleaned up. But he needs more playing time and to develop at the NHL level; he can’t be scratched as much as he has been for much longer.
Sam Dickinson - Grade B
Dickinson is a hard grade, on one hand, he hasn’t produced much at the NHL level, given his production in juniors with just 2 points through 19 games, but you have to factor in his age at just 19 years old. Ideally, Dickinson would be in the AHL, but that is not an option. He has slowly been improving defensively and establishing himself as one of the Sharks' 6 best defenders. The offence shows in flashes, but he hasn’t been given much runway to show it off, playing just over 14 minutes a night with no power-play time. Once he gains enough trust to earn more playing time, expect the offence to start to show more frequently. Overall, he has done the best with what is probably not the most ideal scenario.