Editor’s note: Sheng Peng is a regular contributor to NBC Sports California’s Sharks coverage. You can read more of his coverage on San Jose Hockey Now, listen to him on the San Jose Hockey Now Podcast, and follow him on Twitter at @Sheng_Peng.
DENVER — So the San Jose Sharks aren’t the Colorado Avalanche yet.
That much was clear after the Stanley Cup contenders dominated the young upstarts wire to wire in a 6-0 win on Wednesday night at Ball Arena.
But for the first time in a half-decade, led by the likes of Macklin Celebrini, Yaroslav Askarov and Co., it feels like the Sharks, out of the playoffs since 2019, are going to get to where the Avs are.
“It took them however many years to get there,” Celebrini said. “I think it just takes some time.”
Of course, it takes many steps from the literal cellar last year to Cup contender. But what’s the next tangible step for San Jose?
19-year-old Sam Dickinson was on the same page with his head coach.
“Just seeing how hard they compete, line one through four, all 60, it seems like they’re always pulling their weight, doing their job,” Dickinson said. “And I think that’s the key to a lot of really good teams is having everybody on the team going every single night.”
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