San Jose Sharks Head Coach Knows He’s On Hot Seat

Nov 16, 2014; Raleigh, NC, USA; San Jose Sharks head coach Todd McLellan look on from the bench during the game against the Carolina Hurricanes at PNC Arena. The San Jose Sharks defeated the Carolina Hurricanes 2-0. Mandatory Credit: James Guillory-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 16, 2014; Raleigh, NC, USA; San Jose Sharks head coach Todd McLellan look on from the bench during the game against the Carolina Hurricanes at PNC Arena. The San Jose Sharks defeated the Carolina Hurricanes 2-0. Mandatory Credit: James Guillory-USA TODAY Sports /
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San Jose Sharks coach Todd McLellan knows he could be on the verge of getting fired, as his team sputters along in the Western Conference under the weight of huge expectations

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Sometimes, your instincts tell you when something — be it good or bad — is going to happen.

San Jose Sharks coach Todd McLellan knows that premonition all too well as his team has struggled to shake off fellow Pacific Division bottom feeders Arizona and Edmonton. At 10-9-4 entering Wednesday’s home game against Calgary, no one needs to tell McLellan that his job is on the line, a subject he discussed with the San Jose Mercury News.

“I know that the team hasn’t performed to the level that any of us are happy with — not just ownership and management, but also coaches and players aren’t happy with the results,” said McLellan, who is in his seventh season with the team.

The Sharks have made the Stanley Cup playoffs in each of McLellan’s previous six seasons, but the team has nothing to show for their success. After reaching the Western Conference finals in his first two years, San Jose has failed to get beyond the semifinal round, including a pair of first round exits in the last three years.

A brutal opening schedule that saw the team begin with 16 of their first 21 games on the road could get better now that the Sharks are in a midst of a stretch where they will play nine of 11 at home. A solid stretch may help ease McLellan’s intuition.

If not….

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