With the San Jose Sharks’ first regular-season game less than two weeks away, it’s pretty clear which players on the roster will be the most scrutinized. The offseason has gone on long enough for plenty of discussion and analysis on the biggest names. The players most important to the team’s success are well-covered, and there’s not much more to say about them until they take the ice on Oct. 12 against the Vegas Golden Knights. But several other players without the same attention bring their own storylines, and they will be very much worth following. They aren’t household names, but they could be exciting to track during what might be a difficult season for the franchise. Here are four Sharks going unnoticed who may provide intrigue during the 2023-24 season.
Luke Kunin
After a very strong start to his time in San Jose, forward Luke Kunin suffered a torn ACL in December 2022. He returned to the ice on Saturday, Sept. 30, and could play a crucial role in the upcoming season. When playing at his peak, he is a physical, defensive-minded forward who can provide penalty killing and occasionally adds scoring from the bottom six.
Kunin was on track for the best season of his career prior to his injury, and this season could provide more evidence that the Sharks are the right team for him. The coaching staff could ease him back, but his return from injury is all the more reason to pay attention to him. He is attempting to rebound after a difficult rehab period, and fans around the league will see if he is able to do so. It’s a clear point for which Sharks fans can cheer during the season.
Fabian Zetterlund
One of the key return pieces in the Timo Meier trade, forward Fabian Zetterlund now enters his first full season with the Sharks. After a strong start to his 2022-23 season with the New Jersey Devils, his 22 games in San Jose were up and down. He showed solid puck-moving skills but failed to score any goals and registered just three assists. Having recently turned 24, he’ll need to improve his productivity this season if he wants his development to get back on track in a crucial season.
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Zetterlund isn’t San Jose’s best or most important young player, but he could serve as an indicator for how the Sharks’ rebuild is trending. If he has a strong 2023-24 season, it might be a good sign for the team’s developmental coaches. If it is more negative than positive, there could be mild cause for concern that San Jose isn’t a great place for players to grow in the early stages of their careers.
His level of success during the season will also help determine not only his place in the NHL but also the state of the Sharks’ forwards over the next few seasons. This season is an opportunity for him to prove himself as a key skater on the forward lines for many years to come in San Jose. If he doesn’t, he’ll open up a new spot — possibly for some other promising young forward to go and claim.
Radim Simek
Radim Simek has always been a good defensive defenseman when he stays healthy. Whether or not he can fulfill that condition is a constant question.
Simek has never missed fewer than 16 games in a season in his NHL career, and appeared in just 44 contests in 2022-23. Before the 2023-24 regular season season has even started, he is already on the mend with a lower-body injury and is currently considered day-to-day. There are just some players who can seemingly never avoid ailments for long enough to consistently prove their talent across seasons and Simek sometimes feels like one of them.
But a new season is a new chance for a clean bill of health, and if Simek can return to the ice soon he’ll be able to show his ability to improve a Sharks defense that struggled last season. He is also entering a contract year, and at age 31 could probably garner one more sizable deal with a productive and healthy season.
Given the role he could play in turning around San Jose’s defense, Simek is easy to root for. And his journey back from so many injuries makes supporting and following him an even easier decision.
Matt Benning
When he signed with the Sharks during the 2022 offseason, defenseman Matt Benning probably didn’t expect to be arguably their best offensive blueliner just over a year later. Incredibly, that’s where he finds himself.
San Jose’s trade of Erik Karlsson completely overhauled their defense, and Benning is at the center of that revamp. Despite being a defensive-minded player, his 24 points in 2022-23 are the most among current Sharks defensemen, and he may be expected to shoulder a greater portion of the offensive workload this season. The offensive output of the Sharks blue line is a major uncertainty, and Benning will be an essential part of the answer, whether his statistics are good or bad.
Sharks fans have gotten used to constantly rooting for strong offensive defensemen over the last 15 years. They might not be able to do so this year, but Benning could have a major impact on the defense’s scoring and may help determine which defenders — if any — emerge as offensive threats.
Difficult Regular Season Can Still Be Interesting
It’s no secret that the Sharks are probably going to be bad this season. But that doesn’t mean they won’t be interesting. Even in a difficult season, dozens of fascinating stories can still emerge and captivate a fanbase and a league that is willing to look for them. Kunin, Zetterlund, Simek and Benning are perfect examples of this. They may not necessarily capture front-page headlines, but they will offer plenty of intriguing hockey that will be worth giving consideration during the season.
