The San Jose Sharks will once again finish amongst the top teams in the NHL when the regular season comes to a close.
And barring a huge drop off, the Sharks will have finished top-two in the Western Conference for the third straight season.
This frequent placement amongst the league leaders every year has their season defined by one thing and one thing only: playoff success.
But a team doesn't necessarily have to win the Stanley Cup to enjoy playoff success.
Playoff success simply means playing to the level expected of such a talented squad. And a team with the talent of the Sharks has no business being eliminated before the Western Conference Final.
If they can get there, (even if they play their best hockey), a younger and faster Chicago Blackhawks team may simply be the better team.
However, the Sharks owe it to themselves, their organization, and their fans to play at the level they have shown during the regular season, come playoffs.
And that starts with the face of the franchise in perennial All-Star center and Gold Medal recipient Joe Thornton.
Despite averaging over a point pe ...
Read Full Article at Bleacher Report - NHL
Article written by Andy Bensch
San Jose Sharks: Why Joe Thornton Must Drastically Alter His Game
March 16th, 2010 by Andy Bensch Leave a reply »
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