Peter DeBoer is back for his second season as San Jose Sharks Head Coach, after coming third in their division and making it to the Stanley Cup Finals for the first time since the team was formed in 1991.
Last season was up and down for the Sharks, losing more games at home than they
Joe Thornton – File Photo by Jack Lima
won (18-20-3), but staying strong on the road (28-10-3) is obviously what helped them make the cut to the play offs. Round one saw the Sharks knock out the L.A. Kings in game 5, progressing them to the second round to face the Nashville Predators. The second round went to game seven, with the Sharks totally dominating the game, taking it 5-0.
The Western Conference Finals pitted the Sharks against the St Louis Blues, and in game six the Sharks became Western Conference Champions, pushing them in to their first ever Stanley Cup Finals where they prepared to face the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Unfortunately for the Sharks, the Penguins fended them off at home in Pittsburgh, and lifted the trophy themselves in game six, sending the Sharks home for the summer.
Martin Jones, having transferred from the Kings to the Sharks in the summer of 2015 (with a minor stop in Boston) became the number one net minder for the Sharks for the season, playing 65 regular season games, winning thirty seven, plus fourteen of the twenty four post season games he played. Jones looks like he is back in the goal again this year, with back up coming from Aaron Dell who spent last season with the San Jose Barracuda.
Obviously over the summer, the draft happened and the Sharks had five draft picks to take from their seven.
Sharks first round pick had been traded to the Boston Bruins (the trade for Jones prior to the 2015/16 season), so when it finally got to pick number 60, the Sharks first choice was Dylan Gambrell.
Sharks third round pick and Jason Demers had been traded to the Dallas Stars for Brenden Dillon, which meant the Sharks had to wait until pick 111 for Noah Gregor.
Fifth round pick saw the Sharks acquire Manuel Wiederer, quickly followed by Mark Shoemaker in round six.
Joe Pavelski (8) tries to control a rebound- Photo by Jack Lima 2016
Finishing their draft, with pick 210, the Sharks recruited Joachim Blichfeld.
All five of the young players, however, will be set for conditioning for a year or two before heading anywhere near the Sharks locker room on game day.
Stepping out on to the ice to start the season, will be the experienced Sharks, Joe Pavelski leading them out with the C on his chest. Joining him, Joe Thornton returns, with Patrick Marleu to complete the trio. Logan Couture is also coming back out, hopefully avoiding the injuries that saw him miss so many games last year.
Everyone’s favourite D-Man, Brent Burns is back, and if the pictures on social media are anything to go by, the beard has remained through the hot, summer months. The dapper dresser, with the gap toothed grin, isn’t alone on the blue line, Marc-Edouard Vlasic is back for another season along with fellow defence men Justin Braun and Paul Martin.
Trying out the teal jerseys this year, is David Schlemko after a year with the New Jersey Devils. Joining him as the only other new face on the Sharks roster this year, is Dylan DeMelo after his eighteen games with Colorado Avalanche last year (62 with Arizona Coyotes before a mid-season trade).
The pre-season hasn’t started as well as the Sharks would have liked, winning just three out of their six games, but with the season about to get properly underway, everyone will be asking if the DeBoer can get the Sharks to the finals again, but this time will they be lifting the trophy.
The Sharks season kicks off on Wednesday, as they start at home against the L.A. Kings, before going on a five game road trip.
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