San Jose Sharks: 5 burning questions for 2018-19
By Kyle McKenna
2. Do the Sharks need to upgrade on defense?
San Jose has invested more than $24 million on the team’s blue for the 2018-19 season (per, CapFriendly), but should the Sharks still consider upgrading the team’s defense corps?
Yes, especially if the Teal doesn’t acquire a skater such as Pacioretty to boost the team’s offense prior to the 2019 NHL Trade Deadline.
While the Sharks already have one of the best offensive-defensemen in the NHL with Burns, there are more reasons than not for San Jose to try and acquire Erik Karlsson from the Ottawa Senators. Karlsson would obviously act as another offensive threat and chip in the necessary production to improve the Sharks’ overall offense, but the 28-year-old would also help stabilize the team’s backend.
Entering the month of August, San Jose is strapped with salary-cap space to acquire an asset such as Karlsson, so the team would have to part ways with at least one notable asset.
It may seem far-fetched at first, but it’s possible to acquire and provide a lucrative contract to Karlsson, especially with Thornton’s one-year deal coming off of the books after 2019.
The two-time Norris Trophy winner in Karlsson (2012 & 2015) would not only transform the Sharks’ lineup for the next decade but blossom with a talented and well-balanced roster that San Jose and general manager Doug Wilson have built.
Other blueliners such as Marc-Édouard Vlasic more than likely aren’t going to be able to have that same impact for the team than he did in the past, and another superstar is necessary for the Sharks to go back to the Stanley Cup Final.