Jack Han Thinks ‘Pieces Are There’ for Successful Sharks Power Play

Jack Han has a glass half-full prognosis of the San Jose Sharks power play, even without Erik Karlsson.

“It’s actually your weaknesses that end up creating opportunity,” the ex-Toronto Marlies assistant coach told San Jose Hockey Now. “I think the pieces are there.”

Really?

The Sharks power play last year, even with a 101-point defenseman quarterbacking it, was 25th in the NHL at 18.4 percent. And now, they’re without Karlsson, after the Sharks traded the reigning Norris Trophy winner to the Pittsburgh Penguins two weeks ago.

Han recognizes that reality.

“If you look at the D,” he said. “There’s literally nobody there who would be a credible power play quarterback at the NHL level.”

Han is talking about a group that includes mostly defense-first blueliners like Mario Ferraro, Matt Benning, Marc-Edouard Vlasic, Jan Rutta, Kyle Burroughs, Radim Simek, Nikolai Knyzhov, and Jacob MacDonald.

“There’s not a single defenseman I would feel comfortable with on the first unit.”

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So how do the San Jose Sharks compensate for this weakness?

In the absence of Karlsson, the Sharks are actually flush with skill forwards, with the additions of Anthony Duclair, Filip Zadina, Mikael Granlund, and Mike Hoffman.

This is on top of logical power play incumbents up front, like Logan Couture, Tomas Hertl, Alexander Barabanov, Kevin Labanc, Luke Kunin, and William Eklund.

It’s an imperfect but talented group, most with a legitimate scoring track record.

So Han thinks the San Jose Sharks should go five forwards on their top power play unit.

Read the Full Article at NBC Sports Bay Area