The San Jose Sharks’ defense needs all kinds of help.
Such is life on the worst team in the NHL.
Which UFA defensemen can help?
Assuming the Sharks stay out of the high-end of that pool, because GM Mike Grier seems reluctant to hand out maximum-length contracts — Aaron Ekblad, Vladislav Gavrikov, and Ivan Provorov could all garner those — there’s still help to be had out there.
Right now, the San Jose defense looks like left-handers Mario Ferraro, Shakir Mukhamadullin, Henry Thrun, and Marc-Edouard Vlasic, along with right-handers Vincent Desharnais and Timothy Liljegren.
Left-handers Luca Cagnoni and Sam Dickinson, and right-hander Jack Thompson are prospects waiting in the wings.
Perhaps that means two outside additions then? Not counting the prospects, and because Desharnais, Thrun, and Vlasic may not be everyday line-up fixtures.
That could come via trade too, of course, but let’s look at unrestricted free agents here.
Let’s zero in on a half-dozen candidates, Matt Grzelcyk, Nate Schmidt, Dante Fabbro, Brian Dumoulin, Ryan Lindgren, and Nick Perbix.
Stathletes, NHL scouts, and other league sources discuss specific areas where they can help the San Jose Sharks.
Let’s start with the power play, where the Sharks finished 26th in the NHL with an 18.6 percent success rate.