Mikael Granlund's first year in San Jose leads into uncertainty for next season

Mikael Granlund was considered a cap dump when he arrived from the Pittsburgh Penguins. He was an afterthought to so many Sharks fans as someone who would play out his contract and move on to greener pastures. But in year one of his stay in the Bay Area, Mikael Granlund looks like a player that the Sharks may need to keep around moving forward as he takes several younger players under his wings. 

With 12 goals and 48 assists for 60 points in 69 games, Granlund had a great season in terms of production for the team in teal. Knowing that he is still in his first season with the team from the Bay Area, there are expectations that he could see an uptick in production as we progress into his term with the team. He surpassed all expectations, which was rare for anyone on this Sharks roster. 

Some people may point to the fact he was on the top powerplay unit with guys like Anthony Duclair and Tomas Hertl before the trade deadline, but Granlund's production didn't dip after the deadline. He was among the few players consistently scoring points for the Sharks when their offense sputtered. With the Sharks needing a more significant offensive punch to be more threatening, San Jose will need the Finnish forward to keep his production in the same area it was this year. 

Granlund's contract expires next year, which means difficult conversations will be had about the Finnish forward's future. Given his age, those conversations might be a lot easier to have when the time comes, but moving another 60+ point producer will be painful if that is what it comes to. Hopefully, the Sharks can get a substantial return for the Finn next year because they can't retain his contract, but that is a conversation for another time.