Although the Sharks fell two games short of winning the Stanley Cup, they went on an incredible run at the end of the season. The performance of Joe Pavelski was outstanding, and he really emerged as an elite talent. Martin Jones proved he has what it takes to compete at the highest level.
With all that being said, the West have a number of Stanley Cup Contenders. Are the Sharks one of them?
Chicago Blackhawks
Although the first round exit was shocking, Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews have never found much playoff success after their championships. They have won two playoff series in the three seasons after winning a Stanley Cup.
The truth is the Blackhawks may again be the favorites to win the Stanley Cup. Artemi Panarin and Andrew Shaw have emerged as reliable producers around Kane and Toews. The core of Brent Seabrook, Duncan Keith and Niklas Hjalmarsson will again return to the blue line. We also shouldn't underestimate the impact a healthy Corey Crawford will have in net.
St. Louis Blues
The biggest problem facing the Blues this offseason is the re signing of David Backes. The two way forward is their captain, and heart and soul. Without him, their Stanley Cup hopes take a major hit.
Good news for the Blues is Vladimir Tarasenko had a monster post season. His nine goals and 15 points led the team, as he was able to produce in multiple clutch situations. In short, he really emerged this post season as a superstar. With a strong defender core, the Blues appear to have the pieces to make a strong run for the Stanley Cup.
Nashville Predators
While Ryan Johansen and Filip Forsberg did get a half of a season together, you never got the feeling that they were able to completely build up some chemistry. In fact, Colin Wilson was able to outshine them in the playoffs, which, no offense to Wilson, shouldn't have happened.
There is reason to suspect that with more time together, the two will finally play to the level they are capable of. Shea Weber and Pekka Rinne are still elite players, so it would appear that the Predators have the star power needed to make a run at the Stanley Cup.
San Jose Sharks
Yes, it is true that Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau may not be back next year. Yes, it is true that the defense caved in again when it mattered the most. However, the core of a Sharks team that came close to winning the cup remains almost intact.
Logan Couture and Joe Pavelski were dynamite in the postseason. The two had 24 goals and 53 points as they ran roughshod over the best defenses in the NHL this post season. Martin Jones entered the post season with a lot of questions and left the post season as the legitimate franchise goaltender for the Sharks. With $10 million in cap space, the Sharks can afford to go out and grab a top-notch defender or two.