The San Jose Sharks have found themselves at the bottom of the standings for the majority of this season. Despite some being at the bottom a few different times over the past few years, this is the first time they have consistently been in last place. In fact, the consensus around the league is that the Sharks have the chance to become the worst team in recent memory, if not the worst in NHL history. That is how bad the team has been this season.
With that said, there are a few upsides to the Sharks’ current scenario. They have a phenomenal chance at the first-overall pick, they can shuffle the roster and test out prospects constantly, and there is nowhere to go but up. However, these small victories can only do much to stifle the pain that comes with a rebuild, and there is a good chance that the worst of the rebuild is yet to come.
The Sharks Need More Time to Complete the Rebuild
As fans have seen from many teams in recent memory, a rebuild can take a very long time. The Buffalo Sabres, for example, spent the better part of a decade missing the playoffs. If a real timeline is put on the Sharks’ rebuild, they’re only in their second year of trading away players for picks and prospects. This is nowhere near the amount of time needed to correct the team’s numerous issues, and unfortunately, it could have largely been avoided.
Had the Sharks begun rebuilding around 2020, they could have been in a much better place than they are now. Assuming the Sharks decided to trade Erik Karlsson much earlier or simply not traded for him at all, they likely could have had a few more prospects or first-round picks available. The same is true for hypothetical trades they could have made involving Tomas Hertl, Logan Couture, and Brent Burns a few years ago. Regardless, the damage has already been done. All they can do now is hope to keep moving in the right direction.
Sharks Need to Be Vigilant as the Rebuild Continues
While losing is easy, keeping a rebuild moving in the right direction is not. A bit of luck is involved, and general managers need to be ready to hop on any and all trades that can help them continue down the right path. The Sharks don’t have a lot that teams are in desperate need of, which may mean that they are close to maxing out potential trades for high returns this season. With that said, considering they are only in the beginning steps, this is not the end of the world by any means.
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As previously mentioned, players who may never crack the top-six forward lines or top-four defensive pairings on a competitive team are getting complete tryouts with the Sharks. While many of the players they are giving a shot have had middling results, some players, like Mackenzie Blackwood, who the Sharks acquired this offseason, have proven themselves much better than public opinion may say. If they keep throwing everything at the wall, something will stick eventually.
This season may be tough to watch for Sharks fans, but they are undoubtedly doing the right thing. Trying to continue to push for the playoffs and ignore the truth that was right in front of them is what led them to struggle for years in the first place. Finally accepting their position and doing their best to do right by the team is the best way to get the ship back on course. Hopefully, some luck will help move them in the right way in the coming years.