Sharks current record: 14-32-5 (.324)
Sharks projected record: 24-53-5 (.324)
NHL record for worst season in 82-game history: 14-57-11 (.238)

We generally want to stay positive on the Sharks Sterility Stare, but we also criticize readily when warranted. So, for this All-Star break edition, we take the good; we take the bad; we take ’em both—and here you have … the San Jose Sharks. The team went 1-1-1 last week, which we’d normally celebrate, but the way it went down is something that leaves us with a sour taste in our mouths and bit of angry frustration.

Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water, right?

The Sharks started off the week with a bad loss at home to the Buffalo Sabres, 5-2. San Jose took a 2-0 lead in the first period about halfway through, but before the 20 minutes were up, the Sharks had coughed back the goals. Then, they gave up 3 more scores as the Sabres popped off 5 unanswered goals overall to win the game. It was disheartening to say the least: a home team should never blow a 2-0 lead, no matter what. Ever.

Great news, though, in that the Sharks bounced back 3 days later in their next game, a home contest against the Seattle Kraken: San Jose won, 2-0, getting its first shutout of the season. Mackenzie Blackwood made 32 saves, and the home team scored twice in the third period to claim the energizing victory in front of the hometown fans. This pushed the team’s record to 4-1 over its last 5 games at that point. Momentum!

Alas, it didn’t last … despite having a late lead in Anaheim one night after the Kraken win at home, the Sharks gave up the game-tying goal with just 1:01 left in the game and then promptly lost in overtime. Goaltender Kaapo Kähkönen took the loss, his second of the week, but this one was a big gut punch right before the All-Star break and with the team playing so well over its last few weeks of action. Just crushing.

So, the week was “good” overall, but really, it was a bit disappointing to say the least. It may be time, too, to stop mixing starts between the two goalies as well: Blackwood deserves to get most of the starts, save on back-to-back nights. And while that’s what this was, with the Seattle and Anaheim games on consecutive days with travel in between, the Sharks organization can plan ahead a bit better now to get this fixed.

Do they want to?

The Chicago Blackhawks now have the worst record in the NHL, with just 30 points, while San Jose has 33 points. If tanking is the plan to try to get the No. 1 pick, maybe the Sharks should keep starting Kähkönen. This is a dilemma, of course, but Blackwood is clearly the superior option right now in net. His quality-start percentage (.586) is his best since his first year in the league, which was 2018-2019—a half season for him.

As for Kähkönen, his QS% is .524, which is better than his career mark, but it’s also a lot lower than Blackwood’s mark. So, depending on the San Jose organization’s disposition and draft strategy, it will be interesting to see how the coaching staff handles this going forward. The defense should get better with the addition of rookie defenseman Shakir Mukhamadullin, so things are looking up for the Sharks already.

With 14 victories now, the team would have to go 0-25-6 over the final 31 games of the season to set any futility records. That’s not going to happen with Blackwood playing at the level he is now; we look forward to seeing how the rest of the regular season unfolds for San Jose and what that means for the future of the franchise.