The San Jose Sharks have been relying heavily on goaltender Philipp Grubauer as of late, and it’s paying off. After a slow start to the season, Grubauer has been on a tear, posting a .931 save percentage in his last 10 games. His stellar play has been a major factor in the Sharks’ recent success, as they have gone 6-3-1 in that span.
The Sharks are now looking to their offense to take the load off of Grubauer. They recently acquired forward Evander Kane from the Buffalo Sabres in exchange for forward Danny O’Regan and a conditional 2019 first-round draft pick. Kane is a proven goal scorer, having scored at least 20 goals in four of the last five seasons. He also brings a physical presence to the Sharks lineup, something that has been lacking in recent years.
The Sharks are also hoping that their young players will step up and contribute offensively. Timo Meier, Tomas Hertl, and Kevin Labanc have all shown flashes of brilliance this season, but they need to be more consistent if the Sharks are going to make a deep playoff run.
The Sharks have also added veteran depth in the form of Eric Fehr and Jannik Hansen. Both players bring experience and leadership to the locker room, and they should help the Sharks stay competitive down the stretch.
The Sharks are hoping that their new acquisitions, combined with Grubauer’s stellar play, will help them make a deep playoff run this season. If they can get their offense going, they could be a force to be reckoned with in the Western Conference. Only time will tell if the Sharks can make it happen.
