No NHL Team More Dependent on PK Than Sharks

There isn’t a team that’s more dependent on their penalty killing than the San Jose Sharks.

They’ve won only two games this season when their penalty kill has given up a goal. That’s “good” for a 2-10-3 overall record. Not shocking, two victories in such contests is a league-worst.

Also not shocking: The Sharks lost on Friday night 7-1 to the Edmonton Oilers, in part because of two power play goals surrendered to the Oilers’ NHL-best man advantage.

“I wouldn’t point just to the penalty kill,” San Jose Sharks head coach David Quinn countered, when asked if it was particularly deflating to give up early PP goals, Edmonton’s first and third goals of the game. “We had a power play earlier, that can deflate you too, when the power play doesn’t do what it should.”

And of course, when we look at the balance of the Sharks’ 13-23-8 season, it’s not the penalty kill that you’re pointing a finger at.

In fact, the PK has arguably been the most reliable thing about the San Jose Sharks this season – their 83.7 kill rate is third in the NHL.

On the other hand, the PK hasn’t been exactly airtight since the beginning of December – they’ve surrendered 15 goals in their last 58 tries, 22nd in the league in that period of time.

But just two wins when you give up a power play goal? Those two victories, by the way, were on Oct. 27 versus the Toronto Maple Leafs and Dec. 13 against the Arizona Coyotes.

That’s a minuscule number. How minuscule?

Here’s how many wins, through Jan. 13, that each NHL team has enjoyed when their PK has been touched up.

Suffice to say, it’s been a tough season in San Jose.