Complete Guide to the 2015 Offseason for the San Jose Sharks

Tom Urtz Jr.Apr 11, 2015

The San Jose Sharks ended the 2013-14 season with four consecutive losses against the Los Angeles Kings in the first round of the playoffs, and they made history by becoming one of a handful of teams to lose a 3-0 series lead in the playoffs.

The 2014-15 Sharks also made history, but it was for the wrong reason. This is the first time in 10 years that the Sharks have missed the playoffs, and changes have to be coming. The team as currently constructed could become history, so here’s a complete guide for the 2015 offseason.

Season Recap

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Top Performers

Although the season can be viewed as a general disappointment, there is reason for fans to be somewhat hopeful for the immediate future.

Joe Pavelski had another strong season, and he finished with 37 goals, 33 assists and 70 points. It is a drop from last season, but his goal total is what is important here.

Logan Couture is the future of this team, and he took some significant strides forward for the Sharks. The 26-year-old pivot finished with 27 goals, 40 assists and 67 points. He has the potential to take things to another level, and at his peak he should be able to be a point-per-game player for San Jose.

Last and certainly not least is Brent Burns, who had the best season of his career. The Sharks’ defender/winger finished with career-high 43 assists and 60 total points. He has been very flexible for San Jose since he was acquired from the Minnesota Wild and remains one of the best players the Sharks have.

Biggest Disappointments

This season there were a number of players who failed to meet expectations or just simply underwhelmed based on their reputation.

Tomas Hertl is one of these players, because there was a lot expected of him after he burst onto the scene with 25 points in 37 games during his rookie season. He finished with 31 in 82 games this season, but the drop in per-game production and lack of creativity and explosiveness is what is concerning. Sophomore slumps are common for NHL youngsters, and San Jose has to hope he will bounce back next season.

Patrick Marleau signed a fat new extension before the end of last season, and thus far it hasn’t been a fruitful investment. Marleau tallied 70 points in 82 games last year and finished with a 0.85 points-per-game average.

This season was the first since 2007-08 in which he failed to reach 60 points, as Marleau tallied only 57 points and finished with a 0.69 points-per-game average.

Final Analysis

The Sharks finished the season with a record of 40-33-9, and 89 points. They missed the playoffs by a very slim margin, and it can be traced back to a very poor month of February. The Sharks went 3-8-1 that month, and picking up only seven points is what cost them a playoff spot.

Biggest Storylines to Follow

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Joe Thornton, does he stay or does he go?
Who will be the coach?
Who will be the general manager?

Joe Thornton owns a full no-movement clause, but how much longer does he want to remain in San Jose? As a skilled veteran player, there has to be a part of Thornton that yearns to go somewhere he can win a Stanley Cup.

He is also tired of getting his reputation tarnished, and that’s something that generated news this season. At first he was stripped of the captaincy in an attempt to spread leadership around, and then general manager Doug Wilson spoke to season ticket holders about why he made the decision, opening up another can of worms.

The second-most significant story for the summer is who is going to coach the team. As of this writing, Todd McLellan is still in charge, but there’s a chance he could move on. He has been the team’s bench boss since Ron Wilson was fired in 2008. McLellan has done a decent job collecting a record of 311-163-66, but he could end up being a scapegoat.

The final topic of consideration is who will be the general manager of the team in 2015-16? Wilson has been in charge longer than McLellan, and the Sharks haven’t won a championship. It could be argued that he deserves to get fired before McLellan, but there is always the chance that ownership will make a clean sweep.

There are not a number of notable candidates out there, although the situation could become clearer once more teams make some final personnel decisions.

Notable Players Hitting Free Agency

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The Sharks have some decisions to make before the start of free agency, and here's a look at some players worth mentioning on the UFA front.

Antti Niemi — The Sharks’ starting goaltender is coming off a season in which he had a record of 31-23-7 with a 2.59 goals-against average and .914 save percentage. He made $3.8 million last season and will be looking for more money a year.

Matt Irwin — The Sharks’ defender will hit unrestricted free agency this season, and he’s coming off a deal that paid him $1 million. He finished the season with 19 points in 53 games.

Scott Hannan — The veteran blueliner will need a new deal, as his one-year deal worth $1 million is expiring. As an older player he’s seen better days, and it won’t be surprising if he isn’t re-signed.

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Top Free-Agent Targets

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The Sharks have a number of quality forwards on the roster, so it would make sense for them to make some improvements on the blue line.

It wouldn’t be out of the realm of possibility for San Jose to re-acquire Christian Ehrhoff, because he is a quality top-four left-handed defender. He could slot in on the second pairing and on the power play, and adding a defender like him could result in Brent Burns moving back up front where he’s had success.

If the Sharks want to stick to right-handed defenders, they should look at Jeff Petry from the Montreal Canadiens and Cody Franson from the Nashville Predators. Petry is a decent defenseman who was a good player on a bad Edmonton Oilers team, and Franson is a physical rear guard with a booming point shot.

Mike Green is slated to hit the free=agency market this summer, and his availability could have an impact on what happens to the above; the Sharks could look to exploit that.

Best Options in the NHL Draft

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Going forward the Sharks could use some impact wingers and defenders. Based on their place in the standings, the Sharks are slated to pick 11th overall unless they win the draft lottery.

If available, the Sharks should consider Pavel Zacha, Timo Meier, Travis Konecny or Oliver Kylington.

Zacha is a 6’3” winger who has some offensive skill and the physical tools needed to be successful; he could be a nice complement to Logan Couture or Joe Pavelski.

Meier is an explosive winger who has ideal size at 6’1” and 208 pounds, and his ability to shoot, pass and skate with the puck makes him a triple threat. He’s been one of the Halifax Mooseheads’ best players and could see a bigger role with the team next season.

Konecny is a talented forward who is on the small size at 5’10” and 172 pounds, but has great vision and is a natural playmaker. He’s played well for the Ottawa 67s, and the Sharks have some familiarity with the OHL club with Couture as an Ottawa alum.

If the Sharks go for a defender, Kylington could end up being a huge steal. He was one of the top-ranked European players this season, and he’s a speedy skater who plays a solid two-way game.

San Jose should end up with a quality player given the depth of the 2015 draft. They certainly picked a decent year to miss the playoffs.

Players Who Could Be on the Trading Block

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Given the makeup of the team’s current roster, there are only two players who could be on the block. Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau are protected with their no-movement clauses, but a new front office could choose to ignore them and pressure the players into waiving them.

In addition to that, there is the chance that they could voluntarily go on the block in the attempt to salvage the remaining prime years of their career in order to win a championship. Both could net a huge return, and it could finally kickstart a rebuild that was delayed this past summer.

Prospects Most Likely to Debut in 2015-16

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Nikolay Goldobin is a talented winger who turns 20 before the start of the 2015-16 season. The Sharks' 2014 first-round pick was deemed to be too good for the OHL, and instead of returning to the Sarnia Sting he played for HIFK in Finland this season.

He tallied 11 goals and 21 points in 38 games, and you can expect him to make his debut after getting some seasoning at the AHL level. He was ineligible this season because of his age, but that won't be an issue next season. He is the Sharks’ top prospect and the only one of note who could make a debut next season.