5 best fits for Ilya Kovalchuk in NHL free agency
By Nick McAdam
3. San Jose Sharks
It probably doesn’t feel good to get eliminated in the Second Round to an expansion team. The fanbase is growing impatient in San Jose, and victory needs to happen fast before management decides to break down and start again.
From the outside perspective, the Sharks have a very solid core in place. Martin Jones was sharp for a good portion of the playoffs, and it shouldn’t have to be explained what the likes of Logan Couture, Joe Pavelski and Brent Burns can do.
The problem may simply be what’s surrounding the core. Evander Kane will likely be gone, and Paul Martin, Joel Ward and Jannik Hansen don’t produce nearly as much as they should.
The Sharks need whatever touch they can find from anywhere to make the most of the core they have in place at the moment. Kovalchuk, or anybody who can put the puck in the net, has to be preferred for Peter DeBoer’s side.
Time is ticking before impatience builds to an unstoppable level. Maybe a 30-goal scorer in Kovalchuk can help San Jose take one step close to getting their hands on the Stanley Cup.