Does It Make Sense For The San Jose Sharks To Rush Erik Karlsson Back For The Regular Season?
Can the San Jose Sharks win without Erik Karlsson? A two-time Norris Trophy winner, Karlsson is a game-changer. After he re-injured his groin during a blowout loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets, the question of whether the Sharks have the inside edge to make it back to the Stanley Cup remains unanswered. However, San Jose has proven they don’t need Karlsson to be one of the NHL’s top teams.
Sitting with 80 points, the Sharks have the 2nd best record in the Western Conference. When the defenceman sat out 10 games with the initial groin injury from mid-January to mid-February, San Jose went 6-3. All of the wins came off a 6-game winning streak.
The Sharks are a dangerous team with or without Karlsson. Obviously, who wouldn’t be a better team without the NHL’s best defenceman on the ice. He’s recorded 45 points in only 51 games. Karlsson is consistently one of the league’s top-scoring D-Men.
The Sharks, who still have Norris Trophy finalist, Brent Burns, aren’t lacking at the defenceman position. Considering San Jose’s comfortable lead in the West playoff picture, do they sit Karlsson for the rest of the regular season? You can make a valid argument.
Despite all of the team’s strengths, it’s highly unlikely the Sharks sit Karlsson the rest of the way. If he’s healthy, expect him to play. The team is currently (as of February 25th) 3 points out of the top record in the West. They’ll want to get the home-ice advantage for the playoffs.
It’s a question of whether or not the San Jose Sharks can feel confident without Karlsson in the home stretch that’ll determine when he comes back. There should be little debate Karlsson will return if he’s cleared. He’s a competitor and wants to play for his team.
A big issue is he’ll need to get into game shape before the playoffs begin. You don’t want a rusty Erik Karlsson to start the playoff push. As any NHL player, coach, or fan will tell you, playoff hockey is a different atmosphere. A fresh Karlsson might be good in theory, but for someone who has played on some shaky Ottawa Senators team’s, he’ll need to extra practice with the team before the playoffs.
San Jose can win without him, though. They’ve proven that night in and night out. The Sharks do have one game left against the Western Conference-leading, Calgary Flames, two against the Las Vegas Golden Knights, and one against the Winnipeg Jets. Those games are crucial to the possibility of home-ice.
Erik Karlsson would be a huge advantage for the San Jose Sharks coming down the stretch. There’s really no need to rush him back during the regular season. They’ll likely be the favorites out of the West regardless of home-ice. Karlsson adds another level to the team. His presence is welcomed, but San Jose will be just fine without him for the time being.
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Daniel is a guru of baseball and basketball prospects. He’s a very experienced Amusement Park traveler as well. Follow him and his hot takes on Insta @dgentleman9288
