1 Improvement Each Line Must Make for the San Jose Sharks

The NHL season is roughly one-third over so every team has a pretty good idea of what talent they have and how most of their players fit into the team. This is a look at each line combination the San Jose Sharks have and what one improvement can be made to each line to maximize its potential.

The ideal hockey line combines players with complementary skills to provide the most diverse and talented combination on the ice. Ideally, a grinder, a shooter and a passer would be a great unit.

The Sharks make frequent changes to their lines, as do most teams in the modern NHL. Injuries, streaks, slumps and other factors usually facilitate these changes. The following line combinations are from the most recent game against the Edmonton Oilers on December 9.

Feel free to comment on any of the lines listed here or to comment on players who are injured and out of the lineup who you think can be helpful to the team. As always, please indicate why you feel the way you do.

4th Line

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Andrew Desjardins is the constant on the Sharks' 4th line.

Most recent combination:  John Scott-Andrew Desjardins-Mike Brown

As is often the case with fourth lines, there is a lot of turnover here. Mike Brown suffered an injury against Edmonton and will be out indefinitely. Tyler Kennedy and Adam Burish are also out of the lineup.

This line does add toughness, but the biggest improvement needed on the fourth line is a little bit of offensive ability. John Scott is a one-dimensional fighter. Burish and Brown are diggers who rarely pose an offensive threat, let alone actually produce the occasional goal.

Andrew Desjardins, Scott and Brown have two goals and five points between them. Burish scored once and has three points.

Most fourth lines are not huge offensive threats, but even a little ability would go a long way—so would some continuity.

3rd Line

Nam Y. Huh/Associated Press/Associated Press

James Sheppard anchors the Sharks' revolving 3rd line.

Most recent combination: Barclay Goodrow-James Sheppard-Melker Karlsson

James Sheppard has been the backbone of the third line for most of the season. Matt Nieto, who was a fixture on this line, is now out with an ankle injury and has been placed on injured reserve.

Again, a little more offensive production is needed to improve this line. On too many nights, the Sharks have a group of bottom-six forwards who don't even threaten the opposing goal.

Sheppard and Nieto each have just nine points on the season. Getting consistent production just hasn't been easy for this unit.

Barclay Goodrow is not projected as a major offensive threat but does have size and the ability to add the occasional goal.

Melker Karlsson may have some more offensive upside and scored a goal in his NHL debut against the Oilers.

The Sharks are still hoping they can keep their third-line players healthy and get a little more offensive production out of this unit.

2nd Line

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SAN JOSE, CA - DECEMBER 09: (L-R) Patrick Marleau #12, Brent Burns #88, Scott Hannan #27, Logan Couture #39, and Tommy Wingels #57 of the San Jose Sharks celebrate after Logan Couture scored a goal against the Edmonton Oilers at SAP Center on December 9,

Most recent combination: Patrick Marleau-Logan Couture-Tommy Wingels

This has been the Sharks' most productive unit so far this season. Patrick Marleau and Logan Couture are first and second on the team in points with 27 and 26, respectively, through 30 games.

The addition of Wingels adds a little physicality which is exactly what this line needed. Wingels has been credited with 115 hits this season. The next-best player on the team is Brent Burns with just 57.

This the closest to an ideal line as the Sharks have right now. The ideal improvement, and this is truly nitpicking, would be a little more size. Wingels is 6'0" and weighs 200 pounds—not ideal size for a checking winger. 

1st Line

Nick Wass/Associated Press

Joe Thornton and Joe Pavelski are constants on the top line.

Most recent combination: Tomas Hertl-Joe Thornton-Joe Pavelski

Joe Thornton and Joe Pavelski have been constants on the top line this season, and both have been productive. Offensively, the Sharks may have been hoping for slightly more consistent production from the two Joes. They are both just below a point-per-game average, and coach Todd McLellan would prefer to see it at or just above that plateau.

What this line needs most, however, is a consistent third player to go with Thornton and Pavelski. Tomas Hertl started the season on this line but wasn't as productive as he was during his rookie season so he was demoted to the fourth line and later moved to the third line.

Hertl has only six goals and 13 points in 30 games, far from the pace he set in 37 games last season when he scored 15 goals and 25 points.

One big difference between this season and last for Hertl is the number of shots he's taking. Last year, the Prague native fired 98 shots on goal in 37 games. In 30 games this year, he has only 53.

Hertl certainly has the raw talent to fit on this line, but he hasn't translated that talent into production. A player who brings a little more physicality would likely be a better fit. The Sharks need to find the right fit for the third and final spot on the top line before the playoffs get under way.