The San Jose Sharks will be fascinating team to watch this offseason. After a disappointing 2019-20 campaign, the organization — led by a GM in Doug Wilson who isn’t afraid to make big moves — is approaching this coming season, not primarily looking to rebuild, but undertaking the process of a serious “retooling.” And, when it comes to that retooling, they have three pretty big questions to answer: 1) Who gets the 1B spot in net? 2) Can they create a situation where star defenseman Erik Karlsson fits? and 3) What do they do about Kevin Labanc’s next contract?
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The Sharks Need a Goalie
In a market flooded with goaltenders, the San Jose Sharks happen to be looking. Elliotte Friedman said during a recent episode of the 31 Thoughts Podcast, “he’s [Wilson] looked at another goalie for Jones. Last year the backup was Aaron Dell, they kicked tires on Jake Allen. Doug Wilson, he kicks tires on a lot of things,” Friedman said. The Sportsnet analyst and podcast host also notes that the Sharks called the Arizona Coyotes about Darcy Kuemper but he didn’t believe they had the assets to pull off that trade. He did suggest a player like Thomas Greiss.
Citing that the Sharks know Greiss and that they believe he might be willing to share the starting job with Martin Jones, Greiss could be an ideal fit. He called the Sharks goaltender search potentially their top priority.
Karlsson Not a Fit?
The second was figuring out where Erik Karlsson works in the overall scheme of the lineup moving forward. Saying that the fit was never quite right from the moment he arrived, the Sharks need to find a way to make Karlsson happy but also ensure his happiness benefits the team in a positive way. Friedman says the Sharks are asking, “How do we make this fit, because if it doesn’t fit, it’s going to be a problem.”
Friedman notes that the Sharks really understand they fell apart as a team last season. The loss of Joe Pavelski was enormous but that’s no longer an excuse. The teams needs to find a way to be a team again and that includes finding leadership, potentially a player like Karlsson.
What’s Kevin Labanc’s Next Deal?
After taking a huge discount the season before, the expectation was that Labanc might get a raise after doing the team a solid and taking a team-friendly one-year contract. Little did he expect that a down season for himself and the team, combined with a pandemic, might force the Sharks to rethink a potential understanding that they’d make good on returning the favor.
Jeff Marek suggested during the podcast that this upcoming negotiation between Labanc and the Sharks could get very interesting. Friedman said, “Let’s just say there was a deal done there. Do you ever go back on your word? What circumstances would make you say…” Marek played devils advocate and said, “Well the circumstance that we’re in right now. The circumstance with a flat cap and unknown future. All of that. The world has changed so we need to change along with it.”
Friedman suggested if the Sharks try to make that argument, they’d need an alternative solution that will make Labanc happy. Friedman noted that this could be a rocky road of all sides don’t handle it carefully.
Next: Could San Jose Lose Brent Burns to Expansion?
