SAN JOSE – Bob Boughner mentioned he's nonetheless uncertain as as to if he’ll be again because the Sharks’ coach subsequent season, including that he and his employees want to have some readability about their futures sooner reasonably than later.
Boughner mentioned he and interim normal supervisor Joe Will are planning to speak within the close to future however didn't know if somebody within the Sharks’ present administration construction could be those to determine to maintain him aboard or if that call could be left to the subsequent full-time GM.
Will has been busy with numerous exit interviews since Friday, the day after the tip of the common season. A number of gamers who spoke with the media final week mentioned they appreciated the job Boughner and his employees did and believed he deserved the chance to educate the Sharks once more subsequent season.
“I'd say this that, clearly, ahead of later, we’ll should know so we will transfer ahead,” Boughner mentioned. “Whether or not that’s a brand new GM or whether or not that’s Joe or administration or possession making these selections, you’d should ask him.”
Requested when it might be best to get some readability about his job standing, so he and his employees can start preparations for subsequent season, Boughner mentioned jokingly, “tomorrow?”
“It’s been simply such a busy weekend for everyone that we haven’t even actually crossed that bridge and there’s no date, there’s no ultimatums or something like that,” Boughner mentioned. “We work collectively. We’ve been very open and clear with one another about the place we’re at and the place we wish to get to, so I’ll depart that query as much as Joe to reply.
“However I’ve mentioned this earlier than, my employees and myself have put a whole lot of time in with this group and we wish to be part of it transferring ahead. I’ve mentioned there’s mild on the finish of the tunnel right here for certain.”
Will grew to become the Sharks’ interim normal supervisor after Doug Wilson stepped down because the group’s GM on April 7 after 19 seasons. Will, group president Jonathan Becher and proprietor Hasso Plattner are a part of the search committee for the subsequent GM, however there is no such thing as a onerous timeline for when a brand new particular person must be in place.
The Sharks completed Twenty second within the NHL’s general standings with a 32-37-13 document for 77 factors, 20 factors again of the Nashville Predators for the second and ultimate wild-card spot within the Western Convention. This was the third straight 12 months the Sharks had missed the playoffs.
There have been issues to love concerning the Sharks’ season — and issues that clearly want enchancment.
The Sharks’ penalty kill was one of many group’s vibrant spots, ending the 12 months at 85.2 p.c — second-best within the NHL – after it was at 80.2 p.c final season.
The Sharks additionally completed with the NHL’s Twenty second-ranked energy play at 19.0 p.c – not what the group hoped for, however a major enchancment over the 14.1 p.c of final season.
The Sharks goaltending with James Reimer, Adin Hill, and later Kaapo Kahkonen was additionally improved with a .900 save proportion, up from .891 the earlier season with what was primarily a tandem of Martin Jones and Devan Dubnyk.
The Sharks additionally dressed a franchise-record 18 rookies this season, and people gamers mixed for 34 objectives and 60 assists.
“There’s some nice progress being made,” Boughner mentioned. “I feel this group is deeper than it’s ever been with younger expertise. However with that comes competitors.”
Nonetheless, scoring was the Sharks’ greatest concern, a void that was by no means full of Evander Kane’s season-long absence.
The Sharks completed with 2.57 objectives per sport, which ranked thirtieth out of 32 groups. In addition they scored a league-low 142 objectives throughout 5-on-5 play. The Sharks solely had 4 gamers rating greater than 15 objectives in Timo Meier (35), Tomas Hertl (30), Logan Couture (23), and Nick Bonino (16).
“I feel it was time for either side to half and I feel it was the precise determination,” Boughner mentioned of Kane. “Can we miss his offense? After all. However there’s a imaginative and prescient and a spotlight of this group transferring ahead, and primary, you’ve received to win the sport within the locker room earlier than you win it on the ice, and I feel we've got a robust locker room.
“We've got guys that actually look after each other, play onerous for each other and so they wish to take that subsequent step as a gaggle.”
Kane signed with the Edmonton Oilers in January, shortly after the Sharks positioned him on unconditional waivers and terminated his contract for what it felt was a fabric breach of his cope with the group and a violation of AHL COVID-19 protocols.
The NHL Gamers’ Affiliation filed a grievance on Kane’s behalf. The Sharks and the NHLPA had a listening to with an impartial arbitrator earlier this month, and that listening to will proceed on a date that’s nonetheless to be decided.
Kane and the Oilers are starting a first-round playoff collection with the Los Angeles Kings on Monday. Kane had 39 factors in 43 regular-season video games with the Oilers.
“To evaluate the entire thing, was it a optimistic or damaging, we didn’t go into this with our eyes shut, considering that we weren’t going to lose some ability and offense,” Boughner mentioned. “But additionally at what value? I feel on the finish of the day, it was time for either side to half and I feel (Kane is)in all probability in a greater scenario. And I feel we're too.”