The San Jose Sharks only have 12 games remaining, and although they’ve mathematically been eliminated from the playoffs for a while, games still matter. Players who have struggled this season or have found themselves in a slump over the past few weeks must take advantage of these games and find a way to bounce back, either to better their chances at a bigger role next season or earn a contract somewhere in the NHL. Here are three Sharks, in particular, who need to end the season strong.
William Eklund
Against the Tampa Bay Lightning last Thursday, March 21, William Eklund was demoted to the fourth line alongside Ryan Carpenter and Jacob MacDonald. Entering that night, he had gone five games without recording a point, and as a result, his ice time dropped. His fortunes changed in the first period against the Lightning, as a 2-on-1 with MacDonald gave the Sharks a high-quality scoring chance, and Eklund put it in the back of the net for his first goal since March 2 against the Dallas Stars.
Considering he’s 21 years old, it’s hard to complain about Eklund’s season. He’s put up solid points, played a decent defensive game, and he’s slowly learning how to stand up for himself. With that being said, he’s going to need to perform consistently for the rest of the season, as neither management nor the coaching staff will want him on the fourth line for long.
After the game against Tampa Bay, he said, “I play my best hockey when I don’t think,” while head coach David Quinn also said he saw improvements in that regard. If Eklund can keep this momentum going, he’ll likely get a much bigger role next season.
Thomas Bordeleau
The Sharks recalled Thomas Bordeleau earlier this month for the first time since October. He played six of the Sharks’ first seven games of the campaign before he was sent down to the American Hockey League to play with the San Jose Barracuda. He had a strong performance at the AHL level, but he didn’t take the major step forward that management likely had been hoping for either.
Barracuda head coach John McCarthy played him both on the wing and at his natural position, center. Since being recalled by the Sharks on March 6, Bordeleau has been playing on the wing exclusively, but he’s been performing at a level we hadn’t yet seen from him in the NHL. He’s struggling with consistency, but that’s normal for a young player, especially on a team that struggles to score in general.
In Bordeleau’s most recent outing, he scored two goals against the Chicago Blackhawks on Saturday, his second two-goal game of the month (the first was against the Ottawa Senators on March 9). Before March, he had never scored two goals in a month at the NHL level, let alone in one game. Despite making appearances in both the 2021-22 and 2022-23 seasons, he wasn’t able to score a goal in either of those stints and scored his first goal against the Colorado Avalanche on Oct. 14, which was overshadowed by Mackenzie Blackwood’s incredible debut performance.
Against the Blackhawks, Bordeleau played alongside Nico Sturm and Justin Bailey on the third line. Playing with a defensive center and a power forward with limited offensive upside isn’t the greatest opportunity for Bordeleau to show his offensive capabilities, but he’s been doing it regardless of his linemates. If he’s able to continue performing at a high level for the remainder of the season, the AHL may finally be behind the 22-year-old.
Devin Cooley
One of the biggest feel-good stories of the season was the Sharks’ acquisition of Los Gatos native Devin Cooley. As a former San Jose Jr. Shark, playing a few games for the team he spent a lot of time with as a youngster must be an incredible feeling for the 26-year-old goaltender. His first two NHL games were against the Blackhawks, and neither went well for him. In his debut, the Sharks lost 5-2 in Chicago, then on Saturday, they blew a 4-0 lead and lost to the Blackhawks 5-4 at the SAP Center.
Although Cooley’s journey to the Sharks is a great story, odds are that his stint won’t be long unless things quickly change. The Sharks are expected to run with Blackwood as their starting goaltender for the rest of this season and next season. While Cooley might get the rest of the season at the NHL level as a backup, it’s also expected that Magnus Chrona will take the backup job next season, if not earlier.
Otherwise, there’s always the chance that the Sharks add a veteran backup in the offseason if they want Chrona to get more playing time in the AHL. Unfortunately, that doesn’t leave much room for Cooley and his future with his childhood team. If he can make the most of his remaining limited opportunities, he might be able to work his way into their plans, but he’ll need to play at a much higher level than we’ve seen from him so far.
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The Sharks’ remaining games won’t have an impact on the standings, but these players will benefit from performing at a high level for the next month. If Eklund, Bordeleau, and Cooley have a strong end to the season, it can only be a positive for each of them. If they struggle, though, they could be fighting an uphill battle next season.