Despite a tough 3-8-2 start, Mikael Granlund’s strong performance brings hope as the Sharks look forward to Celebrini's return.
Nearly a month has passed since the season started, and the San Jose Sharks are falling short of expectations. October has ended, with the 3-8-2 Sharks at the bottom of the NHL standings, yet there are silver linings to glean from the rough beginning of the season.
This period has been lacking Celebrini, but we anticipate progress once he returns later today. The Sharks have a forward core player who is scoring at a zero rate.
Mikael Granlund has begun the season as if he is competing for the Stanley Cup. In the initial thirteen games, Granlund has scored six goals and provided eight assists, totaling fourteen points, which puts him at the top of the team.
Granlund’s ability to score in crucial moments has enabled the Sharks to begin securing victories, and it appears that the team’s success is closely tied to the example he sets. At the beginning of the season, he was silent as the Sharks suffered nine consecutive losses.
From that point forward, he took off, leading San Jose to victory in 3 out of 4 games. Granlund has proven to be the Sharks’ top performer of the season. His significant impact on powerplay has made the offense more dangerous, and he is now starting to perform as effectively as he did in the previous season.
Granlund was the top scorer for the Sharks last season with 60 points, scoring 12 goals and providing 48 assists in 69 games. He has proven to be a leader through his actions.
The Finnish player’s contract expires this summer, so he is hoping for a trade to a team competing for the Stanley Cup. When the trade deadline arrives, the player received as a salary dump from the Pittsburgh Penguins will search for a new team to compete for the Stanley Cup with.
The Sharks probably won’t extend the Finn’s contract because of his age and the abundance of talented centers currently in the organization.
Image Credit: Robert Edwards-Imagn Images
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