During a difficult 2022-23 season for the San Jose Sharks, one of the team’s few bright spots was their penalty kill. This season that hasn’t been the case. The NHL’s eighth-ranked shorthanded unit from last season has fallen to the bottom section of the league, spending much of the year in dead last. However, over the last six games bookending the All-Star Break, the Sharks have begun to take their penalty kill in the right direction.
During those six games, they have killed off all 17 power plays they faced and raised their kill percentage to 74.1 — still 30th in the league, but gaining separation from the 32nd position they once held. The improving penalty kill provides hope for a larger turnaround and will be crucial for the franchise to close out the season with positive energy.
Nico Sturm’s Return Provides Lift
Regarding San Jose’s personnel and strategy when shorthanded, the one major change in the past six games has been the return of forward Nico Sturm. When the season began, he was an easy choice to serve as a top penalty killer, but those plans were somewhat derailed by him missing more than a third of a season due to injury. The penalty-killing streak began in Sturm’s third game, following a 16-game absence. Since he returned, he has been a crucial part of the PK unit. He hustles to loose pucks for clearances, consistently puts himself in a good defensive position, and demonstrates a willingness to be physical against opposing power plays.
When a unit only consists of four players, every single one is massively important, and taking even one of them out can completely alter the penalty kill’s trajectory. Sturm’s absence demonstrated his penalty-killing value, and now his presence is doing the same. Last season, it looked as though a strong penalty kill would be a central part of the Sharks’ identity under David Quinn. This season, it feels like Sturm is an essential player for manifesting that into reality.
Penalty Kills Offer Crucial In-Game Momentum
A power play can completely change the direction of a hockey game. It’s obviously a prime opportunity for the advantaged team to score and can often lead to an even stronger offensive push if successful. On the other hand, a successful penalty kill can provide a boost, and teams that manage to execute one often follow it up with strong offensive shifts.
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These factors are obviously important for every NHL team, but they feel especially valuable for the Sharks, given the way that their season has gone. At their lowest points this season, they’ve come undone by one mistake begetting another and struggling to keep momentum on their side for any extended period. The penalty kill is highly necessary to avoid falling back into these habits. The Sharks can use the times when they are shorthanded to kill the penalties, build up momentum, and prevent the opponents from taking any of the momentum for themselves. In their most recent game, on Thursday (Feb. 15) against the Calgary Flames, they did this perfectly, shutting out all five power plays they faced and maintaining control of the action for a substantial portion of the night.
Sharks’ Penalty Killing Must Rely on Focus
One of the major ways in which the Sharks’ penalty kill has derailed has been a lack of focus late in the power play time. They often do an adequate job for most of the kill but fall apart in the final 30 seconds or so to allow a goal. The last 17 penalty kills have been much better in this regard, and it will need to be a point of attention throughout the rest of the season. Sturm’s presence can play a role in continuing the positive trends of the past six games. Coaching will be important as well. If the penalty kill can keep heading in this direction, it will lead to positive dividends for the team as a whole.